Life lived off Facebook and Social Media
Taking a break from social media this month has been liberating and I haven’t missed it one bit. I never really got into twitter, and Katie deleted the Beinspired Instagram account for me a few weeks ago now as I was never really into that either. Facebook was the only platform I was using regularly, although it was becoming increasingly uncomfortable for me to do so.
I was late joining Facebook, I had some resistance even back then, I recall my fellow travellers in Nepal back in 2007 dashing off to Internet Cafes at every available opportunity to upload photos to share with friends back home, to brag really, about our trip into the Himalayas. They would spend a fortune and be gone for ages, as the internet was always so slow, and I never really understood the appeal, I was happier going to yoga classes!
I eventually joined up, I don’t remember when, to establish a Beinspired group as much as anything else. It wasn’t so much about being a marketing tool back then, it was just literally to share information and updates on classes with students who were already attending class. In fact the group was private so you had to ask to join it. Then when Steph started helping me out, being much more of a whizz on all things IT and social media, we started using Facebook as a way to share the Beinspired offerings, the videos and audios, the blogs and later the books.
I admit I did get caught up in it and the whole idea of becoming ‘something’. We did what we could to increase the number of people who ‘followed’ and ‘liked’ the page and we shared some content on that basis alone, not necessarily because it was something that needed sharing, or was interesting, but because to ‘work’ Facebook, you need to keep posting. It started to feel desperately uncomfortable for me and I took a break from Facebook during 2019, deleting my own personal account in the process.
But then I was told by Hay House, who describe themselves as a “mind-body-spirit and transformational enterprise”, that if I hoped to ever have a book published by them (or any publishing house for that matter), then it wasn’t so much about the content I was publishing, but about the number of followers I might have on the various social media sites, and the number of people on my distribution list. This was a sad day, when I realised that even a spiritually-orientated organisation was beholden to social media alone and was actively encouraging people onto it.
So I ranted and then I went back onto Facebook and ‘befriended’ everyone I knew, because it seemed that that was the only way. As for Beinspired, I begrudgingly continued with regular posting and the sharing and boosting of events, because everyone told me that that is the way you share and let people know about what is going on, especially here on Guernsey where we have such a small community. But still it didn’t feel right.
Lockdown came and I found myself on Facebook for hours each day, not only using it as a way of sharing yoga through free Facebook Live yoga classes, doing what I felt I could to ease the shock of lockdown both for myself and others, but also engaging with others as we all tried to make sense of what was happening to the lives we had known. Within a few weeks I was feeling drained and I had grown increasingly weary of the increasing time spent on Facebook, and all the fear and anxiety, and information/sharing overload that I was receiving from this platform.
However I still kept buying into it, and literally too, by paying to ‘boost’ classes, which is crazy when I think about it, because the classes were free, so what was that all about; well I know what it was about, I was trying to help people by making them aware yoga was there, and free and available to them. But actually, I was also caught up in the whole idea that of Facebook being a potential marketing too, and this someone who claims she is not running a business! Oh the irony and our own lack of clarity!
The funny thing is, is that during this time, I sought advice about social media from a social media expert, and how I might make it work for me, still buying into this idea that when I publish more books, I need to be more present on social media to spread the word. The lady with whom I chatted was lovely, and full of ideas, but it just made me feel sad to think that I would need to spend so much of my time on social media to make it work for me, and even then, there was no guarantee.
It was then I caught myself and realised that Facebook especially was making me feel trapped and powerless, as if this might be the only way. I questioned what it was I was trying to achieve and what it was all about really. I have always felt uncomfortable buying into the whole ‘running a small business thing’ and yet I realised that whether I was comfortable with it or not, I sort of was buying into it, because if I ever mentioned to anyone that I might leave Facebook, people would always say, “but you can’t, because you are running all business”, so on it I would stay through fear of somehow losing out if I did delete my account.
Thus at the end of April I started questioning what it was then that I was losing out on and thought I’d give it a break, during May, so it might become clearer. The first week or so was interesting, because I did go through a period of grieving, of letting go, and of having to look very honestly at myself and see what it was I felt I was letting go of. In there was the loss of identity, of being ‘followed’ and also of validation, of having my offerings ‘liked’.
I noticed too this fear about people not knowing what I was offering and therefore not attending retreats and events and classes. I recognised how much my sense of worth was still tied up in this! That was a difficult one to stomach, quite literally too, and my solar plexus made itself very known to me both mentally, emotionally and physically, with a little dark night of the soul that followed this, as I questioned my worth and love for self…all this for questioning my use of Facebook, arghhh!
It’s been a bit of healing journey actually, asking me to dig deep. I’ve undertaken some research about Facebook too, the controversies, the law suits, the issues around privacy, political manipulation, ethnic cleansing, the falsehoods, psychological impact and conspiracy theorists, let alone Mark Z’s power to manipulate the world, and it does concern me that on some level, every time I go into Facebook I am feeding into this, all the darkness and underworld that is supported by Facebook and that I am - on some level - impacted by this.
I could argue that the more light we bring to Facebook, those of us trying to bring more light into the world, could counter all the darkness and negativity, but I am not so sure. I feel it energetically; every time I go on there, it feels as if I am entering another world, one where I can easily lose hours of my life if I am not careful, one where I can literally zone out, one where I am sometimes affected emotionally and psychologically. It’s just yet another way to waste time, and especially as it brings with it two more ways of people messaging me as if email, text and WhatsApp was not enough!
I don’t know that it is really as bad as I feel it is, or that I need to be taking it quite so seriously - E is growing weary of discussing the subject, he’s never liked Facebook, has always been wary of Mark Z (and I have always defended Mark Z until I started reading more…) and will be keen when I get off the platform once and for all - but I still feel as if I need to justify the reason that I feel the way I do!
Yet it is difficult, because ultimately it comes down to a feeling. There’s just something telling me that it is not the sacred way, and the path for me come what may. This is what lockdown has taught me and I shall be forever grateful for this. I always felt that 2020 was about embracing more of the sacred, that 2019 was orientating us in that direction, and I certainly began this year keen to explore more of the sacred so perhaps this is the reason that I feel this way and that others feel this way too, as I am aware that others who are more spiritually-orientated are leaving Facebook…and yet a lot stay!
There’s another reason, and I touched on it earlier, I like my life less complicated, less rushed, less pressured; simpler. Facebook brings with it yet another thing to do, yet another thing trying to speed up my life, yet another way for me to have to answer communications from other people. Don’t get me wrong, I like communicating, but I don’t feel that I need so many forms of it, emailing, maintaining the website and sending emails is quite enough for me. If people are meant to find me they will find me, just as if I want to find you I will find you; that’s how spirit works when the connection is needed for some greater good, not just for superficial purposes.
Furthermore, I don’t want you coming on Facebook just for me. Not that you would, as you are probably on thief anyway. But I know some students aren’t and I was trying to encourage them onto it at the beginning of lockdown, simply because my life seemed to be lived on Facebook and I was keen that they were able to access the free yoga content through the live yoga classes, but I shouldn’t have done this really. I don’t want everyone living heads down on phones, on social media (anti-social media), distracted from children and knowing that I’m part of that distraction.
Just as I don’t want to be distracted from my children by getting caught up in ‘conversations’ that have ensnared me in some way and which I feel I need to comment on or involve myself in, again wasting my energy. I don’t need to know. At least if I do need to know then I will find out somehow. I love that I have far more time with my children lived off my phone and that I don’t get so frustrated when they interrupt me when I think I’m doing something more worthy like posting about a class or something. Nonsense! They have always, and will always be more important than that!
So, for now anyway, I have made a conscious decision that I am going to continue a life lived off social media and see how that unfolds. Maybe I’ll change my mind, I’m frequently doing that as I try to navigate the path with heart and deepen my connection to the Goddess, but let’s see how she flows with this, and how source supports this and where it takes Beinspired next.
I’m excited really, about stepping into the unknown, of not really knowing, and embracing the fear that comes with this. As my yoga teacher, Louise, said, “We tend to think of decisions as answers and we need to “get it right”, don’t we? It will take you all somewhere ... “.
Keep checking the website, and if you haven’t signed up, then sign up for the mailing list as we send a note out weekly to provide updates. Email me if you like at emma@beinspiredby.co.uk and I will pop you on the list!
Love Emma x
Sahasrara - The Crown Chakra
Sahasrara, like Ajna, is beyond the considerations of the body. It opens when all the other chakras are in balance. It is located in the brain and is described in yogic texts as having a thousand and one petals. It is also in the area of the pineal gland, which produces and regulates some hormones including melatonin.
This chakra represents knowing your true path and living your life accordingly. It is far removed from the root chakra’s will to survive. Some people describe the opening of the crown chakra as a surrender to divine will, or being as one with the universe. The ego withers and is replaced by a universal consciousness.
The crown chakra sees life entirely from a spiritual perspective. When it is closed or there is a block, there is a refusal to engage in, or even believe in, the spiritual. This complete denial can often lead to arrogance and materialism.
Because the crown chakra gives life meaning, your life generally takes a completely new direction when it is open, and that direction comes from having a (re)new sense of purpose: the purpose of life and of your soul. By honouring your true self, you love and honour the rest of creation.
By opening yourself up to the spirit of creation, you learn your true purpose, you receive guidance on your spiritual path and you are able to recognise soul mates. Often you see the world through new eyes, viewing it with a sense of wonder that you last knew when you were a child.
You begin to understand that life is glorious just the way it is, that everybody is where they are at right now because – consciously or unconsciously – they chose to be there, in that very place, in that very position. Everything is perfect – it can’t be any other way.
This chakra sees through the delusions of the ego and views them and the rest of life with a certain detachment. It creates an inner calm that often draws others to you. With peaceful serenity others will be drawn to you in the midst of their own struggles and from this vantage point you may well be able to see the bigger picture for them and be able to support and guide them without getting emotionally involved.
You are deeply connected to the divine and you know that this is what physical life is all about, the cut and thrust, there are no accidents, if people wanted to lead different lives then they would be leading them, everyone is free to choose, only most people don’t know it. Whether we recognize it or not, we all yearn for oneness with the divine and, through the crown chakra, we may sometimes make that ultimate connection.
An imbalance in the crown chakra can result in depression, migraine-type headaches, the inability to learn, sensitivity to light, sound and the environment, and extreme fatigue. Emotionally, you might have issues with self-knowledge and greater power, experience constant confusion, carry prejudices, have a fear of alienation, suffer with insomnia and have rigid thoughts on religion and spirituality.
There are various things you can do to connect more fully with this centre
· Wear white;
· Bring white flowers into your life;
· Hold/wear clear quartz;
· Pray;
· Listen to devotional music;
· Chant devotional mantra;
· Transcendental meditation;
· Yoga (headstand is said to assist);
· Ayurveda;
· Conscious breathing;
· Being in a spiritual environment like an ashram;
· Visiting dolmens and standing stones;
· Burning incense such as Nag Champa;
· Burning sage.
Colour: Violet
Bija Seed Mantra: A silent Om
Yantra: Thousand and one petals.
Related organs: Pineal gland, brain.
Balanced attributes: Pure knowing, wisdom, grace, integration, oneness with all that is.
Examples of possible chakra deficiency or excess: Fanatical religious beliefs, forgetfulness, dark night of the soul. Schizophrenia.
Life going back to 'normal' and the choices...
In the last few days a number of people have told me how they are worried, concerned and/or scared about life going back to ‘normal’.
I find this interesting, because ultimately we get to choose how we live our lives. I mean, of course, if we are in lockdown then our options will be limited to what we are told by government, but when lockdown eases, our choices return. So we gain choice again and I’m not sure what there is to fear about that.
I do get what people mean though. They are worried, concerned and/or scared of life returning to how it was before lockdown, because lockdown has provided people with the opportunity to live a different way, at a slower, calmer and gentler pace.
People have re-discovered what life was previously missing, more time with family for example, more time to engage in creative endeavours, to paint, to read, to garden, more opportunity to exercise and enjoy nature in the process, walking, cycling, swimming in the sea. I talk to many people who have finally had the time to do all the things they have wanted to do for years, but never quite got around to it.
It’s the same for me, and I have blogged about that already. But the thing is, I cannot imagine that life will go back to how it as previously, because that was then and this is now, and we have the choice to decided how it might play out. We don’t have to start rushing again or spending time in offices that drain nd exhaust us, with negative people and energies. We don’t have to over schedule ourselves so that we are constantly busy. We don’t have to do any of this.
We have the choice to say no, and to live in a way that is aligned with our true selves and want we need from life now. This is not a dress rehearsal. Thus if something no longer feels aligned then we should feel that we can do something about it, that in letting it go, something more aligned will enter in instead.
This whole subject reminds me of the crown chakra, so I will publish that blog post next, as I was editing it this morning and then a couple of people emailed about their concerns, and I couldn’t help noticing a link. The crown is all about faith and connection to the divine and seeing through the delusions of the ego so that you can see the bigger picture, and live in harmony with your own true nature and the nature of all beings, the oneness then, really knowing/embodying this.
So remember that. You do get to choose. No one is holding a gun to your head (well as far as I know!), and if you are up against an obstacle, then look at that, because something inside you clearly needs some attention and resolution, there is a part of you that is still fragmented and needs bringing back into the whole, some compassion for self, some love, and I suspect…something around the mother too.
The mother and the goddess just keeps coming up. Mothering ourselves, mothering others, how we’ve been mothered, and how we relate to our families, to our children, to nature and to the world. Lockdown has given us the opportunity to experience what life might feel like with shifted priorities. It’s brought the mother back into the home. We women are allowed to enjoy that, we don’t have to see it as negative or demeaning, or as if the feminine quest has been in vain.
I’ve never been happier than I am in the home, with my children, with what makes my life worth living. This has become increasingly obvious to me and it was confusing initially, because all the messages told me that to be an empowered woman I needed to be busy, busy, busy, always juggling, children, work, children, work, and earning money, as if this alone, materials once again, proves my worth as a twenty first century woman.
I know now that I was buying into this illusion as much as so many who claim to be empowered are also doing. There is nothing empowered in my opinion about being so busy that you haven’t got time for your children, or for sitting and watching the birds in the garden, or eating your lunch without also multi-taking (although I do still find myself doing this!).
We’ve been sold a lie and I’m pretty sure this is the reason so many of us women just have this feeling, something about the goddess, something about being a woman, questioning, like we’re slowly waking from a deep sleep, cannot quite remember, but there’s something that makes us hesitate…and question the first/next step into something new and as yet unknown, but a different direction from the one we have come from…but then we question, “what if we get it wrong”…as if decisions need a definitive outcome…and yet decisions will always take you somewhere…
It’s your path, you choose which direction it takes…
Sending love, and happy choices ahead! xxxx
Ajna Chakra - The Third Eye Centre
The Ajna chakra is situated in between the eyebrows, in the midbrain near the pituitary gland. It is sometimes called the third eye as it is said to be the source of inner vision. Science now tells us that where the yogis located Ajna happens to be the point where the right and left optic nerves cross in the brain so it literally is a third eye of sorts.
The third eye is where Ida, Pingala and Sushumna meet. Ida is a nerve channel on the left side of Sushumna (the central channel) in which vital air passes through. It is also related to the left nostril, to the feminine, to Shakti, and to the coolness of the moon. Pingala is a nerve channel on the right side of Sushumna in which vital air passes. It is related to the right nostril, to the masculine, to Shiva and to the sun.
The Sushumna nadi (channel) is the body’s great river, which runs from the base of the spine to the crown of the head, passing through each of the seven chakras. It is the channel through which kundalini and higher spiritual consciousness rises from its origin at Muladhara (root chakra)to its true home at the Sahasrara chakra at the crown of the head. In subtle terms, Sushumna is the path to enlightenment.
Ida and Pingala spiral around the Sushumna, crossing each other at every chakra, and all three meet at Anja, the command centre, between the eyebrows. The interaction between Ida and Pingala corresponds to the internal dance between intuition and rationality, consciousness and vital power and the right and left hemispheres of the brain.
If your head is tilted too far upward then Ajna will become too open and you will be spaced out and prone to accidents (although very insightful spiritually). If the head is too far forward (because of stress and tension) Ajna will stay closed.
Essentially this chakra is associated with the brain, and when this chakra is in balance, you can exhibit extraordinary clarity of thought, combining logical reasoning with intuition, knowingness and inspiration. The third eye chakra strives for completeness. In terms of the self this means inner harmony between body, mind and spirit, and in terms of the Divine, this means harmony between the creator and the whole of creation itself.
As with any spiritual development opening the third eye chakra requires a level of intense honesty with both yourself and others. Unflinching honesty can make your life – and other’s lives – quite uncomfortable at times. When the third eye chakra is open and balanced, it accepts no excuses. So, however difficult a choice may be if the third eye chakra knows it is the right one, you are compelled to follow that path. Absolving yourself from responsibility by blaming your past on other people or things, simply will not work.
Because the third eye chakra can make our lives so uncomfortable, most people find it easier to close it down. By doing so you don’t need to worry about the path you are taking in life or about the effects of your words and actions on others – an opposite state to mindfulness, in which you examine the motivation behind every thought, deed, word and action.
However, when you close down the third eye a series of muddles and poor choices; you can lose your sense of purpose and become so self-absorbed that your relationships become dysfunctional. You might also suffer with headaches, sinus issues, blurred vision, eyestrain, seizures, hearing loss and hormonal issues. Emotionally you might suffer with mood swings, volatility, an inability to look at your own fears and an inability to learn from others.
The spark of inspiration that is ignited by opening the third eye chakra exists in all of us. When the third eye chakra’s energy is very strong, inspiration takes many positive forms: from flashes of intuition to sudden insights about how to solve a problem, from a sense of the Divine in all things to moments of pure clairvoyance.
Ajna is not thought of as being balanced or imbalanced the way the other chakras are. Rather, Ajna is either open or closed. When the mind is still and the lower chakras are in balance, then Ajna chakra opens to communicate with the higher intelligence of the crown chakra and brings you to that place of inspiration, clarity of thought and healing. When the lower chakras are out of balance, it remains closed and you lose your ability to connect to the Divine.
So in a sense there does need to be balance, a mix between the internal and the external. The start of actually beginning to see what has always been there, though you never noticed it before – reading the energy, seeing the aura, sensing the person, place, thing etc. The best way to do this is to be quiet and simply observe, see the colours, movements, shadows, mannerisms, spaces, time, grass grow, hear the noise, the silences, whispers on the wind, emotion on the breath, your inner voice.
But remember that you are a spiritual being already, fully enlightened and already Divine so don’t spend all your time in meditation trying to become what you already are...get out and enjoy life physically, it is after all why you are here.
It is worth mentioning that on a hormonal level, the Ajna chakra is associated with the pituitary gland, which is often called the master gland, as it secretes hormones that control the activity of other endocrine glands and regulate various biological processes. Ajna is therefore also thought of as the command centre of the glands that relate to each of the chakras.
There are various things you can do to connect more fully with this centre
· Wear purple
· Wear/hold/place amethyst in the third eye.
· Alternate Nostril Breathing
· A balanced yoga practice
· Ayurveda – especially Shirodhara
· Receiving Reiki, but also becoming Reiki attuned. Reiki will heighten your connection to your intuition.
· Transcendental meditation;
· Burning sandalwood;
· Sound healing – gong baths or listening to someone chanting ‘Om’.
· Chanting ‘Om’ yourself.
Colour: Indigo
Element: Ether
Bija Seed Mantra: Om
Yantra: Two petals of pure white colour.
Related organs: Hypothalamus, limbic system and the neighbouring region with connections to the pituitary gland.
Balanced attributes: Intuition, clairvoyance, imagination, trust in life, discernment.
Examples of possible chakra deficiency or excess: Absent-mindedness, mental confusion, inability to cope with day-to-day life, self-hatred, nightmares, headaches, accidents.
Light at the end of the tunnel!
I can’t tell you how excited I am! Dancing around the room kind of excited, like my heart might burst with excitement, grinning from ear to ear excitement, jubilant, light, joyful excitement. It’s a champagne evening if ever there was one - well aside from the fact I’m still trialling sobriety, but it’s worthy of champagne, if you do partake!
The details aren’t yet clear but prayers have been answered, and my rants have been heard (and all those of all the others ranting too) and I should be able to teach yoga again in person very soon, in my parents’ garden, if not at Sausmarez Park and even in the community centres, if the weather is bad. I can’t tell you the relief. I have missed it so much. I am extremely grateful for Zoom, but it is just not the same. I long to get my hands on people, in a non-manipulative, non-weird, and non-inappropriate way! Share the love then!
I’m also super excited that Sark is opening up again, which means we should be good to go for the Sark retreat in October. I LOVE Sark and I LOVE teaching yoga on Sark, there is just something extremely magical about this beautiful Island and I am grateful we can get back there again in October. I’m expecting that we’ll be OK to retreat in Herm later that month too. I do have dates for Glastonbury 2021 too, although whether the UK will be in a position for that is not clear just yet (11-13 June if you are interested and yes, there are spaces!).
I have been extremely grateful for this pause and period of uncertainty because such times are breeding grounds for creativity and transformation; what we once knew drops away so that the new can potentially enter in and fill the space instead. It reminds me of my favourite quote, “If you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you always got”. In fairness I was contented with my life pre-lockdown and I wasn’t sure it needed to change much, but now I know that it needed to change, and I am grateful that lockdown did that for me!
I now realise that I was very good at wasting time and sweating the small stuff, stressing about silly things that really aren’t important in the grand scheme. I suppose really there has been a real shift in priorities. It has absolutely not been easy. There have been dark nights of the soul as many of you will realise who have read this blog regularly, but I have felt supported throughout it all, and had a deep knowing that it is all part of a very necessary process, that has brought the Goddess calling and more of the sacred has been felt and entered in.
I have felt a connection to the divine that is for sure and I am grateful for the extra yoga lessons and Vedic chanting sessions that have supported the process. I’m sure you can relate to this too. I am no different. We are all a micro of a macro so we will all be going through it. How we deal with it might be different though. However there’s been a plethora of yoga and other healing modalities offering support; there must be so much online yoga content that people might practice a different session each day for the whole of rest of their lives! Plus living on this Island has made lockdown easier for most, as the beaches are always just down the road.
The chance to grow vegetables and medicinal plants has been a true gift. And the pause has also brought in the ‘Plant A Tree Project’ which was there somewhere in the ether, it has been on my mind, right at the back, for over a year now, but I couldn’t figure out what it might look like, but there is much greater clarity now and I am excited about sharing that when E and I are ready. Manuscripts have been finished in draft. But the greatest positive shift has been the children.
It was challenging initially, adjusting to the lack of space from them, because I thrive on my own space, but we got into a new groove, helped by the fact E and I can work around each other, and we get lots of family time together and can support each other when we do need space. Elijah is much happier than I ever remember him being and while Eben is a crazy wild child who triggers and challenges me daily, he has also thrived by this time together. The boys have become best friends. It has been a joy to witness. i feel like I have finally stepped up as more of the mother that I wanted to be and yet didn’t know how to be because my life was always ‘too busy’.
This has been helped enormously by getting off social media and putting my phone to the side. I am not distracted like I was before. I’m not sure about social-media. It’s anti-social media if you ask me. It makes people anti-social, heads in phones, buying into something that’s not real. It’s a performance for many, an opportunity to market what they want to be, superficial, lacking in substance, nothing underneath, bodies, faces, likes, followers, groups, judgments, anti-this, pro-that, not a lot of harmony at best. It makes you feel much more important that you actually are. Life carries on without you, a hard reality to stomach initially, the solar plexus takes a true bashing!
People say Facebook helps them stay connected. I don’t know about that. I have better connections off Facebook: I’ve been writing letters again, to my friends off Island, I can touch that, it’s more real and personal, and most of them in fairness aren’t on social media, which I suppose is the reason they’re my friends, like attracts like I guess! I was concerned initially how difficult I found it to actually write, because I type these days generally. The irony was not lost on me as I was trying to teach Elijah to write and he was more interested in using his iPad, because he doesn’t need to write on there!
I suppose ultimately, the children have become the priority, not whether someone has messaged me or liked something, or is simply messaging me for the sake of messaging me. I’ve actually deleted the Instagram account. It’s liberating. I noticed initially how I was seeing things I might take a photo of and then I remembered that I was no longer posting on social media and I almost laughed, as I asked myself the reason I was taking the photo in the first place - to show off, to share, to prove that my life was somehow interesting, that I was living life to the full? There’s a lot of ego in there, and while yes, I know we need some ego, there’s a lot of fuss around needing to be someone and to have others know. Yet actually my life has become more personal and special, my family time, just for us, and for my extended family.
Not using my phone has been trickier, because of the camera and because my family, with my brother in Australia, communicate by WhatsApp. And because Class Dojo is set up on my phone, and I have needed to access that for the home schooling, and then of course there’s the fact I tend to read something on my phone when I’m breastfeeding Eben at bed time in the dark. But it has been liberating turning it off as much as I can, proving that I’m not ‘needed’ as I might have thought and that it is OK not to respond to emails immediately, and that my boys needing me is actually more real and more important.
I have finally stooped shopping at Waitrose, which I have wanted to do for ages. I just don’t like what these big supermarkets have done to the environment, with mass production and intensive farming, with all the chemicals that are used to grow vegetables and fruits, let alone what happens to animals. Mind you I’m still shopping at M&S so I can’t preach just yet! I’ve been favouring hedge veg though, it has a sweeter and fresher taste, it actually has a taste! And Hansa, I have been supporting Hansa because it’s local and independent.
See, Covid and lockdown has brought with it the opportunity for increased awareness and shifts and possibilities. I definitely know that playing with the boys and having fun is possible, that teaching yoga feeds my soul, and that spending time with the students who comes to class makes me feel very happy. I love the Beinspired community and I am so grateful for all the support and that we have this lovely life here on Guernsey and that we can be together again soon, and that mental health and wellbeing on the Island can be supported through holistic means once more.
I’m curious to see what life will will look like post-covid. What we will have learned. How much we have awoken as a society and individually. The decisions we might make. How we might live. Whether we will try to make this world a more harmonious place to live…by being more in harmony with our true self and with others and with nature and truly knowing (not just saying or thinking), absolutely knowing from the very depth of our being that we are one, and that love is consciousness. That’s all it has ever been about and yet we keep trying to figure it out, going around in circles, looking, looking, looking, at the illusion, and not seeing the truth. Maybe we’ve started to see through that veil.
Sending love xx
Vishuddha - The Throat Chakra
The throat chakra is in the hollow of the throat. The throat is between the head and the heart – between heaven and earth - it is the meeting point between the two higher spiritual chakras and the four lower physical chakras. It is the chakra of communication, where we can speak our inner thoughts, blend the inner and the outer, the above with the below, Heaven with Earth – here love become song and compassion becomes speech.
A healthy throat chakra enhances self-expression and openness to the ideas of others. When it is in balance it purifies all of the chakras and brings harmony into your being. It is an enormously powerful chakra and it is important to keep it in balance so that all of the other chakras are optimised.
The throat chakra is connected to the idea of vocation or calling. When this chakra is brought into balance, many people suddenly discover a fresh outlook on what they want to do in life. They may change their priorities or they may feel a literal vocation calling them to an entirely new profession or way of life.
When it is balanced, you discover your authentic voice and can be yourself in all situations. Your communication is clear and untainted, and you communicate to others with compassion, kindness, honesty, truthfulness and steadiness. You also have the ‘space’ to see yourself clearly and can let the divine wisdom of the Universe guide each moment of your life.
A healthy throat chakra ensures self-expression in every sense; being able to put forward your ideas, while listening to the perspectives of others in an open and positive way. When you come to terms with your own unique inner self and its intuitions and instincts, you know this chakra is working, as it should. If you are dogmatic, refuse to listen to other’s advice or you get bogged down in minor details rather than addressing the heart of an issue, you need to work on this chakra.
Giving your word is another way in which the throat chakra expresses itself. Those with strong throat chakras are reliable and mean what they say. They are able to make commitments to other people, follow a spiritual path, aspire to high ideals, and can sometimes make huge changes in their lives if they instinctively know they should.
The theme of communication is of paramount importance to the throat chakra. A closed or poorly functioning throat chakra can often be heard in a monotonous, droning voice. Furthermore poor expression and communication can block this chakra.
An imbalanced throat chakra often means you feel defensive about your ideas, and threatened when others have different views. You may be unwilling to voice your ideas at all, preferring to align yourself to ready-made ideologies. Alternatively, you may never stop talking, but without saying anything important.
As the centre of communication, what was not said is important too. Less is definitely more when it comes to talking and expressing yourself – this is true communication. Say what you mean and mean what you say and speak only when you have something to say. Don’t forget that words have power – they are thoughts made manifest.
An imbalanced throat chakra can leave you anxious and confused, not knowing which direction to take and fearful of taking a new path. Sometimes you can even cling to a person, an idea or a way of life despite knowing it is damaging. You might suffer with poor self-expression, both spoken or written, fear of powerlessness or lack of choice, no willpower and feelings of being out of control.
An unhealthy throat chakra can bring physical imbalances such as thyroid issues, sore throats and laryngitis, disorders related to the jaw and mastication, ear infections, ulcers, facial problems, neck and shoulder pain, headaches and teeth and gum conditions.
There are various things you can do to connect more fully with this centre:
· Wear blue;
· Wear turquoise around your neck;
· Vedic chanting, chanting devotional mantra, Kirtan, singing, these can all help;
· Writing a journal to express your feelings;
· Neck and shoulder massage;
· Yoga including postures such as Ustrasana (camel), Salamba Sarvangasana (shoulder stand) and Setu Bandhasana (bridge);
· Brahmari breath – the bumble bee breath;
· Ujaii breath – the victorious breath;
· Ayurveda;
· Reiki;
· Bach floral remedies – dowse for the one for you;
· Screaming into the wind!
Colour: Blue
Element: Space
Sense organ: Hearing
Yantra: Ham
Bija seed Mantra: Sixteen smoky purple petals and a pure blue circle representing space!
Related plexus and organs: Thyroid, parathyroid
Balanced attributes: Speak our truth with kindness, good listener, clear communication, creativity and self-expression
Examples of possible chakra deficiency or excess: Unable to express our needs clearly, shyness, compulsive talking, sore throat.
Anahata - The Heart Chakra
This chakra is the spiritual centre of the ‘column’ of seven chakras, below it the root, sacral and solar plexus chakras represent the personal and the physical. Above it, the throat, brow and crown chakras represent the spiritual and universal. The heart chakra provides the vital link for the whole.
Called ‘Anahata’ in Sanskrit, this chakra is situated in the heart region and hence is known as the heart chakra. It is the chakra of devotion, love and trust. It is said that if you look into the heart chakra there is a small window and if you enter there, you will see a staircase that will lead you up to the throat chakra or Vishudda.
The heart chakra is associated with love and compassion, not just love for yourself and others, but a love for the divine (in whatever guise) and all of creation. The hands, in particular, are closely associated with the heart chakra, and a kind touch is an outward sign of love, compassion and forgiveness that typify this chakra when it is in an open and balanced state.
The heart chakra is also a seat of creativity. A blocked heart chakra results in creative blocks, while an open one leaves you open to inspiration. However, the heart chakra can be too open. You can pour out so much heart energy in your desire to help others that you can have none left for yourself.
When your heart chakra is out of balance, you may lack confidence and be unable to let go of your fears. You might also love to the point of suffocation and be filled with feelings of jealousy, abandonment, anger and bitterness. You might also have a fear of loneliness and suffer with issues of the heart.
Physically you might suffer with asthma, lung disease, heart disease, have issues with the breasts (e.g. cysts, cancer), issues in the lymphatic system and problems with the upper back, shoulders, arm pain and wrist pain.
However, when your heart chakra is balanced, you feel energised and have the strength to fulfil your hopes and dreams, and to give and receive unconditional love. You also feel joy and gratitude, forgiveness flows freely and you have greater trust.
The key, as ever, is balance. The heart, in common with all the chakras, needs to have its own flexibility, the ability to open and close as necessary. This is particularly important in the heart, as it is the chakra of change, giving us the confidence to fulfil our hopes, make a break with the past and embrace the future.
Opening up the heart chakra can feel scary at times, as if you are wide open to attack – and indeed you can be – for a little while. But soon you will feel the benefit as you will have all this loving energy that you need to share, care and relate to others, so that you are touching people with your heart, and when you do you’ll notice that people become spontaneously drawn to you – chatting at shops, strangers wanting to talk to you, animals coming over for a stroke.
While challenges may still present themselves in your life, rather than just reacting, you may now be able to respond by standing back and handling the situation with love so the outcome will be for everyone’s highest good. You will feel more in tune with the other person’s heart and you will know just what to do...and trust in yourself.
The heart charka doesn’t occupy the same position as the physical heart, it is more central, in your chest cavity. Hormonally, the heart chakra is associated with the thymus gland, which is part of the lymphatic system, which in turn is central to the immune system. A blocked or poorly functioning heart chakra can lead to a weakened immune system, stress-related disorders and problems involving the lungs and respiratory system.
There are various things you can do to connect more fully with this chakra:
· Yoga!
· Go for a walk in nature and see all the greens – the grass, the trees, the plants, the hills, really ‘see’ nature;
· Lie on the grass;
· Grow plants and fresh herbs;
· Wear green;
· Surround yourself with rose quartz! Rose quartz is just amazing, it will truly support the heart. Also green aventurine and jade can be helpful;
· Doing things that bring you joy;
· Laughing – having fun with friends and family;
· Receive and/or give Reiki;
· Let go of people, situations, events, jobs etc that are not aligned with your heart;
· Forgiving yourself and others
· Developing self-compassion through forgiveness, a growth mind-set and treating yourself as you would your best friend – letting go of the inner critic;
· Singing along to devotional songs;
· Ayurveda.
Colour: Green
Element: Air
Sense organ: Skin
Yantra: Yam
Bija seed Mantra: Twelve petals of a deep red colour
Related plexus and organs: Cardiopulmonary plexus, thymus gland and heart
Balanced attributes: Unconditional love, compassion, self-love/compassion, unity.
Examples of possible chakra deficiency or excess: sentimentality, selfishness, anxiety, jealousy.
Back into the heart
Today I feel as if I have come back to life and popped into the heart again.
I have emailed three deputies (two of whom responded almost immediately, thank you ladies) and the general States of Guernsey address because enough is enough. We have two active cases of Covid on the Island, and I cannot help thinking that we need to move forward now - the line between protecting the vulnerable and creating greater vulnerability (mentally and economically especially) has been passed…action is required.
Also, quite frankly, I want to be able to teach yoga again and touch people and give them Reiki. This last two days I have bumped into a lady with cancer and been contacted by a friend going through a hard time, been told about a student who needs some healing, and a handful of other students who are suffering, and I cannot do a thing about it. Yes, sure, they can attend Zoom classes, and I can send them distance Reiki, but it is not the same. The weather is beautiful and we should be out there praising yoga in nature. That will be far better for all of us, then this social distancing and bubble malarkey.
On a positive note, I have a new date for the Glastonbury retreat in 2021, which I will share with those due to attend before sharing publicly, but if you are feeling the call then keep an eye out. I start the series of lectures on the Goddess with a High Priestess in Glastonbury tomorrow and I cannot wait. She is calling!
On another positive note, the medicinal herbs are growing well (aside from the liquorice, which is being tricky!), some of our trees less well, but on the whole doing OK, and I have been having a fab time with the boys playing in teh garden. So every cloud does indeed bring a silver lining. But I am ready to get teaching properly again…pretty please dear angels, if you could help with that, I’d be most grateful!
Love to you all.