As I continued to be so filled by the ‘Savor Simplicity’ retreat, I asked one more participant if I could share her words that she expressed at the closing ceremony. Diana said yes…
“Before I came to this retreat, I had cut some of the dead ends off my hair, but had not taken the time nor had the inspiration or motivation to give it shape.
This morning I cut my hair. Cleansed, but with the faint smell of last night’s campfire lingering, I felt that I needed to, wanted to, and could begin to give it shape.
When we cut our hair, we are not saying that we never needed, wanted, or even loved that hair. Afterall, we are cutting “old growth.” What we know is that we want a change, or that that hair is not currently healthy, or that it is no longer of the time.
With only one mirror, I could not see clearly behind me: I could only feel. I could see ahead. I could look into my own eyes and find beauty in and around them. I could see MYSELF looking back at me. I know it is incomplete, and the shape will continue to change.
I WILL look behind. I will continue to look ahead.
And what a funny thing to go get your haircut once a month or 3 or 6 and only allow change to happen TO you, and not to act. To say “this is who I will be until I “have time” to “fix” it.
Though, in life, as in hair, we do need time and growth before we have anything to shape at all.”
-Diana, Savor Simplicity Retreat, July, 2023
Thank you so much Diana. Your words mean so much to so many. And they mean something particularly special to my heart.
I find it so beautiful to consider the way that I can just feel the past, can look ahead, and offer my presence to myself as I look into my own eyes in the mirror/moment. A sort of presencing in the here and now while acknowledging the past and knowing that I cannot change it, still hoping for the future, and inviting myself to be more present right here, right now.
And even as I look at myself right now, I might see that which is incomplete. And in that acknowledgement of myself as incomplete, I can remember my completeness, and wholeness as I am right now. I can still look deep into my own eyes and tell myself, “I love you, no matter what.”
In my yoga classes, I often invite people in the physical postures to also consider how they “posture” themselves in life. How are you ‘posturing’ yourself for what you want? How do you posture yourself for self-love? How do you posture yourself in forgiveness? What is the position for surrender? What is the pose for joy?
How do we posture our minds to be open, to live, to always be seeking the light? How do we posture our hearts to do the same?
Just as we posture our bodies to become more flexible, more open, and more at ease with life’s energy that flows within us, so too can we in all layers of our being. Our minds, our hearts, our spirits.
There are ways in which you can do this:
*Ways, even beyond the physical practice of yoga.
-You can position yourself within communities that lift you up.
-You can place yourself in inspired conversations.
-You can posture your time so that you may offer your own heart the practice of deep listening. (We can do the same for others.)
-You can posture your mind so that you are only speaking loving and nurturing thoughts to yourself.
-You can posture your mind so that you are offering grace, forgiveness, and understanding to others and to yourself.
-You can place yourself in nature, literally. 🌿
-You can place your devices down, and position yourself in bed so that you get deep rest.
– And, it’s interesting how One can, as best we can, position ourselves to not get hurt, to not feel the pain, and to avoid suffering and catastrophe and being hurt.
And that’s what I find interesting about life in general; that we can shape life just as much as life shapes us.
I think the pandemic is one example of how life can shape us on a collective level as much as on an individual level. And whatever you’re going through personally right now, dear reader, it’s shaping your life just as much as you are shaping life to adapt with your changing times and needs.
How are you positioning yourself right now?
Take a moment to catch your physical posture; what does the posture reveal to you about yourself in this moment?
Catch your mental impressions; what are your thoughts speaking to you of?
What emotion is present; what is it needing?
How are you positioning yourself right now? Did you just make any changes because of the above questions?
Are you setting up for a big reveal of your recent great project?!
Are you beginning to sing your song? And share your light just as Joe did and last week’s story? Read it here.
Or, are you waiting for the next shoe to drop?
Are you positioning yourself in a way that’s preparing for the next bad thing?
Please don’t place judgment on however you find yourself in this moment.
And please know that there IS, and there ARE, many ways in which you can reposition yourself!
I’m very excited to be offering something this fall for those of you women who are ready!
Ready to be asked the deep questions that draw out your innate wisdom.
Ready to be lovingly challenged and boldly held by other women and myself; to commit to living a life of integrity and alignment.
Ready to be seen and acknowledged for your true light!
If you want to be first to know about this courageous container, hit the reply button and put a huge ❤️ in the message.
Reply to this email anyway, and let me know how you are going to position yourself for self love this week.
All my love to you,
Shawna
Breathe and Believe.