How Do You Want to Feel?

"You’re frustrated because you keep waiting for the blooming of flowers of which you have yet to sow the seeds."

~Steve Maraboli

This quote has been coming to mind frequently as I spend time in the garden and make time to explore my feelings as they surface, especially the uncomfortable ones. I've noticed the most uncomfortable feelings are often a strong nudge from the universe to make an important change in my life. The most important spiritual growth doesn't happen when you are practicing yoga or meditating, it happens in the midst of conflict when you're frustrated, angry, jealous or scared. These feelings often arise when we are caught in old patterns. That being said, please don't stop practicing yoga or meditating! These are the practices that help us to increase our awareness. As you send your attention to your breath and notice the small sensations in your physical body while you move through your asanas or enjoy a meditative seat, you are practicing and building tools you can use to focus your attention with more awareness in every other area of your life. If we can use these feelings as an invitation to step back and look at the big picture, we may notice that we are doing things the same way as we always have and most likely in a way that doesn't serve us best. If we can realize that we always have a choice to do things differently, we can free ourselves from suffering and shed the victim mentality that prevents us from realizing our true power and our true potential. Enjoy this virtual bouquet of blossoms I gathered from my yard today and take a moment to ask yourself which seeds you'd like to sow in the garden of your life, and beyond that, what you may need to 'weed out' to make space for the things that truly and deeply nourish you. Here's a practice you may not have tried before. When a difficult emotion surfaces, give yourself a moment to amplify that feeling to better understand it. Ask yourself how you would express this feeling unselfconsciously with a loud bold statement like a toddler throwing a tantrum would do. Then take a few deep breaths, step back and use your intelligent adult mind to tune into your heart space and find the source of those feelings and a pathway to transforming them. Most often, we have the ability to make new choices and changes in our lives that will elevate us and those around us. When we discover things we don't have the power to change, we can embrace the opportunity to practice deep acceptance of what is. What is your deepest desire? How do you want to feel? What is a practical step you can take in your life to feel the changes you are craving? with love and light, Sarah