Archive for the ‘Emotional Awareness’ Category
Emotional Awareness: Alchemy
By Ellen Luksch
- Monday, January 25th, 2010
Alchemy
Place every feeling that arises
in the mortar of your awareness.
Raise the heat of your attention
as you breathe.
Trace the patterns of your sensations.
Watch as the base metal dissolves:
Thoughts try to coagulate meaning,
Ideas insist on their validity,
Vibrations intensify,
Panic may arise,
as an option.
Breathe deeply,
and observe as illusions melt,
wisps of smoke,
chimera.
Notice the glimmer round the edges.
Feel the energies unleashed and flowing.
Breathe deeper.
Accept, allow, release.
Continue the expansion that
concentrates pure peace.
This is the gold worth mining.
This is the treasure that you are.
ecluksch 01/14/10
Spiritual Transformation: Your Divine “Avatar”
By Ellen Luksch
- Sunday, January 24th, 2010
I have seen the movie Avatar twice. Both times there was much applause in the theatre and even a young group of people voicing their approval from the back. It seems to be quite a phenomenon and is playing to sold out theatres where I live after three weeks. It also appears to be inspiring many points of view generally and among the young people I work with specifically.
As often in such genres, good is confronting evil once again. The evil is clearly drawn with healthy doses of greed, hostility and ignorance. The good is misperceived as “less than” and subjected to a healthy dose of torment. And in the middle of that old formula is a theme of union, the Na’vi people are capable of joining their consciousness to the natural world all around them, to their ancestors and to the planet they inhabit. One human gets to fully explore this possibility through the use of an “avatar”, a genetically engineered Na’vi body that can be inhabited by his human consciousness.
I wonder, can we as viewers allow ourselves to see our humanity reflected through all of the mirrors of the characters and the emotions that we experience in this film? We cheer for the Na’vi and feel a reflection of our own communion with our mother Earth or the reflection of our desire for a greater sense of union with our planet and with each other. We leave the theatre feeling empowered, or asking questions, or incensed or with a sense of longing. The movie even falls flat for some whose critical thinking gets hooked into noticing the flaws of plot. These are all aspects of ourselves. We are the Na’vi and we are the “jarhead clan”. We feel, we criticize, we attempt to control, we have trouble letting go, we surrender, we are jealous, we grow, we love and we are connected to each other in so many ways.
When we allow ourselves to see all these aspects of ourselves, we can begin to move away from seeing other points of view as “weird” or “dumb” or “less than”. Can we even move to embrace all these aspects of ourselves rather than idolizing some and demonizing others? Can we really begin to move toward union by seeing the root cause of our separation: our rejection of aspects of ourselves? Our self- rejection then projects our disowned “self” out onto others. “They” are the problem and they need to be fixed. If they cannot be “fixed” then they need to be cast out or annihilated. And so we project our internal drama out into the world over and over and over once again.
At the root is the fear of not being enough; of needing to adopt a certain identity to count, to matter, to be worthwhile. I am if I can prove you are not. And that is what we say to all those “less than” parts of ourselves. I am worthy if I can control my fears, my anger, my jealousy, my “weaknesses”. I can feel superior and perceive my group, my nation and my planet as superior. What is out of reach, though, is a deeper sense of worth and belonging, a sense of connection to the force of Life that flows through everything, even Colonel Quaritch. He is a reflection of the darker side of our own fear and of our need to manage and control so we feel safe. He is the security officer. He simply takes it to the extreme so that we can feel the tension of living on fear and observe the results of that dream of separation. Perhaps, the more we take responsibility for our angry feelings and the need for control in our own mind through the process of acceptance, the less need there will be for the external mirror. Unity is the result of creating union within, from accepting all that we are with compassion and forgiveness.
Finally, a word about the longing many people feel for an experience of unity and communion like that of the Na’vi. You are that which you long for. You have a remarkable heart that emits an electromagnetic field that is experienced by everything around you: plants, animals and the earth itself. Your heart is an intelligence waiting to be tapped. It is your link to communion with yourself and your surroundings. When that heart field is filled with unconditional acceptance of all that we are, that heart field is unified and all of Life feels that energy. This website is filled with heart wisdom and a community that delves deep into the possibilities that are experienced when we surrender our notions of less than/better than and open to the flow of Life that we are. When we surrender our opinions and drop deeply into the wisdom of our hearts and feelings, we embody the Avatar of our awareness and union is the result. “I see you” takes on a whole new meaning.
AWAKEN The Film Premier
By Rita Rivera Fox
- Thursday, December 31st, 2009
We live in a time where our spiritual quest is actively being supported and inspired by mainstream means like, books, magazines, TV and film. More of what inspires us to be committed to our inner discovery is easier to access, allowing us to bring into our everyday lives the mystical aspect of life. The idea of “awakening” is one that has inspired many of us. The words itself whispers that there is something more to be discovered about ourselves and our place in the world. Awakening can elude to the image of one who suddenly opens their eyes and comes out of a dream of sleep and in this process our life takes on new meaning, insight and purpose. We can see ourselves in a new way that brings more consciousness forward that we then create our lives from. The every day and the mundane become infused with the mystery and a certain delight that leaves us wanting more. Imagine that we each desire more awakening, more awareness, more self realization and more community to share this with and this becomes what moves us into interaction with life. What could be the results of such a desire? It is with this desire that a group of very unique individuals, myself included have come together to create a documentary film on how we each are inspired and moved by the sheer idea that we are magnificent beings, here to express the infinite spirit that moves through each of us and love sharing that message with others. I have the honor of being one of the five spiritual teachers featured in the new film “Awaken” which will have a premier in Los Angeles.
“Awaken” documents the spiritual wisdom teachings of the five teachers, sages and shamans from, diverse spiritual background’s about how to awaken to a higher consciousness amidst the current energetic shift on Earth. Collectively featured in the film through a series of individual teachings, each of the master healers share the significance of this present time of planetary evolution and guide the viewer to embrace the current global crisis as an impetus to awaken to becoming more responsible in their choices. Each sage communicates their unique message and energy to assist on the personal journey of self discovery and remembrance that is available to each one of us at this fortuitous time in our human evolution.
I have had a wonderful experience in the process of filming this project. Danisa Perry, a former student of mine had shared with me over 10 years ago her vision of the film she wanted to make. At that time we were both living in LA, she was studying film making and Spiritual Psychology at the University of Santa Monica. When she shared her dream of the film, I must admit I was very skeptical, especially since she was talking about an energy that would come through and beyond the visuals and the spoken words to touch and inspire the audience. At that time, before I had any real evidence of the power of transformational energy to be transmitted through electronic media, I thought her vision was a bit of a fantasy. Then several years ago Danisa found me on the east coast and shared how the film was underway and invited me to be a part of it. Most importantly, she shared with me the means she had discovered that allowed each teacher direct, energetic contact with the audience through the filmed media. That her priority in the making of the film was to have the viewer “experience” the energy of the master teachers, beyond their personality, but more as a direct channel of wisdom that could create a transformative experience akin to being in the presence of the sage.
Danisa, in all her courage and with the power of her vision, brought her film crew to Amy’s Healing Center in CT in 2007 and I was able to experience first hand her brilliant method for creating the film of her dreams….and soon to be mine as well.
Last spring it became clear to me that the interview and teaching that I had filmed a year earlier was outdated and no longer was the energetic quality that I wanted to convey. So I asked Danisa if I could re film my piece. She gladly agreed and invited me to come to Santa Barbara to where she and Pablo Diaco, the co-director were going to be filming Barbara Marx Hubbard who had just signed on to be our “elder master.” Knowing of Barbara and having great respect for her work, I was on my way to California with great excitement and anticipation. Meeting Barbara and discussing at length our views on spiritual awareness, community, and our work was beyond anything I had experienced in terms of the quality of vibration that was present as we spoke. I had a very clear moment of experiencing what the true collaborative spirit is about. A moment in which sharing ideas and visions that inspired us, opened up and new information, a more clear version of our former ideas, for us both, came through. She was a mirror in a new way for me and I for her. At any rate, the current film reflects this lovely energy of collaboration and clear communication. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a diverse and lovely family and I hope our desire to share with the world our message and our love comes through for each of you as you view the film.
A west coast premier is in the planning. The film makers are actively looking at retreat, and spiritual centers as locations to premier Awaken, so please let me know if you know of such a place. The DVD will also be on sell on the website. www.awakenthefilm.com
Dedicated To One I Love
By Grace Sardonicus
- Tuesday, October 13th, 2009
This morning when I woke up feeling stiff in my low back, I realized how disconnected I have been feeling in my body. I got on my yoga mat and woke up the joints of my limbs and spine. My low back was so tight that the dominant sensation was PAIN. The dominant feeling was loss followed quickly by sadness. Where did I go? Why did I let myself go this far? I thought I had been feeling.
This past month my middle daughter’s dear childhood friend Jessy was murdered by her Marine husband after he returned from the Iraq war. She was a beautiful 21-year old with a heart of gold. The memories I have of this young man/boy are that he too was a sensitive kindred spirit.
The immediate response I felt to this news was deep sadness at the thought of never again seeing Jessy, whom I had watched grow up alongside my daughter. Then I was enveloped in judgments about the war, the Marines & our political leaders. How could this beautiful soul be taken so young and so horrifically? I started feeling in my heart and landed in my head in reaction. I wanted to judge, make someone wrong.
It blew me away when Jessy’s mother expressed no animosity to the boy. Instead she felt deep compassion for his troubled mind. And wanted him to get help. She knew they were in love and happy. She also knew that he returned from the war a changed man/boy. He had left as a sweet soul and returned deeply pained. Now tragedy had struck.
I found it quite a challenge to wrap my mind around this experience and find neutral ground. How can I stay present in my heart with all of my mind’s editorials? It’s so easy to lose track of our way. Heart or mind? How do I integrate both for clear expression instead of either/or, right or wrong?
I looked at a couple of ways I could express my feelings. I could say “I feel deep sadness, loss and pain in my heart for the passing of Jessy, the lousy war, insensitive Marines who didn’t even call to acknowledge her passing and offer their comrade any kind of support.” Or I could say, “I feel deep sadness, loss and pain in my heart for the passing of Jessy. I can feel the light that radiated from her smile and laughter. I can feel the sweetness of her gentle heart. I carry her sparkle with me as she is an angel buzzing around sharing her love in the heavens.”
I then I ask myself, how do I feel after each communication? Which one keeps me in my heart or takes me into my thinking/judging mind resulting in feeling negative and like a victim?
We have a choice. We can get hooked into old patterns of drama, gossip, ill-will, fear, negativity & judgment. Or simply feel what’s in your heart.
There is a presence in you that is always experiencing. It is a presence that is separate from your thoughts, from your feelings and from everything else.
This presence is the nonlocal domain from which everything originates. It is the infinite source of possibility and potential. It is you, without name, without concepts, without beliefs, without anything your mind could think of.
When you learn to live from this level of existence you are the one manifesting everything. You are the wizard – and remarkable revelations at this level become almost ordinary and normal. Tom Herold
What will inspire you to have gratitude and take responsibility for your life?. A loved one dying or witnessing a new life being born? Or you could step out into nature, breathe deep, feel the rhythms of life in the trees, rivers, oceans, the earth beneath your feet and FEEL YOUR PRESENCE connecting your mind and body.
Now I breathe and consciously feel my lungs expanding in my chest. I am waking up my muscles after long weeks disconnected slumber. Boy, does it feel great! I feel life coursing through me again. At once I feel relaxation and energy. I am whole. I am alive. My body is my earthly vehicle. How can I love it even more? When I am connected to all of myself, I feel plugged into all of life.
Ask yourself a few questions. Am I truly feeling today or do I think I’m feeling? And what concrete actions can I take to make feeling life a higher priority than mentalizing life?
Are you trying to put them into a box so your mind understands? Or are you living in presence? The discipline of asking such questions can wake us up to splendor of feeling alive today. From wherever Jessy is now, I’m sure she’d agree that it’s worth the inquiry!
Emotional Awareness: September Dreaming Weekend
By Ellen Luksch
- Monday, August 31st, 2009
A core group of people gathers to “Dream” monthly. They are committed to exposing the lies in their belief system that keep them from full self-acceptance. They are committed to living in communion with their authentic feelings. They have spent a year or more watching how their minds interpret their reality and learning how to shift those interpretations in a direction aligned with their integrity and their heart’s desire. I love watching as the walls come down and the honest expression of self is shared in the group. There is a “feel” to it as people no longer hook each other’s attention with old stories and identities but venture into new arenas of relating and loving. You can actually see the changes over time in people’s demeanors and in the light that pours out of their eyes.
As they settle into their chairs to review their lives with new awareness, they surrender to the process of being fully present with all that arises in their reflection. It is not an intellectual process but a deeper noticing that is practiced and mastered. They find that they have a witnessing mind that lives outside their automatic responses and the reactions to old emotional memories. They learn to open to that larger point of view that provides insights and a range of experience unknown to them before. These people are Dreamers and they are committed to the practice of dreaming their life with conscious awareness and experiencing their full potential to dream from the point of view of love.
Charlottesville is offering a Dreaming weekend on September 25-27. We are Dreaming at our new house in Afton (20+ miles west of Charlottesville, Virginia). We begin Friday evening at 7:30 pm and end at noon on Sunday. The cost of the weekend is $225.00 which includes Saturday dinner and casual lodging (bring your air mattress). For more information go to www.DreamoftheHeart.com or call Ana Mariza at 434-284-1733.
Wisdom & Grace: Exploring the Mastery of Transformation
By Grace Sardonicus
- Thursday, August 27th, 2009
Transformation through Reflection
The desire for transformation is evident as so many changes are upon us both inside & out. Our inner knowing tells us it is time but how do we do it?
In these wisdom groups we will explore tools of transformation that will bridge the gap of our desire to ‘break on through to the other side!’
We will use The Voice of Knowledge by don Miguel Ruiz , author of the best selling The Four Agreements, as our study guide.
Cost: Suggested donation $15.00/class. The class is open to new participants.
In Wolfeboro: Mondays, 6:30-8PM
In Northshore Boston at Yoga Passion in Beverly Farms: Wednesdays, 6:30-8PM
Classes will begin the week of September 28 and will be ongoing every 2 weeks.
Grace Ventura Sardonicus, creator of EmBodyDream™, brings a wealth of wisdom as a healer and guide to transcend patterns that stifle vitality, joy and wellness. EmBodyDream™ offers the opportunity to nurture your self on a new level through group programs and one-on-one sessions in Health Counseling & Massage Therapy. Visit our website at http://www.embodydreamprograms.com/about.html
For more info please contact Grace at graceventura1@gmail.com or call 603-651-9642
Tests are Negative, So Why Am I Still in Pain?
By Grace Sardonicus
- Tuesday, July 21st, 2009
How can we make informed decisions about our healthcare, if we are basing our decisions on external sources that don’t take into account the larger picture of who we are? Heck, we don’t even know who we are. We don’t listen or trust our inner guidance system. When we have chronic lingering pain, most of us call our doctor hoping to glean some Godly wisdom. What is wrong with me? I don’t want this pain. Please help me get rid of my suffering. I shouldn’t feel this way. 9 out of 10 times the answer is, “The tests were negative. So maybe it’s all in your head.” Or, “The tests were negative. But your symptoms suggest you have Fibromyalgia.” The most common remedy is drugs or pain management therapy.
How do people arrive in this desperate place? All of a sudden? Or is it a slow steady downward spiral? The exacerbation of physical symptoms arises when life’s cumulative collection of trauma tips the scale. Emotional stress is the top culprit. Often physical pain is a cry for help from the emotional body.
Recently I had a client who had been taking an anti-depression medication for years. When she got off the drug due to its unpleasant side effects, all sorts of physical pain showed up in her neck, shoulders, arms and hands. What a coincidence. Instead of her healing old emotional trauma, the drug was just masking previous emotional issues. So now this woman had a choice. Begin the work of addressing the cause behind her physical symptoms. Or get her doctor to prescribe a new drug.
As a Massage Therapist for 25 years I have heard hundreds of clients recount stories of being told their symptoms were psychological or lumped into the catch-all diagnosis of Fibromyalgia. The truth is doctors need a category for your pain. Or the HMOs won’t reimburse for the drug company’s latest magic bullet.
So what’s going on here? Why all the pain? Why the exhaustion? The tests were clean. What is happening? From my personal & professional experience, the cause of most pain, fatigue, headaches, etc. is stress. Better yet, resistance. To be perfectly clear, if you are fighting a path of fulfilling your heart’s deep desires, this resistance will be likened to crashing into a wall headfirst, in this case, heartfirst.
Thoughts such as, “I am not good enough. I am a lousy mom or wife. I better hide my fears, doubts, guilt & shame. Or everyone will know what a loser I am.” These are stories in the mind based on lies. Beliefs of how you should be. And if you fail to live up to these beliefs, you will judge yourself as bad and unworthy. Believing such stories will take us far from living in bliss. The flow of creativity and life moving through gets compromised. Then the voices of fear become so loud creating pain and confusion.
Who wouldn’t have a headache with such a commotion rattling in their head?
Yes, the pain is real. The gnawing, sharp aches that run from your neck down your arms are legitimate. And believe me, after carrying 6 children in my womb & arms for years, I have dealt with my share of low back pain. I am sure the physical stresses through which we put ourselves, including hours of driving, sitting at computers or repetitive manual labor are brutal on the body. Then there are the emotional stresses, financial pressures and scheduling challenges which accompany the go-go fast-paced Starbuck lifestyles so prevalent these days. Do you have a sanctuary where you feel peace and serenity? Do you have an outlet to release stresses from your day? If not, it’s likely that a nasty cocktail of these factors will create illness of some form.
What if you are taking care of yourself … Yoga, stretching, aerobic exercise, eating well, getting enough rest, etc … and you still have pain? Are you addressing the emotional and energetic body? Often clients complaining about chronic symptoms of physical pain walk into my office after having tried numerous modalities without success. With such individuals I examine the deeper issues of organ or fascia stress or an emotional trauma. This is not to say there can’t be a more serious illness. As I said before, this prognosis is based on “the tests are clear”.
The question now becomes: are we ready to take responsibility for our lives by addressing pain before imbalance compromises wellness? Are you ready to let yourself really feel instead of trying to control/deny what your whole being yearns to express? Here are primary tools you’ll need: discernment, courage, compassionate, faith and honesty. With proper guidance and the proactive willingness to face the pain demons, you will be on your way to a life that is pain-free!
Grace Ventura is currently offering workshops in Self-Care, nutritional guidance and mindful parenting including The Four Agreements and Yoga principles. For more information check out her new website www.embodydreamprograms.com and the seminar listings on the Life Mastery page. Her next upcoming workshops are Earthly Delights and Mother, How Can This Be?
Happy Brainiversary! – Gratitude
By Kevin Murray
- Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009
Three years ago today, I was getting my day started as usual, getting the boys ready for school and daycare, waiting for my wife to come back from an early morning client. About 8:00 in the morning, I got a HUGE headachce, unlike anything I’ve experience before or since. I was having a brain hemorrhage. I didn’t learn that until a little later at the ER. In the next 24 hours, as the doctors did their scans and evaluations, I got to ponder the possibility that “this might be it.”
I started to think, if I’m going to die, how do I want to go? I thought about my wife and children, and wondered if I could leave some part of me with them, in an act of will, at the moment right before I died.
Well, as you may have guessed, I did not die. I came home. I went back to work. Life continued.
But I looked for some meaning in this experience. What I finally landed on was: even more GRATITUDE.
So as I enjoy the day with my family and my brain, I invite you all to look for a couple more places to shine your gratitude. We can be grateful for things and situations. Or we can simply be grateful to be alive. I am today.
Thanks and Happy Brainiversary!
Kevin
Emotional Awareness: What Have You Been Emotionally Eating?
By Rita Rivera Fox
- Tuesday, May 26th, 2009
It has been said that “you are what you eat” and this is especially true when it comes to your emotional diet. Perhaps you have never thought about a diet in terms of an emotional one. It may seem enough of a challenge to just be concerned with what foods you are putting into your mouth, not to mention the possibility of paying attention to another equally important kind of diet. You are consuming emotional energy all the time even though you may not realize it. In other words, you are eating energy all time. This kind of eating may not show up as calories and nutrients in your body, but show up in your body it does!
Think of emotion as energy in motion. That energy is present everywhere you go where there is human interaction. And when you get caught up in your emotions and those of the people around you, you are eating the quality of energy the emotion is conveying. Many of you know that eating organic or minimally processed food is what is best for your body. What exactly is best for your emotional body and its diet? Just as with the food you put into your mouth, the same is true with emotional food – “you are what you eat.” Currently the American (if not most of the world’s) emotional diet is filled with “junk food.” Emotional “junk food” is the emotions that are the result of our old fear-based belief structure and all the thoughts, stories and internal dialogue that this program creates in your mind. If emotions are the energy that drives the human dream, then we can see clearly what the most prevalent emotions are – all you have to do is turn on your TV for the evening news. The content of the news has a very particular emotional flavor, and all the food it produces reflects the content of the stories reported.
Every movie or TV show you watch is constantly creating different emotional energies or messages within the content of the story. Even while reading a newspaper, magazine or a novel you will produce an emotional response to the content, even though it may be undetectable on the surface. If you observe people conversing, there is an emotional component to the topic they are talking about. All of the responses to your life experiences, from the very subtle to the very powerful emotional outbursts, resonate in your physical body as sensation and show up in your body physically.
Perhaps it is becoming clear that the quality of your emotional diet determines the quality of your life. The programmed mind and all of the interpretations you make daily are what create the emotional or feeling response within you and in all the people that you interact with. You are constantly eating emotions but what are the quality of the emotions you are eating? In your own mind, your interpretations and the thoughts and stories that you create in your internal conversations, create a corresponding emotional response. This is what becomes the basis of your emotional diet. When you practice awareness, you are putting your attention on the content of your internal dialogue and assessing whether it contributes to your emotional well-being or if the content contains beliefs that diminish your self worth and intrinsic value. You are also becoming more willing to experience the feeling in your body because there is valuable information in what your body is telling you. In your practice of mastering awareness, when you no longer support or agree with false beliefs in your mind, then right away, a formerly unhealthy emotional diet begins to transform and you will notice this in the way you feel.
When you can really see how your emotions are created and you take responsibility for what you are “feeding on” then you empower yourself to make long lasting changes in your feeling body. When those old reactions that feel as though you have been blind-sided without knowing how you got there, you can see them as learning opportunities. The old response was the question, “How can I control my emotions?” With more awareness, the more appropriate question is, “How can I monitor the beliefs and thoughts created in my mind and put choice into action?” The choice is always to believe what you hear within your own mind – or to not believe yourself (or anyone else). By challenging your beliefs about yourself and the personal stories that are filled with self-judgment, and realizing that making the choice of more self acceptance, you can manifest a change your emotional diet and start eating emotional food that is actually good for you.
Emotional Awareness: The Power of Practicing Acceptance
By Rita Rivera Fox
- Friday, May 22nd, 2009
We all seek the home that is calling us from within and to answer that call, the call of your soul, can present some unique challenges. Your individual response to this dynamic purpose places you exactly where you need to be – within the possibility of acquiring clear self reflection from the circumstances of your current life. The experiences you are having now and what is showing up in your life are the real gifts for you. For if you are having the experience at this time, then it must be the one that is best suited to bring to your attention what you are now ready to see in your life. These are the opportunities that come to us again and again until we are ready to be with “what is,” rather than how we think it should be.
Being with “what is” is just another way to describe the powerful act of acceptance. True acceptance in this sense is the ability to question your stories and the meanings about the situation at hand, and to suspend the interpretation you are having long enough to create a gap of awareness. On the occasion when you can suspend the need to know and accept what is showing up, the opening is created where all transformation comes from. Divine intelligence within you is doing its best to give you what you most need to answer the call of the soul as it heads home. Something is showing up that may not look like what you expected, but practicing acceptance brings you to the moment and dissolves all expectations, so you can experience life fully just as it is.
Somewhere along the way you have asked for more self awareness, or for more spiritual clarity, or perhaps more loving relationships. To accept, means to accept that your highest good, or the power of your intent which comes from these desires you have stated, is unfolding right there in front of you. To understand the power that you have when you ask from your deepest desire is to begin to understand what then has to show up in your life: everything that is an obstacle to the desire or intent you have expressed! These seeming obstacles are simply the opportunity for you to choose again in favor of your desired intent. It is part of the perfectly unfolding plan to bring into manifestation the content of your heart’s desire. Your heart’s desire is the silent working of the soul as it calls you home. To practice acceptance is the way we can most honor ourselves as powerful creators aligned with the God-force of pure potential.
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