Stand in Tadasana (mountain pose). Take a moment to locate your breath. Breathe deeply through the nose, with intention, for the entire sequence.
On an exhalation, step your feet 3 ½- to 4-feet apart. Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach them actively out to the sides, shoulder blades wide, palms down.
Turn your right foot in slightly to the right and your left foot to the left 90 degrees. Align your left heel with your right heel. Exhale and bend your left knee over your left ankle, so that your shin is perpendicular to the floor.
Stretch your arms away from the space between your shoulder blades, parallel to the floor. Keep the sides of your torso equally long and your shoulders directly over your pelvis. Press your tailbone slightly toward your pubis. Turn your head to the left and look out over your fingers. This is Warrior II posture—the posture of power. This posture activates the male energy: the action-oriented, courageous and external confidence.
Next, maintaining the position of your legs, lift your left hand up above your head, as your right hand moves down along your extended right leg. Taking your gaze upward toward your fingers, come into a slight backbend. This is Exalted Warrior—the posture of acknowledgment. Accept it all as it comes, and maintain your power.
From here, release your arms, square your hips, and stand in an even, wide-legged pose. Come into a deep squat with your knees above your ankles. Extend your arms out to the side, bending at the elbow, with your fingers pointed to the ceiling and bring them to a ninety- degree angle. Look to the horizon. This is the Goddess. She ignites your feminine intuition, your trust in the universe… your nurturing, internal confidence.
Come back to center in a wide-legged pose and switch legs, turning your right foot out 90 degrees, as you take Warrior II to the right side.
Move into Exalted Warrior on the right side, followed by Goddess once more.
Come back to Tadasana. Feel the power of the universe within you.
When seeking clarity or confidence in our lives, it is easy to remain stuck in a swamp of confusion because our minds are so good at distracting and tricking us. How do we really know what is best for us if, every time we approach a decision, all we hear is our mother’s voice? If we are constantly living in fear of what might happen if we make a change, how can we know that we are actively taking stock in our daily life?
One of the best ways to take inventory of all these voices and clear out the clutter in our minds is through writing. But I’m not a writer! Well, that may be true, but you’re not off the hook. Automatic writing is not about the writing. It’s about the therapeutic and often necessary action of getting it out. Out of you. Of your head. Onto a page. Somewhere separate than you. If you try it, I bet you’ll be amazed with what you learn.
And the good news is it’s really simple to do. Here’s how:
In the morning (or anytime, but morning is best), give yourself time and space to sit quietly and write. Get an old notebook or some blank printer pages. If you want to keep a journal you can, but it’s also a good practice to keep it simple and not precious. 3 pages is a good goal. Or a half hour. If you can only do 15 minutes, that’s awesome. All you have to do now is start writing and don’t stop. Keep your pen moving at all times. Don’t think about what you are going to say or what you should say. Just go. It’s important to do this practice consistently, especially if you are working with a specific issue in your life.
Your pages will begin to accumulate and your words will begin to speak truth to you. If you find yourself working through a lot of old issues or negative emotions, let it all go, out onto the page. Perhaps after some time and reflection, you can create your own letting go ritual by burning the pages in an offering. Let the words come and let them guide you deeper into yourself.
The world is hurting. The streets are angry. Turmoil and injustice are everywhere. Whatever your politics or beliefs, it is obvious that change is needed. The system is broken. When we stop to consider the degree of dedication it takes to create change in our individual lives, we begin to have a sense of what we’re up against as a society. Momentum can be hard to gain. Which direction is the right one? Whom can I trust? What should I do? At this critical time, we need to turn inward. We cannot depend on our government to solve these problems. We need to take matters into our own hands and learn to embody our lives—to come into our own roles as leaders, innovators, and creative problem solvers. Sure, maybe you don’t see yourself as a leader. I’m just here, trying to live my life… Maybe you lost your job or your direction. But leadership has less to do with position than it does to attitude and intention. Leadership doesn’t mean huge crowds and megaphones or being someone’s boss. It means living your life with intention, tuned to your life’s purpose. It means, as Ghandi’s popular saying goes, Being the change you wish to see. When you do that, you intrinsically lead others by your example. When we step into our lives as leaders, we ensure that we are moving with authenticity. We learn to live with our souls forward. It means we are constantly checking our internal compasses and assessing how a decision or direction relates to our core values. We live our life’s purpose fully, with love and kindness. This is how change should be made: the microcosm leading the macro; living in peace with ourselves before demanding it of our fellow citizens. The primary way to begin on this path is by coming back to our bodies—the physical space we occupy on this earth. Our bodies are the filters through which we experience this life. They hold all of the information we need to form our opinions, desires, and decisions. When we are in tune with ourselves physically, we better understand ourselves in relation to the outside world. When we truly occupy our bodies, we can plug into our power, block out that negative charge in the air, create clear boundaries, and focus on the good work of living.
Three Fold Breathing
Do daily, before mediation, or just to come into the body if the mind has taken over
Effects: Nourishing, grounding, expansive
Try it: Nadi Shodana: alternate nostril breathing
Do first thing in morning
Effects: energizing, balancing, clearing 1. Take the first 2 fingers of your right hand and either fold them in or place them on your 3rd eye. 2. Place your ring finger and thumb gently on each nostril 3. Take a deep breath in 4. Before exhaling, close the ring finger against the left nostril 5. Exhale out the right nostril 6. Keeping the left nostril closed, Inhale through the right side 7. Close the right side with your thumb; exhale out the left side 8. Inhale left side 9. Exhale right 10. Continue breath like this, switching sides before each exhale (ie. inhale right, exhale left, inhale left, exhale right) for 3-5 minutes 11. Release your hand and breathe deeply for another 1-2 minutes This breath is for: Physical and emotional balance Integration Simultaneously grounding and energizing Great for increased mental clarity and preparation for meditation