.jpg)
This article is part two of a three-part series on raising your vibration, so you can live with more energy, health, love, joy, wisdom, and abundance-so you can be a powerful, positive, transforming presence in our world. In part one, we explored Step One, increasing your energetic charge, increasing the amount of energy you have. If you are tired and depleted, you have little energy to give and no energy to cultivate a higher frequency of being in this world.
Step Two is to recognize and release the tensions which interfere with the smooth and joyful flow of this energy.
Life is Movement, Renewal, and Change
Life is movement, renewal, and change. Nothing stays the same. All things arise, grow, linger, and fade. When we stop moving, renewing, and changing, our bodies die. Each moment is new and you are new each moment. Every cell in your body replaces itself every 7-10 year-and some renew much faster than this.
Yet, when events happen that scare us, we want to stop the flow of life. We want to shut things down. We freeze or retreat. We seek refuge from the storm of emotions and try to stop them from flowing.
We try to define things in ways that make them less scary, such as "Life is safe if I just stick to what I know, who I know, and the places I know, instead of venturing beyond." We try to define ourselves in ways that keep us safe, such as "I am just not good at that, so I won't try." We define comfort zones of thinking, acting, and relating-and defend them against change. We try to keep things just the way they are.
Then, we attach to these tightly defined boundaries of self, relationships, and events as if our lives depend upon them. This creates tension in our bodies and minds. These tensions harden-and we harden to life. We lose our receptivity to change and diversity, in ourselves and others, and our capacities for growth, healing, and renewal. We lose our capacity to "go with the flow."
Let's explore how to recognize and release these tensions, so we can regain our ability to gracefully and compassionately flow with life. This is the second step to raising our vibration.
The Primary Flows in Your Body
To better understand the importance of flow, let's use the analogy of blood flow. The flow of blood through our bodies is essential to life. Blood flow brings oxygen and nutrients to all our cells and clears toxins away from our cells. Without blood flow our bodies die within minutes.
Yet, there are several events which inhibit blood flow. These include stress and trauma which restricts natural full breathing leading to the constriction of blood vessels. Chronic stress, as well as toxins and certain foods and drinks, increase inflammation which damages the walls of blood vessels leading them to scar, build up plaque, and become less flexible. Emotions such as fear, worry, and anxiety create muscular and connective tissue tension which inhibits blood flow to muscles and internal organs. When this happens, they don't receive oxygen and nutrients and can't release toxins. These cells starve and become toxic. They are no longer able to renew and begin a slow death.
So, life in our bodies requires the free flow of blood, as well as the free flow of lymph fluid, nerve signals, and physical movement. Smooth flow is the essence of life-and tension restricts this flow. To improve flow, it's necessary to recognize and release tension, so these natural flows return. Our bodies signal us when and where there is tension, so, if we're paying attention, we can take action to recognize and release these tensions.
However, for most of us, these tensions become so normal we don't even realize they are there. Fortunately, we can learn to recognize them by their symptoms.
Recognizing Tension
You can recognize inner tension by these symptoms:
• Muscle pain and stiffness
• Restricted movement
• Difficulty breathing
• Chronic Fatigue
• Headache
• Congestion
• Indigestion
• Chronic illness
• Emotional overwhelm
• Brain fog and confusion
• Anxiety and worry
• Angry outbursts, agitation, irritation
• Harsh judgments of self and others
• Depression
• Feeling stuck
• Addictions
• Repeated poor results in your life, finances, and relationships...
You might look at this list and say, "That covers just about every problem I could have. Can these all be related to tension?"
The answer is "Yes."
Tensions in your body, mind, and emotions inhibit the smooth flow of blood, lymph, nerve signals, and life energy through your system and this contributes to all the above.
So, how do you recognize and release tension?
Here is a simple but powerful process you can use.
Steps to Recognize and Release Inner Tensions
1. Pause when you notice any of the above, any sign of tension, distress, irritation, or discomfort.
For a moment, let go of fear surrounding this. For a moment, see if you can let go of catastrophizing it and making it bigger. For a moment, let go of any stories your mind wants to tell about where these symptoms will lead.
2. Mindfully pay attention to the sensations inside your body, with curiosity and non-judgement. Notice the felt qualities. Is the discomfort located anywhere specific in your body? Does this area have a size, shape, color, texture, intensity?...
3. Allow a sense of space to surround the area. Allow this space to expand in all directions, so the space feels large and the area of tension feels small. Imagine this space radiates compassion.
4. From your point of view within the spacious area, ask the tense area if it has anything to tell you.
See if you can just float this question, listen, and feel without rushing to have an answer. Notice anything that arises, whether it's a thought, feeling, image, sensation...
5. Gently allow the compassionate spaciousness surrounding the tense area to embrace, infuse, and soothe the tense area. As you inhale, imagine and feel as if you are breathing love and compassion into the tense area. As you exhale, imagine and feel you are releasing the tension out of your body.
Continue breathing in this way until you have insight, feel relaxation, and/or notice a shift in what is happening.
--- --- ---
These steps initiate a healing process that works over time. You may need to repeat this process many times with the same area or issue, especially if the tension is longstanding or relates to a dominant thought/feeling/belief that you've held for a long time.
Consider implementing this practice as part of your daily routine, so you gradually release layers of tension that have stored up over the course of your life. This way of checking in with your body fits well with a morning or evening prayer/meditation practice, as well as being effective as a time-out in the midst of challenging moments during the day.
As you use these steps consistently over time, your body will begin to feel looser, lighter, and freer. You'll feel more joyful, inspired, and alive! Your energy and awareness will rise. You'll find yourself flowing with life, supported and guided by the current, and able to adapt to changes fluidly and gracefully. You will begin to live from a higher frequency of presence, love, and wisdom for the benefit of all beings and our whole planet.
No comments:
Post a Comment