“All our emotions are meant to be felt. Even the hard ones. It’s okay to feel what you need to feel.” – Inside Out 2
I gathered together a few friends and we saw the Disney Pixar movie, Insight Out 2. One of the many brilliant lines in the movie comes from the emotion, anxiety: “While fear protects Riley from the things she can see, my job is to protect her from the things she can’t see. I plan for the future.” This is demonstrated by showing video clips of endless possibilities of all that can go wrong in Riley’s life.
Sound familiar? We have all experienced those 3 am wake up sessions when anxiety moves in and creates chaos and worry. Once anxiety takes charge, all other emotions are suppressed and we are put on high alert, preparing and planning for the worst.
There are times in life when we develop such an attachment to wanting to look good, be popular, win the game, that it becomes almost an obsession. We lose all sense of self. We forget our values and what is important to us. The more attached we are, the more restricted life seems to be. Feeling restricted can make us feel incomplete and that somehow we have failed.
Engaging in spiritual practices like meditation, journaling and expressing gratitude, we are empowered to free ourselves from anxiety and the constant chatter about what isn’t working. We are then open to discover other possibilities in store for us. When we tap into our inner wisdom and intuition, we let go of the suffering from the past, and the neediness of the future. Learning to live in the moment helps us stay centered in love.
We realign to what is important and allow love’s healing power to take charge when we live in the now moment. Taking time in the silence, we return to a place of peace and harmony. Instead of planning, changing, controlling, and fixing, we allow ourselves to just be and connect with the flow.
Take a breath and live in the flow. Give a gift to yourself and see this entertaining and uplifting movie.
“As I become conscious of my Oneness with God, I am filled with enthusiasm and a sense of energy and vitality.” – Ernest Holmes
Feeling tired lately? You are not alone! Vitality seems to be in short supply these days. There are so many challenges that drain our energy and can leave us sleepless and exhausted.
Vitality Is defined an exuberance; living with purpose. But some days it can be quite a feat to move from exhausted to vitality. It takes practice to take a breath, take a pause, and let go of our self-imposed demands. It often takes courage to ask for help and compassion to release our need for perfection. When we practice letting go we open the heart to more love, and we naturally feel more enthusiasm and vitality for life.
I feel vitality when I am in nature. Whether I am at the ocean, forest, or desert, I feel a newness and freshness. My friend feels it when she is with her granddaughter. The world seems to stop and she is completely in the moment and in a state of unconditional love. Another friend feels exactly the same way when playing with her dog, feeling immense love and joy.
When we tap into vitality we are tapping into our connection with the divine and we vibrate the life force energy. We feel an aliveness and appreciation for life itself. Eric Butterworth describes vitality as “All the the attributes of the Infinite are in focus as you, flowing forth through you. You are this flow.”
Pay attention to what makes you feel energized. You may not feel it every day and that’s okay. If we are willing to recognize vitality and pay attention, it happens more frequently. To some it may show up as an abundance of energy and to others it may be a quiet sense of purpose and gratitude. Wherever we are, we are connecting with the frequency of love.
I would love to hear from you. Let me know what energizes you and renews your vitality?
“Mindfulness is about love and loving life. When you cultivate this love, it gives you clarity and compassion for life, and your actions happen in accordance with that.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
Before you even get out of bed in the morning do you ever find yourself getting ready to fight in the battlefield? When we’ve been offended, misunderstood, dismissed, unrecognized, we often wake up ready to go out to the battlefield, prepared to fight the enemy. You know them—Boss, coworker, spouse, friend. There’s a need to fight and make things right. There’s a need to be understood, to right the world that is spiraling out of control.
However, if we are disciplined enough to make it over to our meditation chair to sit in the stillness and quiet the mind, we can tap into peace. Then we can assess the situation and find our voice. I appreciate author Sam Horn’s A.N.G.E.R. Method of taking a step back to find a conscious, peaceful way to take action.
Imagine what would happen if we put aside the battlefield and instead went out to work in the garden? What if we allowed the warrior weapons to morph into garden gloves and channeled the emotions of battle into energetic vitality? We could use this newfound clarity of the situation to nurture and till the soil, feeding the precious seedlings (thoughts) with love, peace, wholeness, harmony. Take time to smell the flowers and take in the beauty of nature’s bounty.
If we are willing to stop and assess the situation, we have clarity and can lay down our weapons. The challenges of the world can be transformed by the presence of peace. It takes mindful intention and a willingness to let go. Buddha reminds us that “Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts.”
Practicing mindfulness can give us the resources to face the difficulty of the day. It can help us find words to heal, thoughts to soothe, acts of kindness to share.
Affirmation: I am willing to lay down thoughts of separation and practice the radiant oneness of love.
“It’s hard to let go of anything we love. We live in a world which teaches us to clutch. But when we clutch, we’re left with a fistful of ashes.” – Madeleine L’Engle
Is there something you are hanging on to? Afraid to let go? Worried about what might happen?
Perception plays a big part in attachment. We perceive a specific outcome or result that may or may not be realistic. Because our emotions are tied in with the attachment, we are absolutely positive that the outcome we want is the only outcome there is. When we don’t get what we want, we feel disappointed.
The difference between expectancy and expectation is attachment. Expectation comes from the mind and expectancy comes from the heart. If I let go of attachment, I open up the realm of opportunity. The more attached I am, the more restricted life seems to be. Feeling restricted can make us feel incomplete and that somehow we have failed.
In surrendering, we free ourselves from the constant chatter about what isn’t working. We are then open to discover other possibilities in store for us. We tap into our inner wisdom when we let go of the suffering from the past, and the neediness of the future. Learning to live in the moment helps us stay centered in love.
When I live in the moment, I allow love’s healing power to take charge. If I can take time in the silence, I return to the extraordinary place of peace and harmony. Instead of planning, changing and fixing, I allow myself to just be and connect with the flow.
Affirm: I am willing to release and ready to receive.
“Activity and rest are two vital aspects of life. To find a balance in them is a skill in itself. Wisdom is knowing when to have rest, when to have activity, and how much of each to have. Finding them in each other – activity in rest and rest in activity – is the ultimate freedom.” Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Whether you long to reconnect with your inner wisdom, or are craving quiet reflection, rest, and renewal, our Wisdom of the Heart Women’s Retreat will meet your needs.
Rev Christine Green has designed a deeply restorative retreat for women in a nurturing, empowering, and supportive environment. Tap into the transformative power of spiritual principle to nourish your body and soul. Amazing musician Lauri Jones provides heart-felt music to inspire, move and connect us with our sacred self.
Our all-inclusive retreat takes place at Alton Collins Retreat Center, a beautiful center in the lush forest located in Eagle Creek, Oregon. Room, meals and retreat included in the price. There is an option for single or double occupancy.
Having fresh, organic, home-made food is a treasure! Scrumptious meals, lovingly prepared. All dietary requests are honored. No dishes to wash. Just enjoy!
Integrate self-renewal strategies into daily life as you learn to:
Slow down and access your inner wisdom
Experience guilt-free spiritual practice
Tap into self-compassion and self-acceptance
Relax and connect with your needs, desires, and emotional well-being
Meditate to enhance peace and harmony in everyday life
Enjoy authentic connection with like-minded women as you embrace a new way of being and experience greater freedom and joy.
Wisdom of the Heart Women’s Retreat: Sunday, October 20 at 4 pm through Wednesday, October 23, 2024 at 1 pm
Single Room: $775
Double Room: $655
To register: Please send or scan this registration form along with your deposit
