Now that the rush of pre-Xmas excitement is over, how do you feel in your skin?
Right now, right in this very moment, how aware are you of your body?
Your feet?
Legs?
Chest?
Can you feel the back of your neck?
How about your breath?
{Use the 10 point relaxation practice to get body-connected here + now!}
I know for me, when life gets over scheduled and busy (as December tends to be), I dis-embody.
Whenever that happens, I process things mostly in my head, intellectualizing over anything and everything. And the speedier the life gets, the more I spin my mental wheels. I lose clarity and focus, and ability to feel grateful for all the wonderful things in my life.
In the thick of it I am literally unaware of anything below my neck, unless, of course, there’s pain. I zero in on that pain (or another stressful occurrence) like there’s no tomorrow, imagining all sorts of catastrophic scenarios in my head.
Having done this mental – wheel – spinning enough times, I’ve learned that the only way out of this predicament is to steady myself in my own skin: out of the mind and into the body.
To feel.
To breathe.
To be.
Easier said than done – as it is the case with most good things.
It is oh-so –tough to practice when the mind spins out of control.
When life gets particularly crazy (this year delivered many attitude changing turds!) I tuck my mat away.
I tell myself I don’t have time… What about you ?
Luckily, practice isn’t about perfect. It is about practicing…
It took me a very long time, but eventually I’ve learned to use the discomfort of anxiety, the feelings of depression and disconnect, and even pain as reminders to get back to the mat.
To find the solid ground of the body so I can stop spinning my mental wheels.
To re-commit to my breath.
To feel my body move.
To just …. FEEL.
January is a great time to find your way out of the nervous system perma-freeze, to process, to de-stress, and to climb back into your own skin. It is the time to find traction and forward momentum.
Ready to stop skidding?
We have a non-skid yoga mat for you!
New yoga session starts the second week of January. Registrations are open now.
Hey, my name is Julia
Living with chronic pain has taught me to look for solutions in unlikely places – places where most people see only problems.
Over the years I’ve gotten to be pretty good at this problem-solving and silver-lining finding thing.
So good that I felt compelled to share what I’ve learned and help others to find their sea legs while navigating, living, and winning their battle with chronic pain.