December can be a busy, hectic month for many of us and for various reasons. Family gatherings, workplace holiday parties, multiple workplace holiday parties, shopping for presents, volunteering extra time for local causes, preparing for the new year. On top of all this, our usual day to day responsibilities need us too! Action is necessary, as is spending time with friends and family, but so is stopping and restoration. Its the ebb and flow of our lives. Finding harmony with in all of it is not only key, but a necessity to creating health. Life will remind you of this if need be. I was recently given the message to ‘slow your roll’.
I am fortunately not accident prone, injury prone, and I very rarely get sick. I thank my body every day for working with me. But last week I experienced two wake up whispers in one day. I woke with a sore lower back. Just a little tight I thought. So I stretched, practiced a bit of asana, took some deep breaths to arrive for the day and hurried off to work. As the morning moved on, my back chose not to. It became stiffer and stiffer. By that evening I was bent over in pain unable to stand up tall. That evening, as I excitedly but mindlessly reached for gravy it tipped all over my hand. It ended up all over the kitchen wall as I screamed and whipped my hand away in pain. Fortunately, my back released in a few days and the perfect combination of water and energy healing left my hand blister free.
So what’s my point? Nothing that happens in our days are accidents. (Even the things we call ‘accidents’.) I like to think of them as messages or signs. Life will also graciously intervene and slow you down when you’re not listening. As I reflected on that week I had been busier than usual trying to wrap up some things at work, and travelling a lot more. Hopping from one project to the next left me a bit scattered, and unaware of it…until my back and the gravy gave me hefty nudge. My back literally stopped me in my tracks needing me to stay put on the couch for a day. The yummy gravy gave me a hot and steamy message to stop, breathe, and be present to what I was doing; one thing at a time.
Think back to the last hour, your morning, today, or this past week. Tune in to how you’ve been feeling. How do you feel right now? Any odd or different experiences you’ve brushed off as ‘random’ or accidental? Are you running around barely taking a moment to enjoy or fully experience what you’re doing? Think quick! What’s the last thing you did or ate? Can you recall? How much of your day is dedicated to others benefit; how much allows you to receive what you need mentally, emotionally, physically? These questions can help you dial in to where you are currently on the busyness scale. Perhaps you need to dial it back a touch; delegate or share some responsibilities, or learn to kindly say ‘no’ to things that add to your already over scheduled days. (Doing less definitely has its benefits.)
Each day life and nature bring us brilliant gifts and lessons. It’s our job to practice being present enough to notice them. Just think, your greatest teacher could be THIS moment. Be open to the messages.
Have you received any signs or messages to slow down lately? Please share with us below.
Wishing you a slower, joyous and harmonious month,
Jennifer OX
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