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The Inner Voice
A weekly newsletter from Debbie Jensen-Grubb, RYT500
August 26, 2013 - Issue 46
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Quick Links
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This weeks reading can be seen here at The Daily OM.
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To access past issues click here:
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It seems that many opportunities have been presenting themselves to me of late. Usually I love change, challenges, and learning new things. I see them as an occasion to grow and step outside of my comfort zone, but when they all arrive at once it can become frightening.
Luckily I have had a life that has given me much experience in facing my fears. I remember the day when the light of consciousness illuminated my samskara (bad habit) of how I let my fears dictate my actions and my life. I was driving to a doctor's appointment and was thinking of a new way of getting there that would be shorter. As I was thinking about it I caught myself saying "I would like to try it but I am afraid that it won't work and I will get lost and be late". Eureka! Did I just say that!?! The lightbulb turned on!
Of course I had to try the shortcut and I arrived 15 minutes early and without a problem! Once a samskara is known you begin to see it all over the place. I began to notice how often I would not try or do something because I was afraid. Now each time I find myself saying "I would like to but I am afraid..." it's my cue that I must try it (nothing dangerous though).
In fact, I would not be a yoga teacher if I had not faced my fear of leaving a secure nursing job, but, Boy!, am I glad I did!
Begin to notice how you hold yourself back. Let your flashlight of consciousness illuminate how you sabotage yourself into being smaller than you really are. What you will find is a new freedom when you walk through your fears. You will find a stronger, more confident, more positive, and happier you.
Have faith, take the first baby step towards facing a fear, and you will walk down a path that will lead you to a new life full of pivotal experiences. You will never want to go back!
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| Mantra | |
A mantra is a sound or phrase that aids in the concentration of meditation. It is a Sanskrit term and literally means 'instrument of thought'. Here you will find a suggested mantra to use during the week (from Louise Hay's 'Heal Your Body'). Just repeat it whenever you need a lift.
I release all fears. I now trust the process of life. I know that life is for me. I stand straight and tall with love. |
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| Joke of the Week - hee hee | |
"See, there were these two guys in a lunatic asylum... and one night, one night they decide they don't like living in an asylum any more. They decide they're going to escape!
So, like, they get up onto the roof, and there, just across this narrow gap, they see the rooftops of the town, stretching away in the moon light... stretching away to freedom.
Now, the first guy, he jumps right across with no problem. But his friend, his friend didn't dare make the leap. Y'see, he's afraid of falling. So then, the first guy has an idea...
He says "Hey! I have my flashlight with me! I'll shine it across the gap between the buildings. You can walk along the beam and join me!"
B-but the second guy just shakes his head. He suh-says... He says "Wh-what do you think I am? Crazy? You'd turn it off when I was half way across!"
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Yoga Core = Strong Arms and Legs
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 We often hear how we need to strengthen our core to move more gracefully through life. We then equate this with doing sit-ups or leg lifts to work the abdominal muscles. Rarely do we think of how our legs and arms are also part of the whole body to keep the torso strong and supported.
It can be scary at first to lean into the back body. Our legs are often not strong enough to support our frame. We find we hold our breath and lose our balance instead of feeling strong and steady. Know that with practice, doing just a little bit of hugging in whenever you think about it, will begin to start the change towards a more powerful, healthier, and grounded posture.
In the above video I give some tips on how you can strengthen the arms and legs to reinforce the abdominal girdle so that the whole body is engaged in everyday movements. When all of the parts are working together in synergy then there is a fluidity of energy to propel us through life. You will find you have more zip, zing, and zest for life.
So don't be scared. You can change. Just a little each day and before you know it you have lost the fear and found the freedom of pain-free movement!
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Nutrition Prescription - Cranberry
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Raw cranberry is known as one of the super fruits. It is packed with vital nutrients to help protect, heal, and support our health. The cranberry is considered a must-have in everyone's diet. So why is it we shy away from such a valuable fruit? The main reason is its extreme tartness that has us pour harmful sugar all over it to make it palatable. It can be so tart that it can cause a stomachache!
As with anything that we are afraid of, if we approach this food in petite ways we can get the benefit of it without being overwhelmed. Try taking fresh cranberries and slicing them up in thin pieces and then adding them to a salad or sprinkling them on top of cooked vegetables. You will then add an enjoyable and tasteful zing to your dish as you get all the health benefits of it too.
One warning though: if you are on Coumadin (warfarin) it is advised that you avoid cranberries and cranberry juice. Several cases of increased bleeding have been reported when on this drug and eating this fruit.
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Ponderings - Facing Fears
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 Facing our fears is frightening! We feel so inadequate and doubtful when we confront our deepest phobias. It is only when we DO look them square in the eye and take action, however small, that we can begin to overcome them.
It all starts with becoming comfortable with one word: failure. We see messages every-day that tell us we have failed. All of our lives we have heard the word 'no', of course when we were toddlers it was to keep us safe, but somehow we transitioned it in our minds into 'you are not good enough' or 'you can't'.
In school we were constantly compared to one another in academics, sports, or just being labeled by who we were friends with. So it isn't surprising that we carry this sense of deficiency into our lives as adults and this is where fear masterfully grabs ahold of us.
We may be afraid that we will be judged or that we will fail if we try something new.
It doesn't matter what others think. This is your life to live as you choose and enjoy (or suffer) the consequences. Who is good at a new venture the first time around anyway? Every new thing takes practice. Be OK with 'failure', in fact see it as a part of the training and stay focused on your goal.
Besides there is something more important than failing...and that is resilience. To have a can-do attitude and the ability to bounce back when things don't work out exactly as planned. We can grow comfortable facing fear when we begin to see challenges as opportunities to practice becoming more resilient.
Don't worry, you are not alone, every single one of us faces a fear every single day. I am right there with you. Presenting new ideas, new products, teaching in my own style, writing this newsletter are all fearsome. The multitude of doubts are enormous! I'm so excited, but I'm so scared too! So instead I decided to become fierce-some!
Whenever I find myself in unfamiliar territory, some fears begin to creep back up and I have to talk myself through them. While I'm confident in my abilities, I have self-doubt as well.
Here's the thing: I now realize it is my inner voice of fear doubting my abilities. So I remind myself of all the times in my life I have successfully faced a new challenge. I tell myself that if I did it before, I can do it again. I remember that perfectionism is a form of self abuse. Each time I practice challenging my inner critic, my resilience strengthens. Reminding myself, being my own cheerleader, and giving myself permission to succeed imperfectly has made me a more confident risk-taker.
What about you? How do you talk yourself down from the ledge of fear? To begin the process commit to trying one new thing that inspires you to step outside of your comfort zone. Trust that with patience, practice, and positive attitude you can alter how you see yourself. If you accept that you don't have to perfectly master something new from the start, then it's not only ok, it is perfect that way and the fears will start to melt away.
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Realizing, and then taking action, to do away with our fears is a never-ending process. There is always that self-critical voice in our heads putting up blocks, creating doubt, and illuminating our imperfections. It is only when we see these fears for what they are: False Evidence Appearing Real, that we can finally begin to take the initiative to remove them from our psyche and our lives.
Thank you!
Hugs and Namaste,
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Please join me in my next workshop...
Yoga Nidra
September 8, 2013
1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
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