I find that I need to check up on my overall inspiration and Love form day to day, and moment by moment. If I don't keep a check on this I am liable to fall into a rut of complacency or worse, depression. Why does this happen? Is it happening to you right now? Taking a few moments to sit down, lay down, take a bath, a meal break, or some other self caring activity with little distraction, and reflecting on questions like this are ways that I can help myself start to find clarity and focus. Sometimes become weighed down from the day to day activities, slowly become deflated of vigor and life. Is it time for a break? If you are finding it difficult to smile at something that would usually get you inspired, laughing, and/or feeling the Love of life, it is a good idea.
“Smile in joy, smile in pain, fly beyond to find your sane!” :-)
Why Do We Want to Take Flight?
Last week I wrote about seeing miracles in whatever circumstance that might arise in our lives in “How to Love Yourself by Allowing Miracles! :-)” http://forselflove.weebly.com/blog/how-to-love-yourself-by-allowing-miracles-within Changing my perspective to be a witness to the miracles all around me and within is of ongoing importance to be able to see the way that I can find success and happiness in life moment by moment and day by day. However, even though I now have these miraculous insights in my life they can often fade with time. I do not always have the same circumstances surrounding me, have the same opportunities, someone who has been of great inspiration to me in the past might not be present for me at a moment when I feel particularly low, etc. This is why it is a very good idea to seek out as many ways of generating miracles from within as we can. If the miracle comes from within, and spreads to our surroundings, finding inspiration on a regular basis will not be a problem. This article looks at a feeling that comes with running out of energy, focus, and clarity, and how to find a renewed sense of these great qualities.
When you are lacking these becoming run down is not far off, and you might even wind up sick. If that is the case, you might find some useful advice from this past article, “How to Love Yourself by Healing Yourself of Sickness! :-)” http://forselflove.weebly.com/blog/how-to-love-yourself-by-healing-yourself-of-sickness
If we can just get beyond these doldrums of life on a consistent basis, we will be able to embrace life in all its forms of joy and pain, and find that we are quite sane. Sane as dictionary.com describes it. “1. free from mental derangement; having a sound, healthy mind: a sane person. 2. having or showing reason, sound judgment, or good sense: sane advice.”
A past article, “How to Love Yourself by Enjoying the Journey! :-),” talks about how one might sustain this sanity in their daily lives through practicing relaxation techniques like meditation, letting go of fear, and learning the value of accepting both happy and sad situations in our lives. http://forselflove.weebly.com/blog/-how-to-love-yourself-by-enjoying-the-journey
“Smile in joy, smile in pain, fly beyond to find your sane!” :-)
How Do We Take Flight?
- “Smile in joy!” Maybe this is a fairly easy thing to do, or maybe it has become rather difficult to do. Sometimes life has worn us down so much that the things in life that used to make us happy and joyous seem to have lost their glimmer. Smiling might feel like too much of an effort in times of depression.
- However, a smile might be just what the doctor ordered. Sometimes a little can go a long way. Smiling even though you don't feel like it, greeting someone, and/or laughing might be enough to inspire you again with joy and Love of life. “How to Love Yourself by Looking through Lenses of Love” is an article that explains different ways that we might fake it until we make it with smiles and the like, and learn to embrace optimism more fully. http://forselflove.weebly.com/blog/-how-to-love-yourself-by-looking-through-the-lenses-of-love
- “How to Love Yourself by Loving Others” is an article that looks at how treating yourself with Love and treating others with Love feeds into an overall feeling and presence of Love in one's life. Smiling at another person is like smiling at yourself, and can inspire you on a very deep level. This increases the less we expect in return from the other person, because it translates into a great sense of unconditional Love for ourselves. Read more about the “illusion of separation” between ourselves and others in the article. http://forselflove.weebly.com/blog/how-to-love-yourself-by-loving-others :-)
- However, a smile might be just what the doctor ordered. Sometimes a little can go a long way. Smiling even though you don't feel like it, greeting someone, and/or laughing might be enough to inspire you again with joy and Love of life. “How to Love Yourself by Looking through Lenses of Love” is an article that explains different ways that we might fake it until we make it with smiles and the like, and learn to embrace optimism more fully. http://forselflove.weebly.com/blog/-how-to-love-yourself-by-looking-through-the-lenses-of-love
- “Smile in pain!” It can be very difficult to smile when we have times of stress, discomfort, loss, and pain. But pain is one thing that we need to understand joy and pleasure. It can also be a very good teacher when we are acting foolish and trying to do something that are bodies or minds are not ready for, like performing a difficult yoga posture or trying advanced calculus (depending on the person this might cause injury our distress). Pain is a way to learn to be better versions of myself if it is translated with wisdom, but often times I find that I want to avoid it. However we feel about pain, it is an inevitable part of learning how to live life in Love and joy. So try my best to remind myself that it would be better to embrace it than to run away from it. After all running away from pain is like running away from one of our best teachers. And I find that the more that I ignore pain, the louder it yells at me with pain in whatever part of my body or area of life it might be coming from at that time to remind me that there is something important to be learned, and that school is in whether I want it to be or not.
- It can be painfully difficult dealing with things, people, and situations that rub us the wrong way. That is why I wrote this article, “How to Love Yourself by Finding the Diamond in the Rough.” All of these painful encounters have the potential to reveal a treasure to us if we are willing to sit with them for a time. http://forselflove.weebly.com/blog/-how-to-love-yourself-by-finding-the-diamond-in-the-rough
- Trusting that if we put forth the effort and persevere that things will work out is another way to deal with the suffering that results from trying to go beyond our limitations. This can sometimes mean finding the courage to get up in the morning, take an exam, go to work, etc. The article “How to Love Yourself by Practicing Trust, Patience, and Perseverance” helps us gain a perspective and strategy for times like this. http://forselflove.weebly.com/blog/-how-to-love-yourself-by-practicing-trust-patience-and-perseverance
- It can be painfully difficult dealing with things, people, and situations that rub us the wrong way. That is why I wrote this article, “How to Love Yourself by Finding the Diamond in the Rough.” All of these painful encounters have the potential to reveal a treasure to us if we are willing to sit with them for a time. http://forselflove.weebly.com/blog/-how-to-love-yourself-by-finding-the-diamond-in-the-rough
- “Fly beyond to find your sane!” If we can somehow find a way to raise above our circumstances and see that we are much more than the things that happen to us during the day, that have happened during our lifetime, and that will happen to us, we will see that there is nothing that can hold us down. This is all about connecting with your higher self, the you that is part of the divine. When we realize this, total, freedom and sanity will be our reality.
- Looking to scripture for peace of mind in the truth that we are all much more than what the world puts us through is something that has always helped me get through difficult times like failure in school, lose of a loved one, getting into a wreck, etc.
- “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (John 4:4).”
- A Psalm of David. “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows (Psalm 23:1-6).”
- “Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (John 4:4).”
- This article by the late Dr. Wayne Dyer is something that has helped me connect with this realization in my everyday life. I keep a written version of the “4 Ways to Get What You Really Really Want” in a little notebook in my back pocket to help remind me how to connect with the divine withing when I am feeling less than enough. http://www.drwaynedyer.com/blog/manifesting-your-desires/
- Yoga postures or asanas are another way that really helps me recharge. How my body on a physiological level feels has a very direct effect on my mind in the form of inspiration and energy. This week we will look at a very good asana for recharging the mind, body, and spirit.
- Looking to scripture for peace of mind in the truth that we are all much more than what the world puts us through is something that has always helped me get through difficult times like failure in school, lose of a loved one, getting into a wreck, etc.
“Smile in joy, smile in pain, fly beyond to find your sane!” :-)
How Kakasana can Help Us Take Flight!
Ling Beisecker, yoga teacher, trail runner, nature photographer, and part of the Do You Yoga editorial team, has some very encouraging things to say about Kakasana. According to Ling,
- Mental benefits include:
- confronting fear of falling versus focus on lifting,
- greater mind body connection,
- holding on versus letting go,
- accepting fear,
- and having the courage to fly.
- confronting fear of falling versus focus on lifting,
- Physical benefits include:
- an amazing full body work out.
- Arm and core muscles are exercised.
- Wrists, upper back, and legs are strengthened.
- The groin is opened,
- and the abdominal organs are toned.
- The upper back is stretched, which helps decrease heart burn and acidity.
- The flexibility and elasticity of the spine are increased.
- an amazing full body work out.
- Spiritual benefits include:
- concentration in the present,
- strengthening the second chakra, which connects us with our feelings, emotions, and creative energy.
- concentration in the present,
Let's Practice Kakasana! :-)
CAUTION: Pregnant women and those suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome should not practice this asana. It is important to keep the neck straight to avoid sprains. People that have neck problems such as spondilitis should always practice this asana under the guidance of an experienced instructor.
Technique
- You can start out in an asana like Uttanasana (Check out the bottom section of my earlier article, “How to Love Yourself by Following Your Rules” to learn how to perform Uttanasana http://forselflove.weebly.com/blog/how-to-love-yourself-by-following-your-rules ).
- If you are in the standing forward fold, Uttanasana, bend at the knees, and lower yourself to a squat. Make sure your knees are about shoulders width apart. Bend your arms and place your palms on the ground so that your fingers are facing away from your feet, and your toes are almost touching the heals of your hands.
- Move your knees toward your arms till your knees almost sit in your arm pits.
- Gently tilt the weight of your legs and upper body forward, so that both your toes lift off the ground at the same time. Do your best to avoid falling forward. You might want to keep a pillow in front of you in case this happens.
- Make sure that your gaze remains forward and slightly down. Stare at one fixed point.
- Caution: Stop holding this pose if it starts to bother your wrists.
- Remember to relax and breathe while focusing on balancing your weight forward, always keeping your gaze fixed. Keeping a clear mind is also a plus, I usually fall out of this posture if my thoughts wander beyond focusing on the feeling of good balance. Smile if you feel yourself tensing up and getting too serious. Hold this pose for as many breathes as you would like or are able to.
- 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.
- As you breathe try thinking to yourself the following sentence with each breath. “Smile in joy!” inhale. “1” exhale. “Smile in pain!” inhale. “2” exhale. “Fly beyond” inhale. “3” exhale. “to find your sane!” inhale. “4” exhale. Continue this as long as you would like.
- Smiling will help you relax even more.
- Feel the warmth and energy that is being generated in your body as you clearly focus ahead. Are easy or tense? Do your best to let go of your fears and keep your weight gently balanced forward. Savor the flight! Try your best to feel exhilaration, and leave behind fear. You might try listening to some inspirational music like “Fly Like an Eagle” by The Steve Miller Band https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1f7eZ8cHpM
- 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.
- When you are done, gently shift your weight back, feeling the weight return to you feet. Thank your body for carrying you through such a inspiring and energizing practice, and your mind for leaving fear behind as you flew in your practice today. Try to remember this process of “flying beyond to your sane” as you move on to whatever is next for you and smile! :-)
This article by Ryan Hurst, director of GMB international fitness training, provides us with a very good guide to preparing for Kakasana and other arm balances through strengthening routines and body awareness. https://gmb.io/crow-pose/
Do you practice “Flying beyond to find your sane?” Please share in the comments area here or on Face Book in the "For the Love of Self" discussion area some of the ways you have practiced “Flying beyond to find your sane” in life. Has it helped you find a sustained effort through times when life has seemed to be dragging? What are your tips and tricks for finding inspiration and energy in the day to day? Sharing our experiences can help us all find that much need longevity in our practice of living an inspired life. Thank you, my friend, and keep doing your best to fly beyond the roller coaster of life and find the sanity on the other side!
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 very much for taking time to think about our energy level and presence in life by reading “How to Love Yourself by Taking Flight.” Writing this article has been a real help to realize how I can maintain my energy level through the chaos of daily life, so that I may spread the good news around with commitment and a smile on my face. What a great feeling to go through life with energy and vigor! “Smile in joy, smile in pain, fly beyond to find your sane!” May sanity be with you in the most chaotic of times! Aaron Szczurek <3 :-)