Dreamers and Schemers
Protected: “Who are you?” partner practice
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Dreamers and Schemers
Protected: Solar plexus chakra basics
There is no excerpt because this is a protected post.
Dreamers and Schemers
Personal Sun meditation redux (with audio!)
This is one of my personal favorites, which is why I keep bringing it back to the group. I use the Personal Sun meditation when I feel scattered, depleted, and need to bring my energy back together. It’s great to do before or after an event that requires you to be fully Read more…
Dreamers and Schemers
Focusing on the felt sense
Last year when we worked on focusing we used the technique pioneered by Ann Weiser Cornell in her book The Power of Focusing, which was my own personal introduction to the method. It was a great introduction to noticing how the body communicates to us something we need to know about our deeper selves, and how we can tap into that and attend to it if only we took the time to pay attention, ask, and listen.
Purists might disagree, but I consider focusing a form of meditation because it is just another way of quietly coming home to ourselves. But focusing also feels different from most traditional sitting practices because it really asks us to focus on the body (rather than the breath). It also requires that we be more “active,” in that we are meant to engage with what’s bubbling to the surface, rather than simply letting those bubbles go. One Dreamer & Schemer said that the focus on the body gave her something to hook into more easily than perhaps more “abstract” meditations, and that the experience led her to gain a new appreciation for her body!
(more…)
Dreamers and Schemers
Sacral chakra meditation with Higher Self
We did this meditation with the Higher Self because I wanted to show how easily accessible it was to connect with this aspect of ourselves. You can look up online how other folks suggest connecting with the Higher Self, some of which involve detailed visualizations or energy work, but I only gave two instructions: 1. Set the intention to connect with your higher self, and 2. If you notice that your mind is doing the answering, drop down lower or deeper into your body. You are used to being in conversation with your mind, so the answers will probably feel a little (or a LOT) different when they come from your Higher Self.
If you prefer to connect to your ancestors or any other guide(s), feel free to use whatever method you find effective to make the connection and then refer to the question set below to explore your emotional being. (more…)
Dreamers and Schemers
Yoga for opening to change and emotion
This month, Michele Théoret provides us with guidance on how to connect with our second chakra through yoga asanas. From the grounding position of mountain pose, we can choose to move into what she designates as “moon pose/chandrasana.” (Note that this is NOT the version of moon pose where you Read more…
Dreamers and Schemers
Shields and boundaries
I consider shielding a vital, basic energy management skill along with centering and grounding. In April we did an overview of basic practices to protect us from being unduly influenced from outside energy.
WALLS / SHIELDS
First we experienced what the energy of walls were like. We all know people who are “guarded” or “walled off,” and perhaps we are, too, in certain contexts or in the company of certain individuals. I once knew someone who had walls that felt like a stone fortress, but behind that barrier I also senses a tender, beating heart. Of course, it makes sense. We only protect that which we are afraid will get hurt.
So to begin our exploration into shielding and boundaries we can practice consciously throwing up a wall or a shield. Go with whatever feels instinctive to you. Everyone has done this at once point or another, so don’t worry about how to do it or if you’ll get it wrong, because you can’t. If it helps, imagine that you are walking down a quiet street and you suddenly see someone walking toward you. This person is someone you would rather not interact with. How do you prepare for the encounter?
What does your wall / shield feel like? What is it made of? How big is it? What does it feel like to walk around with this kind of protection? How do other people react to you when you have your defenses up?
Some shields are heavy, some are icy (or simply cool), some are prickly. Anger is an entirely different kind of shield. Have you ever seen someone radiate such hot anger that people literally back away from him? It can be really interesting and fun to sense and observe the different ways we protect ourselves and how it affects those around us.
When I first did this exercise I found that I threw up a brick wall that was rather difficult to walk around with. Even though it didn’t look that big, it was cumbersome and heavy. When I shared this with my meditation teacher, he warned me that people can sense our defenses, and walls sometimes incite the desire to breach them. Not shortly after that conversation, something happened that convinced me to drop my practice of walling myself off. I was in a restaurant and raised a wall during a meal, and the person I was trying to keep at an energetic distance physically stood up, walked around the table to where I was seated, and got in my face!
It was time to use other tools for shielding, and I am glad to share some of those below with you.
Dreamers and Schemers
Sacral chakra basics
To continue solidifying the lessons of February and March around the root chakra, and also to put April’s material into perspective, we compared several features of the the first and second chakras. [table id=2 /] While the predominant theme of the root chakra is foundations: safety, security, belonging, and abundance. Read more…