If you would take a journey with me, and “Smile simple, smile true, Find Freedom in what you do!” :-)
Why Do We Want to Live Simple and True?
- “Smile simple.”
- Why do we want to live simply?
- Living my own life in a way that leads me to wonder why I don't have or why I am not always leads to worries, doubts, and fears. I have a bit of debt of my own, and I have heard countless more stories of other debtors that tried to buy more than they could afford. I have spent a lot hiding away in a made up fantasy because I didn't like what I could and could not do, what I was and was not that would have been better spent Loving and appreciating myself and those around me. By comparing and stuffing life full of stuff, I had lost sight of what was really important. Let's unclutter our lives to see what truly matters!
- If you feel this need to simplify in your life, you are not alone. “Cut the Stress, Simplify Your Life,” explains how there is a movement taking hold in the US, known as “voluntary simplicity,” or the “simplicity movement.” Carol Sorgen, freelance writer and long time contributor to WebMD, gives us a general overview of the movement, the reason behind the movement, and some ways to introduce simplicity into your life. http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/cut-stress-simplify-life?page=4
- Why do we want to live simply?
- “Smile true.”
- Why do we want to live truly or authentically?
- By not living my life embracing myself, my good points and limitations. I have had a very hard time finding peace and contentment for any great length of time. I have found myself in debt and in a undermining mental state as a result, ungrounded, not knowing which way to go. By coming to terms with who I am, and letting go of false expectations found in comparison, I have been able to start moving toward Love and happiness. Live your Truth, and all will be well!
- “Telltale Signs You're Not Living Your Authentic Life,” is an eyeopening article by Panache Desai, a contemporary thought leader and spiritual teacher, about identifying what might be blocking your authentically. He includes many soul searching areas to examine including your ability to sustain a feeling of happiness or contentment, why personal matters seem to be going wrong, and why hardships happen. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/panache-desai/post_7406_b_5191653.html
- Why do we want to live truly or authentically?
- “Find freedom in what you do.”
- Why do we want to find freedom in what we do?
- When I was living my life in an unintentional why, I was doing whatever I could do to avoid the pain of not living my Truth, provided that it didn't seem like it would cause too much long term damage or consequences. Playing video games, watching a lot of TV (escape from the question of my worthiness), and constantly comparing (I will never be good enough) were my main ways to avoid the Truth. And when it came to spending time with Loved ones (who would affirm I was good enough), serving others, or dealing with personal things like bills and car maintenance (ways I could learn that I was good enough), I would hurry them along as much as I could. I was so eager to get back to the things that were casting me deeper into despair that I was avoiding the very activities that would bring me freedom in the Truth of Love. Freedom!
- Henri Junttila, an online business coach and blogger, presents us with at stirring and practical look at “How to Be Free, Fulfilled and Live the Life of Your Dreams.” In this blog post, we learn about asking ourselves personally meaningful questions that can be applied to practically pursuing a life that we love. http://www.wakeupcloud.com/how-to-be-free/
- Why do we want to find freedom in what we do?
How Do We Live Simple and True?
- “Smile simple.”
- How do we live simply?
- Simply let go of what does not serve you. Letting go is the hard part, right till the very end of our natural lives. What are we holding onto that is uselessly cluttering our lives? It seems that it is not easy sometimes to identifying this, but if there is a lot of questions around its necessity, that is a good indication that it is not serving us. May we let go of what separates us from peace of mind!
- Slow Your Home, a blog site by writer Brooke McAlary, who focuses on simplifying life, provides us with “10 Life-Affirming Reasons to Live a Simpler Life” including “Acceptance, Clarity, Clutter-Free, Gratitude, Health, Presence, Relationships, Sex, Generosity, and Joy.” She also accounts her own stressful life experiences that led her to intentionally practicing more simplicity. http://www.slowyourhome.com/embrace-simplicity/
- How do we live simply?
- “Smile true.”
- How do we live our Truth?
- What is true for one person is not always true about another accept our need for connection and Love. The simple act of waking up in the morning affirms that I want to be connected to the rest of existence, but when it comes to living harmoniously with others, I am still searching for answers. The most we can hope to do is show up in Love, and give our best in Love as situations and challenges present themselves to us. Eventually, the Truth becomes clear through this process of perseverance. Learning the Truth as we go with courage!
- Polly Cambell, a public speaker and author, in her article, “Learn How to be Yourself-And Why You Want To,” tells us her own experience of not being true to herself, and mentions some helpful insights from speaker Mike Robbins that will help us live more authentically. Among these topics are: Understanding what you truly value, not limiting or judging, knowing what characteristics of yourself bring confidence, realizing when you are not following your values, and trusting yourself when you feel something strongly. http://life.gaiam.com/article/5-ways-live-authentic-life
- How do we live our Truth?
- “Find freedom in what you do!:
- How do we find freedom in what we do?
- When I am acting in accord with Loving I find freedom in whatever I do, and when I act selfishly I become a prisoner of my own fear. I never worry that I am not getting what I need or deserve when I am acting in Love. I never fear that my life will be without fulfillment if I remain in a Loving way. Love is freedom from all the sorrows of this world even when this world doesn't Love me back. If I want revenge for a wrong, I become afraid that I might not get what I deserve. “All you need is Love!” Everything else is baggage!
- “Where Can You Find True Freedom?” Rick Warren, pastor of Sattleback church and New York Times best selling author, writes about freedom from fear, freedom to be yourself, when you embrace the Love that is God. Guilt, worry, bitterness, and fear of death all being indications that one is not living with Love in their heart. http://rickwarren.org/devotional/english/where-can-you-find-true-freedom
- How do we find freedom in what we do?
How Baddha Konasana can Help Us Live Simple and True!
- “Smile simple” with Baddha Konasana or Butterfly pose.
- Butter fly pose will help simplify our lives by helping us achieve more mobility.
- Butterfly pose will help us simplify our busy minds because it takes patience and perseverance to perform.
- Butterfly pose will help simplify the anxieties in our lives by surfacing emotions and freeing up space for more productive and positive ways to spend our time.
- Read more about how hip openers are helpful to simplifying our lives in Gabriellayoga's article, “What are the benefits of Hip-Openers in Yoga?: http://gabriellayoga.com/2015/01/16/what-are-the-benefits-of-hip-openers-in-yoga/
- Butter fly pose will help simplify our lives by helping us achieve more mobility.
- “Smile true” with Baddha Konasana.
- Butter fly pose will truly help us achieve more flexibility in our lives to help counteract all the hours of sitting and other hip positions that tighten and limit the hip joints.
- Dr. Robin Armstrong, in her article “What Really Happens in Hip Openers,” explains in a very technical way how hip-openers can help us achieve more flexibility to not just help limit our struggles on the yoga mat, but with very practical activities that require bending down such as playing with our children or pet: http://www.gaia.com/article/what-really-happens-hip-openers
- Danielle Prohom Olson, an award winning documentary film maker, author, and yoga therapist in training, in her article, “The Psoas: Muscle of the Soul,” talks about Liz Koch's amazing work on researching the psoas muscle. The psoas connects the spine and the legs, is a shelf for the abdominal organs, is directly connected to the fight or flight center of the brain, and is crucially involved in many other activities in the body that are very important for healthy living. Yoga hip openers like Baddha Konasana, are very important helping to maintain the psoas' health. https://bodydivineyoga.wordpress.com/2011/03/23/the-psoas-muscle-of-the-soul/
- Butter fly pose will truly help us achieve more flexibility in our lives to help counteract all the hours of sitting and other hip positions that tighten and limit the hip joints.
- “Find freedom in what you do!” with Baddha Konasana.
- Baddha Konasana will help us follow our Truth by freeing us of emotional attachments that may cause us anger, fear, etc. so that we might take a more creative approach to life, like better flexibility in interpersonal situations.
- Kathryn Anne Flynn, a yoga instructor in Ottawa, Canada, helps shed some light on the freedom that hip openers help us achieve in “Three Poses to Freedom: Hips, the Seat of Anger.” http://www.intelligentedge.yoga/journal/2014/3/26/three-poses-to-freedom-hips
- “What Are Your Tight Hips Telling You?” Sara Novak, A writer for Discovery Health, explains how your hips, our bodies largest joint, are repositories for undone stress. Tightness of the hips is a sign that something is holding us back from finding freedom. She also gives us some ways in which to cope with stress causing factors, so that we can release thought pasterns that have been keeping us prisoners of fear. http://naturallysavvy.com/care/what-are-your-tight-hips-telling-you
- Baddha Konasana will help us follow our Truth by freeing us of emotional attachments that may cause us anger, fear, etc. so that we might take a more creative approach to life, like better flexibility in interpersonal situations.
Technique
- CAUTION: Do practice with groin or knee injury, unless you use a blanket or block under the outer thighs.
- Find a nice quiet space where you will not be disturbed for a time, and take a seat on your mat.
- Straighten your legs in front of you.
- Bring your feat toward your groin, so that your heals are facing toward you, and your toes are facing away. Your feat are lying flat on the ground, and you knees are pointing to the left and right so that your legs resemble butter fly wings.
- If you can maintain the length in your spine, this is a good asana (pose) for pranayama (controlled breathing) and dhyana (meditatition)
- CAUTION: Do not start to round your back. When breathing, above all make sure you are not making this a contest in any way. Relaxation is the only goal. Be careful not to strain your breathe in any way. You could severely injure yourself if you ignore warnings of pain and discomfort while practicing pranayama.
- Breathe as deeply as you are able to. Inhale for a count of 4 and exhale for a count of 4 if it is comfortable. You can lengthen or shorten your breathe as you like. Continue as long as you prefer. Remember to let go and relax. Close your eyes if you would like.
- Recommended feel good practice: First, only follow these suggestions if they help you relax more. Remember the goal is relaxation. Simply breathing is enough in many cases, but these might deepen your experience. Continue pranayama and dhyana for as long as you would like.
- Reflect on what you could do to bring simplicity into your life more. What are you holding on to that no longer serves you? Reflect on living your Truth. What are some ways that you can live in a way that feels natural, brings you joy, and shows Love to others? Finally, think about finding freedom in what you do. Are there fears that are causing you to choose actions that make you feel guilt, bitterness, or other negative emotions?
- As you breathe try thinking to yourself the following sentence with each breath. “Smile simple” inhale. “1” exhale. “Smile true” inhale. “2” exhale. “Find freedom” inhale. “3” exhale. “In all you do” inhale. “4” exhale. Continue this as long as you would like.
- Smiling will help you relax even more.
- Recommended feel good practice: First, only follow these suggestions if they help you relax more. Remember the goal is relaxation. Simply breathing is enough in many cases, but these might deepen your experience. Continue pranayama and dhyana for as long as you would like.
- Say a little prayer of thanksgiving for the gift of relaxation if you would like and slowly blink open your eyes. It might be nice to sit for a time, in order to reorient yourself to the light and your surroundings.
Here is a great demonstration of Baddha Konasan, which includes benefits, tips, modifications, props, partnering, and variations. http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/bound-angle-pose/
Do you practice “Living Simple and True?” Please share in the comments area here or on Face Book in the "For the Love of Self" discussion area some of the ways being simply, true helps you find freedom and joy in what you do. How are you able to keep living in this wonderful way? I know we will all gain wisdom from your insights about “Living Simple and True.” Thank you, my friend!
If there is a topic you are passionate about or question that you would like answered about how to Love ourselves better, I would love to hear it. Please write a comment about it here or on Face Book in the "For the Love of Self" discussion area.
Thank you so much for taking time to meditate on “Living Simple and True” today! I am managing to simplify and live more in my Truth, little by little. Writing this article has really help me see the way that much more clearly! It is a choice that gets easier over time and regular practice. “Smile simple, smile true, find freedom in all that you do!” It is great to find a renewed appreciation! Thank you for giving me an opportunity to experience this on a deeper level! Have a rich and meaningful day full of rediscovering Love and happiness in what was already there! Aaron Szczurek <3 :-)