Receiving Love and Abundance

Over the preceding weeks I have been challenged with finding balance (haven't we all?) in all aspects of my life. Listening to Naisha Ahsian www.naisha.com and her reading for the month of October I discovered a truth. The truth is one I have never considered until now. Very simply, we cannot exhale unless we first inhale. Does that sound a bit cryptic when referring to balance?

The teaching revolved around joy and gratitude, and how the two were a balance of each 

other. Gratitude is similar to exhalation, and joy to inhalation. In order to be grateful and experience gratitude, we must first bathe in the joy of receiving... And then the Universe thought it would test my learning.

 Last week my husband and I were blessed with the presence of some members of our spiritual family. They are in South Africa to attend a retreat and these dear people spent some time in our home. Hugh and I recently moved into our new house and our friends arrived with boxes of gifts for our space. I was surprised and my initial response  (in my mind) was that I couldn’t possibly accept all these beautiful items. I paused and chose to embrace their generosity. Wow! I have an entire crockery set, with extras for serving, wine glasses, trinkets, place settings, the list goes on. All of these are perfect for my new home.

Later that day one of my friends commented on how special the energy is in my practice, and how he can appreciate and see the dedication that my team have to their patients. The first response (again in my mind) was to mentally shrug it off with a comment like, “Doesn’t this happen everywhere?” Instead, I paused. I inhaled. In that moment I made another choice. I chose to accept this genuine observation and compliment, as well as the role I have played in its creation. After a split second I looked up and said, “Thank you.”

 In both moments I chose to receive. Thereafter, I experienced the joy of generosity and love shared. For the rest of the week I have been showered with abundance. I wrote to my family on our WhatsApp group.

“I chose a different path yesterday. I decided to receive. The part that each of you has played as I learn to do this is not to be underestimated. It is enormous. It has always been easy for me to give, often in my life to the point of depletion. Now, I must receive blessings, love, gifts and joy to enable me to give in balance. Thank you from the depths of my heart.”

Remember to breathe, inhale and exhale, and then to receive. The rest will follow.

The Gift of the Human Body

This morning while writing in my journal, my thoughts just did not want to flow. I felt tired. When I climbed into bed last night, my body ached. It had been a busy and physical day.

As I pondered about, and focused on my body I became filled with gratitude at the miracle that houses my Soul. This body has served me well for a number of decades. I have always been active. I love to move. Participating in many different sports as a child, and at varsity, has created awareness and balance. I can add great physical feats like climbing Kilimanjaro and completing the Comrades Ultra Marathon. I work in an active profession. In this respect, my body has done remarkably well!

But this is not all.

There is so much more to the human body than the obvious. My body is a pathway to reconnection with Spirit – with All That Is. This may sound confusing. In certain spiritual circles there is the idea that incarnation on Planet Earth has separated us from Source. How can my physical form then be a means of reconnecting?

I have a few thoughts on the topic.

1.    Breath  When I take a deep breath, or two, I become centred. As I focus on my breath entering and leaving my body I become present. When I am “in my body” I must be in the NOW. This is the only space from which I can connect with God. In that moment I am one with Mother Earth and The Cosmos. I can use my breath as a technique to stay present.

2.    Expansion and Contraction When I am feeling uncertain and edgy, perhaps I am faced with an important decision or I must broach a difficult subject with a colleague or family member then I can feel the tension in my body. Become accustomed to how emotions can be expressed by/in your body. Create a scenario with a few different options of dealing with the issue. Then take some time to feel each option in your body. Does the option feel contracted or expanded? Contraction represents ego. Expansion is heart-centred. My body can show me the way to reconnecting with the Greater Good.

3.    Emotion The body stores emotion. It has emerged that trauma is stored in the body. Trauma can manifest as disease. This can be explained on a scientific and physiologic level but you do not have to be an academic to understand this, or work with it. Very simply, in order to release the trauma, there needs to be a physical action, often accompanied by a sound. If trauma is stored in our bodies, I feel joy and triumph can also be stored in our bodies. I have begun to replace my traumas with my wins. As such, I believe I am reprogramming my body to wellness. Every time I experience a “WIN” I physically punch the sky, do a high five or jump up and down with joy while simultaneously shouting “Yes!” or “I win!” or anything that seems appropriate. 

Physical action + Sound = Pleasurable emotion stored in my body. 

     I celebrate at least one win every day.

In closing, our human bodies are a gift. They are perfectly designed for life on our beloved planet while inherently containing all that we require to reconnect, and stay connected, to Spirit on our Earthly Journey. What a pleasure!