Relationships

Relationships – especially the challenging ones are tricky and often messy.

They are essential though and the pathway to your greatest Spiritual growth.

Relationships are everywhere in your life. From the relationship you have with your parents, children, partner, friends, ex’s, co-workers and employers to the shortest of relationships with strangers as you pass by each other in the grocery store.

We all have free will and it’s your free will that leads you to every “fork in the road” or as I like to refer to it as “the fork in the pathway along your Spiritual journey” to choose how you react or respond in all your relationships.

Picture this… You have come to a “fork in the Spiritual pathway” in regards to a relationship in your life. Put some thought into which specific relationship comes up for you in this moment.

On the left is a pathway of struggle – you will recognize this pathway;

• It’s that time you reacted in anger and later wished you could take it back.
• It is the time you knew you should have spoken up but opted to “keep the peace” instead.
• It is that time you demanded you were right only to later find out you were terribly wrong.
• It is that time you said or did something you regret saying or doing.
• It is that time you regretted NOT saying or doing something.
• It’s that time you hurt someone’s feeling because you were hurting and didn’t know how to deal with your own feelings.
• It is the first time you chose an unhealthy habit – that has you trapped now and unable to break free.
• It was that time you didn’t hug or tell someone you loved them and now they are gone.
• It is that time you could have forgiven someone but choose to give them a “piece of your mind” instead and now you will never have that chance again.
• It is the time you betrayed your best friend or was the victim of their betrayal.
• It is that time you let the love of your life slip away from you.
• It is the time you wrongly judged someone and took it personally when someone later judged you.
• It is the time you missed out on an amazing opportunity because you didn’t believe in yourself or your potential.
• It’s all your past memories of experiences, behaviours, habits, negative beliefs and perceptions.

On this pathway all the relationship memories of your past – good and bad grow like weeds along your journey. This is when you show up in a relationship but act and react in ways you wish you didn’t. You feel like you don’t have a lot of control over your actions, emotions or circumstances and you feel very much like a victim.  You get stuck and lost very easily whenever you choose this pathway.

On the right side of the fork however, is the pathway to inner peace…

On the right is a pathway of peace… a pathway that encourages you to act (or not act) from a position of a peaceful mind and a peaceful heart. This is not the same as “keeping the peace” unless keeping the peace is in alignment with your inner peace.

You’ve chosen this path every time you have consciously taken good care of your physical body, your emotions and your mental mind.

You chose this path every time you make the decision to sit in stillness and silence.

You chose this path every time you connect with nature, make yourself a priority, connect with like-minded souls and show up for the important people in your life.

You chose this path when you live your core values by setting the intention every day to do your best to align with them.

On this pathway you could give someone a “piece of your mind” however… aligning with a peaceful mind and heart is required before you do.

The energy of “a piece of your mind” is completely different when it is delivered from a balanced heart Chakra in alignment with inner peace, than the energy of an unbalanced heart Chakra which is blocked by fear, anger, guilt, sadness, regret or any other blockage of the heart.

There is an important “stoppage” before one moves consistently onto the right pathway of peace.  This stoppage is encouraged in order to authentically walk this right pathway with integrity.

This stop is right in front of you and when you take the time to really look for it – you will see a perfectly placed seat in the center of a big ole Willow Tree in the imagination of your mind.

What this “stop” requires you to do is to take some time to connect inward and align your energy. This means aligning with your body physically and energetically so you can honour your emotions and feelings. (the good, the bad and the ugly ones) This space requires you to take off your “ego/personality mask” (which will usually trigger more fear) and align instead with your heart, your Soul, your core values, your truth, your intuition and your pure potential.

I refer to this “stoppage” as my daily journey through the Chakra’s.

Unfortunately most egos avoid this place – and give numerous excuses why they can’t, won’t or shouldn’t stop here.

It might even be as simple as “I don’t have the time” and so the choice to go to the left and back down the pathway of memories and struggle seems like the “easier” choice.

Yet… it’s not. There is nothing easy about struggle.

Yet this is the pathway most traveled.

I know I have traveled it many times. I have personally (and willingly) chosen to go down this struggling relationship pathway many times and every time I have – it has resulted in the same struggle – different faces with similar stories. There is no exit on this path and I found myself so lost on this pathway at one point in my life that I didn’t recognize who I was and I couldn’t find my way back to the fork.

It wasn’t easy – but I turned myself around and eventually found my way back to the fork.

I finally made the decision and commitment to myself to sit in that imaginary “Willow Tree” on a regular daily basis so I could walk down the pathway of peace and find the alignment with my inner peace.

This has become a non-negotiable practice for me.

The willow tree of course is a metaphor for both my meditations and the willingness to put myself at the top of my priority list and take care of my body, my mind, my emotions and ultimately my relationships in this life.

Does this time I take in the “willow tree” everyday guarantee my entry onto the pathway of inner peace?

Nothing is guaranteed, however it does hand me the opportunity to consciously choose the pathway of peace and what I have found is that every day I get a little bit further down this pathway, sometimes a weed from the other pathway trips me up and pulls me to the left but I can now consciously choose to stop and “re-align” to get myself off the struggle path and back onto the path that leads to the peace in my heart and in my mind – no matter how many memories, fears or worries from the other side try to pull me back.

This is the journey to peace. This journey has shifted all my relationships.

What do I do when I sit in the “Willow Tree” seat? I have many different practices now but today I will share a Chakra Journey with you.

The purpose of this Chakra Journey is to find, create and align with your inner peace. A peacefulness in your heart and in your mind.

The more often you do this visualization practice the more at peace you will begin to experience in your everyday life.

Be patient with this process and yourself! It is important to understand that some people visualization very easily and others not so easily – whatever your experience is – know it is perfectly normal.

The Chakra Journey to Inner Peace

Sit comfortably in an upright seated position. In a chair or on the floor with as many supports around you as needed for comfort.

Find your center by taking a moment to feel your sitting bones rooted into the surface you are seated upon (if you are seated in a chair feel the rooting of your feet into the floor) Close your eyes. Take a few deep breathes.

1. As best as you can, visualize a deep red color swirling from your feet, up your legs and into the tailbone base of your spine. Let the swirling sensation just happen (as opposed to forcing it) and if the color fads or increases in intensity or color just let it flow. Notice if you can feel a gentle swirling of energy in your lower extremities and please do not judge your experience as wrong if you notice nothing. Silently repeat the affirmation “I am safe” and let the words flow with your breath about 4-5x feeling tension release from your body with every exhalation.
2. Now visualize the color orange swirling in the sacral area of your body, hips, low back and genitals. Notice any sensations flowing freely in this area, welcome any and every experience. If any emotions arise within you – let them flow as well. There is no need to hold anything back. Silently repeat the affirmation “My emotions are free-flowing and balanced” and let the words flow with your breath about 4-5x feeling tension release from your body with every exhalation.
3. Now visualize the energy of the brightest yellow sun swirling in the core area of your body. Let the warmth of a cozy fire glow comfortably in your belly. Welcome in any and all experiences. Feel the soothing energy of confidence and a sense of individual personal power swirl pleasantly throughout your Solar Plexus. Silently repeat the affirmation “I know my worth – I belong in this world” and let the words flow with your breath about 4-5x feeling tension release from your body with every exhalation.
4. Now visualize the most beautiful emerald green color swirling throughout the entire area of your heart center, well into your shoulders, down your arms and into your hands and fingers. As your hands are an extension of your heart energy – intend to use them to give love and to receive love. Bring all your awareness into your heart and take a few moments to welcome in all thoughts, words and images of gratitude. Who are you grateful for? What you are grateful for? Now allow the vibration of gratitude to swirl throughout your entire body and energy system. Welcome in any and all experiences. As this gratitude practice has opened the portal to your heart – let yourself feel the healing energy of love, compassion, acceptance and forgiveness move through your entire body, mind and Soul. Silently repeat the affirmation “I love and accept myself and others just as we are” let the words flow with your breath about 4-5x feeling tension release from your body with every exhalation.
5. Now visualize a beautiful turquoise color swirling around and around your entire throat and neck area – expanding in vibration, expanding in energy. Feel the clearing of confusion and the expansion of your truth moving into your body – aligning you with your core values. Take a moment to silently connect into each of your core values – letting them become a part of who you are with every word and every intention of your day. Welcome in any and all experiences. Feel the energy of your core values swell into every cell of your body. Silently repeat the affirmation “I communicate confidently and with ease and I am comfortable speaking my mind” let the words flow with your breath about 4-5x feeling tension release from your body with every exhalation.
6. Now visualize deep indigo, the color of the midnight sky swirl up and into the area of your third eye. That open space right in between the eye brows. The energy of insights, wisdom and true inner peace. In this space – welcome the release of your ego and the integration and intuition of your Soul to come forth. Allow yourself to feel into any and all peaceful experiences and sensations. Welcome the energy of peace into every fiber of your being. Silently repeat the affirmation “I choose to let my inner wisdom guide me as I see peace all around me” let the words flow with your breath about 4-5x feeling tension release from your body with every exhalation.
7. Now visualize a bright violet color, swirling like a halo above the crown of your head. This open space connects you to the highest possible version of yourself – and allows you to show up authentically for every relationship that is important to you. Connecting into this energy will align you with your inner peace – it will lead you to making decisions that will give you peace of mind and honor the peace in your heart. Silently repeat the affirmation “I go beyond my limiting beliefs and trust that peace is possible in every situation and relationship” Let the words flow with your breath about 4-5x feeling tension release from your body with every exhalation.

With consistency this practice will allow you to love with your mind, lead with your heart, lean into acceptance and help you find that delicate balance between keeping the peace, speaking your truth and tuning into your intuition to honour your inner peace. A balance that every relationship in your life will benefit from. This is how we show up FOR the important relationships in our life.  

This Week’s Intention

1. Notice how you are currently showing up in your most important relationships.
2. Meditate daily. (with the chakra journey above – to get you on the pathway to inner peace)
3. Continue to nurture your relationship with yourself! This ensures you can show up fully for the people you love the most in your life.

Peace like happiness is an inside job.

Be ready to willingly step onto the right pathway – the pathway of peace and watch all your relationships shift and flourish. Align with the absolute best version of you – the part of you that aligns with a peaceful heart and a peaceful mind – take all action from this space!

Namaste my friends;

Leslie

Contact me at leslie@wellnessdefined.ca for information regarding private sessions or to try a free class or two.

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