" Sharing Grief ... (from Daily OM)"

Opening to Receive Comfort 

♥ holding you in hearts today Jacki ♥

When we experience something that causes us to feel shock and sadness, we may feel the urge to withdraw from life. It may seem like remaining withdrawn will keep us protected from the world, but during these times it is important to reach out to those trusted and precious people who care about us the most. Even with our best information and reasoning, we never know when someone else’s experience or perspective can give us additional information that we need. The universe speaks to us through many channels, and when we open ourselves up to receive its messages, we also receive nurturing care from a loving partner in life’s journey.

Grief is part of the human experience, and sharing our vulnerability is what creates truly close bonds in our relationships. Opening ourselves up in this way gets to the core of our being, past all of our defenses and prejudices. When life seems to crack the outer shell of our world, we are both raw and fresh at the same time. It is then that we discover who is truly willing to walk with us through life. We also see that some of those sent to us may not be the ones we expected to see. Regardless, we learn to trust in the universe, in others, in our own strength and resilience, and in the wisdom of life itself.

Sharing grief allows us to ease our burden by letting someone else help carry it. This helps us process our own inner thoughts and feelings through the filter of a trusted and beloved someone. We may feel guilty or selfish, as if we are unloading on someone who has their own challenges. Although, if we think about it, we know we would do the same for them, and their protests would seem pointless. Remember that not sharing feelings with others denies them the opportunity to feel. We may be the messenger sent by the universe for their benefit, and it is on this mission that we have been sent. By sharing our hopes and fears, joys and pains with another person, we accept the universe’s gifts of wisdom and loving care. 

Grief is part of the human experience, 

and sharing our vulnerability helps create truly close bonds.

" Lessons ... "

Sweet memories
Flashing very quickly by
Reminding me
And giving me a reason why
I know that
My goal is more than a thought
I'll be there
When I teach what I've been taught
And I've been taught...

~ Rush ~ Lessons ~

***

Instead of asking what I have learned about blogging, I ask what has blogging taught me about life.  In some cases, confirmation of what I already knew, and in others, something helpful to share with those that follow.  

Here are some thoughts ...

Inspiration happens ... you cannot wait to become inspired.  Sometimes you have to work, think and come up with ideas.  And not all of them will be stellar, some will just suck.  Just know somewhere along the journey, it will happen.

Walk the talk ... people talk a lot about what they are going to do, but actions speak louder than words.  I try not to get stuck in analysis mode as then I get stuck in my head.  We don’t know much until we do and get some real experience ... so do more, learn from your failures and try again.

Learn from those who can teach ... learning from people who have real experience has helped me improve quickly and avoid wasting time.  My favourite blogs motivate me to explore and become informed.

Focus on what is important ... when you cut out the less important stuff you mind clears up.  You become more focused, allowing light to shine.  From experience, when I let go of the negative in my life, the positive came flooding in.  Con mucho aprecio y amor!

You get what you give ... exchanging positive feelings and giving some kind of value to each other is the key.  Respect, compassion and kindness is contagious ... remember, karma is a bitch if you are.

External validation is overrated ... there are times when I have received awesome feedback via comments, email, twitter and Facebook.  So blessed, yet I realized that when there is none of that, it didn't matter because I have created inner validation of myself.  Sometimes you need to be your own hero.

Don’t worry about others opinions ... no one has walked in my shoes, only I have.  So when I blog, it is from my heart and I really try not to let other people’s judgement get in the way.  You can’t never please everyone, so focus on what you think is right and just getting approval from yourself.

" Stitch by Stitch ... "

What you say, without words, 

resuscitates what was numb inside

So repair me, every thread of me, 

'cause you're bringing me back to life

I'll be okay, 'cause you heal me...

So put me back together now, stitch by stitch

Put me back together now, stitch by stitch

~ Javier Colon ~ Stitch by Stitch

***

Not a lot of people openly talk about their colons.  Yes you read that right colons.  But we all need and use it often ... and we cannot underestimate the importance of it.  Our digestion and our life depends on it ... and it all starts in our guts.

Your eating habits will determine how acidic your body is.  This acid leaves lots of residue in your colon.  These residues remain from days to months and produce fermentation, mold and bacteria ... a breeding ground for dis-ease.  The importance of an alkaline diet is crucial as this protects our colon.  When we eat the right food combinations we increase nutrient absorption and promote proper discharge of waste before it rots inside of us.  Yes I know, what a disgusting thought, but very real.

Gut check.  The length from your mouth to your anus is 30 feet long.  This “tube” plays a vital role on all health levels .. mind, body and spirit.  So food combinations can help in restoring the balance in your body.  For example, when you eat animal products, it can take up to three days for your gut to digest.  So that is three days of it sitting in your gut rotting away ...

The key is to find restoration of balance in your gut.  

What I have learned about food combinations is that carbs are digested with an alkaline condition in the stomach and protein is digested with an acid condition.  When combined, it can confuse the stomach.  So some general guidelines are protein and starch should not be combined.  To keep your gut happy, pair them with greens and veggies.

Enlist a naturopath, dietitian or nutritionist to help you.  Start by keeping a food diary.  Write down the date, time, and meal you eat.  As well, keep track of your mood, body changes, and bowel movements.  Remember, every body is unique, and your body will respond to modifications in its own way ... just be kind to your gut, as your colon will thank you for it.

" Instant Karma ... "

Well we all shine on

Like the moon and the stars and the sun

Well we all shine on

Every one, come on

Instant Karma's gonna get you

Gonna knock you off your feet

You better get yourself together darling

Join the human race

~ John Lennon ~ Instant Karma ~

***

Do you believe in Karma?  You know the concept of doing good and good will happen to you.  Some say that karma acts quickly and others that the karma you save up will determine who and even what you are in your next life ... that is if you believe in the next life.  Some even feel that the name “karma” is hippy and new age even though almost every belief system has a version of it with a different name.

Did you know that there is even a significant part of science that supports the concept of karma ... for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction .... with every effect there is a cause.  Quantum mechanics states that everything is created from something and that energy merely passes from one form to another.  So, you cannot create something out of nothing ... an good and bad things don’t just happen, they have a cause and often the cause is something we have done.

Keeping this in mind, we may find ourselves asking ... do you think I asked to have these bad things happen to me?  Well, that depends.  Some things are a part of nature like the cycle of life and death.  But maybe we should ask ourselves what are we attracting in our lives.  I believe that every thought, action and emotion we have puts out an energy into the universe and acts like a magnet to whatever we are focused on.  A very powerful concept.

But it is naive to think about wanting something and sitting back and waiting for it to happen.  Instead, it is about your frame of mind which will determine what actions you will take to change the outcome of the situation.  We all know that if you are in a defeated frame of mind you will not be in a position to take the right steps towards your ideal goal.  Remember, “we may not often see them but the roots of an idea go deep and start growing before we see the leaves”. 

So this all sounds great so whats the catch?  Well the biggest downfall of those trying to live by karma is they expect self-gain, instantly.  We give up too quickly.  In the western world, we are so blessed with unbelievable riches.  Most of us have a roof over our heads, plenty of food and modern technology at our fingertips.  Believe that keeping focused and having patience will bring rewards.  Start by being grateful for what you have ... seeds don’t sprout instantly ... and neither does karma.  

The essence of karma is taking responsibility for your own actions.  Everything has a consequence.  And the hardest part of all of this is not letting other’s bad actions effect you.  One way to combat this is to trust that karma is working for you and them in just the same way ... 

how people treat you is their karma, how you react is yours  ॐ  wayne dyer

" Don't Panic ... "

We live in a beautiful world 

Yeah we do, Yeah we do 

We live in a beautiful world 

Oh all that I know 

There's nothing here to run from 

Cause here

Everybody here's got somebody to lean on

~ ColdPlay ~ Don’t Panic ~ 

***

Calm down, don’t panic, here, take this, it will make you feel better ... sound familiar?  The number of people suffering from panic attacks has increased exponentially.  There are various medications available for dealing with these and many choose to take them, only to suffer from damaging side effects.  What people don’t realize is that the answer for the question on how to deal with panic attacks without medication lies within themselves.  

Those of us that have experienced these types of attacks can attest to the enormous fear and worry surrounding them.  They can come on for no apparent cause, making it difficult to understand the triggers.  And we engage our built-in mechanism to sheild ourselves in any dangerous situation ... the “fight or flight” effect.  You see, when our body senses danger of any kind, it engages in survival mode.  Our stress and anxiety levels increase producing chemical changes in our body.  Our body feels it is in a high risk situation ... resulting in symptoms we call panic attacks.  

One of the simpliest natural techniques is deep breathing.  So start by shifting from the location of the panic attack to a more comfortable place.  Next, sit calmly, close your eyes and concentrate on your breathing.  As this will increase your oxygen levels to your neural organs and assist in proper blood flow ... resulting in a tranquil and composed space.  Next try to meditate to re-focus your thinking.  The purpose is to bring inner peace within ourselves and the world around us by transforming our thoughts from negative to positive.  If we don't attend to dis ease the mind, we may find dis ease of the body. 

Practicing the above will place in a better position to not allow the panic attack to take you over.  To truly understand why you panic, you must know what triggers the episodes.  Remember, the answer lies within us.  Our mind has the power to overcome any situation and put us in control ... only if we want it.