Sunday Family Humour 14 - Self-Help & Motivational 21st November

Self Helpand Motivational 21st November

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(Continuing from last week)

Quickstep

6 To strengthen our resolve

Sometimes we feel as though we could achieve more. On examination, we will usually find that we are still placing higher emphasis on things other than our survival and evolutionary growth.

As soon as we place priority on survival and evolution, we begin to see the results. Whatever we decided to do some time ago begins to manifest itself within us, as if given grace by some magic power. We have thought about it long enough, with our resolve growing a little each time we think about it, until we reach the point where we have sufficient energy to action our desires. We notice that our negative activity reduces, and in some cases is eliminated, and that we feel good about that. We realise that while we do not yet always conduct our daily affairs to include all of our desired practices, nevertheless we begin to conduct our desired practices several times per week. With just a little patience, these practices will become second nature.

Once we have our minds and bodies gradually cleaning themselves out, then we are gradually lightening our load. In gentle waves our performance improves until one day, we feel ready for the next step. Our resolve to continue on the Track strengthens, and there appears to be little point in returning to our previous ways.

In fact, our resolve strengthens itself so much, that not only do we make some effort to avoid situations with negative vibrations, but we even begin to dislike some of the things that we previously thought we loved.

It becomes easier to say 'no' where we used to say 'yes', and easier to say 'yes' where we used to say 'no'. The whole process of change becomes less painful and we actually look forward to the continuing adventure.

We improve our diet, our exercise and our spiritual practices, and soon begin to feel the benefit.

Our energy levels rise and we begin to feel that we can take on greater challenges.

We find ourselves less inclined to want to keep down with the Jones’s, and more inclined to be creative on our own account. We find that we can take the time, and have the energy to become more deeply involved with the things that we truly love.

We begin to better our previous performances on a regular basis and realise that our potential is so much higher than we ever believed that we are able to conceive of greater challenges.

Our confidence increases, and we find that we become more adaptable, more patient, and more tolerant.

The first seeds of unconditional love are beginning to sprout.

Our capability to forgive increases and our need to prove ourselves as a winner decreases. We begin to feel the urge to help others, and gradually our own ego begins to recede.

We learn more about ourselves, and more about the reasons why we act in certain ways, and as we become more mindful, our own behaviour improves, as if of its own accord.

We become more precise in steering our ship, and less needful of steering the ships of others. We feel guilty less often, and begin to remove one of the major causes of depression - guilt.

We begin to remove some of our fears, though others may still persist. We begin to discover much of the curtain of illusion which has been created by the business world. As we begin to receive glimpses through the curtain we become encouraged, and have to guard against more guilt feelings as we discover more about ourselves.

The past has gone, and we realise that our memory and our history books never were very precise.

As the fog begins to lift, every aspect of the planet begins to manifest its clarity. We are able to understand more of what is happening here and now, and this enables us to feel compassion towards our fellow citizens, to experience deeper levels of unconditional love and to experience less fear.

During the inevitable times of depression, when our resolve is weak, we will find that our spiritual practice becomes a significant aid. Slowly we learn to be able to control our depressions, and life begins to roll along less painfully.

Surrender to Fear – Shed Your Skin – BE YOURSELF!

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By Caroline Diana Bobart

Guest Writer for Wake Up World

Have you ever had the feeling that the relationship, job or community you were in was simply the wrong fit? Did it seemed no one could see you and you may as well have been, for all intents and purposes, invisible? Did you ache to break out and do something different, even if you weren’t sure exactly what?

Oftentimes this feeling of restlessness and being an outsider to situations in the external world, is your Spirit’s way of giving you a nudge. It is Spirit’s way of trying to open your eyes to the fact that you are ready to shed your skin and try on a new way of being, thinking and living for size.

It can be unnerving to be in this place of ‘no man’s land’, where you are considering leaving behind the lifestyle or community that doesn’t validate you on the most fundamental of soul levels but as yet, you don’t have an inkling of where you are headed or what your new and improved reality ought to be, or how.

This is the point at which anxiety can kick in, along with thoughts and questions such as these;

“Well, what am I supposed to DO now? There must be something I can DO to find my soul family, perfect relationship or job! How will I recognise it when I find it and will they recognise me?

“I can see that the road ahead is going to be lonely. Wouldn’t it be better – safer even – to stick with what I know?

“How do I know that this isn’t the start of me becoming a recluse and being side-lined from society? The thought of me feeling even more isolated is not one that I relish…”

Sometimes this internal dialog can go on to the extent that you end up completely paralysing yourself with fear. This is the kind of fear that disables you from taking decisive action to shut old doors and embark on the adventure of finding and opening new more exciting, fulfilling ones in your life.

Isn’t it funny that in this very place of potent fear lies your intuition and life-ward instinct? Your greatest ally, resource and strength?

If this strikes a chord (even if you can’t put your finger on why) celebrate the fact that you have arrived at a place where you your inner wisdom has been speaking lovingly and persistently to you! Speaking about what? Why not listen and find out?

This inner wisdom speaks to us about the most important needs in our life, firstly, immersing yourself in healing, forgiveness and self-love. If you can take the plunge to surrender to the experience of the external situations and relationships that have been keeping your Spirit contained, and turn your attention on yourself within, what usually follows is a natural subconscious process of teasing out the enchanted life path that Spirit has in store.

Think of it as if you must go through a process of seeing and validating yourself before Spirit can lead you down the right path – one where people and circumstances can meet you where you are, and see and validate your uniqueness too.

Inherent in this understanding is the acceptance that you are your own greatest ally. Even more than that, you are the supreme ruler of your life. All that is required is an internal switch from relying on external situations to honour and fulfil you, to the realisation that this is a gift that only you can truly give yourself. In other words, you are the primary co-creator of your life and when you decide to fully step into your ownership of that role, you give your gentle, wise Spirit the stage upon which to build a more meaningful and connected life.

This plandemic provides time to upgrade your way of thinking, and this book is perfect to get you started on a new path and a new way of looking at life.

A gentle suck on the red pill.

"I read it in one sitting. Great concepts. It’s a high level overview of enlightenment, hence “quickstep”. Definitely left me wanting more... I will continue on my journey to enlighten myself. "

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The Ultimate Guide to Solar Plexus Chakra Healing For Complete Beginners

(For an introduction to chakras see https://sites.google.com/view/sunday-family-humour-14/home/humour-14th-november/humour-14th-november-page-2/personal-advancement-14th-november#h.eao51qo2fb3n

November 9th, 2021

By Aletheia Luna

Guest writer for Wake Up World

The solar plexus chakra is known as the “lustrous gem” energy center within our bodies because it shines brightly like the sun when balanced.

Have you ever experienced great confidence, autonomy, and inner drive in your life? This was likely when your solar plexus chakra was healthy, harmonious, and functioning at its optimal state.

However, there are many habits, mindsets, and traumatic experiences in life that can cause your solar plexus chakra to become blocked, suppressed or stagnant. If you have experienced a strict upbringing, bullying, authoritarian parents or figures in your life, mental, emotional, sexual or physical abuse or were conditioned as a child with disempowering ideologies (such as religious, traditional or social beliefs), you likely have an impaired solar plexus chakra.

This guide will help you begin your own unique process of undergoing solar plexus chakra healing.

What is the Solar Plexus Chakra?

The solar plexus chakra, or Manipura, is the center of our willpower, self-esteem, and energy of transformation. Located about six inches above your belly button within your diaphragm, the solar plexus chakra is associated with the color yellow and the element of fire. This chakra is responsible for regulating the energy associated with action, intention, identity, and vitality.

What is Solar Plexus Chakra Healing?

Solar Plexus Chakra healing is the practice of opening, clearing, cleansing, supporting, and strengthening the solar plexus chakra within our bodies. Solar Plexus Chakra healing involves using a number of holistic remedies such as aromatherapy, sound, crystal, movement, and emotional therapy to re-establish harmony within the body-mind organism.

17 Signs of an Unhealthy Solar Plexus Chakra

The best way to tell whether you need to undergo solar plexus chakra healing is to pay attention to your thoughts, feelings, actions, and physical sensations within your body.

Here are some signs to look out for:

You constantly feel fatigued and lazy
You have a problem with overeating and overindulgence
You tend to manipulate others to get what you want, OR …
You frequently feel powerless and weak
You tend to be a bully or overly dominating around others, OR …
You feel insecure and unassertive
You lack self-confidence in most areas of life
You tend to seek approval from other people (i.e. you’re a people-pleaser)
You have low self-esteem, OR …
You have an excessively inflated sense of self (i.e. a big ego)
Your body temperature is usually very cold OR very hot
You have addictive tendencies
You struggle to send boundaries around other people
You tend to form co-dependent relationships with others
You suffer from a digestive system disorder such as IBS, ulcers, hypoglycemia, diabetes, etc.
You suffer from frequent gas, constipation or stomach upset
You have excessive weight around the stomach (i.e. a pot belly)

How many of these signs can you relate to in this list?

Do You Have a Deficient or Excessive Solar Plexus Chakra?

Did you know that there are actually two types of chakra imbalances?

While a deficient solar plexus chakra is passive or energetically “numb,” an excessive solar plexus chakra is energetically aggressive or manic.

Here’s a breakdown of the difference between the two:

Deficient = lifeless, sluggish, passive, blocked, inwards (not enough energy flows in)

Excessive = lively, agitated, reactive, aggressive, outwards (too much energy flows in)

Therefore, if you have a deficient solar plexus chakra, you will be more prone to issues such as fatigue, low self-esteem, and poor willpower. On the other hand, if you have an excessive solar plexus chakra you will be prone to egotism, controlling behaviors, and addictions that numb you.

The question is, what type of imbalance do you have? It’s also possible to fall somewhere in the middle.

18 Solar Plexus Chakra Healing Practices

So what does a healthy and balanced solar plexus chakra look and feel like?

When you have a clear, strong and harmonious solar plexus chakra, you will firstly feel confident in yourself. You will no longer struggle with self-doubt or aggressive egotism, but instead, you’ll feel comfortable in your own skin and you’ll trust in your abilities. You’ll come to understand that you have the power of choice, i.e. the power to choose your mindset, and therefore how you approach life and other people.

Not only will you feel more self-assured, but you will also have the energy and willpower needed to create healthy boundaries. You will no longer lapse into explosive or self-minimizing roles around others, but instead, you’ll stand your ground with respect for yourself and others. Your newly found energy will allow you to move out of lethargic and addictive patterns, and instead carry out your goals and dreams with enthusiasm. You will feel energized, focused, empowered, and in alignment with life.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? But remember, bringing about these changes doesn’t just happen overnight. You will need to be sincere and patient in your dedication to cleanse the solar plexus, especially if it has been blocked for many years.

Here are some of the best solar plexus chakra healing practices out there which will help you begin to heal this energetic center:

1. Break out of routine and take a risk

Best suited to: deficient blockages

Lethargic and “safe” routines only tend to perpetuate our feelings of powerlessness. Break the dull inertia of your life and try something new. Step outside of your routine and go exploring, even if that means going to a different shopping center on your Saturday shopping trip. Even small breaks in routine will infuse you with energy and vitality. One small change can give you the motivation and renewed energy you need.

2. Cut ties with critical and negative people

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

If you can’t cut ties permanently with belittling and critical people, try your best to keep a distance from them. During this time of your life, you’ll benefit from supportive people who will encourage you to grow, not unsupportive people who will drag you through the mud. Remember that the power is in your hands. It is up to you to decide who stays and goes in your life. If someone is frequently discrediting, underrating, or bad-mouthing you, take steps to remove them from your life.

3. Explore the biggest sources of resistance in your life

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

What are you constantly fighting against? What are you afraid of? What issues keep coming back in your life? When you ask these questions and discover the answer, you’ll uncover the greatest source of energy loss in your life. The next step is to learn how to preserve your energy and stop the resistance. Ask yourself, “What must I understand, love or let go of that will free up my energy?” Often, those with blocked solar plexus chakras tend to invest huge amounts of energy towards fighting, avoiding or suppressing something.

4. Eat more of these foods

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

Eat whole grains such as rice, oats, spelt, and rye which are all great for digestion. Try including more legumes in your diet such as lentils, chickpeas, and beans. Add spices such as turmeric, ginger, cumin, and cinnamon to your food as these spices are heating to the body. Also include yellow fruit and vegetables such as lemons, bananas, corn, pineapple, and yellow capsicums into your eating plan.

5. Get out in the sun more

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

As the solar plexus chakra is represented by the element of fire, the sun is an immensely healing source of vitality. In fact, the less vitamin D you have in your life, the more prone you are to issues such as anxiety and depression. Taking a simple morning walk in the sunshine, or even relaxing in the afternoon sun with a good cup of tea is a powerful practice for the solar plexus chakra.

6. Release any anger you store inside

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

When done in conjunction with grounding, releasing pent up anger can help you to unblock your solar plexus quite rapidly. Our congested power is often expressed as blocked anger (just think of the “angry” explosions of volcanoes!), so when we release that anger, we can access that energy again.

Try releasing your anger in a healthy way such as through vigorous exercise, punching, kickboxing, dancing, singing, writing, crying or expressing it through art.

7. Take more of these cleansing herbs

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

Use herbs to help ground and clear the solar plexus such as chamomile, rosemary, lemongrass, marshmallow leaf, and ginger.

One of the best ways to take herbs is to drink them as tea. For the solar plexus chakra, I recommend Buddha Teas’ soothing and 100% organic Solar Plexus Chakra Tea which you can buy here. I’m actually drinking a cup of this tea as we speak! I love that it’s infused with the essence of citrine.

8. Stop seeing yourself as a “victim”

Best suited to: deficient blockages

One of the most damaging mindsets carried by those with blocked solar plexus chakras is the notion that they are “powerless” and defenseless victims of life. If you carry this mentality, it will manifest as the tendency to blame other people for your unhappiness. You might also find yourself constantly sacrificing your needs for others who don’t always appreciate your efforts. (This is called the Martyr Syndrome.)

Secretly, there is a lot of energy put into playing the victim, and it is a facade that must be maintained (and reaffirmed) every day. If you see yourself as a person who is being victimized by someone else or something else, explore what it feels like to say “no.” Playing the victim is so attractive because it allows us to bypass the weight of self-responsibility, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself terrified of “stepping up” and reclaiming your power. It takes practice and courage.

9. Repeat the following affirmations

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

Reclaim your personal power by repeating the following affirmations: “I can,” “I will,” “I have the power to decide,” “I am strong and courageous,” “I embrace my strength,” “I love the person I am,” “I stand up for myself,” “I am responsible for my life,” “I am worthy of love and kindness,” “I am whole.” The more you repeat these affirmations with sincerity, the more they will reprogram your unconscious mind, and therefore, open your solar plexus chakra. Try starting each morning with one of these affirmations.

10. Laugh at yourself

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

When we can laugh at ourselves and find humor in life, we have power. Even the darkest periods of life can be infused with humor. Humor is a great source of strength and reminds us that life is always in a state of transition. Nothing ever truly remains the same! When we find humor, we find freedom. The more serious you are, the more disconnected you are from your source of power.

11. Meditate with the following crystals

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

Use crystals as energetic totems that will help you harmonize your energy. Try meditating or carrying crystals such as amber, topaz, citrine, tiger’s eye, and yellow calcite. My favorite crystal is amber which you can buy here from a high-quality seller.

12. Let go of unhealthy attachments

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

Unhealthy attachments are tremendous sources of energy loss and are often responsible for solar plexus blockages and energy stagnation. Attachments can be emotional, mental, and also physical. We can become attached to ideals, beliefs, memories, expectations, desires, fears, people, places, objects, and substances.

Attachments are essentially forms of energy that become “stuck” in our bodies and minds. Sometimes, these bits of energy become so dense that they result in dangerous addictions and severely limiting habits. The best way to break an unhealthy attachment is by asking yourself, “Is this belief/memory/desire/object serving my highest good?” The moment you can acknowledge that something in your life is detrimental is the point when you can begin the process of recovery. Letting go is about learning how to take care of yourself and find inner stability and security without the need for an external crutch.

13. Take care of yourself every single day

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

Healthy self-esteem is one of the cornerstones of a lively solar plexus chakra. When you take care of your body and psychological health, your energy instantly becomes harmonized. Think about what areas of your physical, mental, emotional or spiritual health you have been neglecting. Otherwise, consider what is causing you the most pain in your life, and target that! For example, if you have been neglecting your body, it will manifest as aches, pain, and chronic illness. If you have been neglecting your heart, you will feel constantly stressed, angry, or overwhelmed.

Taking care of yourself is a form of self-love and respect. Remember, no person can care for you better than YOU can. Only you know your deepest needs at any and every given moment.

14. Learn to breathe deeply and take a step back

Best suited to: excessive blockages

If you struggle with dominating or controlling other people, learn how to focus on your breath. By breathing deeply and taking a step back, you can think realistically about the situation (and person) at hand. Focusing on your breath will also give you the space to treat yourself with compassion and to understand that any form of ego-inflation is a cry for love and attention.

15. Clear blocks with yoga

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

Yoga is a potent and elegant way to reset your body and any suppressed energy that may be stored away. For opening the solar plexus, try yoga poses such as the bow pose, upward dog, full wheel pose, and the breath of fire. Please note that when you try these yoga poses, you may experience waves of emotional energy. Don’t worry; this energy is just being released as part of the clearing process.

16. Do a solar plexus visualization

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

Imagine a throbbing or swirling ball of luminescent yellow light in your diaphragm. Feel the ball of golden energy dissolving all blockages or aggressive flows of energy within you.

17. Engage your willpower by setting goals

Best suited to: deficient blockages

Overcome lethargy by making a list of ten things you would like to accomplish, and dedicate yourself to completing those things. This willpower list can be as complex or simple as you like. For example, you might want to improve your posture, get more sleep, start a new eating plan, track your expenses, or read a certain book. By setting clear goals, you will be able to exercise your willpower more easily.

18. Cleanse the solar plexus chakra with essential oils

Best suited to: deficient and excessive blockages

Use oils such as black pepper, cinnamon, rosemary, cypress, clove, and sandalwood. You can put these oils into an oil diffuser, rub them on your wrist (in a diluted form), or wear them in a diffusing pendant.

Finally, you can also try to hum “RAM” to yourself. The vibrations of this sound match the vibrations of the solar plexus.

Final Advice

After reading all this information, you might be wondering what you should do next.

I recommend picking a handful of activities from the list above that you’re naturally drawn to. Make sure you identify whether you have a deficient or excessive chakra blockage (or a mixture), and choose accordingly. Experiment with each healing modality for a couple of weeks and observe how you feel.

A Breathing Practice to Calm Your Mind

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November 19th, 2021

By Nick Polizzi

Guest Writer for Wake Up World

Today we’re going to embark on a journey into India – to learn a powerful breathing practice that’s easy to do. It will calm your heart and quiet your mind…

The technique is called Nadi Shodhana Pranayama, or alternate nostril breathing. In Sanskrit, the word “Nadi” means channel or flow, the word “Shodhana” means clarifying or purifying, and “Pranayama” means to take control of one’s breath.

During this practice, you’ll experience a sense of peace almost immediately. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Studies indicate that, over time, it can improve cardiovascular health and lung function, as it balances your heart rate. This in turn reduces your stress, which we know is good for overall physical and mental health. There is also strong evidence that alternate nostril breathing improves brain function.

Nadi Shodhana Pranayama has a long history in yoga and ayurvedic medicine as a reliable way to achieve mental, physical, and emotional balance.

For me, it’s a go-to when I’m stressed.

And it’s safe for just about anyone.

Unless you have a serious cardiovascular condition like COPD or asthma, you can do it right now with no fear. (And if you do have a condition, it’s probably still safe, but ask your doctor first.)

What have you got to lose? Here’s how to do it:

Nadi Shodhana Pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing)

Find a comfortable chair, floor cushion, or mat. Sit up as straight as you can, but don’t strain. This is not a yoga pose.
Let your left hand rest gently in your lap. Bring your right hand up to your face.
Place the index and middle fingers of your raised hand lightly against the space between your eyebrows.
Close your eyes.
Take a nice, long, easy deep breath through your nose – inhale then exhale.
Close your right nostril with your thumb, and then inhale slowly through your left nostril.
At the top of your in-breath, close your left nostril with your ring finger, so that both of your nostrils are closed.
Pause for a moment.
Release your thumb from your right nostril and exhale (keep your left nostril closed).
Pause again for a moment.
Now reverse the process. Breathe in slowly and steadily through your right nostril. At the top of the in-breath, close up both nostrils again, pause, and then release your out-breath through your left nostril.
Pause again. Repeat the breathing process, alternating nostrils. Do this several times, slowly and mindfully.

Here is an illustration with the basic positions:

Well? What do you think? If you did this practice even for just a few minutes, you probably feel more relaxed.

Am I right?

Take a few minutes and try this whenever you need to calm your mind, and then share it with friends. Better yet, share it with enemies (or people you disagree with)!

Stay curious,