"Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy." - Thich Nhat Hanh
The beginning of April I found out about a Facebook friend who passed away. She was more than just a Facebook acquaintance but a beautiful young soul that I have known since childhood. Over the summer, she visited my studio and attended classes but stopped attending due to health reasons. I could feel the pull of my soul to contact her but the instability of my life distracted me from reaching out. For this, I am sorry. I can only imagine her struggles as she made the decision to no longer stay with this earth. I have been to the depths of despair and struggled with the thoughts that left me question my own self-worth. At one point about 15 years ago, I thought that I would never recover.
There are many of us who have faced this struggled in our lives. Today, I understand her pain in a way that I am thankful my end was not the same. I felt the distortions of myself take me deep into a place where I was isolated and contested my very existence. There is a difference between being depressed and taking measures to end the life that you have been given. Most of us will never grasp the "why," but there are some of us who have tasted that pain and self-rejection, attempting to no longer live with the struggle. We have had the overwhelming feelings that pull the very breath from our soul, leaving us feeling lost and alone. We will never truly understand why she chose this path, but we do understand that this beautiful soul left this world far too soon. May love and peace find her and her family.
Admita, the "I am-ness," can be either the self-centered ego in accomplishment and status or in the insecurity of self-worth. Both egotism and insecurity are a misconception of our true authentic self. The ego defends itself and competes when being challenged, ignorant to the truth which makes us strong. An inflated ego limits our ability to grow and evolve, creating a narrow minded view of life. On the other hand, the insecure and disheartened are terrified of relinquishing control, meaning that the one thing the insecure person has is the control over is their existence. They feel trapped with no window of opportunity to get out, change, or to grow. Eventually, without help or finding meaning in their life, they take the one thing that they believe will free them from their suffering.
This past summer, after I found out about my husband's affair, I had dinner one night with two of my dear friends, Ann and Jessica. I asked them for help. I was feeling lost and in a place where I could not feel comfort on my own. I told them I was able to work and everything was alright during the day, but found myself drowning in thoughts of desperation and loneliness at night, unsure if I wanted to see the next day. I knew that I was strong enough to get through, and I was also strong enough to ask for help. I knew that Ann and Jessica would be there for me. I asked that they text me every 30 minutes from 6-10 pm every night until I told them when I was honestly through the torment of my crushed emotions and deflated self-worth. I told them that I was going to stop drinking and would respond back with honesty. They agreed to my request and followed through with their promises. I didn't ask much, but I know that these two ladies likely saved my life, or at least were a huge contribution to the new found strength that I have now.
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around." - Leo Buscaglia
In order to work through my misconceptions and insecurities, I had to figure out why I was feeling insure. On the surface this seemed easy, but there were layers of emotions, thoughts, patterns, and delusions that I had to work through in order to see even a glimpse of light. I asked for help from people around me that I trusted and grasped blindly at the small strands of life that were positive. One of those was my ex was coming home in a month and that we could work on our marriage together. Looking back, this was also a distortion of reality, but I gained an awareness that I am stronger than the fragmented self that just wanted to give up.
We often think of challenges in life, the fine line between pleasure and pain, as an enemy. It is uncomfortable and less desirable to experience the discomforts that life presents us than to face ourselves at these points of unequivocal growth. We feel trapped, limited, and even debilitated by them, leaving us to make the choice to suffer, seek refuge, or to experience the things that have happened. It's actually a sign of health that we can experience a place where we balance on that fine line. Unfortunately, we do not take the time to see the message as a gift to stop struggling and look into the eyes of fear, disappointment, and anxiety. These messages are telling us to venture into unknown territory and to explore our true nature.
In life, when we gravitate towards what we desire we also find ourselves ill, sick, lost in life, losing control of our life, and then we suffer. We lack the tools to regain the strength that it takes to process and grow. When these life struggles are brought into our lives, it is a time to be curious about ourselves and to notice our reactions. This is the time to tap into our support, our family, friends and professional guidance that are around us. We experience suffering due to our fear of impermanence and our pain is rooted so deep in our skewed perception of our reality that we feel that there is no escape.
A healthy self-esteem does not feel threatened by change; in fact, it feels empowered and has the tools to overcome suffering. This does not mean that it doesn't take time or walking the tightrope of experiences that are both uplifting and debilitating. As we evolve, we use our higher self, inner wisdom, and our past to be a witness to flourish into a life that is stronger and more balanced rather than our ego's agenda to let our thoughts and emotions that weaken us. Pleasure and pain go hand in hand; they are inseparable, but neither is permanent.
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." - Helen Keller
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Each week Kamie will have a different focus that will vary from yoga nidra relaxation workshops to informational workshops on yoga and meditation practices, Ayurvedic routines, herbs, teas, and life choices that are guidelines to supporting health and wellness. I would love to share some of the wisdom that I have received from my teachers.
There are many different detoxes and cleanses on the market today. It can be very overwhelming to find the right one or even to find the time to do one without taking time off from work. The best reason to do a detox or cleanse should be to reset your digestive system to remove toxins from the body and then follow it with rejuvenation. Unhealthy or irregular dietary habits, unmanaged stress, and environmental toxins can challenge your digestion, leaving you feeling heavy, tired and depleted. A weak digestive system results in the accumulation of ama, or toxins, that cause disease and premature aging.
Your digestion is a true reflection of your mental-emotional-physical state of balance or imbalance. A few signs of a stressed digestive system and accumulation of toxins are fatigue and lack of motivation, mental fogginess and forgetfulness, recurring infections and illnesses, and weight gain. Look at the questions below and use them as a guideline to whether detoxing might be the right choice for you.
When I wake up in the morning, I feel tired and unclear, and I need time to feel awake even if I have had enough sleep.
In the morning, my tongue is often coated with a thick film.
I feel or have obstruction/blockages in my body (constipation, congestion, fogginess).
I often suffer from indigestion or heartburn.
I tend to feel heaviness, especially in my legs, and/or fatigue in my body.
I tend to feel tired or exhausted mentally, emotionally, and physically.
I get common colds, flu, and sinus problems several times a year.
I tend to feel that my breathing, digestion, and elimination is not functioning properly. My body feels off.
I tend to feel lazy, not motivated, and I feel exhausted when I do things.
I tend to spit often or have a bad taste in my mouth.
I often have no real appetite and food really doesn't taste all that good.
If you answered "yes" to more than half of the statements above, you may have poor digestion, and it is time to consider an Ayurvedic health makeover.
If you have looked for a yoga class and have been scared to try, this is the class for you! Learn the basics of yoga in a group of people that are in the same place in their yoga journey. Each week will start with meditation and move into basic yoga poses to build confidence in your practice of yoga. This class is for folks who have little to no yoga experience!
Class will be held in the Earth Studio, led by Jessica
Yoga is an amazing therapy for children that have special needs. It helps them to cope with the anxiety, pain, discomfort, aggression, and obsessive behaviors that they often struggle with. It also helps with balance, coordination, stress, digestion, and sleep.The best part is this class offers special needs children with an opportunity to make new friends and teach them to regulate their emotions.
Join us to connect, play, and relax! In this class we will breathe, and move through animal like poses and end with mindful relaxation.
All Special needs children are welcome! Some techniques focus on autism, but it will be beneficial to all that participate. This class is designed for children (3-10yrs) with all abilities. Parent or guardian must attend.
