 "Nonviolence can be taught and it can be learned, thereby taking the next great step in human evolution to the place where humans can take in multiple perspectives and become more flexible, tolerant, patient, and motivated to act for the welfare and ecology as a whole. Ecological awareness begins in one's own body and extends through community in all directions. Community grows deep roots when we help each other thrive." -Michael Stone
Sitting here, I feel as if I am on top of the world and looking in every direction into human society with a deep sigh, wondering if we, as the Human Race, will ever be able to find peace within so that we can find peace with one another. -Melissa Spener Photo by David Spencer at Angel's Landing in Zion National Park, Utah April 2019
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 Peace Begins WithinIn the upcoming posts I'll be starting the climb up the Tree of Yoga. The 8 Limbed Tree, that begins deep beneath the roots and saturates itself with the earth's precious resources of nourishment. Just as a tree reaches in all directions to receive what it needs, we too can reach out in all directions to find what nourishes our limbs, our bodies, our minds and our souls. I'll begin at the roots, where we can set a solid foundation for healing and growth. Patanjali's Yoga Sutra 2:35-2:39 speak of the first limb, the Yama as the moral qualities that are necessary for connection to our Soul nature. Whether you believe you have a Soul or not, we can all connect to some form of relationship with nature, the cosmos, the earth... Or perhaps you connect with the vibration of peace and calm versus the "busy" energy of today's rapid-paced world. Speaking of the world, I often feel as if the world appears to be in a downward spiral. However, I also believe peace appears to be on the rise. I know peace doesn't seem apparent as of late, with all the shootings and natural disasters and everything in between, but with the significant imbalance the world is currently experiencing, peace is the path we all need to take. If you have read my previous blogs or instagram posts, you may noticed a repeating pattern of peace. My Yoga company is named, Peaceful World Yoga. My students are affectionately called the Peaceful Tribe. The little people I work with are called Peaceful Mini Hippies and the senior citizens I work with I've named the Peaceful Wisdom Keepers. A pattern of peace is a pattern I could get used to and can never speak enough about. So where does peace begin? The first limb on the 8 Limb path of Yoga is Yama. The Yamas are the moral qualities that are necessary for connection to who we truly are. These are the behavioral foundations that make life more comfortable and often time more spiritually fulfilling. As humans, we work to cultivate a balanced of healthy relationship with our Self, the community, and the world at large. Ahimsa is the first of the five Yama and means peace. Peace towards oneself and peace towards others. Ahimsa has been defined as non-violence, non-harming, and non-injury. How I've experienced ahimsa is that ahimsa brings peace from others. When we are able to give up our hostilities and/or our aggressions, others feel as if they can let go as well and allow the automatic response process to be turned off. Have you ever felt that unspoken presence of peace when you are in the company of someone who exudes peace and calm? So I'll ask again, where does peace begin? Can we say that peace begins within? Let's examine what you can do to cultivate that inner peace that can be expressed outwardly and with grace. First of all, I feel the need to remind myself again and again that peace begins with me and exists internally within my own heart and mind. Looking for peace in the external world is a waste of time (for me anyway). I'm not saying that there aren't things in the external world that make me happy. There are for sure. The ocean, sand, friends, family, dogs, clothes, a roof over my head, delicious foods, traveling, and so much more. What I'm saying is that those things can't make us happy if happiness doesn't already exist at some level in our hearts and minds. So where do we begin to create peace if that feeling is missing from your life? With the cultivation of ahimsa towards yourself and all beings. When you can accept yourself exactly how you are, in the present moment, you are creating ahimsa, peace within. When you take action and stand up for all living beings with kind words and actions, you are creating peace within. This begins to turn itself around and exudes the very essence of peace and calm. Easy? Not at all! Impossible? Not all all! So how do we cultivate peace within? What experiential practices can we do on a daily basis to allow peace to take up permanent residence within each of us? Here are a few daily practices to get your started. Try and choose one at a time and watch with loving awareness (no judging yourself or saying things like, "I can't...." or "This is stupid because..." or perhaps, "I don't have the attention to keep up with this...." There are as many excuses as there are people walking on this Earth and yet this can be done. This has been done by many and peace is growing exponentially. Let's explore some of the easier practices that take little or no time to try each day. The first practice I always recommend is Watching the Breath. The reason I begin with breath is that we are always breathing. Are we always breathing with awareness? No, that's a lot of work! However, we can set reminders to ourselves throughout the day to remind us to breathe deeply. Breathe waaaaay down into the belly and allow the breath to reach into the low back, in behind the kidneys and adrenal glads. Allow the side ribs to push out and expand with each inhale, and as you exhale, you allow everything to decompress, naval pulls towards the spine, and you release all that no longer serves you. Stress. Anxiety. Tension. Worry. Pain. We can count the inhalation length and see if we can match the exhalation length. There are hundreds of ways to shape the breath, but for today's purpose, we are only working on deep, belly breathing. We can work on the deepening, smoothing and lengthening of the breath but embedded within the practice of belly breathing. Another practice, Watching the Thoughts. Watching the thoughts can be woven into every thread of our life. Being aware of what we are thinking, feeling and sensing takes practice. Many times I have felt as if my thoughts were being led around by an untrained puppy that relentlessly pushes, pulls and drags my attention all over the place. Emotions and feelings have their highs and lows. We can feel elated one moment and then turn around and feel fear, anger, discontent, jealousy, doubt, or thoughts of despair and insecurity. All of these emotions may negate peace. How can we stop? Watching the thoughts and when we notice, we break the pattern of the thoughts that don't serve us any purpose. The practice is replacing (not burying or ignoring) negative thoughts. When we can stop, bring awareness to a negative thought AND (bonus points) can also notice the sensation and impact thoughts have on the body, we can make tremendous movement towards peace as a way of life. I'll leave you with these two practice to try this week. There are several more that I practice regularly in relation to Ahimsa and I'll share those in the next post. In the meantime, allow yourself the gift of awareness. The awareness that you can shape your own breath to allow you to relax more, lower your own blood pressure, calm yourself and so much more. Keep a breathing journal and notice the benefits you experience. Noticing and keeping a personal record all for more direct awareness practice. OR, what the thoughts. If you are new to a sitting practice of any time, don't try and get rid of thoughts. That's almost impossible. Thoughts have a purpose but their purpose is not to take you on a wild ride. Mind practice is like taking a puppy to training when you first bring he or she home. They are wild, they need to run free and let loose of course, but they also need to learn to "come," "sit," "stay," and all those personalized commands you provide them to find peace within themselves so they can feel at peace within as well as show peace to others. Is your mind like the crazy off leash dog running wild at the local dog park, or does your mind behave more like a service dog? Or something in between? That's perfectly fine. Don't judge. Just observe with curiosity. And remember, this is a practice NOT a perfect! I leave you with peaceful thoughts, peaceful words, and peaceful actions that come from your hearts. Until next time...stay safe, stay connected and find joy within. #peacefulworldyoga  I recently read a quote written by Mother Teresa that sweetly says, Gratitude is the Mother of Joy Joy is prayer - Joy is strength -Joy is love Joy is a net of love by which you can catch souls. She gives most who gives with Joy. -Mother Teresa  I believe that consciously cultivating THANKFULNESS is a journey of the soul. A journey that begins when we look around our spaces and see the positive effects that gratitude creates. I find I do this more and more when I notice those around me whom gratefulness comes easily and I realize how much I enjoy being around these types of people. When I am with people who celebrate Joy in the smallest moments, I feel as if I can tap into their gift of Joy in the present moment and find deep gratitude for these human beings who are consciously more aware of their moment-by-moment experiences and can live fully within each moment with an open heart and mind. I live to learn from these sweet souls and I find them crossing my path more and more each day. I thought I'd take a small moment and share how this season of thanks touched me as I took the time to focus on the small joyous wonders of this Thanksgiving. The morning began with a pull of the heart-strings when the sensations hit me square in the chest that this would be the first holiday season without my mom on this Earth. My mom loved the holidays and always enchanted our home with her creative touches. A gifted artist, paired with an open heart of giving, equals magical childhood memories. My family (including furry family) came to my rescue with hearts open and just listened. I needed the softness and the physical hugs of support (or licks) so that I could release this lingering energy of grief (will it ever go away?) and begin to find joy in the present moment. Today is Thanksgiving 2018 and I have a lot to be grateful for.   I gave myself permission to revisit these precious and bittersweet moments on my mom's last visit to Colorado. I knew she would not be returning to Colorado ever again and I cherished each moment with her. The grief of what "could have been" visited me often that trip and still comes around. I realize guest emotions stopped by unexpectedly and that i should welcome each one with openness but sometimes when they come a knockin' I just want to slam the door. I'm a work in progress I remind myself often. That brings me to this year, 2018. A year of many, many losses. Too many losses, but I am strong and I am wise, and I have the courage to keep taking one step at a time. Just putting the feet on the ground and stand up each morning has been difficult some days this year, but making myself get up and walk at a brisk pace has been what keeps me staying positive and focused on the NOW. This year's Thanksgiving brings new family members. Jordan's mom Cindi, Grandpa Al, and Marley (Cindi's Boxer) AND new(er) friends, Stephanie and Maria, as well as the Damiani's who are faithful friends who come and celebrate this holiday with us when they stay in Denver for the holiday. Cindi Jumps right in with the tradition of the "Regurgitating Squirrel" sounds and impressions. Always gets a laugh and a new rep each year. Cindi lost her mom recently too. We shared holiday stories that featured our moms. Jordan's grandpa just moved her from Nebraska after the loss of his wife and came to be supported and cared for on this first Thanksgiving without his spouse of many, many years.  The love between a Grandfather and grandson is always so special to me. My three male cousins all had a great bond with our grandfather. Seeing Jordan with his grandpa gave me a glimpse of the man he will be as he ages. Strong, funny, sensitive, tender, determined, kind, loving, smart, and just a decent human being. The newly added family members bring a sense of fresh joy to the Spencer clan. We always welcome anyone through our doors and these two and Eary (Cindi's husband / not pictured) are wonderful additions. Oh, and Marley the tiny Boxer!  The Thanksgiving break has some wonderful momentum and brings so many more joyous moments. Friday found Dave, myself, Amanda and Ray doing a brewery crawl (we actually drove in Amanda's new car). Unfortunately, the pictures disappeared and I'm bummed because I took some really good ones of Amanda and Dave tasting brewskis. Maybe they will show up at some point and I'll add them. We hit three breweries, Four Noses, Odd 13, and Big Choice. Samples galore and although I don't really like the taste of beer, I sample it all and try and learn the difference between tastes and types since my daughter is a brewer! Our friends, Dave Bobko and Stacy joined us at the last stop and we enjoyed devouring complimentary nachos that the owner brought over. Although only one image survived, I found a quote that reminds me of the moments I spend with my daughter and her husband, Ray. More abundance of joyous moments. That it will never come again is what makes life so sweet. -Emily Dickenson I would change the words "that it" to That this moment will never come again... BUT, this is an Emily Dickenson quote so it's already perfected.  Leftovers are the tradition and we all gather again to share a second meal in gratitude. Dave and Ray watching football games, shouting and getting Al all riled up, while Amanda and I work on Peaceful World Yoga's final 3o0 Yoga Teacher Training edits that will be completed by Sunday. I am truly grateful for this amazing woman's help. She can take all the thoughts from my head that I manage into semi-comprehensible words into these beautiful descriptions, learning objectives and manuals. She's got a way with words in a different way than both Kelly and myself have. Although our writing styles different, the blends of styles are beautiful and greatly appreciated! Yoga books of all sizes and shapes are scattered across the counter as we dive into each one with determination and purpose. I find joy in the moments of unconditional help and assistance from my daughter's heart.  Saturday evening found Dave and I at our neighbors having a delicious home-cooked meal of Modules Frite. Their three-year old son, Quentin was quite the little chef, equipped with his apron. I love how this tiny chef knew his way around the kitchen like a pro. He's so conscientious about how the foods are progressing and checks often and has quite the food vocabulary.   The frites are cooking up nicely here. I didn't get a chance to snap a photo of the Module and the Rattatoue before we all gobbled it up. A wonderful meal, with like-minded friends who raise the level of conversation to the point Dave and I always enjoy. The tiny chef joins us for dinner and devours his mussels and broccoli and of course the frites! He passed on the non-gluten free pecan pie and dutifully scolds his mom for enjoying a piece when she too is gluten free. He tries to scold his dad too but dad retorts with the fact that he's Not gluten free and therefore gets to have as much pecan pie as he'd like. The tiny chef raises an eyebrow to that.   Tiny chefs sometimes can't contain their excitement of their creations. How can I not find joy in these precious moments? Alas, it's Sunday evening and I'm organizing the house so that I can begin the holiday decorating. The tree, the lights (inside and out), the nativity scenes that have been handed down through my family, and so many more shiny trinkets and treasures. Too many to name. Tonight I reflect on all the gifts of gratitude, coming back to my belief that Gratitude is the Mother of Joy. Gratitude makes us young Gratitude makes us feel good Gratitude promotes health and eradicates worry Gratitude draws people to us Gratitude is the antidote for bitterness and resentment Gratitude cures the need for perfectionism Gratitude keeps us current in time and space Gratitude opens our hearts Gratitude spawns kindness and generosity Gratitude joins us to ALL of life Gratitude connects us to a sense of some form of Divine Spirit, whatever that means to each person and finally... Gratitude opens us to moments of pur Grace and Wisdom I hope this season opens itself up to you, or perhaps you open your heart to this season of love and light. The most powerful agent of growth and transformation is something much more basic than any technique: a change of heart. -John Weldwood Two of my favorite gratitude quotes by Richard Rohr can be found below. Richard Rohr is filled with a grateful heart and over the years I've read his quotes as they splash across the social media. He is one of those human beings that allows joy to overflow from his being, no matter his circumstances. I've always admired those who can face resistance with perseverance and strength. Those are the people who I find to be inspiring and wise. I leave you with peaceful thoughts, peaceful words, and peaceful actions that come from your hearts. Until next time...stay safe, stay connected and find joy within. #peacefulworldyoga    Webster's Dictionary: Cabin fever n. Boredom, restlessness, or irritability that results from a lack of environmental stimulation, as from a prolonged stay in a remote, sparsely populated region or a confined indoor area. Nothing to do. Sleeping in until 8:30 am and staying under the warm blankets. Morning meditation practice on the wood deck with sunshine streaming through the trees. Slow and gentle hatha yoga practice. Leisurely making hot tea and a bagel. Sitting on the couch reading under a cozy blanket. Staring at the window for as long as I want. Bundling up and taking a stroll down a dirt mountain road in a sparsely populated mountain neighborhood. Watching the birds fly through the bare trees. Going back inside and warming up. If this is "Cabin Fever" I'll take a month or more!  As I said in my last blog post, I am writing as a personal self-care practice and if you would enjoy stopping by and taking a read, you are always welcome. I will be closing out the last two months of 2018 with some much needed and well-deserved self-care practices and sharing them as a way of releasing some of the challenges I've encountered this year. 2018 has been a challenging year for the entire Spencer household and we are all trying to manifest a more calm and peaceful year in 2019. I won't go into the details in this blog but what I will quickly mention is the fact that the Spencer crew has been deeply blessed with the most amazing love and support from family and framily (friends that are family). Another blog on that as well down the road. Onward to the cozy cabin adventure... As many of you know, hunting season is upon us once again here in Colorado. I'll spare you the gory details and make a long story short; After many years of putting his name in for a lottery, Dave was chosen to do the Ranching for Wildlife program. Ranching for Wildlife provides a guided hunt on private ranch land. Being the ever-loving animal person, I was opposed instantly, without even wanting to hear about this "awful and brutal sport!" Shortened to...after a few months of learning about this program, I softened to the fact that, although I don't promote hunting, this program provides resources for the animals who reside on the ranching property. The deer and elk and other wildlife have plenty of food and places to take shelter that they may not have access to beyond the ranch. Although some are hunted, many more live and thrive through the winter, where they would otherwise may have slowly starved to death because of lack of food during the colder months. Hard call for me to be pro or against. For now, I am just going to sit with what it is and that's where this blog is trying to lead to. I am leaving it up to the Universe for choosing Dave's name out of thousands of individuals who put their name in the lottery. If anyone deserve an opportunity like this it's Dave. Dave isn't a sport hunter and he doesn't want to keep antlers and hang them. He just enjoys getting out in nature and conquering the elements of the mountain terrain. This year Dave became a semi-vegetarian (he and I still eat some seafood) and has decided that if he chooses to eat red meat, he will have to catch the animal and process the meat himself. This is no small task and I honor his dedication to the treatment of animals by not supporting feed lots and caged animals who are forced to lay too many eggs and animals that live in filthy conditions, Why would anyone feed their own body with the unhappy energy of a caged and penned up animal who led a horrific life of fear? Moving on...in the past 10 or more years since Dave's been hunting, I've put a "secret family curse" on him that my Gram, Mom and Aunts always joked about. I would say the special "curse" in hopes of keeping Dave from catching any animals. After many years of coming back empty handed, I think Dave finally believed that this old family curse worked (even if he won't admit that it does). After sitting with this for a couple of weeks I made a decision this season to just be with what naturally happened. Dave was randomly chosen out of many other people. I felt like this is something I needed to loosen my grip on. With that being said, I agreed to accompany Dave on this year's trip. Not to join on the hunt, but to sit in a quiet and secluded cabin and take refuge in the peace and stillness while Dave went on his hunting excursion. Oh, and I lifted the "curse."  Our friend has a nice little log cabin up in Clark, which is past the town of Steamboat Springs. As we wove our way through the winding dirt roads, we kept a watchful eye out for our destination. Tucked behind large pines and bare aspens we spotted the little log cabin. Sitting alone, just waiting to be warmed up by the latest visitors, the little cabin beckoned us to come and stay. We settled in, and by settling in I mean we found the thermostat, kicked on the heat, unloaded the cooler of food and immediately found the couch. Big sigh! You know, that incredible moment when your mind and body remember the Soul. Nothing like it. Release and relax.  The Spencers don't sit for long and after only an hour of rest and a meal Dave and I decided to explore the empty roads and vacant wooded lots. Homes were scattered here and there, each one unique in its structure and architecture. Large crows and magpies danced across the sunsetting sky and the call of some camp robber birds could be heard in the distance. The crows look ominous as they sat, perched on the tippity top of the pine trees, staring down at us. I've heard that crows have the intelligence of a seven year old child, AND they remember faces and people's actions and have even been shown to have revenge on humans and dogs who haven't been kind to them. They watch us and I send them good energy.... Dave says, "They're coming to take us to Valhalla!" I said the same words five seconds before he did in my mind. I love the predictability of our inside jokes. 28 years married and 30 knowing someone is a feeling of pure comfort for me. I love the dependability of Dave, his "dad jokes" as the girls affectionately call them and his generosity to his friends and family. We walk, hand in hand down the dirt road, pondering what it would be like to live in the mountains full time. Dave decides the ocean is where he wants to reside part time as we grow older together.  As night approaches the temperatures drop. The cabin is even more cozy when we re-enter after our outdoor exploration, with soft lights giving off a warm glow. We plop back down on the couch and the plaid-wool blanket has my name on it. I claim it for the entire weekend. Snuggled in, the soft glow of the lamp falls gently over my book and I settle in for the evening. Dave is busy preparing for his 5:00 am early rise and shine, freezing cold morning. I think to myself, "Have fun with that" and smile as I know I will be tucked in tight and warm under the heavy warm blankets come morning. Fast forward. Dave left at 5:00 am and I didn't even hear him leave. The silence of the empty cabin is deafening and I slowly begin to wake up my body and mind. The Soul is right here again. Funny how that awareness kicks in so naturally of the silent observer that is always there but often neglected. I don't have to even search for three things I'm grateful for this morning (another morning ritual). They come easy in this little cabin in the middle of a forest on a mountain. I bring each thing I'm grateful for to mind, and bring my hands to touch in front of my heart and bow my head in gratitude. My soul and I rise together after doing some deep breathing and gently stretches in bed. I sing/say my morning chat of ahimsa. A practice that promises to not harm myself or any other living beings this day. My feet touch the warm carpeted floor and I repeat the word ahimsa three more times and promise again to not harm anyone or anything with my thoughts, words or actions. This includes myself as I glance at my bed-tousled hair. I honor the disheveled look and gently run my fingers through the tangled mess and retie my hair into a loose bun and begin my day.  As often as possible, I try and keep my self-care routine. This morning is a self-indulgent morning, with no agenda, so I begin to do all the self-care practices my mind, body and soul have needed me to do this year. I take a luxuriously long time to do anything. The back deck is shaded but the sun is pouring over the roof and sliding down towards the ground and the weathered planks of the porch. The crows and the magpies are back and they watch me and I watch them back for what seems to be a long time. Time is all I have today so why not use it? The crows and magpies are joined by three camp robbers this morning. We all settle in to our personal spaces and I begin my morning meditation practice and they seem to understand and let their guard down. Thirty minutes later, I gently begin my stretching and gentle asana practice, moving my spine and limbs in all directions and allowing the breath to move deeply into all the nooks and crannies of my body. The birds shuffle on their selected branches and also move and flap their wings. The sound of feathers echos in the silence of the forest. I love that I have feathered friends doing yoga with me this morning. Before I know it, I hear Dave's truck coming up the road. I almost disregard that it's Dave because it's still early afternoon. He backs into the driveway, an elk in the bed of the truck. The curse has been lifted! A happy and smiling Dave emerges from the truck. Proud yet exhausted and he begins to share the details of his excursion. The young guides name is John and he realized Dave is in great shape and took him on quite a rigorous journey through the ranch and up the steep inclines. The rest of the story is Dave's to tell. I love when Dave shares stories of his adventures. Dave is one of those people that enjoys the minutes of his life and can most often be found in the present moment. His joy for life is contagious as he shares more about the challenging climbs up and down the mountainside after cleaning the elk and donating back it's organs and other parts back to the earth for the other wild life to enjoy. There are going to be some happy fox and birds out on the ranch later this afternoon when they come across this treasure of food.  Dave finishes the hard work of prepping the elk and then we hop in his truck take a drive over to Pearl Lake where we camp each summer over the fourth of July week. Pearl Lake is my favorite place to camp for so many reasons. The energy is just so peaceful, even when the campground is full and dogs are barking and children are playing and shouting. We drive by the empty campsites and slow down and check out the sites we've stayed on before. We've there with the girls and their boyfriends, all the dogs made at least one trip up to Pearl Lake and Morrison is a regular. We've been with friends and their dogs. The memories flood my mind as we drive past the bare lots. I've only ever been there in the summer and the area looks so different but there is still that same energy I always feel. We loop around the bend and head back down the road we came in on and noticed a moving object on the campsite we usually stay on. A large, black mama cow and three younger cows are resting in the tall dry grasses, barely visible from the road. I stop and get out to take a picture and get fairly close, causing the mama cow to get up and move away. She wasn't in any rush, but she also wasn't up for human company. Fair enough, I'm up here for the same reason...to get some peace and quiet. I say goodbye to the cluster of cows and we head back to the cabin after making a few pit stops along the way at some other spots we like to see when we are in that neck of the woods. The warm cabin greets us again as we arrive. Once again we settle back onto the coach and watch the Red Soxs who are about to win the World Series. The internet is intermittent and Dave's frustration with lack of service makes me laugh. We are fortunate enough to see most of the games and the Red Sox win. Dave has been a Sox fan for as long as I can remember, so it's always nice when his team wins. I read and watch the game over my reading glasses, trying to focus more on my book than the score. I care about the game but am more interested in my new Yoga Nidra book that my best friend Lisa gave to me. I have to admit I'm a bit obsessed with reading it. Another early evening to bed for Dave. He's physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted. I'm too relaxed and settled into my spot on the couch and under the blanket to move yet, plus I'm deep into my book now. Next thing I know it's after 1:00 am so I head to be so we can get up and take another hike before we need to pack up and head back to Westminster. I'm happy Dave got his elk, but wishing we had another two or three days in the little log cabin in the mountains. As far as Cabin Fever goes, I'll take it! Any old day! Give me time and space and a place to stay warm in the midst of nowhere and I'm set. Oh, and a good book.. I have to have a good book. The moral of this entry is:
So dear reader, feel free to stop on by from time to time and see what's up in my life if you'd like. Leave a comment below if something I write connects our hearts. Ask me a question or maybe even begin a blog too. I'll be here writing about my life for me and for future me to reflect on. Journaling and writing is a very cathartic practice of self-care and if you know me at all, you know I am passionate about how to provide self-care on a daily basis in multiple ways. My philosophy is that you have to love yourself before you can truly hand out love to others. Love comes from the inside before love can be moved to the external world. I hope that if your eyes do happen to skim across this blog, that reading these words brought up some positive thought for you. Even if that thought or memory was brief. The point of reflecting with words is to share an experience outwardly about what's going on internally. In the meantime, enjoy navigating your own journey and know we are all traveling on the same path home. Peaceful thoughts, peaceful words and peaceful actions that come from my heart. Me      I have been writing in my many journals for years and years, since childhood actually when I kept diary after diary and graduated to journal after journal. I was recently out with a friend and she commented on the amount of journals I must have and where I could possibly put them all when they are filled up. Are any filled completely is the question? I have this pattern, habit, okay...obsession about finding new journals, using them for one purpose only (a course, a workshop, a trip...) and then tucking them away somewhere. I stumble across them from time to time and glance over them. There are barely any pictures in them, just writing and an occasional pressed flower or clover.
So after spending the afternoon with my friend at a beekeeping workshop and writing in my beekeeping journal (of course) I thought I would once again, sit down and try and write a blog. I know I've posted blogs in the past, but they are very different from what I write in my journals and my workshop notebooks and any random piece of paper I find to scribble a thought or two on. This time I'm going to commit, I silently promise to myself. No, I really am going to! Really! Promise! And so who cares if I write a blog anyway? Who's even going to take five minutes to read it? What's the point? Isn't that what most people who write a blog ask themselves? None of those questions are of concern to me. I write because I love to write. I love the way words flow and the way they sound to the ear. I love the way different fonts attack my eye. I love the way the pen feels as it glides across different textures of paper. Mostly I journal because the future me will enjoy looking back and seeing what we've done together through the years. When I find my old diaries and journals from childhood I become "Missy" again. I see her writing those words in my mind's eye and I am her again. I am sitting at the kitchen table on the farm in Comus, Maryland and writing my name in the space in the front that says, This Diary Belongs To, followed by a long line that is expecting a name to be written on it. Missy Mann I write. I'm maybe six years old. My dairy is a small, rectangular blue hardback book with a gold lock on the front and has a set of keys to use. I guess the maker of this diary anticipate that I will lose one. I never did. Each little, golden key got carefully tucked away and hidden deeply from peering eyes. The point to this entry is to send out the energy that I want to write often and about my life passions and interests. I want to share with my future self how the Melissa Spencer in each present moment lived. Did she live to her fullest? Did she do what she wanted to do? See what she wanted to see? Meet who she wanted to meet? Travel? Have grandchildren? Live to be 83 or older? Be married to Dave for 50 or more years? So many questions... So dear reader, feel free to stop on by from time to time and see what's up in my life if you'd like. Leave a comment below if something I write connects our hearts. Ask me a question or maybe even begin a blog too. I'll be here writing about my life for me and for future me to reflect on. Journaling and writing is a very cathartic practice of self-care and if you know me at all, you know I am passionate about how to provide self-care on a daily basis in multiple ways. My philosophy is that you have to love yourself before you can truly hand out love to others. Love comes from the inside before love can be moved to the external world. I hope that if your eyes do happen to skim across this blog, that reading these words brought up some positive thought for you. Even if that thought or memory was brief. The point of reflecting with words is to share an experience outwardly about what's going on internally. In the meantime, enjoy navigating your own journey and know we are all traveling on the same path home. Peaceful thoughts, peaceful words and peaceful actions that come from my heart. Me  What is invitational language? Invitational language is language that incorporates invitations and options rather than imperative style commands. In yoga, instructors might offer students options to choose from, or encourage students to notice how they feel and choose how to move (or be still) based on that. Why use invitational language? Particularly in a trauma-informed context, making choices about how to move one’s own body can help return a sense of control that is often lost in trauma. In settings where people may be very new to yoga or to movement in general, it can also often feel more inclusive to have people choose between options rather than frame these as “modifications” of the “full expression”. Invitational Approach I’ve come across the view – and agree! – that a teacher does not have to offer an option every single cue or use the word “invite” every single cue. It will often be enough to create an invitational environment, let students know you respect their ability to choose how to move, and then reflect that approach in your language and approach in general. If you do choose an invitational approach, it makes sense to consider how other aspects of the environment and your teaching reflect this approach. For instance, although I don’t offer hands on assists outside of yoga studio spaces, I do in my public/yoga studio classes – where I still try to create as invitational of an approach as possible. I don’t think hands on assists are necessarily outside the scope of an invitational environment, but if I encourage students to choose the length of their warrior two stance based on how much intensity they’d like in their legs today, it makes sense to let them actually do that, rather than to assisting someone deeper into the lunge. Examples These are examples of cues I have heard or used, to illustrate some differences between more traditional cues and more invitational cues. Obviously there is no one “right”way to teach, or words, phrases, grammatical structures I would consider “forbidden”. Context matters! These are just examples:
If you have an invitational language you would like to share I invite you to take a moment and post below. Feel free to link to other resources and your own website. The more we know the better we will be at adapting to the needs of our own students and their specific needs. Always remember, A Peaceful World Begins with a Peaceful You.  My aim in this first blog post is to start where I began when I first started to study the science of yoga and self-transformation, so that I could live a cleaner, healthier and more peaceful life. At the end of this post are some resources and also an affirmation chart that is helpful when beginning to practice with the chakra system. There is truth in so many traditions of the world and my goal is to document and share my own personal truth and understanding about the life lessons I'm learning and sharing. Although my ultimate goal is to keep an online journal of my own life journal, there's a part of me that has always been a teacher, a sharer, an empower of people. In going through this process of writing down life lessons, there will be times that certain word choices will be made that are easier to digest than others, certain philosophies are less dogmatic than others, and certain expressions are more easily disentangled from centuries of human neurosis than others. So, I will make many discretionary choices in my writing but mostly this will be for me as a way to allow "mind to finger flow." If and when you decide to follow my blog posts, please keep an open mind. Ask yourself if there is an opportunity to learn and heal and to grow from the information I share? Is there a way that you can change the wording so that the messages I write are more applicable to your own understanding and in line with your own sensibilities, while feeling uplifting and meaningful? And lastly, are you will to be open and continue reading and learning something that you may not have otherwise looked deeper into? With that being shared, let's begin by starting with the chakra system and let life lead us forward from there. For this post I'll be writing in "second person" because the chakra system is all about you. and me and all of the human beings out living life in this huge world. Please don't feel I've made assumptions about you. When writing in second person I assume that you are like most people. That you enjoy reading. You have a sense of humor. You are able to read and live with an open mind. You enjoy learning new things. I may have assumed wrong and if so, please forgive this ranting writer. However, I often make pointed observations and ask pointed questions because pointy things get to the point, right? My goal in writing this blog post is to take the mystery out of the chakras and bring them down to the level of everyday life. When you heal your chakras you can heal your life. This blog post can be a reference point, a resource of sorts to help guide you to getting to know yourself a little bit better and live a more balanced and peaceful life. Spinning Wheels Inside Us? What? Can you believe it? It's true. Not long ago in history the word chakra wasn't as mainstream as it is today. Now people throw the word around without even knowing the true meaning behind their words. But how many of us really know what the chakras do? By using the information that will be shared here, you will be able to work on healing and balancing your chakras to improve your health and well-being. This is a practice remember, not a perfect so give yourself some time to absorb any new information you may learn and don't judge yourself or others for not having the awareness of the chakra system. Woo-Woo Hippy Stuff? I know that some of you are about to stop right here and that's totally okay but remember our promises in the words above, about being open and possibly learning about something new? Well, let's give that a try. So keep the woo-woo hippy stuff in the background if you would like and try and bring a scientific mind into play here. What are the Chakras? The Chakras are energy centers that connect to the physical body. There are seven main chakras and these are the ones I will focus on in this post. You can't see the chakras as they are not physical in nature. However, they strongly affect your physical body as well as your emotional, mental and spiritual life and well-being. What do the Chakras Look Like? Chakra (pronounced shack-ruh) means wheel because they look like colored wheels of energy spinning around. They are said to be shaped like a funnel. We need to trust here. What's the Purpose of These Spinning Funnel-like Wheels? This may come as a surprise but they are here to help humans step down Universal energy so that the right frequency can be utilized here on earth in our physical body. Kind of like when we use an adapter on one of our devices to help step down the flow of energy. You might say that your chakras are your adaptors or transformers. Make sense? Stay with me here. Where are the Chakras Located? Good question! They are located all along your spine. Did you know that in your physical body the nervous system runs along the spine and into the brain? Well now you do! Your main energy channel also runs along your spine. There is a lot more information to be shared here about such terms as IDA, PINGALA and SUSHUMNA but I'll hold off on that portion for another time. I'll most likely (eventually) link each one of these to their own post. Until then, feel free to research these amazing energies that live inside you. So How do the Chakras Affect My Life? Wow! Another great question. You all are good. Each chakra represents one area of your life. Ready for this because this information is my personal favorite part. The First Chakra affects your survival instinct. The balancing of this chakra helps us stay grounded and rooted on this earth and in your physical body, bringing a sense of security and ease into daily life. I'm here and I'm rooted into the earth and ready to play this game called life! The Second Chakra affects how you relate to the world and all the people living in it and around you. This is also where finding pleasures in life come in. Sexuality lives within this chakra. The Third Chakra affects our motivation and determination. Our drive and the ability to complete the things we start. Willpower is a struggle for many of us, and balancing this chakra helps keep us motivated and determined to keep going with whatever life task is present. The Fourth Chakra affects our love for others and ourselves. This chakra allows us to feel empathy and compassion. This is the heart of the chakra system and this is where we begin to move from the physical awareness to more of a spiritual awareness and way of being in the world. The Fifth Chakra affects how we express ourselves and our truth for the benefit of others and of course to the benefit of our own self. The Sixth Chakra affects our intuition, our sixth sense. This can seem very mystical and woo-woo hippy-ish as well but this is the type of intuition you master by just being more aware of your surroundings. And, it's always fun to intuit who's calling you on the phone and getting it right! The Seventh Chakra affects our ability to connect with our spirituality and our higher purpose. Why are you here? What is your purpose? Remove job titles and person titles here like, "I am a mom", "I am a teacher", "I am an engineer", etc... Really ask the deep question of what your purpose is of being here on earth at this time and in this space. Many people spend their entire lives searching for this answer and many are born knowing. Lucky them! Lucky us to be given this opportunity to ask and learn and KNOW. There is so much more but for now I'll leave you with a little cheat sheet of the basics. In future postings I'll share about how chakras get blocked and unblocked, how we can balance our chakras and more about each one and how to work with each in your own way. Until then, do a little research on our own. Have some willpower and determination to learn more about yourself and your purpose for being here. Heal Your Chakras, Heal Your Life 1. Muladhara Chakra Our first chakra is the root of who we are, our foundation, our most basic fundamental self. This chakra centers around basic survival needs – like food, shelter, and money, and deals with emotions like belonging, feeling grounded, safe, and accepted.
2. Svadhisthana Chakra The second chakra is responsible for who we are creatively. It focuses on our sexuality, creativity, playfulness, pleasure, and joy.
3. Manipura Chakra The third chakra governs our self-esteem, personal power, power of transformation, and warrior like energy.
4. Anahata Chakra The fourth chakra is center of the seven chakras, it’s the connector or the bridge between our physical body, mind, emotions and our spiritual self. This energy wheel is our source of love, connection, compassion, openness, and joy.
5. Vishuddha Chakra The fifth chakra is the first of the spiritual chakras and it focuses on speaking our highest truth, practicing vulnerability and conscious vocal expression.
6. Ajna Chakra The sixth chakra is our center of intuition and it’s centered around our awareness, wisdom, imagination, and realization.
7. Sahaswara Chakra The seventh chakra is our source of enlightenment, our spiritual connection to something greater, our relationship with our higher selves, and deeper/acutely aware consciousness.
So maybe you are still thinking woo-woo hippy thoughts! That's okay. I get it. Maybe you are also feeling a bit of empowerment because now you know that you have these subtle energies that you can manipulate, work, balance, keep spinning, and take care of. Please feel free to add some comments are questions here. Most of my research has been on my own and through workshops and classes taught by those who study this as part of their life purpose. Some resources that have helped me are listed below for you to check out. Please share any other resources you know about and let's expand our understanding, our awareness, our consciousness together. Always remembering that a Peaceful World begins with a Peaceful YOU! Until next time, With love and light, M Spencer Resources The Chakras Made Easy by Hilary H. Carnter The Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith  |
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