Happy New Year
Did you know that New Year comes twice not once a year? You get a chance at a new year, gratefully, when the calendar flips and when your birthday arrives. It’s interesting because these two milestone dates experienced only by the lucky who live bring with them some urgency, some planning, some reflection and some excitement.
Living well can be challenging when we don’t take time to live in the moment and let life’s concerns sweep us away on a tidal wave of anxiety and trepidation. At least that’s what happens to me when I’m not being grateful for ‘what it is’ and yes… for ‘what it isn’t’.
In my constant search for interesting things to do to celebrate my new years, I stumbled or was meant to find an all day workshop entitled, Manifesting Your Vision for 2017 led by yoga instructress Mine Fuller. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on a beautiful Friday morning.
A circle of 12 likeminded people engaged in gentle flowing yoga, breath work (which I have never done with any commitment before) deep meditation, and a vision board creation workshop, there was also feather dancing which I have never done before but hey it’s a new year might as well.
It was healing, restorative and peace inducing day. I was in a class with 12 lives, 12 viewpoints, 12 perceptions and 12 very different complex reasons for engaging in this particular workshop that day. Among us, a visibly stressed man, a woman who had triplets in the last year and a young girl with something bright and shining in her eyes. During our partnering session I met a woman who had lived in three countries in three years and was palpably at her wits end. She spoke to me about fear and self-loathing, and exhaustion as if she knew my own. Impulsively I hugged her and tried to say comforting things. Unfortunately, I never seem to do that for myself – but this year I will.
The most impactful part of the day was in my opinion the long breath work session. Generally speaking, the only people in the Western world who are taught how to breathe on a wide scale are pregnant women. However, we all should learn breathing techniques. Breath work helps us manage fear and panic, increases focus and also to decreases physical pain. When we do deep-breathing exercises, we access our buried emotions and they rise to the surface. During the session, some burst in to tears, others vocalized, but I, quiet, trying desperately to focus my mind was in discomfort after (I guesstimate) 45 minutes. My hands were I thought, asleep but raising and lowering them did nothing to alleviate the pins and needles, and my right hip was throbbing. After, the visibly stressed man had a splitting headache and nausea. I was limping. What were we trying to release? What still needs to be released.
The only commitment that I will make for sure in 2017 is to keep working on myself. To keep on this journey of living life in the best way possible. To keep doing “the work” breath work, spirit work, life work all of it.
I encourage you this New Year to learn how to breathe. To define your idea of living well and take a step toward that idea. Take a moment to take your temperature and be grateful for what it is and yes… for what it isn’t, be kinder to yourself, encourage others, be truthful, be aware and celebrate!
Happy New Year!