Life Lessons from Yoga

Life's Experiences

Everything that happens in life, happens for a reason.  Every moment you experience is perfect for the journey you are on. Think back to your childhood. Think back to your teenage years. Think back to every stage of your life up until now. Every thought, feeling and situation you have experienced has shaped you into the person you are today. You are continuously changing and growing. You are continuously facing different challenges and blissful moments that serve your highest good.

Now repeat this mantra daily, and remind yourself of just how far you have come, and how proud you are of yourself for that. Your life is unique to you, no one else has lived or can live the life you have.

The only constant in life is change. And change benefits your spiritual growth.

Life as a HSP & Empath

Living as an empath and highly sensitive person has not been easy.  I will admit, I've always felt as though I don't belong here, on this planet Earth. Not in a suicidal way, or a depressive" way, as some may automatically think. But in a "I know this is not my real home, and I'd really like to go back ASAP" kind of way.

Something deep within my heart and soul knows that I don't belong here. Meaning, I am here on Earth to experience myself and certain experiences as a human being for the moment, but I don't live here. I 'normally' reside in the spiritual realm, as an energy form. I don't have the burden and heaviness of a body when I am there. I am light, and free.

Living as a highly sensitive person and empath can be quite draining a lot of the time. Imagine you are a sponge, and whenever you go anywhere, you are constantly absorbing energy from other people, animals, nature itself. When going on a simple shopping trip, you're surrounded by hundreds of other people, all emitting their own energy and emotions. This could range from negative energy, to positive energy, happiness, sadness, joy, depression, anger, frustration, worry, anxieties etc. Now we are all made up of energy, and we all pick up on different frequencies, but some do more than others. And this is where the name "empath" and "highly sensitive" comes into it. Empaths can pick up and literally feel other people's emotions and energy whether they want to or not. Highly sensitive's are just ultra sensitive people with a heightened, 'wired' nervous system. They generally tend to need a lot of down time, rest, and get overwhelmed easily whether it be by bright lights, noise, crowds, or even the beauty or life itself. They generally have a deep appreciation for the small  things and a rich inner life.

Personally, I need a lot of rest. A couple of hours of shopping in a crowded area can drain me of energy for the rest of the day. Spending time around friends or family for an extended period of time can drain me. My body and mind gets overwhelmed and bombarded with a mix of energy and thoughts, that forces me to have to rest and recoup. I need a lot of quiet time to get back into balance, and feel in tip- top shape again.

I can walk into a room and instantly pick up on the vibe and moods of everyone (which is quite normal, as many can naturally do this), however with me, it tends to stick. I can be deliriously happy and joyful one minute, walk into a room where there's been an argument, and people are clearly a bit tense... and then feel heavy, burdened, depressed, and "off" for the next few hours, until I consciously work to 'shake it off' myself, either through being alone, writing, listening to music, or taking walks in nature.

Then there are the times where I attend parties,  and afterwards feel so drained by being surrounded by a lot of people & absorbing their energy, that I have to spend pretty much the entire next day having quiet time to myself to recouperate.

Arguments with people tend to suck me dry of energy. I'm not one to enjoy conflict, so I avoid it at all costs... but confrontations leave me intensely drained, more so than anything else. Take the party example of feeling tired, and double or triple it - along with extra nurturing and looking after myself. I feel emotions more deeply, therefore sadness, frustration, anger, disappointment, etc... are all heightened. Not only do I experience my own emotions during a conflict, but also absorb the other person's negative energy. I feel heavy and drained during those times.

I can go from feeling upbeat, contented and happy, to suddenly feeling emotions of sadness and ill-ease for what I think to be no reason at all, until someone tells me they themselves were feeling that way at the same time, or that someone they knew had perhaps passed away, for example. 

So as you can see, it's not an easy thing feeling like you're constantly "ruled" by your emotions and heightened nervous system. You're more emotional, you often feel much more drained and exhausted than others, and you need a lot more down time to spring back.
It's a constant journey of learning how to manage your empathic and highly sensitive self, so that you don't continuously find yourself drained and in a slump, because of taking on other people's energy.  Learning how to 'protect' yourself, realise when an emotion you're feeling isn't yours, and letting it go the second you feel it... is absolutely crucial to a positive, vibrant, happy existence.

But that said, at the same time, being an empath and HSP is such a blessing and a gift. The positives in my opinion, override the 'side effects'. I am able to connect with others on a deeper level, I am extremely compassionate, empathetic, sensitive, and caring. I have a deep appreciation for the little things, and life itself. Beauty often overwhelms me, and I am passionate about helping, uplifting and inspiring others to be the best that they can be.

My favourite quote that sums it up perfectly, is by Pearl Buck:

"To them (a human creature born abnormally, inhumanely sensitive)... a touch is a blow, a sound is a noise, a misfortune is a tragedy, a joy is an ecstasy, a friend is a lover, a lover is a god, and failure is death."

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You are Loved

Be who you came here to be.

Making the unconscious, conscious.

A lot of people are going through challenging times right now. We are being called to bring the unconscious into the light, and make all the old, buried thoughts and feelings; conscious.

This takes a lot of inner work, and requires a person to be very aware of themselves on a day to day basis. This means being conscious of any emotions that may surface, random thoughts that may come up, energy in the body such as tension, and most especially watch how you react to situations or people. It'll tell you a lot about yourself, your beliefs, and your subconscious mind. Often when we're children we'll develop certain patterns of thinking or ways of being and without realising, carry it into adulthood and beyond. Most of us are completely oblivious to our subconscious mind, and often end up blaming others for the way we feel or think... as if they're responsible for the way we react.

Creating a daily habit of practicing mindfulness and self awareness is a great way to begin shining the light into those 'dark' places within ourselves that we'd rather not go - but is crucial to understanding ourselves, breaking patterns, and moving forward to living consciously. Observe yourself often, and take time to question "why do I think this about myself/others?", "why did I just react in that way?", "how is my body feeling? what can I do to feel better?".

Self growth is imperative.

I AM

I am that I am
I am you and you are me
We are nothing but vibrant energy.
Loving light beings
Expressing ourselves in human form.

28 Things I Do To Stay Happy & Healthy

So it's my 28th birthday in just under a month, and I thought I would make a list of the top 28 things I do to stay healthy, and be happy :)

1. Love & accept myself for who I am

2. Focus on my positive points

3. Drink vegetable-based green juices as often as possible

4. Consciously strive to better myself in regards to self growth

5. Focus ONLY on the good in others

6. Drink 1-2 L of water a day

7. Eat a whole food clean diet

8. Rarely drink alcohol

9. Surround myself by people that support & bring out the best in me

10. Practice Yoga

11. Be conscious of my energy, feelings & thoughts (observe) - choose to act instead of react

12. Practice Meditation daily, and converse with my guides & angels.

13. Listen to positive, uplifting music

14. Use only natural oils and products on my skin

15. Do what I LOVE (things that bring my joy) - ie: photography, writing, music, alone time, nature, meditation etc

16. Try to get as much sleep as possible

17. Creative projects (experimenting with raw food recipes, taking photos, making vision board collages, poetry, blogging, etc)

18. Spend time in nature

19. Find the beauty in all beings, and all of life

20. Approach conflict with open ears and an open heart

21. Spend LOTS of time in silence, as that's how I rejuvenate and flourish

22. Laugh, be silly, quirky and joyous as much as possible. Don't take myself too seriously all of the time

23. Avoid gossip and conflict

24. Be close with my family and friends

25. Write random letters of love and compassion to total strangers

26. Practice deep breathing

27. Travel

28. Focus on loving kindness and compassion, rather than being 'right' or 'wrong'


....what would your list look like? :)

Snippets of Insight

Writing, meditation, silence, and nature are my vices. Combine these, and you have one very powerful medium for getting in touch with your higher Self.

I like to call these writings, snippets of Insight. I sit outside, meditate, and write. The words flow through me like blood in veins.
They serve as reminders of the truth - what really matters.

You are as you see yourself.
You are the light of day.
Be still.
Know thyself,
and you will flourish.

When you are one with life,
You will no longer feel the need to judge others.
You will accept yourself & others for what they are; loving, divine energy.
You will feel at peace.
Your priorities will be different.
Drama, gossip, and conflict will no longer be part of your life.
You will greatly value silence & stillness.

I am here to experience myself as Love.

Find yourself, and you'll see the You in others.

Life is simple. Operate from a place of love, and there will be no suffering.

The modern world we live in today is the opposite of what constitutes peace.
We are very literally, losing ourselves in noise, activity, pollution, traffic, each other, drama, and unattainable material goals.
It is no wonder we cannot find peace.
Peace is knowing ourselves;
Recognising the oneness of life and all beings.
and we cannot attain this without stopping to experience silence.

Over the past year, I've come to understand a lot about this universe in which we live.  Below is a summary of what I've learnt, and feel to be true ❤

• We are energy. All that surrounds us is energy. We are one - one with life, one with nature, one with each other.

• All others are, is a reflection of ourself. We see what we believe ourselves to be true.

•  If you still yourself enough, you will feel the energy that is life, flow through yourself. You will no longer feel separate to nature, or the air you breathe. You will feel 'one'. This is your life force. This is peace, as we know it.
  
• We are here to love. We are here to experience ourselves as Love. This is not possible to do in a spiritual/alternate reality, which is why we are here (Earth, physical reality). We are here to remember who we are in essence - Divine Energy.

• When you feel alone, upset, fearful, angry, confused, or any state of being other than peace, you are living through Ego. This is not your true self. You true self is LOVE. This is why when we are joyous, or in our joy - we are being our true Self. We feel free. Elated. Infinite.

• When you go to judge others,  tell yourself "Just like me, he/she deserves to be loved." By doing this, you begin to see yourself in them. You recognise oneness, and the desire and need to love and be loved.

• Truly knowing thyself, is the most powerful thing any one person can do.

• When you realise how free you are, how infinite, powerful and loving you are, you will begin to see the world as it is. Meditation can show you this.

• Silence is the greatest tool to find your true Self.

• If you're in a state of anger or despair, and you think you know yourself - think again. Enter a state of meditation and you'll realise just how far you were from the truth.

Lightworkers

 

Does this sound like you?  :)

Words to remember

You are the most beautiful person there is around. 
There is no one else like you on this Earth. 
You have an amazing body, and an amazing heart & mind. 

We are constantly reminded how imperfect we are, how we are never enough, how we could always look better, and achieve more. But in reality, it's the exact opposite. We ARE perfect, we ARE enough, we look exactly how we are supposed to (and chose to before entering this planet), and we do not need to be constantly "achieving" things in the way society seems to make us believe.
It's up to you to let go of all of these misconceptions and old, ingrained beliefs, and realise just how miraculous you really are, at this very moment.

YOU are brilliant. 
You are capable, strong, loving, determined, and have nothing to prove.
Love, and be loved (which you are). 
And everything else will fall into place.