"Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you."
—Aldous Huxley
Week 2: Courage
Welcome to this new day. Every moment of every day presents a new opportunity to choose the life you want. It is easy to forget this when you get caught up in routine or feel overwhelmed by the amount of responsibility you encounter. It is essential to recognize that through your thought patterns you are often making the same choice over and over again.
No matter what the circumstances, your pattern of choosing maintains a constant theme. This is not meant to minimize trauma and tragedies, only to point out that how you process those experiences is up to you. What is your constant theme? What is the lens through which all that you feel or do gets filtered?
You have taken some time to look deep within yourself, to listen to your inner voice. You have revisited your goal and are moving forward with a renewed sense of resolution. Now, keeping in line with your goal, this is the perfect time to pick a theme that you can use whenever you become mindful of a choice point.
How will you recognize the choice points? Well, there are so many ways; the possibilities are endless. Your choice points could happen during important meetings, in casual conversations with family and friends, or they could be within the thoughtscape of your own mind. How many times have you decided what you were going to say or do while conversing privately in your own head?
You will know choice points by how you feel before, during and after the moment of choice. The best way to test this feeling is to check-in with your Dahnjon, the energy field about 2 inches below your navel. When energy flows toward your Dahnjon you will feel "good;" your abdomen will feel calm and settled and your head will feel clear. These are physical sensations associated with empowerment. When energy flows away from the Dahnjon your abdomen will feel queasy and unsettled and you will feel tightness in your head.
Water Up Fire Down is a holistic health principal, not just a physical health principal. Your physical exercises and your mental habits are both important contributors to maintaining this balanced state. Everything is energy, including you. The surest way to affect change in your life circumstances is by affecting balance within your body. Because everything is constantly changing in response to your thinking, maintaining thoughts about balance can help you maintain balance.
Balance is just one of many themes you can choose. The point is to consciously choose and then come back to it again and again. When in doubt, touch your Dahnjon and remember your core. You have always had the power to do what you want with your life. In many little ways, the choice has always been yours.
Meditation
Make a list of the choices you made today, as many as you can remember. Relax and be careful not to judge or censor yourself.
Sit
Wherever you are, first please sit down. You can meditate in any position, but it is best for your situation to be in a position that is both relaxed and alert. To keep your back straight during meditation you may need to lean against a wall or pillow.
Look
Pick up your LifeParticle Card (or find a digital version at
ChangeYourEnergy.com); take 30 seconds to look at the LifeParticle Sun. This will help you shift your focus to what you want to achieve.
Breathe
Now close your eyes; take a deep breath and slowly exhale until you empty out your lungs. Relax your shoulders and breathe like this 2 more times.
Release
Keep your eyes closed and reflect on all of the things in your list. Relax your body and breathe in gratitude for each item.
Begin deep breathing again and with each exhale imagine something disappears from the room. Keep breathing and emptying the space around you for 2 minutes.
Finish
When you are done, shake your shoulders vigorously for 30 seconds to release any remaining tension. Do you feel lighter? Now you can begin to feel free to release everything you know about your situation and get a fresh perspective.
Affirm
Now say the weekly affirmation out loud. If possible, look at yourself in the mirror.
I am letting go and accepting change in my life. I trust that all is flowing in accordance with my highest good.
Follow Up
Whether walking, sitting or standing, take time today to practice this technique. Relax your shoulders and take a deep breath into your chest. Keep doing this for 3 minutes. Do your best to just "listen" to what comes up in your mind. There is no need to judge the choices you have made; just release them. Keep breathing in and exhaling slowly. Repeat at least 3 times during the day or the next day.
Get the motivation and inspiration to stay on track with your personal goals by taking the
2014 New Year’s Resolution Challenge!
Important Practice Tips
In just 21 days, you can unlock your hidden potential and transform your habits for a more fulfilled life. With a simple combination of daily inspiration, meditation, breathing exercises and affirmations, you can achieve your goals and create the life you really want.
Try to meditate at the same time every day:
Please remember that meditation involves your body and mind. Both will respond best to a consistent practice at a regular time. You will have better results if you do this around the same time every day.
Be patient with the Healing Process:
These 21 days will be process of self-healing. The healing process means that some emotional items you identify and release may seem to intensify as you are releasing them.
Also, there may be subtle physical reactions to the emotional release such as unexpected exhaustion or mild achiness.
This message is not intended as medical advice, so please consult your healthcare practitioner with any health concerns.