12 Steps to be more aware

Breathwork guides us to be conscious or more aware of what is really going on in different life areas. Reflect. Where can we bring “consciousness” into our lives before, during and after breathwork? This is about paying closer attention to the signs and signals and underlying meaning of our health and body language, mental thoughts, emotions and spiritual views in our lives.  Ponder 10 steps to allow more awareness into our lives;

1. Reflect on life patterns.  Do we see trends, assume genetic disposition or inclinations in the state of our physical health and fitness, finances, similar partners or relationships, repeated environments or spirituality?This is about feeling the way into life areas and growing aware of the beliefs, values and practices that are shaping our conditions.

2. Experience breathwork. Various breathwork modalities make use of scientific research available to us about effects of levels oxygenation on our organism. These modalities use special breathing techniques, which support increasing or decreasing levels of oxygen in our body to achieve a desired result. When guided by a skilled facilitator with proper training, intention and context, breathwork has a potential to release the effects of unresolved traumas, thus supporting healing of our physical organism and psyche. Breathwork can prevent an onset of debilitating and potentially life-threatening trauma-related diseases. Check out Interview with Dan Brule.

3. Connect goal-setting with motivation. What can we do to align behaviour and visions? What is our unconscious programming? What are our dreams versus our reality?  Where do we wish to commit? Consider ways to stay motivated when new to breathwork by Ashley Neese.

4. Grow conscious during regular activity – while engaging in communication, exercising, eating, having sex, sports, gardening, being in nature, driving, walking. What prompts us to think or act as we do? What are we noticing? Does a sense of separation bwteen ourselves and the external world grow or shrink?

5. Connect restlessness & inauthenticity. When something feels right, we do not hold back or complain. If self-doubt arises, or we question our decisions and choices, then it likely doesn't jive with who we are. Being in integrity means taking responsibility for how we think and feel and finding courage to make life changes when we are not in harmony with our true nature.

6. Get clear on what it feels like to be conscious. Notice when we are “present” or “tuning out,” when our senses are engaged, and when we are numb.  Addictions and other unconscious behaviours are examples of tuning out due to fear, hurt or pain. To know what consciousness is/feels like, we are taught to experience what it is not. Learning The science and purpose of different breathwork techniques can ease fears as we ease into practise.

7. Know growing conscious unleashes power. This inner power enables us to make positive change or cosnciously respond and influence outcomes. We grow aware we hold power to experience a deeper level of fulfillment and joy, the power to be natural or unnatural, as well as to consciously co-create and choose.

8. Let go of conditioned habits and impulses.  Growing conscious of self-defeating habits means being aware they do not serve our highest potential and happiness. There is so much to pay attention to in life, it is easy to go on “autopilot,” to go unconscious. We are taught to multi-task as well as suppress or deny pain.

9. Choose 3 unconscious activities.  Over the next week, purposefully bring “consciousness” to these mind-less activities. This is about being present and feeling what this is. By practicing “being present to the NOW” during these activities, we expand consciousness.

10. Explore resistance. Choose a subject.   Explore it with curiosity, brainstorm words or images nd notice emotions. Allow the bod-mindy to reveal possible reasons.  Do a breathwork meditation to explore deeper reasons for the resistance. If you have a history or insight into specific trauma and would prefer a private session, consult me or another practitioner for a for trauma release.

11. List what we appreciate. Write down 25 things you appreciate. Expand consciousness about what is inspiring and a blessing in our lives. We can do this daily, weekly or as often as we choose. This includes noting inspirations like Max Storm whose Ted Talk teaches us to Breathe to Heal and Giten Tonkov whose 2019 book Feel to Heal, reveals how and why he founded the Biodynamic Breathwork Trauma Release (BBTR) Institute.  

12. Journal repeating thoughts and beliefs. Jot down repetitive thoughts, those that trigger suffering as well as uplifting or inspiring ones. Do this without judgement. Awakening to our mental condition is growing aware of patterns.  What to do with/about our observations is up to us. Engaging in a therepautic breath experience with a teacher like Christian Minson helps us override the mental suppression of emotions. We can transform destructive energy into joy and love. Watch: breathwork: our original medicine. "Realisation is like flipping a light switch.  The darkness vanishes as if it had never been. We can choose to bring it back in."

5 Ways to live joyfully

As long as suffering exists inside us, we cannot live life fully. It is up to each of us to identify the sources of  suffering in our lives. Only then can we accept, release and replace that life view with genuine joy and celebration. Consider 5 ways to decode setbacks and live more joyfully.

1.  Identify our inhibitions

When we are self-conscious, we are unable to act in a relaxed or natural way. Getting to the root of our hesitation or doubt is key to moving beyond it and existing in a higher-vibrational state.

2.  See the underlying reasons for suffering

Everything arises and disappears in the mind. Anxiety arises as we focus attention on the future, worry about an imagined outcome. Depression arises when we focus on ideas of the past.

3.  Be fearless 

This involves looking at each moment as fresh and new. It is about undertaking all endeavours with enthusiasm and an optimism, knowing everything is possible when we set the mind to it.

4.  Be passionate

No best thing exists to do or be.  We simply make judgements and choices. Being passionate, putting our heart into all we choose to focus on, uplifts and energizes us and all we touch.

5. Love everything

When conditioned, we see the world in terms of limitation. A genius is drawn to do what is needed joyfully. It is no more about you. Self-cosnciousness shifts to selflessness. This is a limitless way of looking at life.

5 Tips to deepen connection

When people are asked what they want more than anything, one common response is to create emotional connections and invite others to do the same. Such an emotional connection does not arise from anything external; not from obtaining materialistic wealth, power, fame, car/house from lots of travel or modelling someone else's version of reality. We might then ask, what is it?

Connection is the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they find strength and inspiration from the relationship, and can have deep conversations. This can seem hard as so much arises to alienate people from connection. We live in socieities that create and instill ways to punish, shame, create criminal records and other barriers to prevent people from reconnecting.   It helps to reflect on specific examples and see where we relate.

Technology can be viewed as a bridge or a wall to connection.  We have Skype and What's App to see people on screen when they are far away.  Yet, some would say that only deep, nuanced, face-to-face relationships with physical touch are real connnections. Although I had penpals I never met who taught me amazing things about cultures and language, those I eventually met in-person added a dimension of realness and connection that letters alone could not provide. 

In 2020, we are one of the most electronically connected societies that has ever existed. We have the option to buy online, get groceries and products delivered to our doors for convenience.  Phone-ordering is another option to avoid interacting in-person. We have online banking. We can use bank machines rather than visit traditional tellers. We have the option to bypass cashiers in grocery stores because of modern scanners. We have automated chat windows for online customer service and drive-through restaurants that suggest we fear deeper relationships.  We are also taught to focus on difference and can temporarily lose sight of the deeper Truth.  Only when ready do we find the courage to make new choices that allow us to shift priorities.

Reflect on 5 tips to deepen connections in life: 

1. Do something creative & fun everyday that connects you with people  

2. Accept we sometimes feel defeated and share stories. Vulnerability makes us real & human

3. Smile and laugh more often, because we can, not because we must

4. Recognize we all share the same air, water, light and Earth and this unscorces everything

5. Recall everything is made of the same energy

5 Steps to more conscious living

Ever feel like a peice of wood drifting through life, not going in the direction you want to go? Is it clear to you how you got where you are today? Do you feel drawn to change anything?

Living consciously is about taking control of your life, about making deliberate decisions rather than making decisions willy-nilly without thought.  This is about consciously creating the life that we want rather than settling for the one that somebody tells us we deserve. Consider these 10 steps to more conscious living;

1.  Reflect regularly on your life

This involves reflecting on who you think you are, how your feel and behave in different situations.  It includes growing more aware of patterns playing out through your relationships and being open to change.

2. Reflect on how you spend your time

Notice whether you focus attention on what matters most to you or, whether you are working toward doing that in the future. The key is to find courage to stop doing things that do not stimulate creativity or fulfull you, to stop interacting with people who do not matter, stop spending money on stuff we do not need to impress people. What would you ideally be doing and where?

3. Nurture your sense of humor

Laughter is brings balance and recalibrates well-being. What tickles your funny bone? Laugh longer & more often. Spend time with children who giggle and animals that play spontaneously. Be open to allowing some of this to rub off on you. Allow yourself to be silly.  Be okay with it. Lose the conditioned fear of embarassment.

4. Review life goals often

Notice what you truly feel destined to do with your gifts and talents. Are you are in sync or off track? Ru moonlighting? Its useful to grow aware of the nature of distractions we create or excuses we make to hold ourselves back from doing what the heart knows fuels our spirit.

5. Reflect on your impact on the environment

This includes what you eat, how its produced, how far it travels to get to you. How do you feel when you eat? Are you being authentic, eating what feels right or making changes as your body gives you signs to do so? Which modes of transport do you use? Be mindful that everything we do affects more than us, but everything around us in some way.

5 Tips to take things in stride

Life is full of surprises.  We may tell ourselves that we assume we always know our destination and are familliar with the route of travel.  Yet, in many cases, our journey turns out to be more of a winding path with frequent stops or detours in unexpected places.  It can sometimes feel very confusing, even trigger emotional roller coasters.  Our personal and professional relationships may also be challenged. Here are ten tips to take things in stride;

1. Listen to the breath

2. Tune into body sensations

3. Grow aware of thoughts and beliefs and core values

4. Ask for advice or guidance from someone you trust

5.  Grow aware of to whom and why we give our power away