Simplify

On July 24, 2023 By Heather Wiest

Today we practice SIMPLIFYING — looking at our daily life, our priorities, possessions, activities, commitments, habits, thoughts and actions — and taking the time to reevaluate, gracefully letting go of what no longer serves us and establishing new intentions. When we simplify, we release unwanted expectations and stress and open up to increased freedom, joy, and inner peace. As Steve Maraboli states, “The greatest step towards a life of simplicity is to learn to let go.” What, where and how can you simplify? What would make your life lighter and easier? What can you get rid of? Where can you make adjustments to allow for more breathing room?

Take a minute to personally reflect.

Here are 3 practical tips to help prioritize and simplify:

❦ Look for soul stops. Even on your busiest days, set aside several 5 minute breaks to pause, tune-in, pray, and meditate. This helps redirect thoughts, feelings, and actions — even in the midst of the craziest schedule. Try bookending your day with longer spirit-filling stops.

❦ Be keenly aware. Ask God to get your attention. Look for Divine appointments — a text from a friend at just the right time, a song that speaks directly to your heart, a random opportunity to help someone, a funny situation that turns your day around for the best.

❦ Set limits. Pick a time your distractions begin, and tell them when they end. During those hours, do the phone thing, and computer thing, and every other thing you pour your soul into, but when that time comes to an end, shut it down. Disconnect to connect personally and spiritually.

How will these changes add to your freedom, joy, and inner peace?

“Beloved Spirit of God: Teach me the way of simplicity and surrender so that in this world of consumption, noise, and endless choices I might model joy, peace, and freedom. Amen.” ~ Peter Traben Haas

The Weight of Objects, Clearing a Space for Change, by Madisyn Taylor

In life, we tend to have an easier time acquiring possessions than we do getting rid of them. Just as we harbor emotional baggage that is difficult to let go of, our lives can tend to be filled with material objects that we may feel compelled to hold on to. Most people are not conscious of how much they own and how many of their possessions are no longer adding value to their life. They fiercely hold on to material objects because this makes them feel secure or comfortable. While it’s true that the ownership of “stuff” can make you feel good for awhile, it seldom satisfies the deep inner longings that nearly everyone has for fulfillment and satisfaction. It is only when we are ready to let go of our baggage and be vulnerable that it becomes possible to recognize the emotional hold that our possessions can have on us.

It’s not uncommon to hold on to material objects because we are attached to them or fear the empty spaces that will remain if we get rid of them. Giving away the souvenirs from a beloved voyage may feel like we are erasing the memory of that time in our life. We may also worry that our loved ones will feel hurt if we don’t keep the gifts they’ve given us. It’s easy to convince ourselves that unused possessions might come in handy someday or that parting with them will cause you emotional pain. However, when your personal space is filled with objects, there is no room for anything new to enter and stay in your life. Your collection of belongings may “protect” you from the uncertainties of an unknown future while keeping you stuck in the past. Holding on to unnecessary possessions often goes hand in hand with holding on to pain, anger, and resentment, and letting go of your material possessions may help you release emotional baggage.

When you make a conscious decision to fill your personal space with only the objects that you need or bring you joy, your energy level will soar. Clearing your personal space can lead to mental clarity and an improved memory. As you learn to have a more practical and temporary relationship to objects, positive changes will happen, and you’ll have space to create the life that you desire.

“Each of us has favorite items and places that help to calm and quiet us. What stills our mind? A walk in the park, a special place in the city, a quiet room? A rock, a cross, a picture, a lit candle? Use these places and things to find that place of stillness in yourself. Find the power in stillness. It’s a power that comes gently like the morning sunrise or the evening stars. Take time each day to seek out stillness, to find that sacred spot.
Let your mind and soul be at ease. Don’t grasp and grab for the magic and miracles. When you reside in that place of stillness, the joy, miracles, and magic you’re seeking will find you.” ❤︎ ~ Melody Beattie

“Let go of something, somewhere. Use yoga to become aware, to touch what lies beneath the surface of the skin. Is there tension longing for release, a knot of fear so deep and familiar that you believe its part of who you are? Ease into dark corners, locked rooms, unexplored hallways. Gain entry not by force of will, but only by softness. Enter on the wings of breath, and turn the key of self-acceptance to let go of something, somewhere.” ~ Danna Faulds

To simplify life I am___________.

There is freedom in letting go. ❤︎

Let Us H.E.A.L ♡

On July 17, 2023June 24, 2024 By Heather Wiest

This week’s theme and intention for yoga classes is to encourage healing and harmony within our bodies. A quote from B.K.S. Iyengar, “Yoga is like music. The rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.” Think for just a minute. What is troubling you about your physical, emotional, or spiritual health? See it. Feel it. Now begin to create a positive, healing intention around your concern. May today’s guidance invite the healing and harmony you desire.

Let us H.E.A.L. ♡
H = Heed: pay attention to—tune into body, mind & spirit
E = Experience: encounter, undergo—allow everything to surface without judgement
A = Awaken: evoke, kindle—what do I need to sense, feel, and know in this moment?
L = Life: the ability to grow and change, the experience of being alive—awareness of, and openness to personal transformation

“Some of us don’t know how tired we are until we try to relax. Then we realize we’re exhausted. We may have lived with exhaustion and stress so long it’s become habitual. That doesn’t mean we’re bad or wrong, or even off track. Many of us are deeply involved in activities, work, projects, and relationships we enjoy. We like our lives and the things we’re doing. But sometimes we’ve pushed too hard or too long. Sometimes we haven’t given our bodies adequate time to relax, to rest, to really let go. It’s all right to take time out. Relax. Refresh. Regroup. It’s all right to rest even if we’re busy, rest often enough to keep ourselves replenished. Get in touch with your body, then stay in touch with yourself. Find out how tired you are. Then let your body tell you what it needs to come back to life and love.” ~ Melody Beattie

As I gradually learned to be true to myself and succeeded in admitting my own feelings, the language of my body spoke out more and more clearly and guided me toward decisions that did it good and helped it to express its natural needs…repressed, disassociated emotions can make us ill but not conscious feelings that we can give expression to. ~ Alice Miller, The Body Never Lies

“Our bellies can be wonderful monitors of our emotional health and the truth can always be found there. So often, emotions that we long to express get stored in our bodies instead. The space where this most often happens is in our bellies. Rather than telling people, or even ourselves, the way we truly feel, we may stuff our true feelings deep inside of us, where they take up space until we are ready to let them go. Stuffing our feelings in our bellies may feel like the safe response, since we then don’t really have to deal with our emotions. Yet, doing so can actually be detrimental to our emotional well-being and physical health. One way to connect with and release your emotions is to do a focused exercise with your stomach area. Take a moment to center yourself with some deep breathing and quiet meditation, relaxing your body fully and turning off the chatter in your brain. With your right hand on your stomach, tell yourself three times: Please reveal to me my true emotions. Listen for the answers. Repeat the exercise as many times as you would like, allowing yourself to drop deeper into your body each time. Notice any physical response in the stomach area, whether you have a warm, relaxed feeling in the middle of your body or if you feel tight knots in response to any emotions that do come up. You may even want to write down any answers that come to you. Remember that the body doesn’t lie.” ~ Madisyn Taylor, DailyOM: In Touch with True Emotions

Witness the elemental motion of emotion:
Fire burning, illuminating
Water gushing, cleansing
Air inspiring, soothing
Earth supporting, holding
Space expanding, embracing
~ Radiance Sutras, Yukti Verse 101

You Can’t Rush Your Healing
Darkness has its teachings
Love is never leaving
You can’t rush your healing
Your healing

Mama, well she told me time
is such a wonderful gift
You’re not running out
You’re really running in
Confusion clouds the heart
but it also points the way
Quiet down the mind
The more the song will play
So
You can’t rush your healing
Darkness has its teachings
Love is never leaving
You can’t rush your healing
Your healing
~ Trevor Hall

“A breath of desire and My Spirit is there—to replenish and renew. Sometimes weariness and exhaustion are not signs of lack of spirit but of the guiding of the Spirit.” ♡ ~ God Calling, Exhaustion

No Mistake
Holding my tension close is exhausting. I don’t know why I do it–
habit I guess–but when I let it go, the sense of relaxation and release
is immediate. My whole body sighs as ease and healing bathe
each cell in light. Once the truth of me has space and energy
to shine forth, it’s clear that the alchemy of humanity and divinity
is no mistake. ~ Danna Faulds

Proverbs 3:5-6 (MSG) 5 Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure out everything on your own. 6 Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He’s the one who will keep you on track.

Forgiven & Free

On June 27, 2023 By Heather Wiest

“The work of a mature person is to carry grief in one hand, and gratitude in the other, and to be stretched by them.” ~ Tim McKee

There is something powerful about the space that lies between our two full hands. Between our grief and our gratitude lies our hearts—and this is where we do our hardest work. This space of tension has the power to transform you, if you can let it. ~ Stephanie Moors

This week’s intention is FORGIVENESS. Forgiveness is full of heart opening, honesty, humility and vulnerability. I have found that those who forgive freely are those who have been forgiven much. Experiencing true forgiveness, whether deserved or not, opens the heart to hope and freedom.

“Vulnerability is our most accurate measurement of courage.” ~ Brene’ Brown

Do you struggle with anger? Well really, who doesn’t? What’s interesting is anger is a secondary emotion, just the tip of the iceberg of all our original sources of unresolved pain: hurt, humiliation, betrayal, abandonment, abuse, and rejection.

Identify who has made you angry or resentful.
Identify what was taken from you.
Decide to forgive that person.

When do you think you’ll be ready?
The longer you carry the anger, the greater the risks,
and you may lose sight of the original source.

Who can you forgive today?
It may be even forgiving yourself.

Be honest with yourself…what are you feeling deep down inside? Under the anger. Under the rage. Under the numb “I don’t care, it doesn’t matter.” Are you really feeling scared? Hurt? Abandoned? Go more deeply into yourself and your emotions than you have ever gone before. Be more honest with yourself than you have ever been before. The way to the heart is tender, soft, gentle, and honest. The way to the heart is to be vulnerable. You don’t have to be so brave. You don’t have to be so strong. You don’t always have to walk away with your head held high saying, “I can handle this, I’ve been through worse before.” Become angry if you must. Feel your rage if it’s there. Go numb once in a while, if you must. Then take a chance, and go a little deeper. Go way down deep inside. See what’s there. Take a look. Risk being vulnerable. ~ Melody Beattie

Forgiveness Meditation ❤️

Reflect for a moment on that quality we call forgiveness. Bring into your mind, actually into your heart, the image of someone for whom you have some resentment.
Take a moment to feel that person right there at the center of your chest in the heart center. And in your heart say to that person: “I forgive you for anything you may have done in the past, either intentionally or unintentionally, through your thoughts, words, or actions that caused me pain. I forgive you.”
Slowly allow that person to settle into your heart.
Don’t judge yourself for how difficult it is.
No force, just opening slowly to them at your own pace. Say to them: “I forgive you. I forgive you for the pain you caused me in the past, intentionally or unintentionally by your thoughts, your deeds, your words. I forgive you.”
Gently, gently open to them. If it hurts, let it hurt. Gradually open to that person. That resentment, that incredible anger, even if it burns, ever so gently though. Forgiveness.
“I forgive you.”
Let your heart open to them.
It is so painful to hold someone out of your heart.
“I forgive you.”
Let your heart open just a bit more to them. Just a moment of opening, of forgiveness, letting go of resentment.
Allow them to be forgiven.

Now, opening more to forgiveness, bring into your heart the image of someone from whom you wish to ask forgiveness.
Speak to them in your heart. “I ask your forgiveness for anything I may have done in the past that caused you pain, either by my thoughts or my actions or my words. Even for those things I didn’t intend to cause you pain, I ask your forgiveness.”
“For all those words that were said out of forgetfulness or fear. Out of my closed-ness, out of my confusion. I ask your forgiveness.”
Don’t allow any resentment to hold yourself closed, to block your reception of that forgiveness. Let your heart soften to it. Allow yourself to be forgiven.
Let yourself be freed.
Let that unworthiness come up, that anger at yourself-let it all fall away. Let it all go.
Open to the possibility of forgiveness.
“I ask your forgiveness for whatever I may have done in the past that caused you pain. By the way I acted or spoke or thought, I ask your forgiveness.”
It is so painful to hold yourself out of your own heart.
Bring yourself into your heart. Say “I forgive you,” to yourself. Don’t reject yourself.
Using your own first name, in your heart say, “I forgive you.” Open to that. Let it be. Make room in your heart for yourself.
“I forgive you.”
All those resentments, let them fall away.
Open to the self-forgiveness. Let yourself have some space.
Let go of that bitterness, that hardness, that judgement of your self.
Say, “I forgive you.” to you.
Let some glimmering of loving-kindness be directed toward yourself. Allow your heart to open to you. Let that light, that care for yourself, grow.
Self-forgiveness.
Watch how thoughts of unworthiness and fears of being self-indulgent try to block the possibility of once and for all letting go of that hardening.
See the freedom in self-forgiveness. How can you hold on to that pain even a moment longer?
Feel that place of love and enter into it.
Allow yourself the compassion and care of self-forgiveness. Let yourself float gently in the open heart of understanding, of forgiveness, and peace.
Feel how hard it is for us to love ourselves. Feel the pain in the hearts of all those caught in confusion. Forgive them. Forgive yourself. Let go gently of the pain that hides the immensity of your love.
Let yourself love and be loved.

Peace Prayer of Saint Francis

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
where there is sadness, joy.

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.

There is freedom in forgiveness.

I forgive you, and I forgive myself, and I am free. ❤️

Fly Like An Eagle!

On June 19, 2023 By Heather Wiest

The EAGLE represents strength, vision, freedom, hope, fearlessness, leadership, spiritual wisdom and insight. The eagle is the only bird with a third-eye-lens which enables it to look at and fly towards the sun — the Light — flying above all other birds, soaring to new heights!

What’s your vision? Imagine there are no limits. You have all the time, space, resources, wisdom, and support you need. All things are possible! Use your all-seeing eye, look to the Light, receive guidance from above, expand your wings and soar!

“Life motivation comes from the deep longings of the heart, and the passion to see them fulfilled urges you onward.” ~ Proverbs 16:26 TPT

The Eagle Story

Someone once told me a story about a wounded eagle who was rescued by a farmer. He found the bird in one of his fields, and so took him home, tended to his wounds, and then placed him outside in the barnyard to recover.
Strangely enough, the young eaglet soon adapted to the habits of all the barnyard chickens. He learned to walk and cluck like them. He learned to drink from a trough and peck the dirt for food, and for many years he peacefully resigned himself to this new life on the ground.
But then one day, one of the farmer’s friends spotted the eagle and asked, “Why in the world is that bird acting like a chicken?” The farmer told him what had happened, yet the man could hardly accept the situation.
“It’s just not right,” said the friend. “The Creator made that bird to soar in the heavens, not scavenge in the barnyard!” So he picked up the unsuspecting eagle, climbed onto a nearby fencepost, and tossed him into the air. But the confused bird just fell back to earth and scurried off in search of his feathered friends.
Undaunted, the man then grabbed the eagle and climbed to the top of the barn. As he heaved him off the roof, the bird made a few half-hearted squawks and flaps before falling into a bale of hay. After shaking his head a few times, the eagle then made himself comfortable and began mindlessly pecking at pieces of straw.
The friend went home that night dejected, and could barely sleep as he remembered the sight of those powerful talons caked with barnyard mud. He couldn’t bear the thought, so the very next day, he headed back to the farm for another try. This time he carried the eagle to the top of a nearby mountain where the sky unfolded in a limitless horizon.
He looked into the eagle’s eyes and cried out, “Don’t you understand? You weren’t made to live like a chicken! Why would you want to stay down here when you were born for the sky?” As the man held the confused bird aloft, he made sure the eagle was facing into the brilliant light of the setting sun. Then he powerfully heaved the bird into the sky, and this time the eagle opened his wings, looked at the sun, caught the updraft rising from the valley, and disappeared into the clouds of heaven.
Do you know that we, too, were born for the sky? Our Creator has called us to live in the heights, yet too many of us have huddled together in the barnyard, contentedly scurrying for the safety of our families, our finances, our careers, and our comfortable crumbs of faith.
Never mind fear or weariness. Let us soar together, like an eagle above the clouds, with our eyes fixed on the Son. This is why the eagle is such a perfect example of freedom. An eagle is the only bird that has a special third-eye-lens that enables him to look at and fly directly towards the sun and thus, frees him from his enemies as they try to follow. No other bird has this ability. And, it’s the same with us. Only as we keep our eyes focused directly on the Son—the Light, will we ever become free – free from our emotions, free from our circumstances, free from other people’s responses.
Let’s take our journey together. Soar like an eagle!

Adapted from Faith In The Night Seasons by Nancy Missler

“The presence of fear is a sure sign you are trusting in your own strength. The moment you realign with love and stop relying on your own strength, clear direction will be presented. The presence of love will always cast out fear. The practice is about surrendering to love as often as possible. Lean towards joy, and you’ll be led.” ~ Gabby Bernstein

Fly Like An Eagle Visualization

• Now I invite you to visualize yourself as an eagle perched high up on the side of a mountain. Imagine yourself in great detail, the colors of your wings, the mountain you are perched upon, the area around you and beneath you, and the sun above you.
• Give yourself permission to experience the strength, vision, grace, and insight of the eagle and feel yourself growing more and more in confidence.
• Recall to mind anything that causes you stress or anxiety. Know that you too possess the strength and courage of the eagle. You have the ability to deal with these stresses and anxieties.
• Now gently extend your wings, spread them wide, and observe the beauty of them. Feel the strength and power within them as they gently carry you off your perch and out into the freedom of the sky. Use your third-eye-lens to gaze into the sunlight.
• Give yourself permission to experience this freedom. Feel the air around you. See the valleys and forest below. Feel yourself floating and soaring through the sky free of all constraints, anxieties, and earthly ties.
• Allow your mind to drift and go where it needs to go — you have the vision, you have the strength, and you will prevail.
• Notice the sense of peace and calm you feel while soaring.
• Allow yourself time to find wisdom and clarity as you look up into the Light.
• Then observe yourself returning to your perch. Gently re-extend your wings before nestling them back in around you. You feel embraced by Love.
• Keeping this sense of lightness, peace and calm with you, allow yourself to become aware of the ground beneath you. You are grounded, yet free.
• Bring your awareness to your breath, and with each complete breath you take, allow your awareness to travel gently back into the room, back into your body. Remember your vision, your strength, freedom, insight, and confidence. All things are possible!

Adapted from All Round Yoga

What’s Your Vision? Mudra Meditation

1. Begin in seated meditation with palms face up on thighs in a receiving gesture. Take several breaths listening for Divine guidance as to your intention, your vision. 2. Inhale sweeping arms up overhead receiving the vision from above. 3. Exhale grounding the vision here on earth. 4. Inhale drawing vision into heart space with Garuda (Eagle) Mudra (Ladies: right hand under, left over, thumbs interlaced, fingers spread to represent wings. Gentlemen: left hand under, right over, thumbs interlaced, fingers spread.) Garuda Mudra balances all systems of the body, and represents strength, freedom, grace, vision, fearlessness, hope, wisdom, and insight. 5. Exhale hands release and arms reach out to share vision with the world. 6. With hands behind back at the kidney space area, inhale, and search deep within for anything that needs to be released–fear or anything no longer serving the highest good–and powerfully push it out on the exhale. 7. Inhale sweeping the arms up encircling your space in Divine Love and Light–sealing the vision, your intention with Divine blessing and protection. 8. Exhale in gratitude with Anjali Mudra at heart center. ❤️

Resilience ❤︎

On June 12, 2023 By Heather Wiest

10% of life is what happens to you, and 90% is how you react or respond to it! ~ Charles R. Swindoll

What an honor to share about my resilience journey in The Trailblazers: Rewriting the Narrative section of Voyage Phoenix, Life and Work with Heather Wiest. ❤︎

RESILIENCE is the deep seeded quality that allows some people to be knocked down by life and come back stronger than ever. Rather than letting failure overcome them and drain their resolve, they find a way to rise from the ashes. Psychologists have identified some of the factors that make someone resilient, among them a positive attitude, optimism, the ability to regulate emotions, and the ability to see failure as a form of helpful feedback. Even after a misfortune, blessed with such an outlook, resilient people are able to change course and soldier on.

“Resilience may be an art, the ultimate art of living. At the heart of resilience is a belief in oneself — yet also a belief in something larger than oneself. Resilient people do not let adversity define them. They find resilience by moving towards a goal beyond themselves, transcending pain and grief by perceiving challenging times as a temporary state.” ~ Hara Estroff Marano, The Art of Resilience, Psychology Today

Autobiography In Five Short Chapters

Chapter I
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost… I am hopeless.
It isn’t my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter II
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend I don’t see it.
I fall in again.
I can’t believe I am in this same place.
But it isn’t my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter III
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it there.
I still fall in… it’s a habit… but,
my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter IV
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter V
I walk down another street.

REFRAMING is at the heart of resilience. It is a way of shifting focus from the cup half empty to the cup half full. Resilient people cultivate insight, the mental habit of asking themselves penetrating questions, and expressing honest answers. They also take the initiative. They take charge of problems, stretching and testing themselves.

RELATIONSHIPS foster resilience. One of the cardinal findings of resilience research is those who lack strong support systems seek and receive help from others. They are not afraid to talk about the hard times they are having to someone who cares for their well-being.

❤︎ Who has carried you on their shoulders, supporting you through this life journey? Send some love and gratitude their way.

❤︎ And, who do YOU want to carry? Support them through their life journey. Send some love and encouragement their way.

❤︎ We are here for each other. Be LOVE.

Pain Meditation & Mantra Visualization:

Think of a time you experienced PAIN. It may be a recent happening, or from the past. Picture it clearly in your body, mind and soul.
Witness the emotions.
Now turn these emotions into a sensation.
Where do you feel this sensation?
Now bring the sensation outside of the body, RELEASE it with the OUT BREATH.
Now witness it outside of your body. BREATHE.
Notice the sensation has weakened. Feel your RESILIENCE.

“As you inhale, think to yourself: I am strong [resilient]. As you exhale: I am healing. Continue this mantra for another minute. Next, as you say to yourself, I am strong, envision an outer casing shattering off your body. This is the residual buildup of opinions, experiences, hurtful words, or anything that may have added to your duress. See it combust into a million pieces and flutter off into the wind. As you use the statement, I am healing, envision a flowering vine wrapping around the ailment on, or in your body. This gorgeous plant is drawing up healing energy deep from within it’s roots and transporting it toward you. See the plant blossom as it makes contact with your skin, because you are ripe with healing and fertile with potential.” ~ Kathryn Budig, Healing Meditation for Yoga Injuries, Yoga Journal

“At the very moment I called out to you, you answered me! You strengthened me deep within my soul and breathed fresh courage into me.” ~ Psalms 138:3 TPT

Be stronger than your pain. Use your pain for your platform — to bring healing and wholeness to yourself, and others. ♡