The change of seasons always left me feeling uneasy. When the kids went back to school, I would feel this strange sense of dread about the change. Yet, the same would happen again as summer approached, even with the excitement of warm weather, I felt the nervousness about adjusting to the new flow of life that summer would bring.
Winter is often like that here in Wisconsin. Even if you enjoy it, most of us feel a bit of dread about being indoors for the long dark months, or we dread bundling up and venturing into the freezing cold. My daily walks were filled with such bliss this summer and fall, so I was determined to keep at it through winter. I invested in new gear and even found I could be comfortable walking well below freezing, but Universal gifts often come as a total surprise when we’re open to receive what’s constantly being offered.
One day, after many nudges, I finally ventured to the YMCA for a tour. It’s a giant workout facility with pool, sauna, hot tub, daily exercise classes, racquetball, weights, machines, stretch areas, walking track, and more. It was something that had been poking at my awareness, but of course the mind has it’s resistance to change! What about membership cost, the drive across town, the time it takes, I can practice yoga at home, I could teach more classes instead of paying to go somewhere, blah blah blah….
The moment I arrived, my smile was bursting off my face so much my cheeks hurt! The joy that arises spontaneously within the body when we are in alignment is undeniable. If my mind had any resistance left in its dark recesses, my body’s reaction surely made up for it! The body doesn’t lie, but the mind has been filled with a lot of nonsense and is always projecting any past strife into the future, so it's not a very reliable resource for choosing NEW. As we go beyond duality, the old cause and effect dissolves away with our release of all beliefs and the emotional constructs that create the dread in the first place. This dread is emotional, unreliable, unlike the feeling of cellular knowing in the body. We go beyond the old fears and limitations, and we allow new unfoldments beyond what's ever been experienced in a body. We welcome our highest potentials and beyond. You could say we allow ourselves to be loved! So right now - welcome your true Self and the whole Universe to show you what would light your heart on fire, what would open your body, mind, and world to more love and enjoyment.
Life surely becomes easier as we’re embodied and not thinking our way through things. We’re constantly feeling the vibratory levels, you could say the expansiveness, the radiance, the joy, the energy shift and change with every thought, scenario, choice, interaction, etc. Quite often when I find myself in denser environments, where a lot of people would say “I don’t want to go there because…….blah blah...judgment...mental opinions, etc...”, as I'm without judgment, in presence, where mental positions don't really even exist, the body spontaneously speeds up to a degree that feels like immensely deep bliss and peace... without a thought - for no reason, whatsoever. It is a flow of universal love that I’m simply available to facilitate, beyond any agenda or plan, and I get the immeasurable gift of receiving this exquisite cellular love bath. You just never know where you'll be nudged to go and why, so going beyond personal opinion is key. This embodied way of continuously feeling is sorta like muscle testing 24/7, and it becomes your natural way of experiencing and expressing. The inner spaciousness flows through your words, actions, and body, emanating the perfect frequencies, tones & encodements of consciousness that the mind has no real desire to understand or control.
So now, my newest addiction is racquetball and the biggest challenge is to stop when my body is physically tired. The first day I could barely play for 10 minutes and one month later, playing for an hour is a breeze. Of course, I take it pretty easy, singing and dancing as I play for the sheer enjoyment of it. The mornings are filled with sweat, endorphins, and a lot of friendly people with interesting stories. It usually ends with swimming, hot tubbing, sauna and a cold shower. I’ve never, ever been an early bird, but I find myself going to bed at 830 some nights because I can’t wait to go play in the morning! How fun it is to be rediscovering the joy of play!
I’ve considered, so many times, stepping back from my website and getting a job outside of the house because I love to interact with all sorts of people, in all sorts of ways. Teaching live yoga classes offers this, but after 25 years of yoga, I haven’t felt so inspired. My weekly class is mostly an excuse to laugh and interact with beautiful people. Learning NEW things recently has revived my interest in exploring the incredible human body! NEW delights are right there for us, but it’s usually the voice that dreads change, putting the Poo Poo on the NEW NEW that is just waiting for YOU YOU!
What nudges have been coming to YOU?! Besides simply being in presence and awareness, I say the best thing you can do is enjoy your life to the fullest - why not? What puts a HUGE smile on your face and a skip in your step???
Where have you been denying yourself the joy of expressing, exploring or receiving? What makes your body beam with smiles, energy and excitement? Or if you tend to feel overly nervous, what makes your body feel safe, open, loved and relaxed?
“At our best we plant the seeds, add water, and watch them bloom.
We believe everyone has unique potential.
We see everyday opportunities to make a big difference.
We want to do it all, be it all, give it all...All the time.
We believe in getting it done. We believe in doing the right thing.
We build the plane while flying it.
We remember that the real gift is learning.
We believe in all hands on deck! We believe in what we're doing together.
We get comfortable with being uncomfortable.
We act together; but not the same. We do good, well.
Our best work is done with a whole heart.
We don't turn anyone away. We're better together.
We believe that all we need is love.
We believe choices should refiet. we sees, yEs Anars.
We believe we learn by doing. We say, We show up, and show up, and show up!
We bring our AWESOME every day!
We are here to make someone's day better.
We work hard and play hard! We know it takes a village.
We believe there's always a way; not, "can we?"...but "How can we?" We believe everyone has value.
We believe you are more than you know.
We believe in remembering where we came from. We believe your gifts strengthen the Y.
We believe there is always room for play and laughter.
We're at our best when you're at your best!
We believe in celebrating our differences.
We believe in you; we believe in us!
This is Y.” From the Broadview YMCA, Green Bay WI