Autumn reflections…
The process required in order to reach our personal goals is where we learn, grow and can thrive as individuals.
Autumn - A time of reflection
As we move from the energetic expansiveness of summer to the quieter, shorter months of Autumn, we naturally start to turn more inwards.
September is that time of year when we begin to reflect on the year gone by. What was good about it? What was bad? And what we’d like to do differently next year. We start to get busy setting goals and putting plans in place for the new year.
But we need to be careful not to get so wrapped up in achieving our goals that we lose sight of what’s important. It’s vital that we find time to pause, to reflect, and ensure we stay aligned with our values i.e. what’s really important to us and who we are as a person. Otherwise reaching the goal may not bring the fulfilment we are searching for.
Remember each moment you breathe
is a gift.
Worrying about our futures and chasing the dream can leave us feeling exhausted. If we aren’t careful we can become so busy looking outside ourselves for happiness and searching for the ‘happily ever after’, we forget we are living in this moment.
It is important for our mental health to learn to live consciously, in the present moment, and not to let life pass us by.
We need to be realistic when setting goals.
It’s good to be driven, but we must also make space for rest in order to be our best. Also be patient and realistic with our expectations. In our fast paced world we expect immediate results, but achieving our goals takes time, care and effort. Enjoy the process. There are no shortcuts or easy paths to achieving our goals. You will hit stumbling blocks. But overcoming these is part of the process. We learn so much about ourselves, build resilience, and we grow as humans, which is what makes the experience so rewarding.
What are we striving for?
Our striving can be driven by a sense of inadequacy, self doubt, or low self esteem, usually triggered by past life experiences.
We need to address and challenge these destructive thoughts and behaviours, which only cause us suffering., and leave them behind us, choosing instead to act from a place of compassion and love.
This will leave us feeling stronger, more centred, more relaxed, aligned with our goals, and connected with ourselves, and those around us.
We need to trust in
the learning.
Be careful not to judge or compare yourself to others, as we are each walking a different path and at a different part of the process. Remember that what you see on social media is not real life!
Ditch the inner-critic and accept the process cannot be hurried. Be patient and compassionate with yourself, instead rewarding your efforts by celebrating the small wins.
Learning is a process of refinement and personal growth. It’s a process which takes time and practice.
How can the practice of Yoga help?
Yoga gives us some useful tools to support this process. The practice of Yoga helps us to align our mind, body and spirit. The three aspects of ourselves which influence everything we think, feel and experience on a daily basis. They make us the person we are. When any of these are out of balance our lives can start to feel unsatisfactory, even chaotic.
The physical practice
When we get trapped in the workings of our mind, an embodied physical yoga practice will bring us back into our bodies. Movement and breathing techniques are used to teach us how to listen and pay attention to the messages the body is giving us, acknowledge how we are feeling, understand the connection between mind and body, learn from our body’s wisdom and respond appropriately.
The practice cannot be forced. It unfolds from a place of deep listening, love and compassion for oneself. When we begin our efforts might feel a little clumsy and we make mistakes, but gradually with practice and effort it begins to feel more comfortable, natural, even joyful.
Meditation
We can begin to understand ourselves better and improve our relationship to ourselves and to others through the practice of meditation. Even if you can only find 5-10 minutes to sit quietly in contemplation each morning, and bring your attention to your direct experience before you rush into your day, it can make a difference. It’s an opportunity to check in, untangle ourselves from messy or unhelpful thoughts and emotions, gain fresh perspectives, relax, and find a bit of calm and clarity.
Journalling
Writing down our thoughts and feelings can help us to understand them more clearly, process emotions, develop awareness and self-awareness. It can be a useful tool and process to help us gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and recognise what’s driving certain behaviours. It is only with this awareness that we can start to make positive changes.
Yoga Nidra
The practice of Yoga Nidra is a conscious relaxation that is a deeply restful practice. Unlike meditation, where you are in a conscious awake state, you are guided towards a conscious sleep state, where we surrender into ourselves and can experience our full nature.
Its a great alternative if you struggle with meditation. , It relaxes our nervous system, reduces stress and anxiety, and Is a valuable practice if you suffer from sleep deprivation, and to turn to when life feels overwhelming.
Keep practicing!
With commitment and persistence the practice of yoga brings deeper insight and understanding of self. Eventually becoming so ingrained in us that it becomes a part of us and starts to have a positive effect on our lives.
Vanda Scaravelli quotes in her book ‘Awakening the Spine’, “In this kind of work, continuity and perseverance are required. We will progress much more effectively through daily training…….at first you must force yourself to do yoga; eventually, yoga will pull you up by the hair and make you do it."
There are no immediate results.
There will be some bumps along the way. You might have some success and then a situation arises which sets you back again. There is no quick fix. But with patience, determination and diligence you can rest-assured that so much is possible.
Trust in the process.
It is essential that we go through the process of learning to fully understand, find and connect with our true self, our true nature, reach our goals and thrive as individuals.
