Sangeeta Bhagwat's Blog, page 3

Poems: Remembering Wholeness

My job is to remember your Wholeness.

To sit in the dark with you

Knowing that there is light

Waiting to embrace you

That it has never left…

It may have got reduced

To the match in your hand

Or to the switch

That will draw open the blinds.

Or it may be glimmering dimly

As an instinctive understanding

Buried deep within your heart or mind.

It may be in the form

Of tears sliding down your cheek

Or in the voice stifled

Behind tightly clenched teeth.

However well it be hidden

It’s my job to seek it, and find.

My job is to remember my Wholeness.

To go beyond form, appearance and superficiality

However, this gives no guarantee

That I have never felt broken

Or forgotten how light gets disguised

As apparent chaos,

Inside, and outside.

It does not mean that I will never forget

Or never require another

To hold this same space for me.

My job is to remember our Wholeness.

And sometimes, you see

It’s just easier

To care for another so deeply

That all self-doubts and mind fogs

Are set aside

And even our most insistent

Nightmares and favourite dreams

Are willingly surrendered

Exchanged for the peace of clarity

Our job is to remember Wholeness.

Whether it be one at a time

Or together…

It’s all the same eventually.

For all roads lead home,

Whether I keep the loving attention

On the light within ‘you‘, ‘us‘, or ‘me‘

Mindfully walking

Any of these paths can set us both free.

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Poems: Healing The Void Within

At some time or the other

We all encounter a hollowness

A nagging, deep-rooted need

Which we describe differently

And like most things lost

In translation

We begin to believe:

‘I need someone to love me

To have someone who belongs to me

To whom I matter most

And can count on for eternity.’

But if we examine such ‘needs’

How clear it is to see

That we have shifted

From love and presence

To ownership, demands, insistence

Entitlement, control, monopoly,

Feeding our false hope

Of everlasting security.

Misunderstanding our need

To be true to ourselves

To remember the reality

Of what is constant and unchangeable,

What is transient and illusory…

What is self, who is the other

And where does this loneliness

Really want to take me.

How much would change

If we said instead:

‘What I am looking for

Is a way to remember and live

The  warm assurance

Of being

At peace

With my self and all that I be.’ 

Where, then, would one direct

One’s time, attention and energy?

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The Story and Free Download of ‘S.O.U.L. – School of Universal Learnings’.

I recently revisited my ‘S.O.U.L.’ of 2010. This book more or less wrote itself, and like a young, inexperienced, and somewhat surprised mid-wife, despite my best intentions, I really did not know how to do justice to this book. I have never been good at marketing my various offerings, and certainly not on a large scale. Even today, I am not able to do that.

Nevertheless, my late father’s words remain my guiding force – that if my writing can benefit even person, I must make the effort to put it out. Which is why I share so freely on this blog and on Facebook.

Initially, the full form of the acronym SOUL was “School of Universal Learnings”.  Submissions to publishers received mixed responses.  Most were unwilling to experiment with this odd mix of truth and fiction.  One of the leading international publishers of new age and spiritual books wrote me a glowing feedback but said they could not publish it as they were currently working on a similar book.  They even recommended two other publishers to me.  But the rejection letters continued.

A couple of my friends at that time, Sheetal Sanghvi and Shilpa Kanungo, encouraged me to publish the book myself. I decided to use a Creative Commons license and publish 500 copies. Simultaneously, a free pdf was made available on my website and other sites. With the help of them and other like-minded friends, the book was widely offered in the spirit of gift economy.  I managed to recover the monetary costs and the feedback was rather fulfilling.  Many readers loved it and wrote in glowing praise (read some examples here.) Some not so much. One reader told me that it was as though I had gathered a great deal of healing and spiritual practices and put them together into a story.  Though he said it dismissively, I don’t mind the book being read as a handbook of sorts, with a storyline thrown in to lighten the contents! (Truth be told, this really was not an intentional bundling of information.  It just flowed.)

A couple of years after the print run, Xynobooks from the U.S. took up the book. As part of the contract requirements, it was renamed as ‘SOUL – Student of Universal Law’ and all free distribution had to be withdrawn.  The ebook received little of the publicizing support I had hoped it would. There were negligible sales, but again, some wonderful reactions and reviews, including on Amazon.  Subsequently, Xynobooks itself closed down and the rights are back with me.

Recently, I decided to re-read the book. I find that much of its information is still relatively unknown, practically useful, and most certainly relevant to current times. Those wishing to lead a more conscious life which is in harmony with Gaia would probably enjoy it.  Readers curious to try the suggestions for themselves would likely find the results personally rewarding, as well as beneficial for the collective.

I have to say that I am surprised at the emotions and purpose this book still stirred in me. Like the characters in my book, I too feel that what is imperative at this point is a raising of individual and collective consciousness.

Given all of the above, I have decided to make the original pdf available free of cost once again. Tools for Empaths and Are You an Earth Sensitive? And Why You Need To Know are two of the most frequently read and widely shared of my posts. If either of those interest you, please do consider reading S.O.U.L. And if it resonates with you, please drop me a line and share it within your circles (thank you!).

Read S.O.U.L on Scribd at:

https://www.scribd.com/doc/306486432/S-O-U-L-Sangeeta-S-Bhagwat

(For other free audio and book downloads, please visit my website. )

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Spiritual and Energy Tools To Help With De-Addiction.

In the recent weeks, I received several queries around addiction and hence decided to share some energetic clearings here. I felt that it was necessary to include some introductory material. But in doing that, the post has grown more inclusive than originally planned and also includes links to more related articles. For those who go through it all – I thank you for your patience – and hope you find it well worth your time!  For those who so prefer, you can jump straight to the Clearings at the end.

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Our addictions are not limited to substances like drugs, alcohol and desserts.  Even our thought patterns, behaviours and relationships can become our addictions. Anywhere that we park the source of our happiness outside of us – can become our addiction. We gradually begin to need increasing amounts of it to continue to feel good(tolerance) and develop acute unhappiness in its absence(withdrawal). So we can grow addicted to anything from excessive working out and busyness, to casual sex and selfies.  (If you just can’t stop yourself, pause and ask yourself if you have an addiction you are unwilling to admit.)

This vast subject should not be oversimplified and nor should its challenges be understated.   So before I offer the clearings that several clients have found useful in releasing cravings, I would like to list some general pointers from the physical, emotional, intellectual, energetic and spiritual angles. For, the more bases that we have covered the greater the likelihood of sustained change.

Physical factors

There is no question that physiological factors go hand in hand with our addictions.  People better qualified and more knowledgeable than me have discussed this in great detail and one can search the internet for more information. Here, I would only like to highlight a few points:

Allergies: Sometimes, we crave the very thing that we are allergic to.  This is because the body releases some feel-good hormones as a part of its efforts to combat the allergen.  What we actually begin to crave is that consequent ‘high’. If that be the case, then identifying the allergens(say through lab testing and/or energetic dowsing as may be appropriate) and eliminating the allergy(EFT can be useful for this) should be a part of the protocol.
Physiological changes and Diet: Recognizing that actual chemical changes that are produced in the brain and rest of the body, it is important to not be judgmental with yourself or others. For example, while the conclusion is under debate, some studies indicate that sugar could be more addictive than cocaine in mammals.  Asking people to simply ‘have more will-power’ and ‘just eat fewer sweets’ may hence be an unrealistic and perhaps unkind demand.

The system needs to be cleansed and the brain rewired to enable and implement better decisions.  In this context, I strongly recommend the book, “The Prime” by Dr. Kulreet Chaudhary for a detailed explanation of the brain-gut connection and how to restore ourselves to wellbeing. The book helps in better understanding how the quality of our thinking and moods are influenced by our digestive system. For those dealing with food addictions in particular, this may well be an eye-opener.
Exercise:  Regardless of what form the addiction takes, remember that if your mind-body is well maintained and well tuned , your toxic dependency on outside factors will diminish.
Qualitative rest and space for reflection: We need time and space to process all that we go through in our overly busy modern lives. Do not underestimate the power of sitting still and allowing emotions to be processed. Without that, you only add to your stress and a consequent need for escape. Meditation and prayer are two more ways to grow in our equanimity and to generate more mindful responses to whatever is happening in our lives and immediate environment.

Emotional factors

It is now being thought that disconnection plays a major part in addictions.  Ironically, even as technology has connected us across time and distance like never before, we are increasingly isolated.  Though our interactions may have become more frequent, they have become more superficial, and often fake. (The most common thing I hear from my clients is, “Who do I tell all this to?“. )  Further, there is little connection within as well.  The more we put on masks to interact with the world, the more the split within us.

We need to meet ourselves.  We need to discover what is sacred for us, individually. We need to learn and practise how to build genuine meaningful connections and build safe spaces where we can share authentically with each other.  We need to learn how to speak and listen from the heart and how to share a healing silence together.

If we had more of these, there would likely be less desire to escape or numb ourselves with addictions.

Intellectual factors

In this context,  I refer to the kind of rationale and reasoning one is employing to make lifestyle choices.  Studying the situation holistically, taking into account one’s risk factors and predisposition, the conscious choice of thoughts and beneficial environments and disciplined application of appropriate remedial practices is a must.

The more we run on auto-pilot, the more we are at the mercy of our senses. Pleasure and avoidance of pain then remain the dominant driving factors.  However, the greater the self-awareness, the easier it becomes to reign in our vulnerability to be overcome by mindless desires.

Self-awareness and self-inquiry are practical, useful and necessary. For example, after careful introspection were you to find that you use substances to numb yourself because you are highly sensitive to energies, then you could turn to coping tools for an empath.  Or if you find that a lack of a meaningful occupation is making you feel empty, you could start reinventing yourself and find what makes you sing.  If you discover that you are not living the values you subscribe to, that inner conflict can be driving you through many emotions that can lead to addictions.

Thus, instead of battling only the symptomatic addiction, we can go deeper in understanding and addressing the unmet needs which are giving rise to the need for the substance. (If you would like assistance with such self-inquiry, you could contact me for private consultations.)

Energetic factors

Restoring balance and harmony to our energy systems has cascading benefits that leads to an overall improvement in mental, emotional and physical well being.

In addition to taking concrete, tangible steps in the physical world, experience the exponential benefits of using energetic tools such as Emotional Freedom Techniques(EFT) and Emotion Code. Please refer to the short ‘EFT for Addictions’ section in my book, ‘Emotional Freedom Techniques‘ for specific suggestions.  Further, handouts of EFT Basic Recipe in One Page and EFT for Addictions in Marathi are available at my site, www.serenereflection.com as a part of the free downloads.

The Spiritual factor

Spirituality is often considered an impractical weakness – a distraction from the business of living well and getting ahead in the rat race.  Ill-informed fanaticism, cynicism, controversy or debate are now more common than a genuine pursuit of the larger questions for ourselves.  For even those who occasionally do consider them, these questions are largely parked away as some illusory retirement plan.

This is similar to driving in faster and increasingly more reckless circles within a narrow radius –  after throwing out the map – and yet expecting to arrive at a destination that is miles from where you are looking for it. (If that caught your attention, you may like reading Material Wealth, Abundance and Spirituality.)

Beyond all forms and appearances, at the heart of it all, we all long to fill a ‘void’ within us; to restore a sense of wholeness and completion.  Whether we are able to articulate it or not, we all seek that reassuring, unshakeable connection to Source/God/Divinity – whatever one prefers to call it.

Despite all ambitious ideas of the limited self, within each one, there remains the faint inkling of the remembrance of our true nature. Like a beacon, it calls us back home.

The ego attempts to avoid feeling this void, by using outside distractions, pleasures and crutches. But nothing temporary and changeable(as all things of the material world are) can substitute for that inner connection.

The ego resists meeting this ‘void’ as well.  For, this would mean an emptying of the self and an embracing of the infinite beyond.

In this consequent pull and push, we grow increasingly desperate in trying to obtain relief from the outside. Building our own reliable spiritual framework can go a long way in calming and strengthening us so that we can play this game of life without being overwhelmed by it. To this end, self-inquiry, meditation, spiritual practises and prayer are all relevant and useful.

Some spiritual tools that could help:

This  Prayer to Restore Faith may be a good place to start.
Then, in this particular context, consider Ho’oponopono- the Hawaiin practice of a prayer requesting a correction in the errors of our perception.
Forgiveness  will also likely be required.
If addiction has been in the family, then I would especially recommend John Newton’s Comprehensive Prayer Of Forgiveness for Ourselves .
At one time, I worked extensively with the Sai Sanjeevinis, with impressive results.  This is a prayer based healing system that uses symbols. You can study and use the entire Sai Sanjeevini Healing system online (for free).

Choose any path that calls out to you… and walk it one step at a time.

Perseverance can get us much further than we imagined we could reach.

Clearings

Finally, below are some clearings that I have been sharing privately with clients.  I wrote these several years after my EFT book came out, hence they are not included in it.  They have been liked by those struggling with toxic relationships, smoking, shopping, tv binging, phone obsessions, and pica, amongst other things. (Let me know if you give them a try yourself!)

These statements bring up the related energy and awareness blockages within us and help release them. My suggestion would be to record the clearings in your own voice and do the two sets as many times as you can in a day.  Alternatively, do the two sets at least once a day and then loop the second set at a low volume through the night, for at least 11 days. Remember to drink extra water as you go through this process.

I. First, let us release all judgements: Sit peacefully with your eyes closed and palms crossing over each, flat on your chest, in a way that the tips of your fingers are touching both the Sore Spots(see EFT Basic Recipe in one page.)  Inhale deeply and exhale completely with each of the following statements:

It’s okay to have had this craving.


It’s okay that all that contributed to this happened.


 Its okay to have these emotions.


It’s okay to have these feelings.


 It’s okay to release all of this right now.

II. Next, we will use some clearings to point our self towards the wholeness that one actually seeks.  Remember, every thought, feeling, and sensation that arises is experienced within us.  (We do not need to become attached and dependent on external stimuli.)

Those familiar with Access Consciousness may prefer to use the Access Consciousness Clearing Statement instead of ‘release, dissolve and let go’.  Use whatever you feel more comfortable with.

(Whatever, whoever or wherever that it is that I crave or yearn for) –

What is the feeling that (___) invokes in me that I am actually looking to have?

What generative energy, space and consciousness do I have to be to be in awareness of that?

Everything that blocks me from having that awareness, I release, dissolve and let go now.
 All the past experiences, cellular memories, auric imprints, future programs, oaths, vows or agreements, solidified and densified conclusions that I have around feeling this lack, or feeling unworthy, or undeserving of feeling and knowing of wholeness, I release, dissolve and let go now.
Were I to obtain this object of desire/obsession, how would it feel?

What would it take for me to feel that, and to feel complete right now?Everything that blocks me from knowing that, feeling that, or feeling wholeness and completion right now, I release, dissolve and let go right now.
What would it take for me to remember this, know this, and feel this completion from hereon?

Everything that blocks that from happening, I release, dissolve and let go now.
From this space of wholeness and completion, what would I do differently now?

Everything that blocks me from knowing that and doing that, I release, dissolve and let go now.




Please note that none of the above is meant to be a substitute for formal medical treatment. However, I do recommend complementing your chosen de-addiction protocol with the above suggestions. 

Let me know your comments and if you feel this useful, please do share it with others as well.

Good wishes to all!

 

Making Room For A Higher Power.

Its been a long while since I posted anything on the blog.

As my clients know, I often use this blog as a resource reservoir to provide them with tools and suggestions specific to their individual challenges.  With over 170 posts, there is usually a little something useful for everyone. So I felt it was alright for me to take an informal break from adding to the material here.

Concurrently, the last few months have been rather eventful in my personal life.

Thanks to that, I noticed, that my own approach to challenges has grown ‘quieter’ over the years. I am more able to look for and notice a higher order to things than are readily apparent from my own limited perspective.

I feel quite certain that this present emphasis on allowance and being has only become possible because of years of active inner inquiry and clearings.

For those who find themselves similarly located, perhaps you will agree that an assured faith is sustaining and strengthening in itself. Whether you place that faith in a God, consciousness, or your own higher Self may be a matter of personal choice, articulation and detail – but not one of them take away from the power of faith.

The value of consciously building our own spiritual framework of reference is understood during the times of human stress. That is when one realizes the pragmatic power of regular spiritual practice.

One of my centring tools is prayer.

In my earlier years, despite my spiritual beliefs, I have had the tendency of trying to do everything all by myself. Now, with far more experience under the belt, I realize the value of making room for grace.  Consciously inviting it in.  Allowing myself to feel loved and held by all of life (we all are – but we tend to forget).

I came to see that I was mistaken in seeing vulnerability as a weakness to be hidden or overcome. Instead, acknowledging and admitting the limitations of this mind-body actually helps one to reach an awareness beyond this identification.

Prayer – the speaking to, attentive listening for and accepting of a wisdom that is from beyond our limited selves can be a transformative practise.

In the continuing spirit of sharing what I have learned from my experiences on this blog,  I felt called to encourage my readers to experiment with a similar approach, hence this post.

Perhaps the poem below may assist you in getting started.

(I have shared many other poems on this site that you could browse through as well. If you like any of them, you are welcome to send the link to your loved ones.)

Would be happy to hear your thoughts on this subject… if you feel like sharing, please drop a comment below.

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Clearings to Help In Drawing Healthy Boundaries.

The re-evaluation and reconfiguration of relationships (and the implicit and explicit agreements governing them) seem to be a matter of priority and urgency for a lot of people right now. In recent weeks, the subject of boundaries has come up frequently in my client sessions. Consequently, I thought I would offer here a collection of the clearings that have been found useful by some of these people.

For those familiar with my work, you may recall other, related posts that you may want to revisit as per your current need:

In Rules of Engagement- And Breaking Them, I have described some of the patterns our interactions can fall into. Further, I have expanded in detail on the peculiar challenge that Highly Sensitive Empaths encounter with boundaries in Notes For The Highly Sensitive Empath , challenges that women face in An EFT Script For Women , addressed the pivotal relationship with parents at Disentangling The Ties That Bind(with EFT) and also provided a relevant EFT script for Resigning From Playing the Villain.  Are You Being Supportive or Invasive? addresses the situation where we play the role of a guardian, mentor or caregiver.

As these and several other posts indicate, I feel that rather than promoting divisiveness, appropriate boundaries, in fact, facilitate healthy, nourishing co-existence. Whether it be because one has been brought up by a narcissistic parent, has a superficial exposure to new age spirituality, an overtly religious or moral conditioning that emphasized sacrifice or hierarchy, or any other such reason – it is entirely possible to have a very distorted view of boundaries. Any consequent resistance or awkwardness regarding them can lead to resentful victimhood at one end, and self-centered, bullying behaviour at the other.

“Compassionate people ask for what they need.

They say no when they need to, and when they say yes, they mean it.

They’re compassionate because their boundaries keep them out of resentment.”

~ Brene Brown

Healthy boundaries respect both parties.

While we more easily notice when we feel violated or taken for granted, our own overstepping may not be that readily acknowledged.  However, in order to establish a healthy dynamic, both sides must be looked at with equal consideration.  Accordingly, the clearings below address both aspects.

(Please also note that I arrived at these by following threads of inquiry with different people and it is not possible to describe the entire process here.  Consequently, some of the statements may immediately resonate, while others may seem irrelevant to you personally.  I suggest that you use them all anyway. The list is longer than usual, but the subject is a vast one.  I trust you will find it worth your time and efforts.)

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How To Use These Clearings:

Simply read aloud and tap along all the EFT points as you are reading. If you are unfamiliar with EFT, download EFT in one page here .  For a more detailed understanding of EFT, you can get my book – Emotional Freedom Techniques.

Some readers may find it effective and comfortable to simply take a deep breath, read a statement, and release the breath for each statement.

Remember, that it is our intent and awareness that makes all the difference.

You may like to make an audio recording in your own voice and loop it for use with either Access Clearing Statement, EFT or breath release.

Some of the sentences seem unwieldy, but they can be effective.  So let your experience speak for itself. Stay well hydrated and ground yourself as you undergo this process.  It can bring about huge shifts in your energy and being.

Run these clearings several times a day for about a week and let me know how it works for you:

Everything that prevents me from stating and doing what I want (with honesty and compassion), I release, dissolve and let go now.
Everything that prevents me from listening and responding to the underlying intent of the other, I release, dissolve and let go now.
Everything that contributes to my inability to set healthy boundaries and allow myself the rest, recreation and rejuvenation I need, I release, dissolve and let go now.
Everything that prevents me from saying a timely, clear ‘yes’ without guilt, inhibition, or aggression, I release, dissolve and let go now.
Everything that prevents me from drawing a line, ending things, or saying a timely, clear ‘no’ without guilt, inhibition, or aggression I release, dissolve and let go now.
All the ways in which I consciously or unconsciously invite or allow others to violate my boundaries, I release, dissolve and let go now.
All the ways in which I consciously or unconsciously invade others’ boundaries, I release, dissolve and let go now.
All the ways I try to rationalise, justify, explain, defend or apologise for my feelings and needs, I release, dissolve and let go now.
All the ways in which I give in only in order to avoid conflict, I release dissolve and let go now.
All the ways in which I fail to recognize, honour and respect everyone in the relationship, including myself, I release dissolve and let go now.
All the ways I am afraid of speaking up for myself, I release dissolve and let go now.
All the ways that I have decided that argument, refusal and judgement of my needs and requests is inevitable, I release, dissolve and let go now.
All my resistance to anticipated judgment, argument, conflict and violence in reaction to me choosing my own happiness and wellbeing, all cellular memories of it, all neural programming, all emotional blackmail, all the anger, rage, hexes,  curses and spells I have allowed and received around this in the past I release dissolve and let go now.
All the ways I am programmed to sacrifice my happiness for others, I release dissolve and let go now.
All the ways I am programmed to feel guilty for choosing my own happiness, I release dissolve and let go now.
Any ways that I expect, insist or demand that others sacrifice their happiness for me, I release, dissolve and let go now.
Any ways in which I emotionally blackmail others, blame, induce guilt or punish others for not putting my happiness above theirs, I release, dissolve and let go now.
All the ways I have bought into the belief that my happiness and choice are immaterial and only (__)’s demands must be met, I release dissolve and let go now.
All the ways I have bought into the belief that (__)’s happiness and choice are immaterial and only my demands must be met, I release dissolve and let go now.
All the domination, bullying, passive aggression, entity and demonic control and slavery that I allow or participate in across all time, space and dimensions, I release dissolve and let go now.
All the ways I misunderstand, misapply and misuse the concept of Oneness, I release, dissolve and let go now.
All the unrealistic expectations that are projected on each other, all insistence and compulsion on how the other responds, I release dissolve and let go now.
All the ways I resist being perceived as selfish, I release dissolve and let go now.
All the ways I have self-care confused with selfishness, I release, dissolve and let go now.
All the ways I have devotion confused with slavery, I release, dissolve and let go now.
All the ways that agreement or submission are taken to be proof of love, and disagreement or independent points of view are taken to be the absence of love, I release, dissolve and let go now.
Any craving for belonging and acceptance that contributes to imbalanced dynamics, dysfunctional soul agreements and contracts of slavery or domination, I release, dissolve and let go now.
Any ways in which my temptation, habit or desire to abdicate responsibility contributes to the setting of inappropriate boundaries, I release, dissolve and let go now.

(You can consolidate the above by closing with a quick round of  NOW Healing:

Run your attention quickly up your centre as you  read each of these statements:

Align To Wholeness Now
Repair Energy Field Now
Assimilate and Reintegrate Changes Now
Align To Wholeness Now.

)

PS: If you feel these clearings may benefit someone else, please share them.

Image: Natural Installations By Gerry Barry

New at Serene Reflection: Explore The Archives

With over 170 offerings at last count, this blog now has a host of practices, clearings, essays and poems that can serve inner work. As per their individual needs, I regularly recommend specific, relevant articles for self-study and practice to my clients.

However, I was wondering how to make this reservoir more accessible and useful to the new reader who happens to stumble across this blog.

As a simple measure, I have added a fresh page and menu tab – ‘Explore the Archives‘. Replicating it within this post as an introduction to subscribers, this page lists the titles and links to all previous posts. I hope that the titles help you to pick out those that may be relevant to you. If you like something and find it useful, please let me know – or better still, share it on with anyone else who may benefit!

Thank you, and good wishes 

Clearings To Help With Creative Inspiration And Flow

Anyone who has persevered in the arts (or healing, sports, or any such area of devoted interest) acknowledges the need for dedicated learning and intense practice.  We know that we need to master the skills and build the muscle memory and strength at the mind-body level.

Yet, to take things to the next level, repetition alone is not enough.  

Something more is required.  We frequently hear advice along the lines of ‘get into the flow‘, or ‘find the zone‘, or ‘get yourself out of the way‘. For, what is required is for us to become one with the experience; inviting in a grace and inspiration to bring forth the highest possible in the moment.

Regardless of whether our endeavour is a creative pursuit or a mundane, mechanical task – when we pay attention – we notice that the space which we operate from is as critical to the outcome as our actual ability, practised skill and execution.

As Hazrat Inayat Khan hinted:

It is not solid wood that can become a flute, but the empty reed.

Wu Hsin also pointed succinctly with:

Perfect archery has no archer.

Scot Barry Kaufman, in his HBR article, “Why Inspiration Matters” states:

“To become personally inspired, the best you can do is set up the optimal circumstances for inspiration. As a society, the best we can do is assist in setting up these important circumstances for everyone.  An easy first step is simply recognizing the sheer potency of inspiration, and its potential impact on everything we do.“

However, even if one be convinced of the ‘sheer potency of inspiration‘, we still face a huge challenge:  How does one “set up the optimal circumstances for inspiration“?

Here is where we can turn to a beautiful poem that describes a methodical process to this end. ‘Poem of the Woodcarver’, by Chuang Tzu (from ‘The Way of Chuang Tzu’, by Thomas Merton) is a masterpiece treasured by many artists and teachers. It has been a personal favourite for a long time and I quote it below:

‘The Woodcarver’

by Chuang Tzu

Khing, the master carver, made a bell stand

Of precious wood. When it was finished,

All who saw it were astounded. They said it must be

The work of spirits.

The Prince of Lu said to the master carver:

“What is your secret?”

Khing, replied: “I am only a workman:

I have no secret. There is only this:

When I began to think about the work you commanded

I guarded my spirit, did not expend  it

On trifles, that were not to the point.

I fasted in order to set

My heart at rest.

After three days fasting,

I had forgotten gain and success.

After five days

I had forgotten praise or criticism.

After seven days

I had forgotten my body

With all its limbs.

“By this time all thought of your Highness

And of the court had faded away.

All that might distract me from the work

Had vanished.

I was collected in the single thought

Of the bell stand.

“Then I went to the forest

To see the trees in their own natural state.

When the right tree appeared before my eyes,

The bell stand  also appeared in it, clearly, beyond doubt.

All I had to do was to put forth my hand

and begin.

“If I had not met this particular tree

There would have been

No bell stand at all.

“What happened?

My own collected thought

Encountered the hidden potential in the wood;

From this live encounter came the work

Which you ascribe to the spirits.”

So now, the next question that usually arises after reading the above is:

How do we incorporate this wisdom into our life? 

Simple rituals can help set a mindful tone and clarify our focus.

For example, habits, such as decluttering, lighting a candle, playing soft background music, meditation or prayer before we begin our work, can all help.

Importantly, like ‘The Woodcarver’, starting with a clear intent to clear our inner space and inviting the highest to come through can significantly change the quality of whatever it is that we are expressing, doing, or making.

Drawing on my extensive experience with healing processes, I felt using NOW Healing with statements inspired by Chuang Tzu’s sage advice could lead to a powerful, useful practice. Used regularly, this meditative piece could aid in facilitating inspired work.

(It lends structure to my own approach to healing and the various creative mediums  I play with. Though, I feel its relevance is not limited to any particular field but extends to all form of authentic expression and offerings.  After all, as Rumi said, “Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground.”)

Sharing the process I came up with below, for those who think along similar lines:

Guiding Instructions:
a) Place your attention at the base of your spine, and then sweep your awareness quickly up the middle of your body (your ‘Center‘), and out from the top of your head, expanding upwards and outwards, in not more than 2 seconds.  Don’t think or concentrate too much, just do it quickly and lightly.

b) As you do the above, “ Enter the command” , i.e. mentally say the first statement from the list below. Inhale and release a deep breath as you do this.

c) Do this for each of the 21 statements , going through them slowly and mindfully. You may want to record the statements below in your own voice for regular use.
(To learn about Elma Mayer’s ‘NOW Healing’ and the ‘Center’ in greater detail, click here . Alternatively, use this as a tapping script with Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT) .)

 

Align to Wholeness Now.
Disentangle from all outer temptations and distractions Now.
Disentangle from the need to look or be busy Now.
Align to ease with non-activity Now.
Align to patience Now.
Align to deep listening of inner guidance Now.
Disentangle from all conscious and unconscious vested interests Now.
Disentangle from all conscious and unconscious fear and anticipation of judgement, criticism and rejection Now.
Disentangle from all conscious and unconscious craving and aversion for praise, riches, popularity, and fame Now.
Disentangle from all limitations of body-mind identification Now.
Disentangle from all thoughts, fears, expectations, and projections of audience response Now.
Align to inspiration Now.
Align to emergence Now.
Align to flow Now.
Align to seeing with Wholeness Now.
Align to clarity Now.
Align to inspired, skilful action Now.
Align to best possible effort Now.
Disentangle from all conclusion, judgment, attachment, or investment in the outcome Now.
Align to easeful surrender, peace and fulfilment Now.
Reintegrate Now.


Sit quietly with your eyes closed for a few moments.

I trust that you will experience a wonderful spaciousness, lightness and ease by this point. May this provide you with just the right space and state to proceed as per your own inner guidance now.

If you experiment with this process, I would love to have you share what followed in the comments below.  And if you enjoyed the article, please do pass it on!

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“My sculpture can last for days or a few seconds –

what is important to me is the experience of making.

I leave all my work outside and often return to watch it decay.”

(Land Art and Quote ~ Andy Goldsworthy)

Creating A New Personal Paradigm.

I am in the process of reading ‘Ishmael’, by Daniel Quinn. So far, the book is an engaging, thought-provoking read. Like Byron Katie’s ‘The Work’, it invites one to break down the fundamental pieces of the world vision we have bought into, and question the veracity of these parts.  These examined parts can then be reassembled to outline a new, wholly different paradigm.  What struck me, as I read this book, was the way we could use this to find freedom from a fixed idea of our self.

Remember, the brain highlights our awareness of evidence that proves our beliefs true.

Further, the brain cannot distinguish between the real and the imagined.  We can be victims of these biases, or we can choose to use this to our advantage.

Like the protagonist in my short story, ‘The River Sings. Listen.’, we tend to identify with the character/role we are playing out in this drama of life.  Self-inquiry reveals that who we are is not limited to the self-definition we usually buy into.

With ‘Unpeeling Our Labels‘, I offered an exercise to free yourself from your favourite fixed ideas about yourself. There, we focused on examining and disentangling from the character/role we are defining ourselves by.

Here, what I now propose is that we examine and rewrite the entire myth that we have built around this character.  (Our core beliefs about our individual identity frames our world-view and filters the consequent experience. Hence, I refer to this personalised narration as a movie or myth.)

Consider this Wikipedia extract from ‘Ishmael’ (that prompted this post):

“There’s nothing fundamentally wrong with people.

Given a story to enact that puts them in accord with the world, they will live in accord with the world.  But given a story to enact that puts them at odds with the world, as yours does, they will live at odds with the world.

Given a story to enact in which they are the lords of the world, they will act as the lords of the world. And, given a story to enact in which the world is a foe to be conquered, they will conquer it like a foe, and one day, inevitably, their foe will lie bleeding to death at their feet, as the world is now.”

This extract triggered the thought that often, in the attempt to shake off one role-play or dominant quality, we swing to its opposite polarity.  What we end up doing is substituting one fixed idea of a self, with another; we peel off one label, only to stick on another.

Consequently, we remain deeply entangled with the protagonist of our personal ‘movie’, albeit now a radically different one.  The environment we are drawn into remains one which perpetuates this identity: Remember, for every victim, there has to be a perpetrator, for every winner a loser, and so forth.  So every personal ‘movie’- requires a whole paradigm – of relevant characters, recurring patterns, circumstances, locations, and more! In all this, any awakening from the dream is again ignored, if not completely forgotten.

Now, what if we deliberately changed the very myth that we are enacting?

What would change if we moved our focus from the ‘person experiencing life’, to the experience of life itself?

Instead of simply rewriting the character we have identified with, what if for a moment, you thought of this life more in terms of visiting a multiplex?  A free, unlimited being walking into an interactive theatre of choice?  Deciding that having seen enough of the drama/tragedy/horror/etc. genre, One would like the experience to be of say, lightheartedness or adventure instead?

What experiences would such a setting invoke?

As a corollary, what kind of waveform of consciousness would one be and express as?

If the implication of inverting things like this interests you, here is a way to experiment:

Mindfully pause and step back – from the identification and entanglement with the current character/role, it’s existing beliefs and it’s consequent perceptions of life.
Anchor in the remembrance of your true, infinite nature. (As Rumi poetically surmises: “ You are as you are,  an indescribable message on the air.)  From this viewpoint, it is clear that like the actors in the movie, who we truly are – remains untouched through all these transient, worldly experiences. Further, we are capable of all kinds of ways of being – we are not limited to the qualities we have imagined to describe us.

Remembering this, our engagement with the movie is transformed:. The relationship changes to one of playfulness, exploration and ease. Like visitors to an Amusement Park ,  we are free to explore a different ride.  But this time, without becoming lost in identification with the protagonist.

If separation was imagined in order to know our self, express our creativity and have different experiences – then let us remember that – even as we participate in this personal drama.
From this space of lightness, give yourself a different story to enact. Previously, there were fixed ideas about the governing parameters, motivations and rules of engagement of the personal world we occupied.

Shaped by this, certain traits strengthened within us and one became identified with an archetypal role or temporary states (such as believing our self to being an ‘angry’/’unsupported’/’unloved’/ ‘not good enough’/etc… person. As we did not think in terms of say, ‘I am experiencing anger’,  a frequent, but transient state became who we saw ourselves as. )

Now, instead of fighting, defending, fixing, or improving this habitual self-definition, envision a new possibility by answering:

What kind of a paradigm would you like to be living in?

Sample questions that can help you articulate the details:

What is the dominant theme of this new paradigm/personal movie?

Would there be more drama? more comedy? more adventure? more romance? more music?
What kind of experiences would the protagonist(your role) have?

(Eg. An Indiana Jones protagonist would routinely experience adventure, whereas the star of a musical would likely grow in musical appreciation and expertise!)
What qualities would this protagonist display?

(Curiosity, bravery, willingness to learn, discipline, persistence and so forth.)


What kind of a world, community and culture would he/she live in?
How would this protagonist contribute to this collective story?
What values would this protagonist embody?
What kind of people, places and situations is such a character likely to come across?
What would close relationships be like? How would they behave with each other?

These questions are not manifestation exercises but pointers to discovering the way this character would look, perceive, listen, respond and behave in his/her world.  It will help you to generate the body language, tone, perceptions and attitude that one would enact in such a story.

Choose a clear summary title, and perhaps a theme song/wallpaper to represent this story. Like a method actor,  routinely spend a quiet few moments immersing yourself into this character and its world. Periodically, align yourself to this story using EFT/Now Healing and the title/song/image you have chosen for yourself.

Begin to track and appreciate what changes when you view the world operating from this frame of reference.

It takes a little practice, and of course, old habits have their pull.  But our stepping out with a new, conscious approach invariably invokes a different response from everyone and everything around us. Also, let us not forget the beneficial rewiring of our brain over time, thanks to neuroplasticity. So slowly, but surely, one does start noticing shifts within and without.

One way in which we can use such an exercise is to relax our ‘anxious’ viewpoint. To change the story from being victims battling a threatening world to easeful, able beings adeptly exploring a varied world.

ACIM says that defence is the first form of attack.  And far too many of us currently see everything as threatening.  While it is situationally true for some, for a large number it is an exaggerated, stuck flight-fight response. This exercise can help change our point of view to a more neutral, present and balanced one.

What I found fun and useful with this experiment was:

a) the lightheartedness and flexibility of it – a useful reminder not to take our temporary circumstances so very seriously, and b) how it serves as a persistent reminder to stay awake in the dream;  to remember that we are not limited to this personality we repeatedly get caught up with.

If you choose to give it a try, let me know how it played out for you

How To Release Negative Anticipation And Relax.

A difficult life can gradually cultivate an anxious expectation or negative anticipation in the mind and body. While resistance is the primary cause of our suffering, dread only adds to and perpetuates our stress. 

In 16 Clearing Statements To Address The Self-Sabotage of Inevitability, we looked at the belief systems underlying an anticipated difficulty, as also their consequences. There was a tacit acknowledgement there that our thinking was coming in our own way and the tools suggested there were a means to solve a specific, clearly identified  and problematic belief.

Here I would like to focus on a more generalised habit that we may have acquired: A readiness for suffering that is far more deeply ingrained, often unconscious and is likely fuelled by countless experiences and multiple reasons.

How to recognise whether you are affected by it:

Observe the body:

Sit silently, undisturbed for a few moments.  Breathe easily.  Pay attention to your breathing and your body.  You may notice a stiffness in the spine, shoulders or at the back of the neck, a tightness in the muscles, or shallow, fast breathing.  Those who have dealt with a lot of challenging situations and traumas(big or small) may feel such symptoms more strongly. Once it is noticed, you realise that it feels as though the mind -body is bracing itself against an unfathomable, approaching storm.

(You can test this further by allowing your thoughts to float towards a future time or upcoming event. Your mood may dampen, and overall a sense of effort or heaviness may show up for no particular reason. The stiffness, tightness or pain may aggravate. Any of this could be mild, or acute.)
Observe your thoughts and emotions:

There is a fear of being disappointed, worry and a tendency to imagine all that can go wrong rather than what can go right. Despite positive thinking or manifestation exercises, you may be a persistent, nagging doubt that cautions you not to get too hopeful or invested. It may also show up as an underlying current of fatigue, helplessness or sadness. Life seems more uphill than not.

It is as though a ‘fight or flight’ response is no longer situational, but has become a default state. Our mind-body has got locked into a preparedness for battle.

How to release such dread:

Becoming aware of this anxiety and tension in the mind and body is the first step.  This, in itself, starts shifting our energies and thoughts. Along with a mindful watch on our recurring thoughts, addressing this in the body is also important.

We can further the process by pairing our conscious intent to release this negative anticipation with one or more of these simple options:

Heart Focus: Sit straight and take your attention to your heart and breath. Imagine as though you are breathing in and out of the heart.  As you breathe mindfully,  do any one or all of the following:

Inhale deeply and intend, “I release all resistance to whatever is unfolding.” as you exhale completely. Repeat until you feel relaxed.
Place both hands over your heart and say, “It’s okay to feel this way.” (3-5 times).  After that repeat, “It’s okay to let it go now.” (3-5 times)
Place both hands over your heart and repeat softly and slowly, “I am safe. I am okay. It is safe to relax now.”(3-7 times)
Focus your thoughts on anyone or anything that invokes love or appreciation in you.  Continue these till you feel yourself relax completely.


Shift Your Position: Notice which part of the body feels tight/tense and move it slightly to a position that is more comfortable.  It’s surprising how much energy goes into holding that tightness and the ease that can show up with such conscious movements. If you are the type that tends to get lost in thought or the activity on hand, make such 5-second breaks a regular habit.
Stretch The Body: Basic stretching exercises combined with the intention of emotional release affect not only the body but also the mind, emotions and energies.  Meridian stretches and Surya Namaskars are particularly effective.
Psoas Muscle Clearing:  Lie down on your back with knees bent and feet about a foot and half apart. Let the knees fall together lightly and comfortably.  Place your palms flat on the two sides of your abdomen, just off the centre of your body.  Your hands will be roughly parallel to the line joining the thighs and abdomen, as though cupping the abdomen area. Now hold the intention of releasing the pent up emotion you have identified.  You may begin to notice energy moving below your palms.  If heaviness shows up anywhere else, stay in the same position, but move your attention to the disturbed part of the body.  Now imagine a grounding cord running down from the base of your spine and another from the soles of your feet to deep down in the centre of the earth.  Imagine that everything that needs to leave you is passing out through these cords.Repeat as often as you feel the need.

(I have combined several approaches into the above exercise and most people I have shared it with find it to be particularly powerful. I highly recommend it as a daily practice.)
Energy Exercise: Cross your arms into the Cooks hook-up, and follow these commands: “Feel it strongly as you can, as clearly as you can, until you just can’t feel it anymore.” Repeat 2-3 times, until you feel calm.
Visualisation:  Imagine golden white light flowing down through the top of your head and filling the entire body. Intend that it clear out all distressing cellular memories and replace them with a soothing calm.  Take your time as you scan through the body, ‘lighting up’ any areas of heaviness or darkness.  See this light flowing down, out from the soles of your feet, deep to the centre of the earth.

Any and all of the above can move you from an apprehensive tension to feeling easeful and refreshed instead – within minutes.

For additional help, here are some relevant posts:

13 Clearings To Address The Fear Of The Unknown
Embracing Change (EFT Script)
9 Clearing Statements To Address The Fear Of Uncertainty
A 5 Minute Exercise To Reclaim Peace
11 Crisp Reminders To Help With Difficult Situations

PS: In the event that you are facing a full-blown panic/anxiety attack, try one of these:

Hold your breath: Hyperventilation implies you are taking in too much oxygen without releasing adequately. Hold your breath for a period of ten to fifteen seconds, relax and repeat this a few times. You could also cover your nose and mouth with a paper bag and breathe in and out of it for a few minutes. This restores the oxygen-carbon dioxide balance in the lungs.
Deep Diaphragmatic breathing: Slow, deep breathing right down to the bottom of the lungs, such that you feel your abdomen rise up noticeably. Breathe through the nose, with a longer out-breath than in-breath. (Count in your mind to 7 as you breathe in and to 11 as you breathe out). 
Emotional Freedom Techniques/EFT is excellent for calming the system down.  Learn more at my website or get my book: Emotional Freedom Techniques.
Mathematical Exercises: I have seen this work remarkably well.  It shifts attention away from the stressor and activates a different part of the brain. Try solving for the square root of a large number or multiplying large figures.

I trust that one or more of the above will help alleviate your stress and bring in more peace and clarity.

If you find any of the above useful, please do share it forward.  

We live in taxing times and most of us could benefit from a little relaxation.