“I NEED SOME ME TIME!!!!” The Amazing Benefits of Holistic Rest

Focusing your intentions on others can be a dicey game, while allowing the energy of others to merge with your own for sake of a common goal or elevating experience can be essential to human development. How much is too much? and is that amount of energy different for each person?

It is common more often than not to be encouraged by others to become more social. People who are “Anti social” are often looked at as crazy or flawed in some way. I believe that description is a blanket term used to describe what seems to be the stirring question no-one wants to answer; What do I do when I’m alone?

See many fear being alone because it can stir up latent emotions and bring them to the surface while others absolutely need it as an essential part of their re-calibration process. So the question becomes when and how much time do I need for myself and how do I know when I need to take that time?

As, an empath when I need to take alone time it becomes apparent extremely quickly as I begin to become overly sensitive to other peoples emotions in a valitole and negative way. My body even begins to hold on to these emotions and they manifest as symptoms like headaches, pains, or even other more serious ailments. How do I know when the root of my illness is emotional? When I’ve taken all the proper physical precautions of diet, exercises, hydration, and rest and I am still in pain or uncomfortable this denotes an energetic issue.

That’s how I know its time for some “ME TIME.” Me time is how I re-calibrate my senses, much like a machine the body and mind often need time to power down and come into sleep or off mode if you will. What happens to a computer that is used often and never powered off? Even the best technology will still eventually falter if it doesn’t get rest. Your body and mind are the same. Even if you are getting enough sleep, that is not enough you need holistic rest. I briefly discussed this in my previous blog “7 surprising things I learned while on my 7 day liquid cleanse” link : (https://ataensicmedia.wordpress.com/…) I can not stress enough the importance of holistic rest, holistic is a term meaning that of which encompasses the whole self mind, body, spirit, and even soul and all of the various aspects in which these things manifest. More often than not our rest is 1 dimensional only comprising 1 aspect of self.

When we begin to recharge our whole selves we can then regenerate any correlating aspects that may have began to become damaged or are damaged in the process. The length of time that holistic rest must last will differ from person to person but ultimately it will all come down to creating a sense of peaceful awareness with-in.

Holistic rest may not be considered rest at all it may be activities that allow us to clear our mind, the rest simply being from our monotonous realities. Activities like running, swimming, hiking, yoga, and of course meditation can help us to clear our mind of cluttering thoughts, while elevating the necessary restorative hormones in our body to create an over all sense of release, peace, and balance. Even hobbies like writing, photography, and painting can have similar effects on the body and mind. With all this in mind it is extremely imperative that we not only take time to rest our bodies but to rest holistically, so that we can maintain an over all state of homeostasis; assisting us in creating happier, healthier, and less stressful lives.

So the next time your feeling out of sorts, ask yourself, “Have I taken the proper amount of rest time for myself? and when is the last time I did?” The answer may shock you but no worries employ the technique of holistic rest for at-least 20 mins 3-4x a week and watch your agitation dissipate into contentment. I hope this information empowers you to cultivate the most important relationship you could ever establish in life, the one with yourself. Don’t forget to stay connected via our many social media platforms!

7 Surprising Things I Learned During my 7 Day Liquid Cleanse

Over the past few years Ive  gone through a number of health issues that led to me striving to repair my body from the inside out. Through suggestion of my health coach I decided to embark on a 7 day liquid cleanse, including; green juices, herbal teas & infusions, as well as other herbal & natural liquid supplements. What I learned was surprising to say the least, it seemed like my body co-operated more than anticipated and I didn’t crave solid food until the very end of my fast. What I found to be my bigger challenges were emotional and mental well being. It’s very common to experience a plethora of emotions while your body cleanses, but this time more than any other I flowed with my emotions and allowed them to unveil to me hidden aspects of myself that contributed to my over all dis-eased state.

1.The Power of Positive Thinking:

Many understand positive thinking as a cliche concept. “Oh, if I think good thoughts good things will happen.” Even though the simple aspect of this concept is true there is a bit more to it that makes it solidified as a manifested reality. You must more than think positively, you must replace the negative program of thinking that is currently running in your mind, and become proactive about creating a positive thinking pattern that can help to affirm your well being, your health, your wealth, and happiness.

Throughout the process of cleansing not only do residual toxins in the body come to the surface but, residual toxic emotions, like fear, abandonment, rejection and hurt also surface; with your body in such a vulnerable state it can be harder to fend off the overwhelming emotions that come with that release. The key is to remain positive in the midst of it all, and don’t fight but embrace the “negative” emotions while asking what they may be trying to teach you and how you can let them go!

2. The Value of Rest:

(Photo Credit: Woman Sleeping in Bed — Image by © John-Francis Bourke/Corbis)

Now most of us are so programmed toward doing, doing, doing, we must do for family, do for work, do for others, but during a cleanse your focus should be on doing for self. It’s not selfish it’s self-love, which is the root of all other forms of love. How can you continue to give when your cup is empty? You can’t so you must take the proper time to refill the cup. Rest doesn’t always mean sleep, although you should maintain  at least 8 hours of sleep per night. Rest can also  just be simply taking a break from your normal programming. Go outside into nature, rediscover your inner child and sense of wonder. Stop engaging in energy draining activities, talking about drama or gossip with people on the phone, social media, or through other forms of communication. Remove yourself as much as you can from people who may be draining you, and of course make sure you are getting as much rest as you need for your body to fully heal.

Cleansing in and of itself can take a lot of energy, so remember to treat your body with care and gentleness and to save your energy for things that will enrich your experience with restorative practices like yoga, meditation, qi gong, hydration, pampering baths, and learning about how to heal and maintain yourself holistically.

3. When to Focus Inward:

Stop looking outside of yourself for love, validation, and respect, This all starts with-in. Once you have cultivated that practice of self healing you will naturally attract those same characteristics from others. Focus on who you are emotionally and where those voids start. Do they come from past pain or lost? When did you first start to feel this way? If you are cleansing to help rectify a particular health concern, what emotions are contributing to your dis-ease and how can you begin to change that?

4. The Value of Help:

Now of course you will need to help yourself before others can truly assist you in your healing journey but learn to be grateful for all the help your receive, it may even come from places you least expect. Sometimes all we need to do is show the universe that we are willing to love ourselves before we can begin to reap the benefits of others love. Maybe it was there waiting all along but the effects of your negative thinking cycle had you blind to seeing the amazing help that was there for you the whole time, or maybe you had to cultivate a mind that could attract these things into your world. Whatever the cause remember that when it comes, be grateful!

5. The Power of Forgiveness:

Now this was a powerful emotional release for me. I’m a very self aware person who often takes emotional inventory and ponders what are the causes for my states of emotional well-being. Anytime is a great time to begin this process, but especially after going through extremely stressful situations like a hard break-up, bout of illness, watching another family member become ill or pass away. These are times that can test your ability to remain positive and can change the way that you look at the world, but it doesn’t have to be for the worst. These are what we call transition periods, when something old must fall away to reveal a new process, life, or change. Every old ending is just a new beginning. Although it may not feel that way at first, a time of cleansing allows us to understand this as truth. A key part of ushering in the new energy that can come in after a transition is to forgive the pain of letting a passing energy go, although it may have been stressful and often during these times extreme sadness and resentment can crop up from the past that you may not even know you had or had forgotten exist it. During this time it is best to forgive those involved in creating that pain including yourself and allow it to fall away. It won’t happen instantaneously but it will begin a new way of being that will set the stage for a positive change to come into full being in your life.

6. Setting Boundaries

Although openness can help you and others heal, so can setting boundaries. We all have limitations to what we can and can not deal with and these limitations change as time goes on. During a cleansing process it is important to be very honest with yourself and others about what your limitations are and why they are an important part of self-respect and self-healing.  You will find that those who truly love you are more than happy to oblige and those who can not may not be fully conducive to your healing process. In anycase you must be strong enough to set these boundaries and strong enough to follow through with them on your own.

7. Letting It Go

The most important and helpful thing I learned throughout this experience was to let thought processes, perceptions, and realities that no longer served me go, because I understand that we are in a state of great change in this universe I am open to knowing that the me I am right now and the me I am meant to become may not hold the same ideals and ways of thinking. Like everything in the universe I must too change and that this change doesn’t have to be a struggle or traumatizing, but this change can be beautiful if I allow it to be. Everything may not turn out the way you envisioned but if you embrace change knowing that it doesn’t dismiss the truth of your inner being, you can understand what it truly means to be free. Sustain, transform, and evolve and through it all never be afraid to let, what is no longer meant for you, go.

Febuary’s Monthly Yoga Pose: Bharadvaja’s Twist

Step Instructions

 

1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Shift over onto your right buttock, bend your knees, and swing your legs to the left. Lay your feet on the floor outside your left hip, with the left ankle resting in the right arch.

 

2. Inhale and lift through the top of the sternum to lengthen the front torso. Then exhale and twist your torso to the right, keeping the left buttock on or very close to the floor. Lengthen your tailbone toward the floor to keep the lower back long. Soften the belly.

 

3. Tuck your left hand under your right knee and bring your right hand to the floor just beside your right buttock. Pull your left shoulder back slightly, pressing your shoulder blades firmly against your back even as you continue to twist the chest to the right.

 

4. You can turn your head in one of two directions: continue the twist of the torso by turning it to the right; or counter the twist of the torso by turning it left and looking over the left shoulder at your feet.

 

5. With every inhalation lift a little more through the sternum, using the push of the fingers on the floor to help; with every exhalation twist a little more. Stay for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then release with an exhalation, return to the starting position, and repeat to the left for the same length of time

Benefits

Stretches the spine, shoulders, and hips

Massages the abdominal organs

Relieves lower backache, neck pain, and sciatica

Helps relieve stress

Improves digestion

Especially good in the second trimester of pregnancy for strengthening the lower back

 

Monthly Yoga Pose January : High Lunge Pose

Step by Step Instructions

1. From Uttanasana(Standing Forward Bend), bend your knees and, with an inhale, step your left foot back toward the back edge of your mat, with the ball of the foot on the floor. Step back far enough so that your right knee can form a right angle.

 

2. Lay your torso on your front thigh and lengthen it forward. To soften your right groin, imagine that the thigh is sinking toward the floor under your torso’s weight. Look forward. Simultaneously, firm the left thigh and push it up toward the ceiling, holding the left knee straight. Stretch your left heel toward the floor.

 

3. Exhale and step your right foot back beside the left. Repeat the above instructions, but reverse left and right. Or come Downward-Facing Dog, inhale, and step the right foot forward between your hands.

Benefits

Stretches the groins Strengthens the legs and arms

Theraputic Applications

Indigestion Constipation Sciatica

Info from : http://www.yogajournal.com/pose/high-lunge/ 

Yoga Pose of the Month: Cobra Pose

1. Lie prone on the floor. Stretch your legs back, tops of the feet on the floor. Spread your hands on the floor under your shoulders. Hug the elbows back into your body.

 

2. Press the tops of the feet and thighs and the pubis firmly into the floor.

 

3. On an inhalation, begin to straighten the arms to lift the chest off the floor, going only to the height at which you can maintain a connection through your pubis to your legs. Press the tailbone toward the pubis and lift the pubis toward the navel. Narrow the hip points. Firm but don’t harden the buttocks.

 

4. Firm the shoulder blades against the back, puffing the side ribs forward. Lift through the top of the sternum but avoid pushing the front ribs forward, which only hardens the lower back. Distribute the backbend evenly throughout the entire spine.

 

5. Hold the pose anywhere from 15 to 30 seconds, breathing easily. Release back to the floor with an exhalation.

Benefits

Strengthens the spine Stretches chest and lungs, shoulders, and abdomen Firms the buttocks Stimulates abdominal organs Helps relieve stress and fatigue Opens the heart and lungs Soothes sciatica Therapeutic for asthma Traditional texts say that Bhujangasana increases body heat, destroys disease, and awakens kundalini.

(credit for description goes to www.yogajournal.com)