Just Breathe

Yesterday a client came in like a hurricane. He was extremely anxious as he entered my office several minutes late. He started telling me how he ran around the whole day, a photo shoot that was supposed to take two hours took four, and then he attended a meeting and then he had to come see me and still needed to go to kickboxing class after our appointment...

I was out of breath just listening to him. Before we did anything, I asked him to take two minutes to breathe. After the two minutes, he had a huge smile on his face. It was all he needed at that moment. To be reminded to just breathe.

Here's a great post via zenhabits

Breathe.

Breathing can transform your life.

If you feel stressed out and overwhelmed, breathe. It will calm you and release the tensions.

If you are worried about something coming up, or caught up in something that already happened, breathe. It will bring you back to the present.

If you are discouraged and have forgotten your purpose in life, breathe. It will remind you about how precious life is, and that each breath in this life is a gift you need to appreciate. Make the most of this gift.

If you have too many tasks to do, or are scattered during your workday, breathe. It will help bring you into focus, to concentrate on the most important task you need to be focusing on right now.

If you are spending time with someone you love, breathe. It will allow you to be present with that person, rather than thinking about work or other things you need to do.

If you are exercising, breathe. It will help you enjoy the exercise, and therefore stick with it for longer.

If you are moving too fast, breathe. It will remind you to slow down, and enjoy life more.

So breathe. And enjoy each moment of this life. They’re too fleeting and few to waste.

—

Tip: Put the word “Breathe” as a screensaver or desktop pic, or put it up as a note on your wall or fridge or on your desk. Then do it every time you see the word.

Where are you going?

"You'll never leave where you are until you decide where you'd rather be"
Angela Oberer

I often hear people say that if they didn't need the money, they would leave their job. I have also heard: "If times weren't so tough, I would be free to do what I really love". Or the one everyone must have heard or said at one point or another: "I can't leave him/her, because he/she needs me".

As stated in the very truthful quote above, one can never leave (a place, a relationship, a job, you name it) if he does not make clear in his mind where it is he would rather be.  Or how it is she would rather be living, working, spending her time. So making excuses is the next best thing to do!

Most people don't realize that "deciding where you would rather be" takes more than the mere decision.  It is not enough only to think about it, daydream about it once in a while, especially if you do it in a shy way, scared that someone will find out where you would really like to be.  Or scared that God will punish you if you want something different, and God forbid should you want something MORE!!

The first, and probably the most important step, to leaving where you are is to announce where you'd rather be! Announce it to your mind, the universe, and anyone around you that you think might help.

How do you announce it to your mind? You "see it" with your mind's eye. You see yourself in that position, visualize every possible detail. Make it substantially detailed! What will you see when you are in this new place? How will you look, how will others around you look? How will they see you? How will you be dressed? What will you see when you look around you in this new role?
What will you hear? How will you be speaking? How will others be speaking to you? Do you hear sounds around you?
Finally, how do you feel being in this new situation? What feelings do you get when you visualize yourself there? Pay attention to these feelings that come up, they are valuable feedback. Visualizations provide information for your brain and it starts "searching" for this reality. The more detailed the visualization, the more information your brain receives. Careful visualization creates a neural network that hold these "memories", even if they are future memories. Your mind cannot tell the difference between something you "see" and something you visualize.


How do you announce it to the universe? You talk as if you were already there "I am a cabaret singer"! You are training yourself and your mind to actually BE in that new position. You practice with affirmations, even if you do it only while looking in the mirror! That's how actors become so believable - they practice and practice until the day they themselves believe they are their character. Talk like you believe it, even if at first you don't! Practice does make perfect!

Don't be afraid to announce your desired destination to others. It is very important to know that you can use people around you as resources. Yes, I did put use and people in the same sentence and I am not ashamed of it! You need not be either! You will be surprised to find out that there are many people who will be happy to help you. Share your dream with others, you never know who or what they might know, it could be just what you need!

What about you, are you happy where you are?

A Shaman in town!

The great Mexican Teacher, Shaman and Healer Monyca Bouras, is in Athens! I feel blessed to have the opportunity to benefit from the teachings of this conscientious and powerful “curandera”!

For those of you not familiar with the term, the word shaman comes from the Tungusic language of Siberia and now a days is used to describe a practitioner. Yet, I prefer to have my teacher explain that which she understands all about: 

Monyca, what is a shaman?

Monyca - The Shaman in the old days, was the lawyer, the physician, the priest all together, the same person. In the original communities in human kind, it was the king and the shaman. The king was the leader and the shaman took care of all other parts of the community.

Shamans are found in all societies. A shaman is someone who understands reality in a wider way. By understanding it one can move it. Understanding is the power! Shamanism is the path of wisdom.

When you say one can move it, do you mean the energy?

Monyca - For lack of a better word, I would say affect or modify energy and therefore, reality. The actual healing, the cleansings, the understanding of situations and illnesses does this.

Why would someone see a shaman today?

Monyca - Shamanism is valuable to the everyday person for it transmits / teaches a different view on life. In life we have certain things we feel we HAVE to do (find a job, buy a house, get married) and if you’re still not happy when you achieve these goals, you feel lost.

The shamanic point of view is wider, more open and permitting. It is limitless, not in the way that one doesn’t strive to have a house or a partner but in that it recognizes that these are just pieces of something bigger. Widening your comprehension of what life is, eases tension.

Can you further explain what you mean with limitless?

Monyca - OK let me give you an example: a person can be very worried and stressed out because they gained weight, or their boyfriend left them and then one day a doctor tells them: “you have brain cancer”! That really puts things in perspective.

Of course you don’t have to get cancer to widen your perspective. One of the great teachings of shamanism is that at the end of the day, the understanding that there are more meaningful things in life, gives you the freedom of not caring so much and not taking things so seriously. And that is a beauty!

How did you come into this path?

Monyca - My grandmother was a healer although I didn’t know it because I never met her.  It became obvious that it was there, not only genetically but in the family system. I had little hints when I was a little girl, like knowing when the phone was going to ring. My mom tried to stop this from happening, by being very reactive towards it (due to fear) so it closed that opening. Then I bumped into my main teacher, Carlos de Leon because I wanted to study martial arts with him but he probably saw something in me and said I should practice shamanism.

What is it that you do exactly?

Monyca – I do healings and cleansings of spaces and people, rituals like the ceremony of light, and spiritual development counseling.  I teach Ontogonic Shamanism since 1994.  

What I found through the years is that this path has given me an enormous amount of joy. It might sound cheesy but seeing people smile again and tell me how I changed their lives is something I couldn’t live without anymore. Sometimes it is very tiring and freaky but all in all I have always had a lot of fun.

What d you mean with tiring?

Monyca - Although as shamans and healers we are taught how to handle our energy, I can get very tired after a day of many cleansings or after cleaning a big building. There have been cases when I had to sleep for 2 days after a particular cleansing. Yet, actual patterns change and people and situations do get healed and this is what’s wonderful about what I do.

Moyca will be in Greece until the beginning of October.

For a consultation call: 6970 475 857

www.monycabouras.com

Regrets, I had a few...

Sometimes I forget I am only human! 


Sometimes I expect so much of myself and am left dumbstruck when I make a mistake. As if mistakes are only acceptable when others make them. 


Have you ever felt this way? Have you ever felt the weight of regret so heavy on your shoulders you wish you could just lie in bed and wait for this feeling to pass...in 100 years preferably! 


Feeling a little blue, I stumbled across the following quote:


"Do not brood over your past mistakes and failures as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret and depression. Do not repeat them in the future" 
Sivananda 


I couldn't control my feeling of anger towards this enlightened being who so simply put forth the command to "not repeat them in the future"! How dare he make it sound so easy?! 


Choosing to ruminate over the deplorable mistake kept me stuck in thoughts of self aversion. How could I have been so wrong? How could I have done something so bad? Judgement, judgement, judgement!


It took me a few days to realize that what would really help me get over dropping the ball, and moving on to simply "not repeating it in the future" is to evaluate how useful was it? 


How useful is  bringing into my life more of what I don't want? Like author Caroline Myss once said in a lecture, our life is like an investment. Who would keep investing in shares that don't bring them sufficiently high returns? If the return on investment in not high or satisfactory, one simply does not invest again. Simple as that! 


Humans make mistakes. It's part of being human! We are constantly on the road to growth and evolution, and there is usually little growth without pain and suffering. 


So next time you, like me, make a mistake, simply thank the heavens for the teaching and do not repeat it again. Like a wise investor, take it as a lesson, keep on investing else where and don't waste your precious time judging yourself. 


To our prosperity! 

We are all in this together!

I have come across an African word and concept that describes what I wish for the world today.

UBUNTU


Although Ubuntu has a much more profound and broad meaning, one interpretation that serves my purpose is:

"I am what I am because of who we all are." Leymah Gbowee

VIA Logical Geeks

As previously mentioned, I believe Ubuntu has a very profound meaning. Today, it resonated in my heart when listening to a new friend talk about her life. I tried in vain to hide my tears while listening to the sheer hardship she endured as a child and the extraordinary abundance that she created for herself ever since. 


Yet the magic lies in that she was willing to generously share her story and help me earnestly understand that if she has done it, I, or anyone for that matter, can do the same! Not once did I see a hint of regret or bitterness for what fate dropped in her arms as a little girl. On the contrary, I saw appreciation for hardship, I saw gratitude for life just as it is.  I admired as I felt her eagerness to share these feelings with others.


We talked about the power of our dreams, "Never be afraid of dreaming" She so wisely said "For your dreams will feed your soul and that will keep you moving". We talked about the power of our positive thoughts and how angels speak through those we interact with.


For a moment I wished with all my heart that everyone around me shared in this generosity of spirit. Like the Africans, we can learn to take part on others' happiness and prosperity and know that one's success does not mean his neighbor's failure. Quite the opposite.


Kindness generates kindness and love only spreads out to more love. 


We are all interconnected! 


"I am what I am because of who we all are!"

Empower the people to gain back our power!

Today, I want to ask you, who are reading this, to join me in my hope for a better future!  

As I was researching the internet after information on empowerment, I came across an all encompassing definition and point of view I want to share with all of those who, like myself, believe that only through individual change can any collective transformation occur.

Read on: 

"...we suggest that empowerment is a multi-dimensional social process that helps people gain control over their own lives. It is a process that fosters power (that is, the capacity to implement) in people, for use in their own lives, their communities, and in their society, by acting on issues that they define as important...

In addition, one important implication of this definition of empowerment is that the individual and community are fundamentally connected...

To create change we must change individually to enable us to become partners in solving the complex issues facing us. In collaborations based on mutual respect, diverse perspectives, and a developing vision, people work toward creative and realistic solutions."

VIA Journal of Extension

How important is your and your nation's future? Is it important enough as to create in you the fearlessness to work on your individual change process before you can collectively help free your country from heinously shameless corruption?

Please watch the video and you will understand why we are in such dire need of empowered, fearless individuals in our society!

People are tired of lies!

People are feeling cheated and manipulated!

Do you define your and your country's future as important? If so, join me in my hope to see an empowered community fearlessly stand up tall and implement their influence over corruption and mishandling of resources! Start acting by spreading this video!

I've got life!

Legendary singer and songwriter Nina Simone inspired me today!

Living in the heart of Athens, Greece, during this time of political chaos and social upheaval has proved to be both despairing and inspiring.

Needless to say, despair comes with realizing that millions of lives, hopes and dreams have been completely undermined and disdained, traded in for the force of greed, for the hunger of the few who need more and more to live in their version of peace! Despair is at the heart of moments like the ones of this past week, when hundreds of Greek citizens were hospitalized due to the brutal use of violence by the police force! Despair advances with seeing more and more educated and resourceful young men and women being laid off, not producing as their energy and fruitfulness allows them to, rather fleeing the country for a better tomorrow or giving up their dreams for a piece of bread!

Yet, at times like these, one cannot help but feel inspired! There is inspiration in the nation's biggest plateia (square), where hundreds of thousands have peacefully protested for over 25 days and nights, sharing their hope that tomorrow will be a better day and their dreams will not be derided. There is inspiration in knowing deep within, that from chaos, all great things are created! Inspiration also comes in returning to ourselves, looking within and painfully and bravely understanding that there is a reason why each and every one of us is involved in this massive muddle. Yet, the most pronounced inspiration is the remembrance that one doesn't need much to be happy or complete; because we have been given the greatest gift of all: our life!


Nina Simone inspired me today by reminding me to keep it simple and to be grateful for the generous present that is my life!

How much inspiration are you inviting into your own precious life?