THICKENING YOUR PRESENCE IN THE NOW
“There is a crack in everything. That’s where the light gets in”.
Leonard Cohen
THICKENING YOUR PRESENCE IN THE NOW
Change and uncertainty by their very nature are challenging. In our day to day life, we often find ourselves living through a lens focused and informed by past memories, experiences, regrets and joys, or through future projections, rather than the living, breathing present moment of Now.
Most of what makes us feel unwell in the modern world can be linked to stress. Living much of our day to day in these states either, past or future, exhausts our system. Neither of these states are actually happening, are rooted in the present and therefore can cause us to feel unwell, increase stress and impact our quality of life.
This state of being present is something we come across more and more through practices such as Yoga, mindfulness and meditation, with a collective intent to support and cultivate a deeper self awareness, activated through simple techniques that centre around breath work, movement and visualisation.
So how do we thicken our presence in the now? Practical tools for reducing stress and Living in our fullest potential
Just imagine for a moment feeling totally at ease.
Imagine being at ease, and at peace with what is, in your life, right now.
Can you think of a time you where free from concern or worry.
Where fear or anxiety did not hold power or directional force in your life?
Maybe this is difficult to imagine? Or you can’t remember a time you’ve felt like that. Well thats ok, just for a moment, use the power of your imagination and visualise this. Feeling at ease with what is, feeling unbound from restrictions of mindsets, anxieties or questioning that aid to thicken the hold of fear in the present moment.
Take a moment to watch your breath. Taking full, spacious and easeful breaths. Focus on the rise and fall of your belly.
If nothing is moving there, place a hand there and focus your attention to the belly expanding, on the inhale and softening on the exhale. Watch your breath, visualise it as your own unique and personal story unfolding. If thoughts pop into your head, its no worry, just keep coming back to the breath and let that be the loudest story, the brightest image, centred, nestled, amidst the hum of everything else, of the world around you. Rocking the Present
You just did it. You just centred yourself in the present. The simple act of consciously focusing on your breath will help anchor you, bring you into the present moment. Its that easy, yet as we are all too familiar with, often the easiest things can be the hardest to put into practice. Go gently, be kind to yourself and try to continue, without expectation or judgement. Start small and build with time, so even taking a minute to focus on your breathing when you first wake up, last thing before you go to bed, or at another moment in the. Creating a time to do it, will help to anchor it, into your daily life, it isn’t easy, it takes time and diligence. Some days will be hard, some easy, just like most things, it will ebb and flow.
“May our choices reflect our hopes and not our fears" Nelson Mandela
When we consciously focus on our breath, we impact and slow the rhythm of the heart, which calms the rhythm of the mind and changes the bio chemistry of the body. We increase parasympathetic tone, switching on the part of the nervous system that helps us to rest and digest. To calm the ‘doing’ mode, the fancy flights of the mind looping stories of what if, or what has been. The breath is the vehicle, the bridge and the currency to navigate our own system.
The act of drawing awareness to our breathing, is a powerful means and Utilise ways to manipulate the breath, provides a means to
In these challenging times, practices that promote and help us to focus on our breath, to become more aware of our body, our thoughts and our actions, in relation to others and our environment, are a vital liberatary tool for self and in fostering unity with others.
Choosing to include a mindfulness practice in your day, could help you to find a more present state and more peace in the now.
Want to continue to practice yoga together? Or new to it and want to give it a try? Check out my FREE online yoga Classes and Live Stream Classes in this post LIVESTREAM CLASSES - supporting wellbeing Random Acts of Kindness It has happened before and I see it happening now, the fragmentation that can create division, us and them, otherness. Yet in the wake of this pandemic, it has highlighted random acts of kindness, of community spirit and support. That in times of challenge, strengthens the collective threads of togetherness. Togetherness I am wholly committed to justice and the bedrock of these ancient practices in fostering liberation and unity for all. As a white, self employed mama of two, I hold space for all and am deeply committed to creating welcoming and safe space to those who have felt left out, or unwelcome within mainstream yoga spaces. Yoga is for all and Age, gender, race, economic status should never be a barrier. My intention is to share and hold somatic space for connection and transformation, while honouring the origins of these ancient practices respectfully, be that in-person or in virtual community.
Sharing in yoga, movement, breath and a whole lot of love, Im grateful to all those who are open to me and my offerings.
In depths of change and times of transition, and of chaos, there is a beautiful opportunity, to rewrite what was, to write something new, to lean into the unknown. In uncertain times, where both humans and the natural world face destructive trajectories, there can be beautiful awakening, where seeds of change that can take root and rise.
May all beings have access to mindfulness tools to support building awareness, calm and promoting unity within self and other. As a means to navigate the day to day more consciously, self regulate and Climb down from our attic, to feel the stability of our roots and loving respect for the earth.
Heres to More time in nature and shifting gears to a gentler, more May we continue to place wellbeing at the top of our priority Tree. To shift gears to a slower more compassionate pace. Where we celebrate resting well, and make time for resourceful reuse before conscious consumption. Love & light to all of you. Tess
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