Time Out

The soul within our individual souls

loves the one who runs and falls down

more than the one who sits and watches.

-Rumi

Our lives are made into stories over the fluctuations, proof that timing is everything and madness can strike at any moment. We have all read and heard the amazing stories of how people rose up from the ashes, how they defined a moment in time that changed them. You can see it, a child within them that once loved to be adventurous. You can see when people have experienced hardships and pain, it never dulls from their eyes. I have learned myself that it is just as great to "sit and watch"  as it is to "run and fall down." That the dark times define for us moments of reflection where you can decide to be better and produce the life you envision.

I am just a simple observer of life, but is it not relevant for adults to take time to reflect, to sit and think about their actions? As children we are reprimanded, we are scolded and put in time out. As adults, we rarely have that opportunity, we continue along a path, maybe taking a moment to recognize our wrong doings or we just keep moving. I believe that time alone is one of the keys to feeling healthy. That reflection keeps your ego in check, it allows you to see life from a different perspective and that is imperative to our evolution. 

Hiking up the canyons, enjoying the fresh air and being able to stand atop this crazy town is a feeling like nothing else. Feeling sand in between my toes, swiping my fingers through the grains, feeling the warmth of sunshine and hearing the waves rolling in allows a moment for me to feel small and yet taken care of. As I practice living off the mat, I realize there are templates for mediation. At first it is always difficult and challenging to be quiet but as time passes we start to crave those moments. I think the difference between meditation and any other form of quiet is that it is a choice, we have to choose to make it a part of our day instead of life hitting us and forcing us to take time off.

I started noticing that I loved being alone about three years ago, for some of you I know you can run circles around this but for me it was a revelation, it became time that I cherished. I devoted these moments to being quiet. It didn't matter what I did that day, all that became obvious was that I could then focus my attention better at work. I make sure to have time, even small chunks of time to write, to read, to meditate, to clean my house and light incense, to just be a girl, to be out of the chaos. That is my meditation and it is not the classic version that anyone will teach you but it allows me to calm down, to go within and reflect on my actions instead of everyone else and what they are doing wrong.

Life will fluctuate with each one of us, as the highs come it is important to maintain a consistent effort of quiet time so that when we need that solitude, we have a consistent schedule of time blocked out. Life will give you time outs regardless if you take them or not, I truly believe it is in those moments that we are capable of change. 

a little piece of heaven

I walk in the door and immediately I am greeted with a feeling of safety, overwhelming love and warmth. Warmth that comes from a devotion to self, to home and to serving. This feeling of comfort, it is what I strive to bring into my own home. A feeling that anyone who walks in the door feels my love, my heartbeat, my Self.

I grew up in a home that felt this way. A reason why I strive for that in my own home, my classes and all around me. My parents gave me so much love and taught me to take care of myself, the things that I own and taking pride in the product of my work. My work, meaning everything that I do, that I associate with and approve of. This can be as simple as making time to listen to a friend. Really listening to them. Putting forth the best quality of work at all times, not when it feels good or people approve of you, but even when they don't. Always thinking of the people around you and how to serve them. That has been my task lately, to serve. To become, a place where people feel free, that they can say anything, do anything and be exactly who they are. Just becoming aware of where I can give, all of me, all the time.

I feel like it is so easy to be blinded with dreams, ambitions and money. But take all that away and who are you? That is what I want to work on, me, the core of who I am, what I am about without all the sparkle. To sparkle all on my own, without certifications, ambassador status, client followings. I found that I give the most of myself when I am present, in the moment and dedicated to listening, not just to people talking, but listening to myself, how do I feel. If I don't feel good, how can I make those around me feel good? If I am uninspired, I cannot inspire. I have to go out into this world, put my hands on the earth, feel the sun shine on my face and spend time being quiet, being still and allowing myself to just be present for whatever shows up. Today, tomorrow, and each day after that.