Yep, it's a blog about coffee (but not really).

I poured a cup of coffee this morning.

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We have a monthly coffee delivery from our favorite roaster on the west coast. Each month, 2 bags of coffee - one regular, one decaf - arrive on my doorstep or in my mailbox. I carefully mix the bags together to create a half-caf blend for my husband, and I distribute the grounds between our primary home downstate and our little cabin/house up north. Coffee is such a simple thing, but when those beans are roasted to the perfect flavor profile, brewed at just the right temperature with water from our own well and then poured into my favorite mug (from PJ’s in the French Quarter; I’ve had it for over a decade), well, it’s a luxury. It’s also a cherished routine.

Each morning I take care of chores well before dawn. When all is quiet again, I turn all the lights off and sit down with my morning cup of coffee at the kitchen table. Our table faces a set of glass entry doors, and those doors give me a full view of the field outside and trees beyond. That field is full of life just before dawn – a herd of grazing deer, rafters of turkey, and the occasional opossum or nearly-white skunk walks by. I can open the door on warmer mornings, and it’s not unusual to hear the resident pack of coyotes winding down their hunt in the woods beyond the field. I cherish these moments. They ease me into my day and connect me deeply with the world. They are a reminder that this is normal, and all is happening just as it should. I am grateful to be a part of it. But back to coffee stuff.

Lately we’ve been drinking more coffee than usual, so our supply and demand ratio is a bit out of balance. I arrived at our up north house on a late Friday afternoon, unpacked, settled the dogs into their routine, then went to dinner with hubs and my dad. After dinner I began my usual prep routine for the next morning, and that’s when I found out we were out of coffee. Bad news. Our up north house is in a pretty rural setting, and the only store where I could buy coffee had already closed. More bad news. No coffee tomorrow morning.

The next day (after a disappointing earl grey substitute) I bought a bag of coffee from the local grocer during my usual round of errands in town. It wasn’t the same brand, and the flavor profile was different, but it would work. I returned home, emptied the coffee grounds into the usual container, and prepped the coffee to brew for the following morning.

(Spoiler alert - If you’re waiting for a big climactic ending to this story, there isn’t one. It ends with a perfectly boring little sizzle. And that’s the point.)

The dogs woke me up before dawn. I let them out to do their business and tried to do it quietly. Hubs was still sleeping. I turned on the coffeemaker and heard the familiar sound of the brew process beginning (a satisfying sound after my earl grey disappointment the morning before). After the dogs had been fed, they laid down to chew on their favorite toys in their dogs beds. Everything was quiet again.

The world outside was still dark. I turned the inside lights off and opened the blinds to the windows facing the field and trees. I sit at the table with my coffee and watch the natural world come to life. It never happens with a bang. It’s quiet. It’s simple – almost predictable.

This all brings me to my ‘simple’ cup of coffee. As I was pouring that first cup, I thought of all the steps I had to do the day before just to get that coffee into that cup. I thought about how the beans were grown and harvested, the hands (or machine) that packaged and transported them, the distance they traveled to land on that grocer’s shelf. I thought about my trip to the store, deciding on a substitute brand, having the means to purchase a bag of coffee, and the prep work the evening before so the morning brew could happen.

I thought about all of this as an uncomplicated knowing. There was no long contemplation, no tracing back to the source, no pause to offer gratitude for each of those steps. It was just this perfectly ‘un-pausable’ moment of pouring coffee into my favorite mug that put a hint of a smile on my face. Everything had happened exactly as it should have so that substitute coffee could flow into my favorite PJ’s mug, and I was thankful for the processes that made this otherwise unremarkable moment happen. It’s all so simple.

Coffee poured. I sat down at the table with the lights off and the shades open, and I watched dawn come and the world once again wake up.

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Contemplation Practice:

Think of one simple daily ritual you may take for granted. Would contemplation on its history, its back-story, the hands and hearts that influence it, help elevate your awareness of its significance? Would that inspire gratitude? Thankfulness? Could you keep it simple?

What is Neo-Shamanism?

I used the term ‘neo-shamanism’ in my last blog post. I think the term is worthy of its own post for description, clarification and discussion. I was feeling lazy and pulled up the Wikipedia definition of neo-shamanism, and I’ve left the notations as links should you want to explore further.

“Neoshamanism refers to new forms of shamanism. It usually means shamanism practiced by Western people as a type of New Age spirituality, without a connection to traditional shamanic societies.[1] It is sometimes also used for modern shamanic rituals and practices which, although they have some connection to the traditional societies in which they originated, have been adapted somehow to modern circumstances. This can include "shamanic" rituals performed as an exhibition, either on stage or for shamanic tourism,[2][1] as well as modern derivations of traditional systems that incorporate new technology and worldviews.[3]”

Dictionary.com defines the term shamanism as:

noun. (especially among certain tribal peoples) a person who acts as intermediary between the natural and supernatural worlds, using magic to cure illness, foretell the future, control spiritual forces, etc.

Is there any difference at all between shamanism and neo-shamanism? Is neo-shamanism just the ‘new’ (neo) version of traditional shamanism? There are indeed significant differences, and understanding these differences is critical if you have dabbled in the practices of neo-shamanism or are interested in the practice.

Throughout tribal cultures and their histories, shamans were chosen by the spirits as intermediaries between the community and the supernatural. These people showed remarkable connection to the spirits from a very early age. They were tested and shown to be worthy to both the spirits and the community. Shamans do not declare themselves shamans – the spirits and elders declare them so, even if that person does not willingly choose that commission.

At some point in the person’s young life, they are initiated formally and publicly into the role of shaman. Historically, this initiation was very often not pretty. It involves confrontation of deep fear, pain (physical and mental) and even aggression. Each method of initiation is specific to the indigenous community, and methods can vary widely between belief systems. Once initiated (and there can be subsequent initiations for the shaman), the shaman’s life is dedicated to the wellbeing and very survival of their community.

Neo-shamanism is vastly different in both its meaning and application. Today, anyone can declare themselves a neo-shamanic practitioner, although they typically embrace (mistakenly) the term shaman instead. Practitioners describe a feeling of being ‘called’ to the practice, but they endure no initiation nor apply any discipline to achieve their self-appointed status. While traditional shamans place strong emphasis on the ideas of both malevolence and chaos in their interactions with the spirits, neo-shamans tend to emphasize love and compassion over negativity (see article). Traditional shamans are initiated into and trained within a specific belief system. This system has lineage and history, rules, structure, and a community of fellow believers. The shaman sees the worlds of the spirits as the primary reality, while neo-shamans see our reality as primary and all else as supernatural.

In summary, neo-shamans are new age practitioners without cultural authority or responsibility. Is this all bad? Mostly not (but it sure sounds bad). I’m not blanket-dissing on neo-shamanic practices. They are the gateway to study within a more traditional and devoted belief system. If one understands that these self-initiated practices and beliefs are actually sacred to peoples and cultures, each with its own rules and systems, then one is far more likely to tread carefully and show respect where it is due. Who knows, it may even spark curiosity into the practitioner’s own lineage and cultural belief system, and now we’re headed toward the good work.

Study.
Be Humble.
Practice Discipline.
Show Respect.

Shamanism – Revisiting the World Cosmology

There are three worlds in basic neo-shamanic practice – the upper, the middle, and the lower worlds. These worlds comprise the overview of neo-shamanic cosmology, and each has its own nuances and unique natures. These three worlds exist in both ordinary and non-ordinary reality. In our everyday ‘normal’ reality, these worlds have specific properties that can be named, observed, and even manipulated. In non-ordinary reality, we become humble visitors in the worlds of helper spirits, earth and cosmic consciousness, ascended masters, and even lost or earthbound souls. Neither of these realities is preferred over the other, as knowledge and experience of both helps us understand ourselves and our role on this earth and in this life.

THE UPPER WORLD

The upper world in ordinary reality is anything that exists beyond our atmosphere. Essentially, it is the universe beyond earth’s border. It is the stars, galaxies, nebulas, black holes, anti-matter, and all things ‘outer space’. As humans, we cannot cross the border into the upper world without help. We can observe this upper world through telescopes, satellites and even spacecraft, but we cannot float in an oxygen deprived environment or touch a quasar star or black hole. We are limited to observation, but we are denied the actual experience of space and cosmos.

The upper world in non-ordinary reality holds essentially the same set of observations and restrictions. The upper world is the realm of ascended masters, teachers, and guides. It’s home to those who have come before us and transcended the human experience. We can journey to this upper world and request help and insight into our lives and experiences, and the advice we receive comes from a place of profound wisdom and enlightenment. We can ask and receive in this upper world, but we cannot become enlightened or wise masters ourselves through visiting this upper world. We can observe and experience the wisdom of others - much like looking at the stars through the telescope – but we can’t experience the transcendent nature of the cosmos beyond our human existence.

THE MIDDLE WORLD

The ordinary middle world is where you and I live out our human lives. It’s comprised of the surface of the earth – soil, mountains, water, air, even the moon and sun and air we breathe. It includes the beings that fly and the beings that walk and crawl. The middle world is where we go to work, drive our cars, sit by rivers, play with our pets, raise our families, and so on. It’s what we know to be true through the experiences of our senses. It is a world seen through human eyes.

The middle world in non-ordinary reality is where we can experience the soul consciousness of our everyday ordinary world. In non-ordinary reality, we can have meaningful discussions with the soul of that river. We can bond with the souls (devas) of the trees in our ordinary back yard. We can experience the elements of nature as sovereign beings, not just events. It is also in the non-ordinary middle world that transitioned souls can become stuck (willfully or other means), and we call them ghosts, lost souls, entities, and the like. Shamans in initiated belief systems work almost exclusively in this non-ordinary middle world reality.

THE LOWER WORLD

Lastly, the ordinary lower world is everything below the surface of our middle world. We explore and experience this ordinary lower world through caves and caverns, deep ocean dives, ancient tree root systems, and any other access point from the surface that brings us underneath our everyday world. Some of these lower world areas are safe, even comforting, and perfectly habitable. Others are hostile to us and can harm or even cause death. There is always risk with exploration.

The lower world in non-ordinary reality is where we contact and work with the soul consciousness of earth’s plant, animal and mineral world. It’s here that we meet and begin right relationship with our helper spirits, totem, and power animal. We maintain these relationships through regular journeying to this lower world. We try to remain diligent visitors to the home of those who have chosen us as channels for their medicine and messages. When right relationship is established, the lower world becomes a trusted source for healing ourselves and others.

There are many, many more realms to explore within and beyond these three basic worlds, but knowing how to navigate these basic worlds – and what to expect to meet while visiting – is the first step in developing right relationship with the spirits.

Much more to come!

Yoga is Not Performative

We’ve all seen them. The videos where asana class is led by a 20-something could-be fitness model in matching branded attire demonstrating posture in a gorgeous tropical setting with a serene voice-over for effect. Ah, the bliss of yoga.

That. Is. Not. Real.

In the age of digital media, we’ve become accustomed to and tolerant of performance, but yoga is not performative. It’s messy. It’s real. It’s crying on your mat with a box of tissue next to you and an occasional collapse into child’s pose to muster any strength to get through the rest of the sequence. It’s embracing movement that makes you cough, makes your nose run, makes you a bit dizzy from a lack of equilibrium, and makes you work for every breath. It makes you work through anger, through sorrow and grief, and even through the laughter and joy with a sense of clarity, calm, and purpose.

Yoga is not performative. Yoga is life. For reals.

I have been tolerating a relentless case of laryngitis this past week. It has created moments where I lose my voice entirely. It has made me endure coughing fits that have me lunging for the bag of cough drops. It’s…annoying.

Teaching this week has been challenging. I almost decided against posting the live class recordings for Friday morning and leaned toward recording some more ‘controlled’ classes later in the day. I thought better of it and posted the classes as recorded. Yikes. They’re messy, and they’re real. I have coughing fits in my earbuds. My voice cuts in and out. A couple of times during the Gentle Yoga class I needed to run off camera, mute myself during a coughing fit, lunge for the bag of cough drops, and show back up on camera for the next posture.

Why did I post these videos if they were difficult to teach and (for me) watch? Because they show a vulnerable practice. They are me showing up to my mat, cough drops and coughing fits in tow. They are me moving through sequence with the body and condition that I have right now, and they are real. This is practice. This is what practice looks like. Rather than hide the realism, I chose to embrace it and put it on display.

It’s my hope that anyone watching these videos thinks, “hell, if she can get on her mat and move for an hour sounding like she does, maybe I don’t have an excuse. Maybe I can do it, too.” You can. You should.

Yoga is not performative.
Yoga is transformative.
Keep it real.

The Seven Types of Rest We All Need

What type of rest are you getting?

Did you know there are seven types of rest that we need on a regular basis? Yep. Some of these types of rest are well known, and we do our best to observe them. Others may come as a bit of a surprise but can be an underlying source of chronic fatigue. Read on to see what these seven types are and determine whether you’re really well rested.

The list below is based on the Dalton-Smith’s list of seven types of rest with my own interpretations thrown in for good measure (because why not). If you’d like to learn more, you can find her book ‘Sacred Rest’ here.

PHYSICAL REST
This is probably the most obvious type of rest. Physical rest can be active or passive. We move during the day, we exert pressure and demands on our physical bodies, and we are tired (hopefully) at the end of the work day. We sleep during the night hours to allow the physical body time to for cell regeneration and repair, and we may nap during the day to give the body a quick reprieve from daily activities. This is passive physical resting.

I didn’t really embody the concept of active resting until I became an endurance athlete. The notion of active resting was introduced in my 16 week training programs, in which I was to assign at least one day each training week for active rest. As a competitive athlete, this seemed rather absurd…until I didn’t heed the suggestion. I started suffering overuse injuries. Shin splints, sore muscles, tired joints, and mental exhaustion were all becoming commonplace symptoms. I stopped enjoying my running. I eventually relented and began introducing active rest. Unremarkably, those nagging overuse injuries began to disappear. My active rest days included walking my dog, practicing restorative asana, and visiting with friends or family. Although there was no lying on the sofa or long afternoon naps, these days were the magic bullet that kept me from feeling exhausted and burned out and kept my body in peak condition.

Active physical resting can include any restorative activity, such as gentle stretching, massage, or even a relaxing sit in the steam sauna.

MENTAL REST
Again, this is a type of rest that easily makes sense until we break it down. It’s actually easier to understand the symptoms and effects of NOT getting mental than to explain the concept of this type of rest. If you’re the type of person whose brain kicks in the moment your head hits the pillow, chances are good you have a deficit in this type of rest. If you can’t get through the morning without a jolt of caffeine or energy bars throughout the day, you may be fighting the fatigue and exhaustion that comes with a lack of mental rest.

It’s so easy to tell a person to stop thinking. It’s another thing entirely to actually do it. We’re taught to be multi-taskers, problem-solvers, thinkers, analysts, judges, etc. We’ve honed and trained our minds to perform mental gymnastics every waking moment of our day. All of this doing (mental processing) is exhausting. When we experience physical tiredness, and we desire sleep or physical rest, the mind won’t let it happen. This is mental exhaustion, and it can have a profound effect on the physical body. 

Mental rest involves easing the tension in the thinking mind so that it has space and time to rest. This can be achieved in many individual ways, from leaving your desk and taking a walk break throughout the work day to simple meditations and relaxation techniques. Conscious breathing can work wonders in easing constricting thoughts and reconnecting the mind with the body. Consider climbing into bed 15 minutes earlier than usual and focusing on belly breathing and body relaxation. Journaling before bed can help move internalized thought patterns onto paper, freeing the mind to find the clarity it needs for rest and eventual sleep.  

SENSORY REST
Hoooooey boy, this one is a mess, especially in our hyper-connected daily lives. We are constantly plugged into our social constructs. The endless stream of stimulation from texting, screen time, online meetings and meetups, light pollution, noise pollution, advertising and marketing competes for our attention every moment of every day, and in nearly all daily activities. We cannot escape the stream. A colleague of mine and I have a standing joke about the ways in which Maria Menounos enlightens us while we’re pumping gas (you know who you are). All this stimulation is hazardous to our senses, but asking someone to hand over their smartphone is akin to asking for a body limb.

Consider turning off screens and phones 45 minutes to an hour before bedtime. Spend those last few minutes of waking time in quiet contemplation or meditation. Take back your awareness by revisiting each of your five senses in the evening before bed. Help them reconnect with an environment that is calm, relaxed, and inviting. Unplug.  

EMOTIONAL REST
Emotional rest doesn’t mean suppressing the turmoil of expressive emotions that we may be experiencing. Instead, it means taking time out to acknowledge that we’re actually feeling something that requires attention and compassion. Responding to every emotional confrontation with “I’m fine” (yep, I see you) just adds tension and resistance to the emotions that need to move and release.

Consider giving yourself safe space and needed time to explore the depth of emotion that may need to be expressed, and express as you see fit. There’s no judge in this process, so be yourself and honor your needs.

SOCIAL REST
Are you an introvert or an extrovert? Are you energized in groups and with other people, or do you quickly tire and look for escape? Socialization, in whatever form you may find appropriate, has its limits. The practice of socializing is like a battery. When we socialized with others – with our communities and families – we charge this battery. When the battery is charged, we are at capacity. It then becomes time to take a step back and let the battery naturally drain or discharge through quality along time so we’re ready to go at it again.  

CREATIVE REST
Let’s face it – if you’re a creative artist, designer, problem-solver, etc, the creative process is exciting, passionate…and exhausting. Exhaustion leads to burnout, and our muse goes into hiding. We experience writer’s or artist’s block, and our inspirational light flutters and fades.

There are many ways to rest the creative push within us while addressing and overcoming creative blocks. The proverbial walk in nature is always a solid start. Consider visiting an art museum or gallery. If writing is your thing, turn your book or computer screen upside down and marvel at the way the words and letters look and feel different in your mind. Take the time to witness creativity and beauty around you without the need to participate in or change what you see. Stepping away from the creative problem or block will allow the mind time to recharge, and we can re-approach with fresh insight.

SPIRITUAL REST
My favorite! I have a different take on spiritual rest than Dalton-Smith. She writes, “Spiritual rest means connecting on a deeper level with something greater than ourselves. This can mean adding prayer, meditation, or purpose to our lives.”

Remember the running reference at the beginning of this post? It’s relevant here as well. Let me explain…

An endurance runner will rigidly and almost dogmatically follow a 16 week training program to the letter. We eat right, we run every scheduled mile no matter weather or motivation, and we train and train and train. We burn through shoes, we wear holes in socks, and we forsake significant time with friends and family for the punishing isolation of pavement or trail.  Then, the week before the event, we start what’s called the taper. We rest. We don’t run. We eat and put on weight. We get antsy but don’t succumb. We wait with both patience and faith in the process we’ve endured. Then, on race day, with a body that has had time to rest, recover, and energize itself……..we fly.

I work with many, many spiritual seekers in my line of work (life). In this process of seeking, people often incorporate personal ritual and devotional practice to help them elevate their discipline and devotion. They begin adding more and more ritual, more altar pieces, more works of devotional art, more books on the shelf, and so on, in an attempt to elevate and push forward in this relentless process of seeking. In other words, their training program is in full swing. This myriad of rituals, objects, and resources can hinder (mild) and even actually block (significant) the very spiritual progress these people seek. They become suffocated by and obsessed with the stuff. Dogmatic ritual does not suffer fluidity.

“Am I saying the right petitions/prayers?”
“Am I devoting the right amount of time to my practice?”
“Did I buy the correct size/color/representative statue of person/thing/deity?”
“Is my altar/devotional space set up the right way?”
“Oh no, I’m out of sage! What do I do now?”
“What am I missing? What more should I be doing?”

If this sounds like you, consider taking a rest. Ease up on the rigidity of ritual. Take a day (or 3) off. Embrace a breather from the constant effort. Enjoy the fruits of your labor, and taper your effort toward rest and recuperation. Our greatest breakthroughs can come not through repeated dogmatic process, but rather in the delight of spontaneous, unanticipated wonder. 

Enjoy your taper, because it will help you fly. 

Universal Asteya, or "Quit Stealing Universal Energy"

There are SO MANY articles, blog posts, and even entire books written about releasing emotional baggage, so I understand this may seem like kicking a redundant can, but please bear with me for a moment if you will. This post offers a potentially different perspective on baggage and its impact beyond our own bodies and minds.

Let me start with our basic understanding of energy. Everything is made up of constantly evolving or changing energy. The entire universe (or universes) exists because of this constantly changing state. Consider this excerpt from an article in Scientific American:

“The law of conservation of energy, also known as the first law of thermodynamics, states that the energy of a closed system must remain constant—it can neither increase nor decrease without interference from outside. The universe itself is a closed system, so the total amount of energy in existence has always been the same. The forms that energy takes, however, are constantly changing.”

(you can find the entire article here)

So energy is neither created nor destroyed…it simply changes form.

We humans are made entirely of energy. We are active participants in the larger closed system of universal energy. Yoga states that the human body generates 5 types of prana, ranging from respiratory (inspiration) to kinetic muscle movement, communication/upward movement, digestion (assimilation) and elimination. Emotions are also made entirely of energy. Grief, trauma, and anger can feel exhausting or depleting, while joy, happiness and laughter can feel invigorating. Regenerating and repurposing energy is what we do. We borrow from within the closed system of universal energy when we need a boost, and we release back into that closed system when we’re letting go of what no longer serves.

Holding onto our emotional energy is the equivalent of stealing (steya)  from nature. Energy that is meant by design to move through and beyond us is harnessed, stagnated, and blocked from its singular intention of moving back into and through the source. This hoarding of energy has a ripple effect far beyond the personal effect on the physical and mental body. It means energy that belongs back in nature is being hoarded and coveted and not allowed to move freely. It has been imprisoned in our own emotional safehouse.

If we are made entirely of energy, and our emotions are made entirely of energy, then the very purpose of these emotions is to constantly change form. Emotions are meant to evolve. Evolving emotions are meant to move through and eventually beyond the confines of the human psyche and back into nature, where they blend back into that enormous, constantly changing state of being. Grief necessarily changes to healing. Healing releases our pain. Healing is an action that releases itself when it’s job is done. Memories are meant to shift and fade. States of joy and ecstasy pass through us and leave only the memory of sensation.

These changing forms move within the other energies of the closed system (see article above). Energy is neither created nor destroyed; it simply changes form. Holding on to the energy that fuels the things that no longer serve is the equivalent of stealing energy from the closed system. This is a shared system. I draw from and contribute to it. So do you. So does everyone. Are you contributing, or are you stealing?

Please include your thoughts in the comment section. Let’s have the discussion!

Use Your Words

I was recently in a session with one of my longtime students (and friend). We were discussing the challenges and setbacks in their current life structure, and the word they used to describe their response to these demands and challenges was resilience. Hmmm…spidey sense perked up. I locked on to this word and asked the student to provide their definition of resilience. When they did, I asked if this word still described their response to life situations. It did. Where they sure? Yes, they were sure. I looked up the definition of resilience during our session and read it back to the student.

re·sil·ience

/rəˈzilyəns/

noun: resilience; noun: resiliency; plural noun: resiliencies

1.     the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.

2.     the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity.

It was that second definition that changed everything. After reading the dictionary definition to the student, they changed their mind. No, resilience didn’t adequately describe their true nature, and we needed to assign different words. It turns out that the very definition of resilience was holding the student back from recognizing and valuing their growth and change within experiences. You see, resiliency implies we have the ability to ‘bounce back’ to our original state, or dimensions, in the face of challenge.

Great, but who really wants that?

Rubber bands are resilient. They stretch and lengthen far beyond their size, but they always snap back to their original dimensions. After much use, that rubber band will eventually lose its resiliency and either break or wear out. If that rubber band could learn how to embrace and embody its new dimensions, it may not need to return to its original state and could instead become a different object entirely. I would think that after facing conflict or weathering a significant challenge we would want to say we have learned and grown from the experience, not just ‘bounced back’ to our original state. That gets us exactly nowhere.

The words we assigned in place of resilience were:

a·dapt·a·bil·i·ty

/əˌdaptəˈbilədē/

noun

1.     the quality of being able to adjust to new conditions.

2.     the capacity to be modified for a new use or purpose.

trans·form·a·tive

/tran(t)sˈfôrmədiv/

adjective

1.     causing a marked change in someone or something.

Just a quick comparison of the definitions of resiliency vs adaptability and transformative suggests a vastly different interpretation of a single experience. Resiliency is defensive maneuvering. It implies a response to a changing environment with stoicism and even stubbornness. We’re bouncing back to our original dimensions without growth or change. Adaptability is evolution. It implies we have the capacity to adjust our perceptions and actions within an experience so we continue to live in harmony with our ever-changing environment. Transformation is the result of adaptability. It happens when we recognize, retain and embody our new dimensions (remember the rubber band?). 

Words are power. They are significant. The way we assign words to our emotions and experiences can tell us an awful lot about how we view ourselves, our limitations, and our potential. Words can prohibit or encourage. They can hurt or heal. They are exclusionary or inclusive. I’ve told many students when they become overwhelmed or agitated to, “Stop. Pause. Use your words.” This is not a pep talk. It’s a reminder that our mind and body will respond to the words we invoke, and if our words aren’t true or accurate we’ll just snap back to our original dimensions. If our words are true and accurate, we can adapt and transform through the challenge.

Please include your thoughts in the comment section. Let’s have the discussion!