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Vibrant Living

It’s taken me years of teaching yoga, movement, mindfulness meditation practices, and holistic health workshops to really begin to understand the power our breath holds.

Countless times I have said something along the lines of “you can survive weeks without food, days without water but only minutes without air”…to reinforce others understanding of the magnitude of this powerful energy, we so often take for granted.

I read about abhyanga (the Ayurvedic practice of self oil massage) hundreds of times before I thought, what the heck, it can’t hurt.

Over the years the theme that keeps circling for me is that it really is the simple things that make the most difference in our health, mindset and happiness.

I wanted to over-think the solutions.

Meditating, oiling my body, focusing on my breath, and restorative yoga all sounded relaxing but I didn’t want to waste my time relaxing when I needed to be “doing” things to get healthier!!

We are born with so much essence (yin) and every aspect of our life effects that well within us.

All of our diet and lifestyle choices either drain or replenish that well.

For years most of my habits were very draining!

Sure I did yoga, but I did the most vigorous forms I could find.

I ate local and organic foods but mostly on the run.

My workouts never usually included time to stretch and I kept late nights, working long hours with little time to recharge.

One thing that was in my favour at the time was the very low level of emotional stress I experienced.

At the time I did not realize how huge of a factor that really was.

I thought of myself as super human in ways and envisioned myself handling anything the universe could throw my way.

This lifestyle was sustainable for many years…until I met my match.

The 4-year period that I poured all of my energy into another person….drained my well.

I remember thinking numerous times that I was strong enough for the both of us but of course that is not sustainable, healthy or desirable.

Spending a good portion of those years in some sort of fight/flight/freeze/flee/fawn mode, my hormones were out of balance, immune system depleted and malfunctioning and I was absolutely exhausted…body, mind and spirit.

When I was finally able to walk away from that unhealthy relationship I had a lot of work to do to replenish the well of healthy vital essence.

I adopted these habits to release the struggles and open to vibrance.

SEE ALSO: 5 Easy Steps To Create A Sacred Space In Your Home

#3 Stop The Poison Parade

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One undeniable correlation I have noticed in regards to how I perceive and handle stressful situations is when I am toxic in my body my mental and emotional states are equally as toxic.

Caffeine, alcohol, refined foods, neglected relationships, toxic workplaces, mindless media….

All of our coping mechanisms have a place and have served a purpose in our lives at one point.

I am not suggesting you change all these things at once but pick one energy drain at a time to replace it with a replenishing habit.

#2 Obstacles = Opportunities

One of the most powerful tools I’ve encountered is the ability to open my awareness enough to realize that obstacles simply are opportunities!

That is if we choose to look at them this way.

Even the crappiest situations and the most traumatic experiences offer us learning opportunities when we choose to open to them.

One way that’s been powerful for me to open my awareness has been through meditation and mindfulness practices.

If you’re new to meditating set a timer for 5 minutes.

Sit comfortably and tune your attention to your breath.

Paying attention to the natural rhythm in and out through the nose, consciously relax your jaw, your shoulders, your belly.

As you start to relax focus on breathing into heart centre with the thought of trust in your mind.

Simply breathing in trust, breathing out trust for a few rounds. Breathing in “I trust myself”, breathing out “I trust myself for a few rounds.

Moving to “I trust life“ or “I trust the universe“ or “I trust the process“ for a few rounds.

Come back to the simple sound and sensation of the breath, letting any words fade.

Continue till your time is up.

This process was so helpful for me to begin a daily meditation practice.

#1 Healthy Routine

The repair and replenishment of a healthy routine is immeasurable.

The non-negotiable components that give me the most return on investment are:

1) Fresh, warm, nourishing, simple meals at regular times.
2) Early to bed/early to rise
3) Self oil Massage (abhyanga)
4) Laughter
5) Exercise/fresh air

What supports you during your darkest nights and most exhausting days?

Do you have specific practices, habits, activities or mindsets that pull you through?

I would love to hear how you find vibrance.

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