I remember in my early 20's a friend sharing Louise Hay's book, You Can Heal Your Life.  I had never heard of the 'mind-body' connection that my friend spoke of, but she assured me that I should check it out.  I had been struggling with stomach issues since I was a young child.  I had been to a specialist as a child and that didn't seem to remedy anything.  I remember the doctor writing my parents a letter and in it he chalked my stomach aches up to being " too sensitive."

Fast forward into my 20's and my stomach was still somewhat of a challenge for me.  I'm now fairly certain that due to all of the amoxicillin I had as a child, my stomach bacteria was pretty much at level zilch!  Pair the physical nature of my stomach with my thoughts about myself and boom....things became a little clearer.  

Diving into Louise's book was very insightful as a young adult.  This book is chalked full of exercises and activities and then in the back of the book she has a list of problems, probable causes and a new thought pattern (affirmation).  As I flew through the alphabet in my head, I arrived at 'Stomach Problems.'  The probable cause was: Dread.  Fear of the new.  Inability to assimilate the new.  And the new thought was: Life agrees with me.  I assimilate the new every moment of every day.  All is well.  Holy shit!  I was surprised there wasn't a picture of me beside the condition.  

Her work impacted my life in large ways.  I have since passed this book out to many friends in the hopes that they would discover the mind-body connection in their own lives.  Her work is pioneering.  She didn't publish her first book until she was 50.  She survived a bout with cancer thanks to her little blue pamphlet that directly linked thought and disease.  And in 1987 she began Hay House Publishing.  Her publishing company has published authors such as Wayne Dyer, Marianne Williamson, Ester and Jerry Hicks, and the list of thought provoking thinkers goes on and on.  

Yesterday she transitioned out of her physical body at the age of 90.  This legend of light has offered such inspiration, healing, and insight into our innate ability to thrive in our lives.  She has awakened the world with her work.  Her legacy is profoundly inspiring and insightful.  It's never too late to share your gifts with the world.  It's also never too late to heal outdated beliefs in your body.  It's never too late to be everything you've ever wanted.  

She reminds her readers of some of her philosophies on life:
We are each responsible for all of our experiences.
Every thought we think is creating our future.
The point of power is always in the present moment.
It's only a thought, and a thought can be changed.

May we celebrate this woman's journey with much love and gratitude!  Cheers and keep climbing higher sweet Louise.  Thank you for blessing our lives.

May You Sweetly Seek:)
In gratitude, 
​Sarah 

The other day I picked up the new copy of Lion's Roar magazine.  The cover is plastered with invitations to cultivate compassion and to increase one's capacity to experience love.  As the magazine fell open, the title of the article was "5 Ways to Build Love."  I am always so grateful for the seemingly synchronistic moments of my life.  I was struggling with a particular relationship on this day, and I found myself falling down the rabbit hole of self judgment.  This is a relationship that I often struggle with.  I tend to judge my reactivity towards this individual.  Honestly as I look in the mirror I feel hurt, but instead of recognizing that this is a part of being human, I judge myself.  

Have you ever experienced this type of moment in your life where you do feel like you are suffering, but instead of cultivating compassion, you judge yourself for your feelings?  If yes, then keep reading to check out this really cool self compassion exercise by Kristin Neff:  

1. Put both hands on your heart, pause, and feel their warmth.  You can also put your hand any place on your body that feels soothing and comforting, like your belly or face.

2. Breathe deeply in and out.

3. Speak thee words to yourself, out loud or silently, in a warm and caring tone: 
This is a moment of suffering.
Suffering is a part of life.
May I be kind to myself in this moment.
May I give myself the compassion I need.

The first phrase, This is a moment of suffering, is designed to bring mindfulness to the fact that you're in pain.  Other possible wordings are I'm having a really tough time right now, This hurts, or anything that describes the suffering you are experiencing.  

The second phrase, Suffering is a part of life, reminds you that imperfection is part of the shared human experience.  Other possible wordings are Everyone feels this way sometimes, This is part of being human, etc.

The third phrase, May I be kind to myself in this moment, helps bring a sense of caring concern to your present-nonet experience.  Other possible wordings are May I love and support myself right now, May I accept myself as I am, etc.

The final phrase, May I give myself the compassion I need, firmly sets your intention to be self-compassionate.  You might use other words such as May I remember that I am worthy of compassion, May I give myself the same compassion I would give a good friend, etc.

Find the wordings for these four phrases that are the most comfortable for you and memorize them.  Then, the next time you judge yourself or have a difficult experience, you can use these phrases as a way of reminding yourself to be self-compassionate.  This practice is a handy tool to soothe and calm troubled states of mind. 

Happy Monday beautiful hearts!  The other day I was listening to Oprah's Super Soul podcast with Alanis Morissette and they were chatting about our world's search for contentment. To be content is sometimes synonymous with being appeased, comfortable, gratified, and satisfied.  As Alanis was sharing her journey she spoke of a month long trip to India in which she shared that she caught 'a glimpse of bliss.  And for a month it was abiding.'  

While on this pilgrimage, she hiked up into the Himalayans in a very ritualized way.  She shared that she would take four days to go up and while she was hiking, she would observe certain internal exercises.  One exercise that really stood out was she would "Try not to talk about the future or anyone else for a day."  She shared that this really helped to keep her in the present moment.  She didn't feel disconnected or separate.

I just love this notion and am trying to incorporate it into a practice for myself.  It's so easy to dash after our dreams 'out there' that we miss the 'right here.'  We are beginning a new week, a fresh start. Each moment so preciously bestowed to us.  Imagine how much gratitude you can add to your 'cosmic savings account' by being in this moment, and then the next?  What if you invite yourself into this space and watch your feelings of gratitude and contentment increase?  

Lets remind one another to be here in our bodies, in our lives, in the messy and sometimes rollercoaster ride of life. After all, this moment is where bliss resides.

May You Sweetly Seek:)
In Gratitude, 
​Sarah 

“Therefore, dear Sir, love your solitude and try to sing out with the pain it causes you. For those who are near you are far away... and this shows that the space around you is beginning to grow vast.... be happy about your growth, in which of course you can't take anyone with you, and be gentle with those who stay behind; be confident and calm in front of them and don't torment them with your doubts and don't frighten them with your faith or joy, which they wouldn't be able to comprehend. Seek out some simple and true feeling of what you have in common with them, which doesn't necessarily have to alter when you yourself change again and again; when you see them, love life in a form that is not your own and be indulgent toward those who are growing old, who are afraid of the aloneness that you trust.... and don't expect any understanding; but believe in a love that is being stored up for you like an inheritance, and have faith that in this love there is a strength and a blessing so large that you can travel as far as you wish without having to step outside it.” 
― Rainer Maria Rilke, Letters to a Young Poet

Happy Thursday beautiful hearts!  It was a gorgeous summer day and I decided to take a walk.  I pulled out my headphones and downloaded the newest podcast by Tara Brach on Resiliency.  I laced up my shoes and walked out into the warmth of the summer day.  The podcast kept me company as Tara encouraged her listeners to move through life with an open heart.  She modeled her own story of walking along the waters edge in the morning giving thanks and creating a space of mindfulness for her day.  On this particular day, she walked smack dab into a spider web and felt all of her practice head out the window.  I love how honestly she shares that mindfulness truly is practice!  Something that we cultivate moment by moment!

My walk was very uneventful until I hit the last leg of the journey.  I was coming down the home stretch as I spied a cute little weiner dog out meandering around his yard.  I smiled at him as I started to walk by and then out of nowhere he flashed his teeth at me and took off at a gazelle like pace for my ankles.  All of the mindfulness and openheartedness I had been creating on my walk went out the window as I screeched out, "OH SHIT!"  Anyone that knows me, knows that I am not a runner, I much prefer walking.  But after his speed picked up, I realized I needed to pick mine up too!  I tried to channel my inner sprinter as I sped up a hill.  

Thankfully I heard his owner yell for him and then in the next breath she called out, "I'm so sorry!"  I couldn't help but start chuckling after I knew the coast was clear!  If anyone had been watching out their windows, they would have quite a chuckle.  I had to laugh at myself as well.  For the last 45 minutes I had been cultivating an intense gratitude and open heart practice, and in a matter of moments, I belted out an "Oh shit"  and felt like I had to start over from square one.  I felt my heart close as I tried to figure out a way to stay safe.

I'm not saying I'd like to repeat the experience, but it really got my attention.  There are lots of 'OH SHIT' moments in our lives, and I don't think the point is to eliminate them.  Do you?  Maybe the richer notion is that we get to choose how we react when they do happen, because best I can tell they keep happening.  It's not a matter of judging ourselves, but a way of watching our reactions to those moments that pull us off course.   

​It seems that our world really needs a sense of open heartedness from its inhabitants.  We're bound to have 'Oh Shit' moments, and then we're bound to open our hearts.  And then it seems like it just goes on repeat after that.

May You Sweetly Seek:)
In Gratitude, 
Sarah 

"I want you to stop.  Stop running after those things that aren't meant for you.  Now go and find all those things that are waiting for you.  And then you will find your soul breathing again, in ways that you never dreamed possible."
~Darla Evans

Happy Wednesday beautiful hearts!  I was talking with a friend yesterday and she was sharing what a blur her life is right now.  She's in the latter part of her career, but she still has a drive to accomplish so much before she 'hangs up the towel.'  

As we were walking out of the building together she looked at me and said, "I have so much to do, I don't have any time to take care of myself.  I don't know why I think this way.  I know I would be fine if it all stopped today, but I just need to accomplish more."  She smiled sheepishly and then dashed off to her car.  

Her words stuck with me.  How often do we run after things that aren't meant for us.  We outgrow relationships.  We chase people that no longer want to be in our lives.  We abandon ourselves in the pursuit of this primal pursuit.  But what are we running after? In the hustle and bustle of living, if we have lost the ability to care for ourselves, perhaps we are missing the deeper purpose?  

Take a deep breath and allow the energy of aliveness to fill your body.  Is what you are running after running after you?  Let fall away what you can so that you can resurface with an even deeper sense of who you are and whats truly meant for you.

May You Sweetly Seek:)
In Gratitude, 
Sarah 

“Curving back within myself I create again and again.” 
―  The Bhagavad Gita

As I walked into the Yoga room, I could feel a rustling within my heart but for once, I didn't have words for it.  It felt like a wave rushing out to sea, eager and fierce.  I walked in and found my space in the back corner.  As I unrolled my mat I felt a sense of gratitude for this practice that stirs up the questions and then offers such profound answers.  

As Shannon walked in, I could feel that her offerings would bless my heart in huge ways.  She perched herself in lotus pose and began to speak about the power of this time.  She is trained in Jivamukti Yoga and always has the most insightful teachings from her teachers.  

"Now is not a time to busy yourself with the senses.  It is not the time to be looking outward at what everyone else is doing.  Don't let your eyes be fooled or your heart be tantalized by the pulse of the external world.  Now is a time to go inward."  

I found myself sitting there nodding my head in agreement.  I took a breath and sipped in even more of her sweet words.  Each thoughtful sentence felt like an invitation into the spiral of my heart.  

"My dear friends, this is a time to turn inwards.  Instead of rushing home to view the eclipse, I am going home and drawing my shades so that I can chant and use this auspicious energy to turn within.  I want to know myself in an even deeper way.  We have all experienced to some extent the intensity of this eclipse, and just as Thich Nhat Hahn says, 'No mud, no lotus.'  The lotus needs the muck to grow through, there is no other way.  The eclipse offers us the darkness so that we might be more able to appreciate the light.  The light is within you."

I let out an audible sigh...'The light truly is within us.'  I softly smiled as I thought of the lotus.  A beautiful and delicate flower emerging from the depths of the muck...so fragile, yet so profoundly strong.  It seems our lives are like that of the lotus...diving deep into the muck sometimes, and then emerging intact.  

Maybe it's not about looking at others lives, but truly diving deep into the waters of our own life.  How can we translate our suffering and joy if we haven't the courage to look them in the face?  Each a friend of the other, and each along for the ride taking turns in the drivers seat.  

I closed my eyes and began my practice...going in and in...
This practice is my life.  Always a deeper inquiry than what meets the eye; even if it is a solar eclipse.  

May You Sweetly Seek:)
In Gratitude, 
​Sarah 

Happy Monday friends and Happy Eclipse!  I love connecting with friends as I find they always offer amazing new resources.  One such resource is from the Tao of Dana.  She is an amazing Feng Shui artist who helps you create and uncover magic in all areas of your life.  In her Aug 16, 2017 post, How Ready Are You To Receive What You Want" she invites her readers to notice how we can block ourselves in various areas of our lives.  

Here's an excerpt from her blog post.

"Love. Money. Acknowledgement. A new job. A new responsibility.  A new anything…

We all have things we want… and sometimes, strangely, we block them energetically or actually in physical space not because we don’t want them but because it might feel too different to have a change. It might feel strange.  There might not be physical room for it. It might be a vast unknown to know what to do with it, or… what if you get it and then it’s gone?

I can tell you for years I wanted certain things and I never realized how un-ready I was to receive them.

I had no space in my mind, space in my home or space in my heart for more.

Clearing space was the first step to making so much magic happen… and today’s feng shui is all about that readiness to receive everything you want that’s been evading you!!!...."

​Click here to read the entire article.

May You Sweetly Seek:)
In Gratitude, 
​Sarah 

"Love is a feeling and it’s what we yearn for, but looking deeper, it’s a capacity within us to care and to want others and ourselves to be free from suffering. We want to have a sense of belonging that’s rightful no matter who we are, and that is an ability within us. If we think of it as a warm fuzzy feeling then it’s in the hands of someone else. I describe it as being beholden to person holding a package on our doorstep who then changes their mind. They’ve gone somewhere else and then there’s no love in our lives. That’s the way we usually think about it. But if we see love as a capacity within ourselves to connect, then people can enliven it, enrich it or threaten it but no one is giving it to us. Or taking it away."
~Sharon Salzberg