Practicing Loving Kindness

January 25, 2017

I have been practicing and meditating on loving kindness for the past couple of weeks and it has had a huge impact on my state of being - mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual.

With everything going on in the US and in the world, I can easily get consumed with frustration, anger, and despair. There is a place for frustration and anger and despair - the emotions themselves are not bad - it is the effect that they have that can become harmful. What I notice is that when I am angry, I brood; I get caught up in unpleasant thoughts that can spiral out of control. It darkens my mood and the mood of others around me. I even catch myself saying or doing harmful things.

When we are angry, we have to measure our actions to ensure we are not acting out of anger or hatred. When we act of our anger, we end up hurting ourselves and others.

So, we have to redirect ourselves toward love and act from a place of loving kindness.

Never underestimate the impact that love can have. When we act out of love instead of anger, we can still take strong stands, impact a course of events, and affect the world.

Mindful Morning Routine

January 11, 2017

Last week we talked a little about morning routines and I shared a video that guided you through an example morning routine. I figured I would take some time to go into more detail about the importance of morning routines and to offer some ideas so that you can create your own routine that inspires and works for you and your lifestyle.

What is a morning routine and why should I have one?

A morning routine, as the name suggests, is a series of activities that you do every morning, which help you start your day of well.

A lot of times, especially when we are tired or busy, we sleep until the last possible moment, jump out of bed, and rush around to get out of the door. Our morning feels rushed and stressful.

On the other hand, when we take time for a morning routine, we have the opportunity to wake up and get our day started in a peaceful and intentional way.

The tone we set in the morning, follows us into the rest of our day. If we feel stressed and rushed getting out the door, our whole day will be colored by that same feeling of stress. If we feel calm and relaxed in the morning, we will bring that feeling into our day and it will help balance us when things get hectic.

creating healthy roots for personal growth and transformation

Ideas for Finding Solid Ground

February 1, 2016

True emotional processing and transformation comes when we can find those faulty roots, dig them up, and then fill them with healthy strong roots founded in self-awareness and self-love. It takes time, effort, and support to learn how to process emotions and difficult experiences, especially the old ones. But this is what can make life so meaningful: constant growth and personal transformation.

On Love

January 11, 2016

“But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires:

To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night.

To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love;

And to bleed willingly and joyfully.

To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving;

To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy;

To return home at eventide with gratitude;

And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.”

~ Kahlil Gibran

Keeping up with Personal Practices over the Holidays

December 24, 2015

Is there a practice or healthy lifestyle choice that you have been working on, which you would like to keep up during the holiday season? Are you worried that it will be difficult to maintain momentum through all the excitement and holiday traditions?

You are not alone. Changes in routine and the expectations of family and friends can be some of the biggest obstacles to sustaining a self-practice or lifestyle habits.

Stillness

December 15, 2015

I have been working to incorporate more stillness in my life. I have always appreciated the idea of stillness but I have hit up against a lot of internal resistance in the past when it comes to actually being still. But, now more than ever, my body has been telling me that I need to rest and be still. And I am listening. But change is hard. I have been so used to being in constant motion over the past 10+ years that it is hard to figure out how to slow down.

Daily Mantras

November 2, 2015

The use of mantras can be a powerful and useful tool outside of our yoga and mediation practices. I have started to get into the habit of repeating mantras to myself throughout the course of a day or even a week. I use them when I need to conjure up some extra strength or when I am working on cultivating something in my life, such as patience or gratitude.

A mantra that I have been working with lately is: “I am capable of greatness.” It helps remind me that I do not need to play “small” or hide myself from the world. I can put myself out there and share my perspective. I have the ability to achieve great things.

It reminds me of a quote that I keep coming back to. HeatherAsh Amara states in her book, Warrior Goddess Training, “The world needs your brand of kindness and love, your power, your sacred ritual, your creativity, your quiet presence, your magnificent vision, your charming silliness.”

So, whenever you are working on cultivating a skill, changing a negative thought pattern, or just reminding yourself that you can take on a challenge in life, try this:

Pick a mantra. Think of a word or a phrase to remind you of what you are going for. Make sure that it is kind, positive, and that it resonates with you.
Practice your mantra. Repeat that mantra to yourself when you wake up. Repeat it to yourself as you brush your teeth and great ready in the morning. Keep coming back to it throughout the day. Heck, even write it on a sticky-note and put it on your desk or mirror or computer screen. Practice repeating the words so that when you are faced with a situation in which you really need to remember your mantra it is accessible in your brain.
Use your mantra at crucial times. When you find yourself in a difficult or uncomfortable situation, lean on the strength of your mantra. Take a moment. Take a breath. And repeat your mantra again. Really hear it. Trust that you are capable of implementing this mantra.

What mantras have you used that have helped you in a tough situation? What mantra do you want to try out this week?

Use the comment section below to share your insights.

Sgt. Perry's Happy Heart Blog

inspiration to spread happiness

Latest FREE Classes

JOIN THE PARTY

SIGN-UP for FREE Classes, Exclusive articles, and a ton of fun