New Adventures in Self-Care
Self-care is of super-duper importance these days, at least it has been for me lately. I had kind of a rough month in February, and I’m seeking a new balance in energy and perspective. With that in mind, when my friend called me and asked me if I wanted to check out a free of charge sound bath at the local art museum, I jumped on board.
I began studying sound healing a year ago and found it fascinating, but then my mother-in-law took a turn for the worse, and I haven’t had the time to finish the course. I’d been wanting to try a sound bath for a couple years now, and I finally did today. I really liked it.
For those of you who have never heard of a sound bath, put away any ideas of bathtubs, sponges, and rubber duckies, and embrace the idea of crystal bowls, soothing tones, and soft, colored lights. There are many different ways to experience this kind of thing. The lady today offered a choice of lying on the floor with blanket and pillow or sitting in a folding chair, while lights changed colors in the forefront, as she made her bowls sing, pinged her tuning forks, and shook her rattles. She began and ended with soothing ideas of visualization and encouraged us to greet the session with gratitude and a quest for healing.
Those bowls can get pretty loud! Just when I thought it might be getting too loud, it tapered off, and mellowed. We visualized calming, healing, life-giving water, and we connected with it through the fluids of our bodies, letting our tension flow away. She talked about letting go of the trouble and embracing the love in the world. She pointed out that the problems that frighten us have been going on forever, they’re just easier to see and track through social media and so many streaming sites spotlighting atrocities, hardships, and suffering the world over. She also said what I believe, that consciousness is rising in individuals and the collective, and that things would eventually get better, because so many of us wanted them to improve. We are beginning to improve.
One of the best things about it was the sharing afterwards from people who are experiencing changes in consciousness and feeling optimistic about the future, despite all the bad stuff happening. It starts with individuals and spreads. Usually, I’m the odd person out, talking about a hopeful future and sending out loving energy, but this time, I fit right in. It was nice to hear other people talk about healing energy and changes leading to a better world.
A New Kind of Meditation
On that note of healing, I want to share a new twist to meditation for those who are interested in it. I’m not sure if it was the Angels or someone else who sent it to me in a dream recently, but it’s called Individual Energetic Upgrades (IEUs), and I’m doing it regularly these days. Jocelyn Joy has a similar version, only hers uses a flame.
Energetic fluctuations are kicking my butt lately, and this seems to really help. I get comfortable, close my eyes, and call on the Archangels, especially Zadkiel, to help me shed energies that no longer serve me well, and replace them with healing energies. I open my palms, the left hand facing up to receive healing energy, and the right one facing the ground to cast off energy I no longer need to the Earth, so She can recycle it. I picture the healing energies entering through my left hand, while the energies I need to shed go down to the Earth, as I picture being bathed in healing, violet light throughout the process.
These days, it’s sometimes hard to carve out large chunks of time, so rather than waiting to meditate this way for thirty-minute stretches, which is my regular timer for meditation, I’m trying to do this for about ten minutes every day. I find it very helpful, and I hope you do, too.
Final Thoughts
We’re definitely in full swing with The Shift, and while that’s a good thing, it can also feel stressful at times. I’ve discovered that just because you make peace with something from the past, for example, if you find forgiveness for someone, that doesn’t mean those memories will never trouble you again. It will. A lot of us are in a purging mode right now, myself included. We may have made peace with our pasts, but that doesn’t mean we’ve rid ourselves of all the negative energy we may still carry in our bodies from it. That’s why things like sound baths and meditation can be very helpful, especially when you set an intention to get rid of any excess energy that no longer serves you well. It’s a process. It can feel uncomfortable, and it’s important that we deal with this discomfort, so it can leave along with that energy we no longer need.
I’m learning to be more patient with myself, and I’m learning to be more loving to myself. We all have crappy days from time to time, right? When someone we care about tells us they have a crappy day, we give them love and support, don’t we? We also need to give ourselves love and support and compassion. We need to forgive ourselves and be more patient with ourselves. That’s when healing takes place.
So, give yourself a little TLC today. Cut yourself some slack. Remind yourself that, like everyone else, you’re human, and sometimes you’re going to fall down. Don’t just jump up and brush yourself off. Check and make sure you’re okay, just like you’d do if someone fell down close to you. Remember to be kind to yourself, even as you’re kind to others.
Blessings, all.