1/4/2021 0 Comments Inner Expansion"It takes discipline to be a free spirit." ~Gabrielle Roth As this year begins I am opening up to the newness of each moment and staying curious and receptive to what is unfolding. I'm riding the collective turning-of-the-page wave and I'm certain that there will be so much more change and uncertainty for us to navigate. As well as possibility. You know what the real work is now--it's about cultivating the inner expansion that is able to hold all that we are in Love. Theres's this reminder from the 5 Aquarian Sutras for this time we are living in: "Understand through compassion or you misunderstand the times." How will you deepen your roots? In what ways will you respond to the request to let go rather than be dragged by the dramas and old fears? What learning will you dive into? Can we agree to allow for regular moments of rest without regret? What are those reliable truths you unearthed last year that can be carefully polished and tucked away for safe keeping or placed visibly on your altar as a reminder when the anxiety creeps up? What does it mean for you to participate in the creation of a "new earth?" I created a simple little manifesto as my own starting place as 2021 begins. A few invocations to name my intentions: *Looking for the signs rather than the approval *Showing up everyday for All that I Am *Accepting the invitation to grow through pleasure, love and joy *Surrendering to the Divine Plan for my life yields the greatest outcomes for all *Creating S P A C E --inner expansion is the way of liberation *Devotion to Creation is the ambition Essence. Presence. Freedom. Sovereignty. Peace. I created a guided meditation to support you as you courageously and compassionately take the next steps in your own sacred journey. May we remember the divine reason for our being here now and welcome the challenge and reward of coming alive to all that lives within us. May we return to the infinite place each day and be nourished by the truth spoken to us from there as many times as necessary: I Am Divine Love. I Am Divine Light. I Am All That I Am. And then take another step, looking through the infinite eyes to see every person, every thing as a fractal of that same Beauty. Let your reflection be the projection of your Highest Self. You don't have to be perfect--just willing to stay Present. Take a look at my Services page to explore my private offerings and feel free to reach out if I can be of support to you on your personal journey. I would be honored. I have a very limited number of private session spaces open each month in order to provide the highest quality experience possible.
I'll be teaching three public/group classes a week at One Yoga and Fitness : Wednesday 9 am Foundation Yoga Thursday 6 pm Slow Flow Friday 9 am Warm Flow and Yin Expect to find a Cosmic Conversation on my YouTube Channel for the New Moon in Capricorn on 1/13 🌙 and join me in studio on 1/29 for a Full Moon Flow and Gong bath to reset and restore equilibrium as the month concludes🌕 ~Namaste~
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12/1/2020 0 Comments Becoming the Bridge“Love is the bridge between you and everything.” ~Rumi Welcome to December and congratulations--you have successfully navigated through a deeply transformative year! But it's not quite over yet. This entire month in itself represents a powerful gateway into the new year.
From the Full Moon Lunar eclipse on November 30th, to the 12/12 spiritual activation day, a Solar eclipse on the New Moon in Sagittarius on the 14th, Winter Solstice with the Grand conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn on the 21st in Aquarius and the month closing out with a Full Moon in Cancer on the 29th, we have some very big energies at play! Just as I started writing this blog, several crows began flying around my backyard and the sound of their call can't be ignored. In the Native American tradition, these are considered signs from the natural world and an invitation for us to pay attention to what they might be signaling our consciousness. Because this is happening as I write, I trust that there is a message for all who are reading this now. When I look up the medicine of Crow in Jamie Sams' Medicine Cards book, this is a paraphrased version of what it says: "Crow...Are you "cawing," So I may know, The secrets of balance, Within my Soul? Or are you sending, Your sacred "caw" Just to remind me, Of universal laws? Crow medicine is (that of) Law. Since Crow is the keeper of sacred law, Crow can bend the laws of the physical universe and "shape shift." All sacred texts are under the protection of Crow. Creator's Book of Laws or Book of Seals is bound in Crow feathers. Crow feathers tell of spirit made flesh, Crow is also the protector of the "ogallah" or ancient records. The Sacred Law Belts, or Wampum Belts, beaded by native women long before the boat people or Europeans came to this continent, contain knowledge of the Great Spirit's laws, and are kept in the Black Lodges, the lodges of women. The law which states that "all things are born of woman" is signified by Crow. . . Human law is not the same as Sacred Law. More so than any other medicine, Crow sees that the physical world and even the spiritual world, as humanity interprets them, are an illusion. There are billions of worlds. . . Crow is an omen of change. Crow lives in the void and has no sense of time. The Ancient Chiefs tell us that crow sees simultaneously three fates--past, present and future. Crow merges light and darkness, seeing both inner and outer reality. If Crow appears, you must pause and reflect on how you see the laws of Great Spirit in relation to the laws of humanity. Crow medicine signifies a firsthand knowledge of a higher order of right and wrong than that indicated by the laws created in human culture. As you learn to allow your personal integrity to be your guide, your sense of feeling alone will vanish. Your personal will can then emerge so that you will stand in your truth. The prime path of the true Crow people says to be mindful of your opinions and actions. Be willing to walk your talk, speak your truth, know your life's mission, and balance past, present and future in the now. Shape shift that old reality and become your future self. Allow the bending of physical laws to aid in creating the shape shifted world of peace." This perfectly relates to what I intended to write about this month--which is about building the bridge to a Higher Truth within. As much will continue to shift, change and appear chaotic outwardly, the choice to practice Self-mastery and personal sovereignty by remaining focused on the wisdom within your own Sacred Heart is a vital skill to develop. As you commit to this intention, you are becoming the bridge to the Infinite Source of wisdom, truth and love within you. It's from this place of inner connection, that you can begin to become the bridge to the world outside of you. Inner energetic alignment always precedes outer manifestation. Cosmic law reminder: as within, so without. I would like to offer you a few very practical ways to maintain this alignment as the month unfolds. Our daily Self/Soul care continues to be of primary importance: * Focus on what brings you the most JOY. Engage with the people or activities that you love being with or doing. Explore and discover new joys. Make a list of the things that bring you alive each day. Because everything is significantly amplified energetically this month, choose to amplify that which you want to expand; not what you don't. *Set a daily intention first thing in the morning to align with your Highest Self and service. Work with the ancient mystery school technique of Decrees and Invocations. It is also Cosmic Law that if you call on the Highest Light of God/Divine Source it must be granted. So use your voice to call it in! Center yourself in your heart and command: "In this Now moment, I call forth the Highest Light of Pure Source Consciousness, Beloved I AM Presence, to fill my being on all four levels with Divine Light, Divine Love and in alignment with Divine Will. Unify, amplify and expand infinitely in every direction. I set this light forth and consecrate my thoughts, words, actions and intents this day to serve the Highest. So be it and So it is." Stay very conscious of how you are using your words throughout the day--your words create your reality. Use this simple test: consider putting the phrase "SO IT IS" after everything you think and speak. If it's not in alignment with what you desire to create then choose differently! *Connect with the natural world every day. Aim to experience all 5 elements (earth, water, fire, air, ether/space) in some way. You can be creative depending on your environment. If possible, get outside and put your bare feet on the grass, allow the rays of the Sun to warm and wash over you, hug a tree or tend a garden, breathe fresh air, gaze at the night sky, walk near or swim in a body of water or take a warm epsom salt bath. You can light candles in your home or office, use an aromatherapy diffuser or burn sage or incense to clear the space, place a few objects from nature on a window sill--a rock, crystal, feather or shell to bring the natural world into your living space. This kind of bridging with the natural world is one of the most effective ways to restore balance and harmony and it's free. So unplug from the inorganic/virtual reality and connect to Gaia--our Living library planet and most powerful Organic Healer, Teacher, Mother. Her ascension is our ours--feel yourself connected to the frequency of the Earth as the resonance is daily shifting to higher levels. *Keep a dream journal. Many of us are experiencing very vivid dreams each night. Place a notebook by your bed and jot down anything you recall in the morning. This is a rich way of building the bridge between the unconscious and conscious mind. Notice any symbols in your dreams that may relate to your waking reality and think about any personal associations they may have for you. *Utilize the timeless practices of Prayer and Meditation to keep the vertical channel between you and Spirit open and clear. The more you practice, the stronger the alliance becomes. And because there is so much happening in the collective that seeks to keep the mind caught in polarization, it is vital to create a buffer of protection and peace. There are many ways to meditate--using mantra, breath, mindfulness while cooking or walking, etc. Choose whatever helps you slow the momentum of the mind and supports you in attuning to deeper Intuitive knowing. Most importantly, do your practices consistently to maintain equanimity daily. I offer many short "Tune Ups" on my YouTube channel that may be of support. I'll be offering one final special Solstice event on 12/21 at One Yoga and Fitness. "Becoming the Bridge" will be a 2 hour practice to support your energetic upgrades on this potent day. In the Kundalini yoga tradition it is taught that two of the most important days to do a dedicated yoga and meditation practice are Winter and Summer solstice. It is said that our practices on these days create an alignment that will allow us to more easily unfold on the path of dharma or purpose throughout the rest of the year. I welcome you to join me for an Energy yoga practice and Chakra meditation that will activate the "Rainbow Bridge" and create the conditions to elevate your consciousness to the frequency of Unity and Peace. My dear friend and Reiki healer, Kolleen Evers, will be offering a crystal bowl sound healing relaxation to further support our energetic attunement. Let's finish this year feeling victorious, balanced and focused on a positive vision for the future that you and I most want to create. You can register for this event online through One Yoga. Finally, I will be taking the time to make the most out of this month for myself and will be *mostly* offline and reflecting on my own dreams and visions for 2021. I will continue to teach my weekly Wednesday and Friday classes at One Yoga through December 23rd and then will be completely offline and not working or seeing private clients until January 8th. Thank you for engaging in the conversation with me here, in my classes, videos and social media platforms over this last year. Thank you for your commitment to doing your part to become the powerful creator that you are. May you be abundantly blessed in the new year to come. I see you. I bless you. I love you. We are ONE. 11/1/2020 0 Comments Tomb to WombThe beauty of nature insists on taking its time. Everything is prepared. Nothing is rushed. The rhythm of emergence is a gradual slow beat always inching its way forward; change remains faithful to itself until the new unfolds in the full confidence of true arrival. Because nothing is abrupt, the beginning of spring nearly always catches us unawares. It is there before we see it; and then we can look nowhere without seeing it. Change arrives in nature when time has ripened. There are no jagged transitions or crude discontinuities. This accounts for the sureness with which one season succeeds another. It is as though they were moving forward in a rhythm set from within a continuum. To change is one of the great dreams of every heart – to change the limitations, the sameness, the banality, or the pain. So often we look back on patterns of behavior, the kind of decisions we make repeatedly and that have failed to serve us well, and we aim for a new and more successful path or way of living. But change is difficult for us. So often we opt to continue the old pattern, rather than risking the danger of difference. We are also often surprised by change that seems to arrive out of nowhere. We find ourselves crossing some new threshold we had never anticipated. Like spring secretly at work within the heart of winter, below the surface of our lives huge changes are in fermentation. We never suspect a thing. Then when the grip of some long-enduring winter mentality beings to loosen, we find ourselves vulnerable to a flourish of possibility and we are suddenly negotiating the challenge of a threshold. At any time you can ask yourself: At which threshold am I now standing? At this time in my life, what am I leaving? Where am I about to enter? What is preventing me from crossing my next threshold? What gift would enable me to do it? A threshold is not a simple boundary; it is a frontier that divides two different territories, rhythms and atmospheres. Indeed, it is a lovely testimony to the fullness and integrity of an experience or a stage of life that it intensifies toward the end into a real frontier that cannot be crossed without the heart being passionately engaged and woken up. At this threshold a great complexity of emotions comes alive: confusion, fear, excitement, sadness, hope. This is one of the reasons such vital crossing were always clothed in ritual. It is wise in your own life to be able to recognize and acknowledge the key thresholds; to take your time; to feel all the varieties of presence that accrue there; to listen inward with complete attention until you hear the inner voice calling you forward. The time has come to cross. To acknowledge and cross a new threshold is always a challenge. It demands courage and also a sense of trust in whatever is emerging. This becomes essential when a threshold opens suddenly in front of you, one for which you had no preparation. This could be illness, suffering or loss. Because we are so engaged with the world, we usually forget how fragile life can be and how vulnerable we always are. It takes only a couple of seconds for a life to change irreversibly. Suddenly you stand on completely strange ground and a new course of life has to be embraced. Especially at such times we desperately need blessing and protection. You look back at the life you have lived up to a few hours before, and it suddenly seems so far away. Think for a moment how, across the world, someone’s life has just changed – irrevocably, permanently, and not necessarily for the better – and everything that was once so steady, so reliable, must now find a new way of unfolding. Though we know one another’s names and recognize one another’s faces, we never know what destiny shapes each life. The script of individual destiny is secret; it is hidden behind and beneath the sequence of happenings that is continually unfolding for us. Each life is a mystery that is never finally available to the mind’s light or questions. That we are here is a huge affirmation; somehow life needed us and wanted us to be. To sense and trust this primeval acceptance can open a vast spring of trust within the heart. It can free us into a natural courage that casts out fear and opens up our lives to become voyages of discovery, creativity, and compassion. No threshold need be a threat, but rather an invitation and a promise. Whatever comes, the great sacrament of life will remain faithful to us, blessing us always with visible signs of invisible grace. We merely need to trust. ~From To Bless the Space Between Us, John O’Donohue A few inquiries to cradle close this month:
*What old identities are fighting for survival? What new form has been growing in the dark and requires my deliberate daily tending? In which version will I invest my energy? *Am I willing to slow down when the press of urgency from my habitual self seeks to maintain the old pattern? Can I accept the invitation to reach deeper within for peace when I want to react outwardly from fear? *How will I bless myself in this liminal space? *In what reliable truth can I place my trust? What ritual will return me when I forget? I welcome you to remain connected to your nourishing self-care practices and the people that feel like honey to your heart. May your threshold crossing be a revelation of the most sacred proportions. . . Bless you ♥️ 10/1/2020 0 Comments NourishIt's one thing to be fed by any old thing; it is quite another to be nourished. ~Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estés October will stand out as one of the most powerful and pivotal months when we look back on this transformational year. A new season is upon upon us and the scales of balance tip toward longer, darker hours in the Northern Hemisphere. This is a time of paradox and reflection as it's about reaping the harvest of all that we "planted" in the Spring as well as experiencing a letting go and shedding of the old skins. In the Native American tradition, Autumn holds the position of the West on the medicine wheel and it represents the direction where one would go if you desire healing on a spiritual level. Its position relates to the setting sun, introspection, and developing the strength and stamina required to live in true connection to Creator. We have essentially been placed in this kind of retreat all year long and the energy continues to build as we navigate the final quarter of 2020.
We have three lunations this month with Mars (the planet of action and willpower) and Mercury (the planet of communication and thinking) both retrograde, making it extra internally oriented. This month is bookended with a full moon on the first and last day and the Super New Moon in Libra on the 16th. These will be days that you will definitely want to set aside and create some time for meditation, relaxation, purification and creative dreaming. This is a month to focus on staying aligned with very high vibrational self-care practices to support the deeper inner work that will be assigned to you to complete. As difficult as it may sound, try to cultivate the opportunities to stay in the flow of joy, gratitude and heart coherence. Notice the temptations within or around you to fight, force, fix, or otherwise remain attached to suffering. The great big invitation this month: LET GO TO LIBERATE. Challenge yourself to perceive everything you're experiencing as an invitation to liberation. "This is here to set me free" can be the mantra. Trust that you are safe and that in your surrender, you will be met by Grace. Often times it's in the refusal to let go of our expectations and rigid tendencies to control outcomes that we actually block ourselves from receiving something much more nourishing. Be gentle, we are all in the gateway of the Unknown. I invite you to join me this month in this inquiry: what does it mean to you to be truly nourished? Several years ago as I was creating my website and talking about its design and content with a dear friend, she asked me: "If you had to choose just three words to describe how your offerings support, help or serve others, what would they be?" After some time I said: Nourish. Create. Transform. This is the kind of alchemy that I enjoy exploring the most. It's what brings me alive and when I can enter the conversation in this way with another or others, it becomes pure, undeniable magic. It's a process that begins purposely with nourishing because without that foundational piece, it becomes very difficult for the unfolding of new creations and personal transformation. Of course, this isn't a linear process as we are always invited into the spiral dance of discovering entirely new levels within the journey itself. If we are constantly overwhelmed, stretched thin, depleted and worn bare by the demands of our days then we won't have the emotional energy, mental clarity, or intuitive fluency for creation or transformation to be possible. Often, this is where crisis, illness or some other challenge enters our lives as an agent for awakening to change. This is usually the point in the story that I meet students or clients. Truly, it's precisely the juncture where we get to meet ourselves again if we are willing to take the opportunity. By feeling our exhaustion, facing our seeming brokenness and turning toward our suffering with tenderness and love, we allow ourselves the chance to find the Source of what feeds us most deeply: the warmth and Light of our own Soul. Nurturing that connection with ourselves is the greatest gift we can receive and through it we discover what truly nourishes. Nourishment for me looks and feels like creating spaces that are beautiful, being in nature with my bare feet on the Earth or swimming or soaking in water. It's spacious, gracious, abundant. Some days clean, simple, orderly, quiet and refined. Other days less curated and more carefree or superficial. It's following this delicious prompt that my dear sister Wendy offers in her work: Let your desire counsel you. Most often lately it's slowing down, savoring and saying YES to what I truly desire in the moment. . . which is a yes to the weaving and welcoming of my hand-made life. Nourishing is allowing for all the parts and pieces to be stitched, knitted and braided into the tapestry of my design. Uniquely and beautifully my own creation; no better or worse than another~simply a reflection of my creativity. Daily life with the mess and miracles as my holy grail. It's the meeting of wonder at the crossroads of laundry, self-love making, dinner prepping, divine channeling, painting and poetry, asana and pranayama breaks, broken shower doors, co-parenting gymnastics, grief spilling over into memories or moments of pain, communing with the hawk that shows up in my backyard every single day, belly laughter at my son's incredibly accurate impersonations, inhaling the last remnants of baby in the skin of my 11 year old, aging parent appreciating, daily garden tending of my own longing. Leaving plenty of room for any of what I have planned to be improved upon or all together replaced by sacred surprise. Moments of supreme mystery interlaced and exchanged with the predictability of the mundane. This body and heart, herself, a cross+road for creative genius to build a home in exactly the way She desires. My nourishment looks like the sign next to my front door that says: LOVE. It's my invitation to myself, really, that means Live here, Love. Live here xo I welcome you to consider what nourishes you and create your own signs, love notes or language for living it more fully this month. I also invite you to my new weekly class: Energy Yoga--a Kundalini fusion practice where, together, we will explore this theme of nourishment and see where it leads us! We begin Monday 10/5/2020 from 10:30-11:45 am EST at One Yoga or Zoom. I am also available for private mentoring, healing, or coaching to support you in the discovery journey of weaving a new level of wellness, creativity, and self-care into your days. Feel free to reach out to me at jenny@nourishcreatetransform.com for a complimentary 30 minute session to determine how I can help. Wishing you a deeply nourishing month and beyond~ 9/1/2020 0 Comments Riding the Dragon“Nature loves courage. You make the commitment and nature will respond to that commitment by removing impossible obstacles. Dream the impossible dream and the world will not grind you under, it will lift you up. This is the trick. This is what all these teachers and philosophers who really counted, who really touched the alchemical gold, this is what they understood. This is the shamanic dance in the waterfall. This is how magic is done. By hurling yourself in the abyss and discovering it’s a feather bed.” ~Terrence McKenna Welcome to September where the wheel of time turns toward the Fall equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, global energies are intensifying and we are being shown more clearly (with that 2020 vision) where and how we are called to choose a new reality. There’s this Chinese proverb: “If you ignore the dragon, it will eat you. If you defy the dragon, it will overpower you. But if you ride the dragon, you will know its strength and power.”
If it’s time and pressure that creates diamonds or disasters, we’re either going to crack under the weight of it all or we’re going to choose to develop our multi-faceted brilliance. I support the position of using whatever we’re experiencing personally as an opportunity for growth and expansion. It’s the grit that polishes the jewel. That perspective catalyzes movement from victimhood and helplessness in the face of so much chaos to a sense of empowerment with that which we have command: ourselves, our creative responses to life and the reality we experience as a result. This is what it means, I believe, to ride the dragon. Surely if you’re reading this you are aware of this “paradigm shift” that we are being initiated into through this portal of planetary awakening. Eckhart Tolle wrote about this quantum leap in his book “A New Earth” while others call this current period “The Age of Light” or the “Aquarian Age,” as it’s reflective of a much longer cosmic, astrological cycle that lasts for roughly 2,000 years. We are in the midst of this great evolutionary change now. Much like a birth process, it’s not without moments of great possibility and promise as well as deep pain as the old systems are being dismantled and dissolved to make way for the emergence of the new order. How can we more accurately understand the nature of the changes that are underway so that we can nurture our own process? What is this leap that we are called to make? Truly, it’s so much bigger than any of us can imagine, however I have been able to identify several key themes that will support you as a frame of reference. More than anything I share, please begin to develop the habit of going within to resource your inner wisdom as there is no shortage of information available and it is vital to be discerning and trust yourself above all. . . .
These are no small shifts and will take decades (and more) to actualize and implement into new frameworks and systems of support. We’re all being called to take responsibility for the creation of this new paradigm in the ways that we are each authentically guided. Holding this larger vision is vital as we can easily become overwhelmed and disheartened by what we partially perceive or actually experience day to day. Continue to make your daily self-care a top priority and connect with those who are invested in the birthing and building of the new. Spiritual practice is no longer a luxury or option--we must make it central in our lives. Trust that you are here as part of the Great Plan to support humanity in this monumental shift. Identify yourself according to the role you’d like to play in the writing of new scripts and storylines in this evolutionary exchange. Call on your Higher Self to guide you every day as you endeavor to live out your own lasting legacy of Love. Let go of what you think you “should” be doing and open up to the not-yet known within you…let yourself be amazed by what you discover as you make these leaps in your own life. Get Up on your Dragon. This ain't your first ride. It could be your last of this kind, though. Make it your best. Dare to dream the impossible dream. Sending you many blessings xo This month I offer you a gift of the first class of my 5 week series Energy Yoga: Activate Your Radiance. As it is a Zoom recording, the quality isn’t the best, but the intention is clear. I share a little talk about the reclamation of the Divine Feminine and a Kundalini practice to support you in being the Living embodiment of the LIGHT that you are. I look forward to sharing more in this way. Find it here: SAT NAM. 8/3/2020 0 Comments Your Light Paves the WayWelcome to August where while we feel stop and micro-movement starts in the outer world, we are discovering vast, new horizons within. If you've been showing up and doing your inner work, you'll know it's working when the things that usually have a "charge" and that used to throw you off balance, simply don't effect you in the same way. You've changed and that's very good news. Keep going! A few months ago I gave myself a creative challenge. In response to the deluge of information being offered on-line, (much of which isn't relevant or helpful and some that is supportive for me) I decided to pull back from sharing my own perspectives and reading or subscribing or following or liking anything for a while just to quiet things internally. I made a commitment to create more content than I consume in any given day. During this time, I have been listening deeply for what really wants to be expressed through me. Some of it I am called to share while most of it has been just for me--for now anyway. I have been led back to inner child work, unraveling more layers of co-dependency, playing with my art supplies and writing. LOTS of writing. I've made several videos for my YouTube Channel. Oh and I have been cooking--I have discovered that I find great pleasure in chopping an assortment of vegetables to roast each week. I'm into simple savory plant based at the moment with as much fresh fruit as possible. My culinary creations have become a sacred act. Every Sunday I buy myself fresh flowers. Dancing happens everyday, no matter what. One of the most interesting things that has happened is that my yoga practice has shifted in a subtle, quiet, and profound way. And I have gone days with as little as a single downward dog. I can't remember the last time I've not done a full practice everyday. I'm an intensity junkie when it comes to all things consciousness. I want it in its purest form, straight from Source, rock my world, fast lane to Samadhi--no scenic detours, give me all the Oneness, NOW. Sidi, my spiritual guide, once said to me after I asked him ten questions in a row, "My love, you want to eat the apple in one bite!" That's right--I'm a very hungry student. I don't have time to waste and I want to maximize this finite existence to the fullest. Is there really any other way? Actually, yes, I am finding, there is. While I'll always be wholeheartedly devoted to the path of awakening, I am learning to relax. Did you hear that? I have been practicing yoga and disciplined spiritual practice for more than 20 years and I am just now learning to relax! To soften and surrender more. Just a little less warrior and a bit more water. "Flow, not force" has become one of my mantras. Along with, "Rest in Presence." It's fine to talk about these things, but I am learning how to embody this feminine wisdom more fully. I have been mentoring with Queens. Really, I have...but that's for another post. So in my yoga practice I have been exploring this kind of balance and letting my Higher Self guide me to what kind of practice will best serve my body, mind and heart on any given day. It's expanding my intuitive felt-sense experience of yoga as "union" with the True Self. I receive messages for my own healing and for what I am called to create next. It's crystal ball clear. And so here I Am. Sharing with you. One of the wise messages I received recently when considering my future was this guidance: Your Light Paves the Way. Ultimately, it's not about what I say or don't say. . . do or don't do. Create or uncreate, even. It's about knowing who I Am and trusting that source spark of Divinity within me to lead. I imagine myself hurling that Light far, far into the distance ahead of me. Pathway lit AF. Now all I have to do is take a step and then another. From the Quantum reality perspective--IT IS DONE. So it is. I continue to show up to my own creative process each day and I invite you to do the same. There are many ways that I can support you in your own journey. As I reflected recently, I realized that in the last 6 years that I have been working as a teacher, healer, guide and coach, I have helped all kinds of people--from Starseeds to CEO's, addicts to athletes, stay-at-home moms to soul-starved career women--heal, grow and discover their own authentic purpose and take the steps to actualize their visions in the world. Perhaps you want to feel better in your skin, heal the pain of a past wound that is still wreaking havoc in your life, learn to balance self-care with your service in the world, or summon the courage to focus on making your life-long dream a reality. Maybe you want to be a better leader or lover. Possibly, you'd like to learn how to just relax. I welcome you to receive the support that you need to be your best self despite outer circumstances or your own inner limitations. All of my services are available not only for your personal growth and transformation, but for your business as well. I teach corporate yoga both remotely and in person and my signature six week coaching series The Art of Fulfillment: Creating A Life You Love offers key creative principles that serve as essential building blocks for living with greater purpose and joy. I would be happy to discuss working with you personally or collaborating with your business. Feel free to reach out at jenny@nourishcreatetransform.com
Finally, I'd like to invite you to my upcoming series "Energy Yoga: Activate Your Radiance" beginning 8/17 at One Yoga and Fitness with a Zoom option. This will be a 5 week exploration that will weave Kundalini yoga and Divine Feminine Embodiment practices: think spirals rather than straight lines, balanced feeling and receiving, yin/magnetic energy with finer tuned focus and relaxing into process rather than rushing to completion; greater reliance on trusting how you receive intuitive guidance rather than outer authority or expert advice. Also included: Soul Astrology to honor the circular journey of the lunar phases beginning the week of the New Moon as well as journaling prompts to track how you are consciously using your precious energy everyday. Register for this series here May you continue to connect to whatever illuminates your Soul and let that light pave the way! 6/25/2020 0 Comments The Way of LoveIf I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,[a] but have not love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13 The Great Turning. A wake-up call of worldwide proportions. The coming to light of centuries of oppression, violence, greed and hate. Pandemic, protests and politics that have fostered virulent polarization are waging a war on humanity. From the disorienting and debilitating ironies and realities of being in global lockdown, labeled "essential" or not, coerced into public mask wearing and social distancing to the devastating tragedies of our black brothers and sisters being murdered in the streets--could it be any more apparent that we are witnessing the outrageous cost of remaining collectively unconscious, unable to breathe, work or live our lives according to our civil rights and sovereign dignity? We heard George Floyd's siren call out to the one that he hoped would save his life: MOTHER.
This monumental period of human history will now include HER-story. A great gift that 2020 is now revealing to us is the return and reclamation of the Divine Feminine back into our collective consciousness. We are being invited to remember what it is to respect and honor the sacred balance of life as all of creation contains this model of relationship between Divine Masculine and Divine Feminine as universal, complimentary creative principles. Indigenous and ancient wisdom traditions understood the necessity and inherent value of respecting both principles as they relate not only to our personal health and wellbeing but to the ecology of our relationships with each other, the plant and animal kingdoms and Gaia herself as a living library of consciousness destined for a particular evolutionary unfolding with which we are directly invited to participate. Our current collective awakening is being deeply activated by the Divine Feminine Consciousness which has been silenced and subjugated for centuries because of patriarchal oppression where masculine principles have been misused and abused in order to gain control, profit and power over others while toxic agendas have depleted the planet's resources at an alarming rate. Humanity's addiction to enslavement, war and rape as a "normal" way of life is finally being recognized by many more people now for what it is: unjust, inhumane and completely insane. True healing often begins with a crisis, which is really a decision point in the course of an illness where we either actually change for the better or continue to suffer. At this very moment-- we all have that choice. This is a pivotal cosmic portal that will support your awakening in miraculous ways if you decide that's what you want. We have astrological aspects at play that we haven't seen for hundreds of years. There is another way to live that will invite you to accept full responsibility as a powerful co-creator of your life. It will ask you to surrender all of your ideas about what is happening and why and to trust that it is all playing out exactly as it needs to. We are at a cosmic crossroads where timelines are splitting and some significant decisions must be made. In general, there is the choice to remain asleep or awaken, but more specifically there is the choice to participate in the fighting and dismantling of the old structures or to engage directly with the decision to practice higher-self mastery and engage with the process of personal and planetary ascension by being involved in the co-creation of the New Earth paradigm. Beyond right or wrong, every person must choose, authentically, for themselves. I am guided by a desire for the latter and will continue to dedicate my efforts and energy into restoring, remembering and reclaiming the body, heart, mind and soul of the the Divine Feminine back into this world. I believe that the most revolutionary act we can commit now is to walk the way of Love by choosing to claim our divine birthright of happiness and to prosper in all ways. The choice to continue suffering and fighting in the name of justice, peace, or freedom isn't necessary. Your suffering won't help others suffer less. Instead, by fully claiming your own body, mind, heart and soul as a sovereign, free and divine creation and choosing to live in alignment with the qualities of your higher self everyday, you will be participating in the masterful art of your own self-actualization as well as contributing to the balance of the whole of creation through your own transformation. This way of walking the path of Love is ancient and encoded in the fabric of your own soul. When you begin to turn the details of your life over to your higher self, you'll be amazed by what doors open. You'll remember that you are from the future and that you came in order to birth this new paradigm. Everything you need to make this a reality is already inside of you. Legions of divine support (not to mention human beings) are with you assisting the living out of your legacy if you just ask. The Divine Feminine way is one of softening and surrendering into the non-linear, organic unfolding of our inherent gifts and particular path of purpose. It's the way of creating sacred space for allowing, receiving and magnetizing rather than pushing, forcing or controlling outcomes. It's intuitive and intentional; more about resting into our power and relaxing the neurotic tendencies in favor of claiming and embodying our divine qualities. The sensual body and all of its functions are as sacred as the spirit that animates it. As I am led to more deeply practice, explore and evolve my own relationship to Divine Feminine Consciousness, I am being initiated into a new level of my awakening. Much is shifting and rearranging within me and while it isn't always comfortable, I am certain that I'm growing in accordance to the authentic prayer of my heart. The path of Love is intelligently designed to reconcile the Divine Masculine and Feminine into balance through Unity consciousness where each part contributes equally to the whole. Every being on the planet is invited and included to participate in this cosmic Love-Making as a unique embodiment of Soul in the ushering in of this next Golden Age. At the end of last year I wrote about how this would be a year where quantum leaps in our spiritual awakening would be possible. I invite you to continue to open to those possibilities in your own life when you align with the highest and best within you. Vividly imagine the world you want to live in and commit to first making it a reality within yourself. Vibration matches vibration. How bright are you willing to burn? Let the incorruptible Light at the center of your being reveal the perfect next step and have the courage to take it. Trust your heart to show you the way. It is safe for you to live in the most sacred, beautiful and joyful ways. This is the age of self-initiation where it's entirely up to you to take your rightful seat on the throne of your own divine sovereignty and claim every single dream that your heart most desires. You get to choose the reality you most want to experience everyday. You are a very powerful creator and you're definitely not alone... Know that SHE is here and the Goddess will continue to Rise. Unmasked and unafraid to get very close and personal. SHE IS YOU. I AM HER. WE ARE ONE. June is the midpoint of the year, and it affords us the opportunity to course-correct if need be, now that we can see the vivid expression of the seeds we have sown in the earth, as well as those that have been planted in our hearts and souls.
Often, June reveals to us what continues to be deeply meaningful for us in our work and family life. The beginning of summer mirrors back to us what is fulfilling, renewing, and nurturing to us—and what is not. What is not tolerated at this time is any situation in our work or relationships that has become a “should,” where we feel duty-bound. Whatever is not aligned or congruent with our integrity and heart is forced to be released at the midpoint of the year, or reassessed in its meaning to us. ~Angeles Arrien Summer is my favorite time of the year. Another school year is over and the pace of life slows for couple of months to allow me to catch up with myself and those that I love. With less rigid time constraints and fewer obligations, I relish the natural unfolding of each day with more time to simply rest and be. Spending more time outdoors, connecting deeply with the elemental world, reading books, making art, being with my children in a state of relaxation rather than rush and languishing in a longer yoga practice are some of the rituals that I most savor. Also, being that the year is half over, it is the perfect time to take pause and check in with where I am in relationship to the intentions that I set at the beginning of the year in my January dream time. Midyear offers the opportunity to come back into balance in whatever way(s) we have drifted off course. To identify the “shoulds” that are responsible for pulling us away from our true north and to let them go. Fire is the symbol most often associated with summer. In its destructive form it allows us to release what no longer serves and in its constructive form it ignites us with our passion, realigning our heartfelt desire with positive action. The power of heat to transform is called “tapas” in yoga and it comes from the Sanskrit root tap which means “to burn.” It refers to that alchemical ability of fire to transform the lead of our ego identity with a higher vibrational form of energy more in alignment with our soul. Energetically this inner fire relates to the third chakra and is experienced as a “fire in the belly” that is often used to describe the qualities of will power, inner strength and disciplined determination that are indicative of inspired action. What is the state of your inner fire? Coming back into balance at this time of year invites us to look at where we may be in need of more magnetic, feminine (yin) energy or dynamic, masculine (yang). Shifting our lifestyle habits to accommodate our needs can be a little easier during this time of year when taking vacations and time off are possible. Take some time this month to do your own midyear reflection in order to help you take stock of what’s working and what isn’t. Here are a few questions to consider at this juncture: *Where am I now? What is my current life like? *What have been the highlights of the first half of this year? What celebrations or accomplishments can I name? *What challenge(s) am I encountering? What “shoulds” can I drop? *What is the growth opportunity that my challenge(s) are offering? (i.e. am I being called to greater balance, letting go, focus, faith, authenticity, self-compassion, trust, etc.) *What is one practical thing I can do to step more fully into the growth? (i.e. create definitive work times and honor the boundaries when I am home, set up work-outs with a friend, meditate on my blessings for 5min. a day, or read a book that addresses my challenge, etc.) *Review your heartfelt desire or intentions for the year. Do they still resonate or do you want to revise/update? *Imagine yourself six months from now; at the end of this year-2020. What have you experienced or accomplished that you are most proud of? ***As a short addendum to this post (originally created in 2016), I'd like to acknowledge the tremendous, unprecedented challenges that this year has brought for everyone on the planet. Perhaps the highest intention you can make at this time is to attend simply and well for what is closest to you each day in order to maintain your energy. Adopt the "less is more" philosophy. I believe this isn't a time to push or force ourselves in ANY way but to do our best to balance our personal self-care needs with our greater service to others. I encourage you to make some time to relax and enjoy any opportunities to do the things that you love with the people that are most special to you. May this summer bless you with a renewed hope and emerging vision for what's possible. 5/2/2020 0 Comments Your Prayer Rug"ONCE THERE lived a metalworker, a locksmith, who was unjustly accused of crimes and was sentenced to a deep, dark prison. After he had been there a while, his wife who loved him very much went to the King and beseeched him that she might at least give him a prayer rug so he could observe his five prostrations every day. The King considered that a lawful request, so he let the woman bring her husband a prayer rug. The prisoner was thankful to get the rug from his wife and every day he faithfully did his prostrations on the rug.
Much later, the man escaped from prison and when people asked him how he got out, he explained that after years of doing his prostrations and praying for deliverance from the prison, he began to see what was right in front of his nose. One day he suddenly saw that his wife had woven into the prayer rug the pattern of the lock that imprisoned him. Once he realized this and understood that all the information he needed to escape was already in his possession, he began to make friends with his guards. He also persuaded the guards that they all would have a better life if they cooperated and the escaped the prison together. They agreed since, although they were guards, they realized that were in prison, too. They also wished to escape, but they had no means to do so. So the locksmith and his guards decided on the following plan: they would bring him pieces of metal, and he would fashion useful items from them to sell in the market place. Together they would amass resources for their escape, and from the strongest piece of metal they could acquire, the locksmith would fashion a key. One night, when everything had been prepared, the locksmith and his guards unlocked the prison and walked out into the cool night where his wife was waiting from him. He left the prayer rug behind so that any other prisoner who was clever enough to read the pattern of the rug could also make his escape. Thus, the locksmith was reunited with his loving wife, his former guards became his friends, and everyone lived in harmony. Love and skillfulness prevailed." This Sufi story as told by Idries Shah seems very applicable for where we are this month. It happens to be the holy month of Ramadan. The traditional pilgrimages have been cancelled and mosques are empty for the first time in history. People all around the world, regardless of where they stand in terms of faith, fortune or (relative) freedoms are forced inside for a bit longer. Yet we feel the collective chomping at the bit for release and getting back to. . . whatever it is that we believe we have to go back to. This month I'm feeling the call to linger longer in the liminal spaces and to listen more deeply to what has been unearthed in my own Soul during this time. It has been quite profound and I'm in no rush to try and explain or figure anything out. This has been an incredible opportunity for all of us to awaken and to clearly see that to be controlled by anything outside of ourselves is a form of imprisonment and to consciously choose to create a life that truly sets the Soul free requires a responsibility to do the necessary work. I'll be continuing to pray, to work and to make and offer the keys that serve my deepest truth. Here is your proverbial prayer rug, dear one, may you recognize what sets you free. 4/6/2020 0 Comments Lunar Loving~KindnessOn the Aries New Moon last month I shared an intention setting practice that I have been engaging with over the course of the last 4 years. The cycles of the moon reflect our own creative cycles. We can think of the breath cycle as mirroring the phases of the moon with the beginning of the inhale signifying the new moon, the building of the in-breath the waxing of the moon, top of the inhale as the "maxing" or full moon, and the exhale the waning moon which returns us to a new breath cycle.
While the new moon time is fertile ground for setting intentions and initiating our creative ideas, the full moon is a time of illumination and healing. During a full moon the sun and moon are in opposition to each other which potentially highlights where we might also be experiencing our own opposing, limiting, self-sabatoging tendencies. The sun as our "conscious" mind and the moon as our "unconscious" emotions are facing off, thus making it a lot easier for us to see what we might normally prefer to keep hidden from view. Statistics show greater incidences of crime and emergency room traffic during full moons. The word "lunacy" originates from this idea that people are a bit more unstable at the time of a full moon. Become aware of how you are feeling in the days leading up to and on the full moon. Do you feel like you have more energy or less? Are there any emotional triggers that have become apparent? What are the underlying issues that they are amplifying? What is the quality of your mental state? Are your thoughts complementary to your higher self or magnifying ego or fear? I suggest making some notes about what you are experiencing to better help you work with the energy. This month we have a Super Full Moon in Libra on Tuesday April 7th. It will be the strongest, closest moon of the year! That means you may be feeling extra sensitive. As quarantine life wears on us all it may feel cruel to have this much happening at once. "Corona virus has ruined my life!" as my 11 year old daughter said when we had to cancel her birthday plans recently. Perhaps you're feeling a bit the same way. . . . When I asked her what else the virus has ruined she named several things from going to stores (or anywhere!), playing with friends and even going to school. Each day she continues to identify and name what she misses and she's afraid it will be a really long time before we're able to enjoy those things again. I get it. We're all experiencing this frustration and fear to some extent. Crisis has its way of pulling out the best and worst of us. As practitioners on the path of awakening let's be careful not to turn our pain into pathology by making ourselves "bad" or "wrong" for feeling all that we do. But let's not shy away from our vulnerability or fear either. We can use it for our continued healing and transformation. I feel that the medicine for this moon is COMPASSION. Libra is ruled by Venus and points us to balance in partnerships--negotiating the dance between caring for ourselves and nurturing our relationships. How can we use what we discover in our self-reflection to serve the heart of another or others? When we are tempted to judge or be critical of another for how they (or we) are managing in crisis, let's instead practice being compassionate and remember that what we actually know about someone is minuscule in comparison to the reality of what they have lived and are currently living. Everyone is suffering on some level and when we can attend to our own suffering with loving-kindness we can, as Pema Chodron says, "recognize our shared humanity." This is the time to turn toward whatever is surfacing and allow the illumination to lead you to letting go. A simple ritual of release is enough now. Nothing fancy or complicated. What is ready to be released, forgiven or healed? You don't have to dig deep--it's often in plain view at full moon time. Write it or speak it out loud and ask for the divine support to be provided to assist you in your process. Realize what a blessing it is to have access to the tools that you have been given. Continue to use them to nourish yourself, your loved ones and as a service to those who are suffering. Whatever you choose to heal at this time helps us all. This, too, is what it means to be a powerful creator. What we create or heal within us is our greatest service to humanity because healed people HEAL others. I was moved by this prayer that Brene Brown shared and invite you to incorporate it into your ritual: For those who are sick. For those who are bereaved and supporting the bereaved. For those of us who are anxious and afraid. For those of us feeling alone and isolated. For the medical professionals and health care workers around the world. For those who have jobs that put them at risk and can't afford to miss a day's work. For those of us who are especially vulnerable to infection. For those who are confined to home but not safe at home. For the children who need the safety and care of school and those that serve them. For the teachers who continue to foster connection and learning in new and challenging times. For the scientists and researchers dedicating their lives to helping us--many of whom are under pressure and underfunded. For our leaders. May they find the strength and courage to lead with their hearts. Amen. For YOU and me--doing our very best. Sending you many blessings as you journey with consciousness, courage and compassion. |
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