How do we put the spring back into our mind/body/spirit step in the New Year ahead, especially after feeling “beat up” by the holidays just ending?
For some of us, the holidays seem to push us a step backwards… family, friends, gift-giving, loneliness, commercialism…can be the “triggers” for body pain, mental depression, and spiritual disconnect. It’s normal, it’s natural, you’re not alone.
And now, what to do in the New Year to regain the ground we feel we’ve lost in our physical activity, emotional balance, and spiritual growth? 2016 may have seemed two steps forward, one step backward for many of us. It’s a process…for all of us. We need to take action in the New Year ahead.
First,
Honor your feelings, for the moment. As my Amazon maestro said to me, “Feelings are just feelings, everyone has them. They don’t necessarily represent the truth.” Interestingly that statement was echoed by my therapist who said to me, “Feelings are irrational. They have a life of their own. Your job is to figure out what the truth is for you underneath the feelings, and guide your life accordingly.”
Second,
A big part of what puts us into old thought and behavior patterns stems from our prehistoric days, as I put it. The reason anger, fear, wariness, constriction, defensiveness are sometimes in the forefront of our thoughts and behavior is that these negative feelings/actions were largely “self-preservation” to ancient humans. The self-preservation part of our psyche “remembers” bad people/places/events to help us stay away from them in the future. And now over the holidays, some of us visited those very people/places/events that were not pleasant (or were abusive) for us. No wonder we don’t feel good, or we lose our sense of inner balance!
Third,
The holidays are supposed to be a heart-opening experience for all. It’s a time of reunion and giving and gratitude. Now those negative people/places/events things that we visit over the holidays actually force our heart to close up. We don’t want to be hurt. So, our poor heart is trying to open up to the Spirit of the Holidays, and is sometimes forced to close down because of the negative situations around us. No wonder we feel “beat up”! It’s just the way it is. Accept it, and take action.
Fourth,
The only way out is through… as they say. So now that the holidays are finishing up, it’s time to get back on the horse and bring in the good energia positiva, as we say here in the Amazon. Move that negative energy through your body/mind/spirit by renewing your yoga/something class (for your body), getting together now for a Post-New Year’s Energy Rally with friends who support and champion who you are (for your mind), and getting out into some form life-affirming nature (for your spirit). Take action…do all three! If you want to shift the energy to a positive state, you must push the energy through yourself… the blahs won’t go away by themselves.
The intention to put forth before participating in each of these body/mind/spirit events is,
“May this ____ (yoga/friend/nature) bring renewed positive energy for me. May my renewed energy help to support my friends, family, community around me for the highest good. May this _____ (yoga/friend/nature) bring me closer to who I really am. May it be so.”
Sending much good energia positiva from the Amazon for a well-lived 2017 New Year ahead!
Connie Grauds, author and shamana, is Executive Director of the Living Shaman Museum in San Francisco, CA, and leads healing and art journeys to Peru and the Amazon. She can be reached by email here.