Ommmmmm............

Since my last blog post (which I spoke of the first three chakras: Root Chakra, Spleen Chakra, and Solar Plexus Chakra), I've moved up the spinal column to study the last four of the remaining chakras. Each day I've focused on a different one, and while I haven't really been putting any of the suggested stimulants into practice, finding out information about each chakra has made me think about the things in my life that are out of balance, and how I can work on correcting this (hey, can't we all?).

The Heart Chakra is green and located in the centre of your chest. It channels our emotional energy. Looking at relationships, a balanced heart chakra contains love, forgiveness, compassion, the ability to have self-control and acceptance of oneself. To stimulate this chakra, suggestions include nature walks, time spent with family and friends, and surrounding yourself with plants. I'm going to test this one today, as I retreat to the basement to forget about the snow and re-pot some house plants.

The blue Throat Chakra represents our communication energy. This chakra is in balance as represented by the ability to express your beliefs, to be trustful, loyal, and to exhibit organization and planning. Stimulants include singing, poetry, having meaningful conversations, or listening to music that contains echoes or sounds of ocean waves. If I reflect on this chakra, I think for me personally, this chakra gets stronger and stronger as I get older. I guess it makes sense that as we age we trust ourselves more and are increasingly confident in expressing ourselves. I wonder what Oprah's Throat Chakra looks like...

The Brow, or Third-Eye, Chakra is located in the forehead, right between the eyes. It pertains to trusting one's intuition and insights and the ability to release fear and anxiety. Stimulants include star gazing, meditating, and rolling your eyes (I actually tried the eye rolling yesterday, and it made me feel like I was possessed! I wouldn't do that one in the company of others, as it is apt to scare them). 

Oooh, this is a big important chakra - the violet Crown Chakra. It is the last of the 7 chakras and sits on the top of your head (some suggest it sits about an inch above your head). This chakra represents our inspiration and spiritual energy. It is aligned if we are willing to learn about our spirituality and trust the universe. It pertains to our concept of "God". Focusing on dreams and writing down your visions will stimulate this chakra. I find that thinking of yourself as part of a bigger universe really puts things into perspective and helps you let go of things that you can't control.

The information I've shared about the chakras is really very rudimentary...there is so much more to express. I look forward to broadening my knowledge of the 7 chakras even further in the coming months.

I hope you enjoy this musical meditation about the chakras:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLB8AurZLEY&feature=related

Unblocka your Chakras

Chakra Week has been very interesting thus far. I told my mom about this Experiment, and her reaction was pretty much a cynical "Oh yeah". But I think the concept is cool and I am very interested to learn more.

Since there are 7 chakras, I am spending each day this week exploring a different one (you'll remember from my last blog post that chakras are energy sources contained in the body).

On Sunday my task was to explore my Root (or Base) Chakra. The colour associated with this chakra is red and it is located at the base of your spine. If you feel fatigue or depression, chances are your root chakra is out of balance. Luckily there are some stimulants that can help to charge up this chakra and exercise is strongly advocated. Other stimulants include eating red foods and drinks, using aromatherapy oils, and listening to music that incorporates heavy drum beats. Cool. I drank some red pomegranate juice, lit a red candle, and tried to get in a bit of physical activity. I have to say, I felt better. This seems to be a very important chakra, as it is described as "your main power station and it is connected to your physical vitality and endurance, mental perseverance and it is the centre that gives you your life's passion" (http://www.chakraenergy.com/). Sounds pretty key to me!

Monday was spent focusing on my Spleen Chakra. It is associated with the colour orange and is located about four inches below your belly button. This chakra connects you with your feelings and is linked to your enthusiasm, happiness and joy. It also helps you to live in the "now". If you feel disconnected or are often sick, yup, you guessed it - your spleen chakra is out of whack. Also, if you have, um, sexual issues, it's best to take a look at this one.

Stimulants include hot baths, massage, embracing sensation (trying different foods), and listening to music that 'flows'. I put on some Enya and tried to get in touch with my feelings. I discovered that Enya is good for that kind of thing.

Today I concentrated on my Solar Plexus Chakra. It's yellow and located above your belly button. This chakra is all about your mental awareness and is the centre that governs your ability to learn. It also governs your ego and emits optimism and confidence. If you lack confidence or focus, time to take a look at this one. Stimulants include reading, sunshine, and detoxification programs. I spent a short time reading today, and I tried to make a yellow smoothie, although - even though it had pineapple in it - turned out more orange than yellow.

I feel a bit like I am Speed Chakra-ing and one day doesn't seem like near enough time to dedicate to each chakra. Each one is so intriguing, and I feel like I am only scratching the surface. But this week will give me a good overall understanding of each one, and then I can go back and spend more time on exploring the 7 chakras further.

If you're interested in celebrating the chakras, there are lots of great chakra meditations on YouTube, as well as funky chakra music. Check it out!

Week 8: Explore my Chakras

I was introduced to the idea of chakras about 4 years ago when I first started meeting with a life coach (that's another blog post altogether). I went to her seeking balance in my life. In one of our initial meetings, she spoke of chakras, and then asked me to close my eyes as she gently beat on her Tibetan gong. Sitting there wondering what I had gotten myself into, part of me was ready to bolt out the door and the other part was fascinated by the idea of this energy system known as chakras.

Since then my life coach has used more conventional communication practices in our work together, and I have opened up to the possibility that perhaps some of her "airy fairy" ways (as she likes to call it) have some real value behind them.

I really only have a very basic understanding of the chakras, so it made sense for me to dedicate one of my weeks of experimentation to its exploration.

So what are chakras?



Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning 'wheel'. It is believed that humans have seven main chakra centres - each of these seven chakras operates as a spinning wheel, sucking in the energy contained within our environment. Kind of like how the jet engine of a Boeing 747 sucks in clean, fresh air that helps to elevate the plane up and into the clouds...or like how that same engine can suck in a Canada goose, which can cause the plane to plummet into the ocean. It works the same for our bodies...good or bad, the things in our environment are being absorbed by our chakras.

The seven main chakra centers are aligned along the spinal column. When one chakra is out of sync it affects all the rest, possibly blocking your body's energy flow, or chi. If this happens it is usually felt on a mental, emotional or physical level.

 

"In reality little is known and understood about the human psyche and its intricate systems. However, medical science has proven that toxins and other impurities, which include negative thoughts, chemical enhancements in our food and other poor environmental factors, influence our body. Constant forms of “pollution” can cause chakra imbalances to manifest, which may eventually affect us on a physical level. So understanding the chakra system is more about how you can help improve your own state of health and all levels of your being." (www.chakraenergy.com)

I find this concept really fascinating, and because I am a visual person, I like how each chakra is associated with a colour and shape. I'm definitely not an expert on this topic, but I hope the information I share over this next week will be of interest to all of you as well.

Here's a further explanation of how the chakras work: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaPy6fzPQaw

Because nice matters.



So the week wrapped up with a few small Random Acts of Kindness, and I did indeed follow up on my promise to reject my road rage and be a more conscious driver...at least for a day. That day was yesterday, which worked out well since I had to drive to Charlottetown and back.

When you are being a kinder, gentler driver, it makes your whole state of being more relaxed. I gave people their space instead of tailgating, when traffic was at a standstill I left a space so people in the opposing lane could turn left, and I let other people have the premium parking space. I felt better for it, like I had a little invisible halo above my head.

I also took some leftover PEI postcards and trading pins to the library, leaving them on the free magazine table. Someone I knew came along and were delighted to find this material, perfect to take along on their upcoming trip West.

I also tipped well this week, paid more compliments, and said thank you more often. I realized that I am already a pretty thoughtful person who is kind to others on a regular basis. However, I wish I had made a more concentrated effort on planning my RAKs instead of having them develop sporadically. I think I would have paid more attention to the effects my acts had on people. I would have also shared with RAK recipients that they had been 'targeted' - I think this would have helped with the 'pay it forward' part of things.

So I think I'll have to revisit this experiment again to give it a bit more 'omph'. Be kind to each other.

That light ain't gettin' any greener!

I have a bad habit that I am going to address tomorrow as part of Random Acts of Kindness Week. It's Road Rage. I know, how could someone as nice and funny and laid-back (?) as me, have road rage?  Ask my friend Mary, who I tailgated to work a few months ago. As I was wondering, "Why are those people going so sloooow?" Mary and her daughter were asking, "Who is that woman riding our bumper?". I believe it was at the very same moment - when Mary's daughter looked in her rear view mirror, and I peered into their back window - that our questions were answered. I immediately backed off in hopes that they hadn't seen that I was their tailgater. Too late.

There's something so frustrating to me about people who are driving too slow (ok, so I'll add the 'in my opinion' part). This is compounded by the fact that I am usually running late to wherever my destination may be, so inevitably I am trying to make up time, and wind up behind Grandma out for a country drive. But when roles reverse and I find someone riding MY bumper, I do what any reasonable person would do - I slooooow dooooown just to annoy the person.

So tomorrow, in an attempt to honour this week of RAK, I will not only succeed at being a conscious driver, but I will be courteous in the process. Want to cross the crosswalk? Be my guest. Having a hard time turning left onto Water Street after picking up your Timmies at the drive through? By all means, go ahead. Not comfortable driving beyond 25 km's per hour? Well, life is busy...let's all take a moment to slow down and enjoy the scenery.

It shall be interesting...I will report back soon.

Week 7: Perform Random Acts of Kindness

I'm leading with a snail's pace for my "Random Acts of Kindness" week. Yesterday I planned on bringing homemade brownies to a meeting that ended up being cancelled. Today I meant to drop those same brownies off to a senior's organization, but I forgot to take them with me. Even though I'm off to a slow start, I found RAK's all around me today.

When I went to teach my aquafit class at the pool tonight, a box of oranges sat on the counter, a gift from a pool customer for the staff - so nice! On my way out of the building there was a display for East Prince Family Violence Prevention - turns out they are also celebrating Random Acts of Kindness Week and were passing out lists of ideas for doling out compassion. Here were a few ideas from the list:

Eat lunch with someone new.
Listen with your heart.
Clean a neighbour's walk.
Offer a Hug.
Give an unexpected gift.
Say "hello" (doesn't this one make you think about how many times we don't say a simple hello?)
Open a door.
Thank a teacher.
Give blood.
Leave a thank you note.
Be tolerant.
Let another go first.
Give a compliment.
Offer a ride.
Forgive mistakes.
Drive courteously.
Share a smile.

More ideas can be found at http://www.actsofkindness.org/

:-)

Facebook Frenzy

So my sabbatical from Facebook is over, and this little drought didn't hurt me a bit. I logged on earlier tonight and you'd think after a week of Facebook abstinence I would be unable to control my cravings for updates from my friends and invitations to events. Honestly, after a few minutes online I was feeling kind of 'meh' about the whole thing.

This hiatus made me realize I need to pay more attention to what is happening in reality, rather than making what's happening online my reality. Cue birds singing, music playing and friendly waves to neighbours.

I'm feeling confident I'll be able to participate in Facebook in a more healthy way from now on. My plan is to log on once in the morning, once in the afternoon and once in the evening. This might sound like a lot to some, but compared to my previous practices, this plan will work well for me. I'll still feel like I'm informed, but won't be handcuffed to Facebook all day long.

I'm definitely surprised how this week went. My new found indifference toward Facebook is unexpected. I'm happy to say that you'll be seeing less of me on Facebook and perhaps more of me out and about in the real world. See you out there!

Did you know that according to Facebook...

There are more than 500 million active users

50% of our active users log on to Facebook in any given day

Average user has 130 friends

People spend over 700 billion minutes per month on Facebook (I think I may be responsible for skewing this statistic).

I like my current status.

I am well into my Facebook-free week, and it's actually been refreshing to break away. In the past, Facebook for me has felt like how an ankle tracking device must feel to Lindsay Lohan - always a constant reminder that you are bound by your addictions. Ok, that's a bit dramatic. But all the same, it's nice this week that Facebook is not constantly running in the background. I feel a bit more aware of things going on around me, and I have a noticeable boost in productivity.

Here are some strange but funny status that I came across:

Name….

says, "This too shall pass gas."

thinks nothing is better than pooing at work...you're getting paid to poo!

tastes purple.

is boxing in the Smart Car parked in his spot. Not so smart now are you!? Mr. Smarty smart car!

typing feverishly on his Blackberry pretending to do work but really updating his Facebook status.

being recalled by Fisher Price because he may contain traces of led paint.

inviting you to play with his touchscreen.

http://facebookstatus.blogspot.com/search/label/strange

Polar Bears are good lisiners.

That would have been my Facebook status tonight. I attended a meeting at an elementary school earlier this evening and this line was written next to a drawing of a polar bear hanging from a bulletin board. Cute.

But I'm not on Facebook...for the whole. entire. week. Withdrawal has not been too terribly intense, thank goodness. I did find myself searching to be entertained on YouTube immediately following my dramatic departure from Facebook a couple of days ago. Yup, a little fish out of water going on there for sure. I mean, Facebook is set to my homepage for heaven's sake. This is a big adjustment.

A little video for your viewing pleasure...

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7RrHXNyONc

Week 6: Give up Facebook (sniff, sniff)



I'm on Facebook a lot. It's integrated into my daily life. Granted, I don't just use it for personal nosiness (although I do use it plenty for that). I use it for my business, my work, my volunteer work, and to communicate with friends, family and colleagues. But the extent to which I use it is not healthy.

Since I work at home and spend a great deal of time on my computer, it's pretty normal for me to have Facebook running in the background. And to my detriment, I have the kind of personality where I'm always looking for quick satisfaction - whether that's in food or in Facebook, it's how I satisfy my urge for happiness.

When I have housework I'm not feeling particularly motivated to carry out, or if I encounter a roadblock in a business project that's going to take some time and energy to work through, I take a Facebook break / eat some chocolate. It's temporary relief, but it never solves the issue. Quite frankly, it's seriously interfering with my ability to be a productive member of society. My time could (and should) be better spent.

Don't read me the wrong way - I am not anti-Facebook. It serves a great purpose - I love how it keeps me connected with old, new and emerging friends. I have a strong desire for 'sense of belonging'. It's why I love to travel - it makes me feel like I am part of the world's people. I enjoy being part of a team that works together to bring mutual goals to reality. I am overly enthusiastic about being Canadian and how we proudly come together to celebrate our Canadianism. I am a devoted child of nature. And I like feeling like I am part of an energetic online community via my Facebook profile, statuses and updates.

It's time for a break though. Earlier this morning I fervently posted last minute profile updates and am ready to swear off of Facebook for the next 7 days. Sigh. As much as I'll miss it, I'm really interested to find out just how drastically my productivity levels will be affected without the distraction. I actually feel a little relieved to break free for a short period. Farewell Facebook Family, I'll see you in a week.

Faux Snow - Childhood Amusement Continues...

When was the last time you made a paper snowflake? For me, it was this afternoon. Do you remember the first one you ever made? Where you take your scissors, make a few basic snips, and then - with complete wonder and amazement - unfold it to find it has indeed taken the shape of heaven's frosty precipitation. You immediately grab your scissors to start on your second creation, getting all fancy with your cuts (maybe pulling out the hold punch) and then you've got one sophisticated snowflake on your hands. Complete Exhilaration.

I think I may go out on my front lawn tomorrow and make a snow angel.

Look Ma! I did it!

So it's Week 5: Do Activities from Childhood. Today I made this paper garland. I think it looks great! Why did we ever stop making these as decor items for our homes?

February: 4 More Experiments...

I'm off to a bit of a slow start in defining my experiments for February, but finally - here they are...


Week 5: Do activities from childhood

Week 6: Give up Facebook (AAAACKKK!!!)

Week 7: Perform Random Acts of Kindness

Week 8: Explore my Chakras


Time to get to-it!