On retreat this powerful question kept coming to me: DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR DREAMS?

Last night I dreamed I visited my friend at her house and when I went to the . . . → Read More: Do You Remember Your Dreams?]]> I just returned from a wonderful and relaxing yoga weekend at The Expanding Light at Ananda in Nevada City, California. Here’s all us crazy goils in the garden:

On retreat this powerful question kept coming to me:

DO YOU REMEMBER YOUR DREAMS?

Last night I dreamed I visited my friend at her house and when I went to the bathroom there was a huge spider web staking a claim over the toilet! I left and went into the bedroom and saw out the window a gigantic tree full of birds, squirrels, skunks and raccoons – one of whom came into the window and tried to bite me. I managed to hold the raccoons mouth closed and toss him back out the window. Whew! The dream went on and on and I remember every detail. Usually I don’t remember my dreams, so it was fun.

I’ve heard that you can ask to remember your dreams when you go to sleep, stay in the same position when you wake up and write down the dream you remember. All of those suggestions help. I’ve also learned from my yoga teachers that meditating right before bedtime can promote more restful sleep and smooth out daytime concerns bringing clarity and peace of mind.

INSPIRED ACTION: For a few minutes before bedtime, sit quietly, relaxing your body and mind. Focus on your breath, reviewing and releasing the day. Give thanks for all that has been accomplished and set an intention to sleep soundly and wake up rested and refreshed.

DREAMS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Another aspect of this question – do you remember your dreams? – is – do you remember your dreams for your business? Have you lost sight of your heart’s desires? Does your business express who you truly are or is the tail wagging the dog, so to speak?

Every day in meditation I ask for guidance about how I may best serve my clients and my community. I ask what do I need to remember to stay in alignment with my values, my purpose and my reason for being in business.

WHERE’S THE JUICE?

We all get caught up in the details, the doing, keeping up with the schedule, the finances, the decisions, the marketing, etc. When we loose sight of where the juice is in our business, we struggle, we get tired and grumpy! It’s no fun any more. Are you with me?

INSPIRED ACTION: Let’s play for a minute, OK? Think about what’s fun about your business – what do you most enjoy? Is it the planning, the designing, the meeting with clients, or the putting the money in the bank? How can you have more fun and delegate or streamline the bits that aren’t so juicy for you? Make one small change this week in how you operate and let me know how it goes.

With love & blessings, Becca

You too can be this relaxed – here’s Sophia – my relaxation teacher

In the February issue of Yoga Journal www.yogajournal.com I found the best description of why yoga and meditation practice leaves us feeling so good in an article by Rod Stryker:

“Yoga activates your parasympathetic nervous system, thanks to two elements that almost . . . → Read More: Give yourself permission to relax …]]>

You too can be this relaxed – here’s Sophia – my relaxation teacher

In the February issue of Yoga Journal www.yogajournal.com I found the best description of why yoga and meditation practice leaves us feeling so good in an article by Rod Stryker:

“Yoga activates your parasympathetic nervous system, thanks to two elements that almost all asana practices have in common – the lengthening and strengthening of musculature and calm, even breathing.

The parasympathetic nervous system is the part of your nervous system that slows you down – it’s responsible for telling your muscles to relax, improving digestion and assimiation, boosting immunity, and helping you sleep better.

It also counteracts many stress-related symptoms and the negative by-products of our modern, fast-paced, high-output lives.”

Wow! And Rod shares that not just any yoga practice does this well. We need to do poses that encourage deep relaxation, hold poses longer as we do in restorative yoga and practice slow and deep breathing. I’m encouraged that our more gentle Ananda practice is especially helpful and healthful for reducing stress and promoting relaxation.

Most of my students find that they are able to let go and relax during class or when on retreat, but not when they are at home and moving through their regular routine. Here is my suggestion for you to be able to access some of the relaxation more often.

First of all – give yourself permission. I’m not kidding. We all operate in zoom mode, never feeling caught up or able let go of all that is on our “To Do” list. Schedule a yoga or meditation class regularly, not just as an indulgence. Go for a walk, breathe in the magnificent Spring air, beautiful and vibrant life – go outside!

When was the last time you really relaxed?

When you can’t remember the last time you had vacation – schedule time off! Right now, get out your calendar and schedule at least a full day of goofing off. Remember goofing off? No plans, no obligations, wandering, puttering, falling asleep in the middle of the day with a good book on your chest. Ahhhhh… Better yet schedule several days off and get away. Unplug. With limited vacation funds this year, we are house sitting for friends while they are on vacation, so we can get away and enjoy a lovely home that isn’t ours and where I don’t work.

Remember that activites that lengthen and strengthen your muscles (doesn’t have to be yoga you know – walking, swimming, biking and gardening works too), along with calm even breathing, calms down your parasympathetic nervous system that slows you down, helping you sleep better, feel less anxious, more rested and joyful.

May you give yourself permission to relax today.

With love & many blessings, Becca

I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud

I wandered lonely as a cloud That floats on high o`er vales and hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine And twinkle on the milky way, They stretched in never-ending line Along the margin of . . . → Read More: How Are Your Sharing Love Today?]]>

I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o`er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

by William Wordsworth

HOW ARE YOU SHARING LOVE TODAY?

Whether you are sharing your love with your beloved partner, your grandchildren, your friends or your pet, opening to expressing love and receiving love is the where the juice is in life. Right now I`m loving the first daffodils blooming in my garden. They lift my spirits and make me happy and I love photographing them and sharing the images.

Bringing More Love Into Your Life - Try this Buddhist meditation practiced called Metta or Lovingkindness meditation and remember to open to self-love as well as loving others. The traditional practice uses a series of phrases directed to yourself, someone you find inspiring, or to whom you feel grateful. Next, move on to a beloved friend, then to someone you may have difficulty with. Finally, we move on to offer metta to all beings everywhere. This is a powerful practice of forgiveness and letting go. My favorite way to practice is with the following phrases repeated silently or sung as a chant:

May I be filled with loving kindness, may I be well. May I be peaceful and at ease and may I be happy. May you be filled with loving kindness, may you be well. May you be peaceful and at ease and may you be happy. May we be filled with loving kindness, may we be well. May we be peaceful and at ease and may we be happy.

The benefits of loving kindness are that you sleep well while enjoying pleasant dreams and awaken easily. Please love you and celestial beings love and protect you. You are safe from external dangers. Your face is radiant and your mind serene. You will be unconfused at the moment of death and take rebirth in the higher, happier realms. All that, and I venture to point out that you may also feel more loving to yourself and others, always a lovely experience.

May you open to a greater experience of love today and always.

With love & blessings, Becca

    I’ve just returned from an amazing Dream Day with Marcia Weider, America’s Dream Coach.  Marcia is based in San Francisco and speaks and teaches all over the world.  This was a special day to celebrate her birthday – . . . → Read More: What’s your dream?]]> “It’s more powerful to move toward what you want than away from what you don’t want.”    Marcia Weider

    I’ve just returned from an amazing Dream Day with Marcia Weider, America’s Dream Coach.  Marcia is based in San Francisco and speaks and teaches all over the world.  This was a special day to celebrate her birthday – Happy Birthday Marcia! – and to share her excitement with 70 fortunate folks as she has deepened her personal practice and begun to paint.

• Finding Your Dream
• Believing in Your Dreams
• Accessing Your Power
• Going Back to Basics
• Becoming A Dreamer
• Overcoming Failure
• Taking Time
• Living a Rich Life
• 100 Ways to Make Life Easier
• 100 More Ways to Make life Easier

EFT is a new discovery that has provided thousands with relief from pain, diseases and emotional issues. Simply stated, it is a unique version of acupuncture except you don’t use needles. Instead, you stimulate well established energy meridian points on your body by tapping them with your fingertips- while you are . . . → Read More: Pain Relief thru Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)]]> What is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)?

EFT is a new discovery that has provided thousands with relief from pain, diseases and emotional issues. Simply stated, it is a unique version of acupuncture except you don’t use needles. Instead, you stimulate well established energy meridian points on your body by tapping them with your fingertips- while you are psychologically tuned in to an issue. The process is easy to learn and can be practiced by anyone.

It launches off the EFT Discovery Statement which says…

“The cause of all negative emotions is a disruption in the body’s energy system.”

And current medical research is now suggesting that….

“85% of all physical pains and diseases are caused by unresolved negative emotions.”

After thousands of years of studying our body’s energy pathways, we now know that imbalances, or blockages, in the flow of energy can result in both emotional and physical difficulties.

Although this idea has been largely ignored by Western healing practices we now see that this is why EFT often works where nothing else will.

Although there are many different types of Energy Therapies out there (Acupuncture, Reiki, Polarity to name a few), EFT is unique in that it is an Energy Psychology. It combines the gentle tapping of acupressure points with the psychological “tuning in” to the problem.

The Basic Recipe

1. The Set Up statement – Choose the condition or issue you would like to address with EFT.

2. Write down your set up statement and focus on the sensation in your body as you are tapping.

3. Measure the intensity of the condition or issue as it exists now while you are tuning in.

4. Rate the intensity on a scale of 1 to 10 to begin.

5. While tapping on the karate chop point on the outside of your dominant hand, say the set up statement three times. For example: “Even though I have this pain, I totally and completely love and accept myself.”

6. Keep your eyes open and speak the set up statement out loud.

The Tapping Sequence & Reminder Statement – Tap each of the points on the face, under the arm, inside the wrists and crown of the head 5 – 7 times while repeating the Reminder Statement. For example: “This pain, this pain, this pain.” Repeat this sequence three times.

Here are the tapping points:

1. Eyebrow point – at the beginning of the eyebrow, just above the nose.

2. Side of the eye – on the bone bordering the outside of the eye.

3. Under the eye – on the bone directly under the eye.

4. Under the nose – in the center of the area between the nose and top lip.

5. Chin – in the center between the bottom lip and the bottom of the chin.

6. Collar bone – the junction where the collarbone, sternum and ribs first meet.

7. Under the arm – on the side of the body approx. 4 inches below the armpit.

8. Inside the wrists – tap the inside of one wrist against the other.

9. Crown of the head – toward the back of the head, just before it goes vertical.

Testing the Results

1. Measure your progress with EFT by observing the level of intensity and note the change. If the issue is less severe, but still noticeable, change the Set-Up Statement to something like this:

“Even though I still have some remaining pain, I totally and completely love and accept myself.”

2. Then repeat the Tapping Sequence with an altered Reminder Statement such as: “This remaining pain, this remaining pain, this remaining pain.”

3. Keep repeating this process until the intensity of the issue has dropped below 3. When there is very little remaining, tap one more time around with the statement:

“I now choose to fully overcome this issue, and I totally and completely love and accept myself.”

What to do when EFT appears not to be working:

1. Drink plenty of water before, during and after practicing EFT.

2. Be persistent – continue to practice every day until the issue begins to diminish.

3. Be specific – continue to fine tune your set-up statement.

4. Hidden or shifting aspects – allow the process to unfold and keep going with the tapping.

5. Remove watches, jewelry, tight clothing or anything that might interfere with the process.

6. Practice EFT while undisturbed – turn off the cell phone, TV or music.

Psychological Reversals

When we are aware of some resistance to what we desire, or even when we are not aware of the specifics, we can use Reversals to clear the way for the conditions and circumstances we desire.

1. While tapping on the karate chop point, try a Set Up statement such as: “Even though I don’t really want to exercise more, I totally and completely love and accept myself.”

2. Continue with three rounds of tapping with the Reminder statement: “Don’t want to exercise more.” Then move on to the Choice Method.

The Choice Method

The Choice Method is a terrific technique to use to “erase and replace” limiting beliefs. Use this method only when the Basic Recipe has effectively gone down below a 3.

1. Tap away the limiting belief, emotion or pain: “Even though I have this pain in my left shoulder, I total and completely love and accept myself.” Continue until the level of intensity comes down below and 3.

2. Create a Choice Statement and tap 2 or 3 rounds on the first part, or negative part: “Even though I have this pain in my left shoulder, I now choose to move my shoulder freely with ease and comfort.” The reminder phrase would be “pain in my left shoulder”.

3. Tap 2 or 3 rounds on the second part, or positive part, of the statement: “I now choose to move my shoulder freely with ease and comfort.”

4. Alternate the negative and positive statements on each tapping point, ending with a positive statement: “Pain in my left shoulder.” (first point). “I now choose to move my shoulder freely.” (second point) “Pain in my left shoulder.” (third point) “I now choose to move my shoulder freely.” (fourth point)

If you find it difficult to say “I totally and completely love and accept myself” or any of the other positive affirmations, then buffer the statement with “I really want to love and accept myself”, or “I now choose to start trusting and forgiving myself”.

It’s important that you don’t stop because you start to “feel better”. Keep tapping until you’re feeling great and the issue has been put to rest.

Personal Peace Procedure

1. Make a list of every troubling event you can remember. Trust that whatever arises is ready to be released, even if some events don’t seem to cause you discomfort currently.

2. Give each event a specific title – as though it were a movie.

3. When your list is complete, choose the largest trees in the forest and apply EFT to each of them until you can laugh about it or it loses its charge. Stay with it as the layers unfold and continue to apply EFT.

4. Do at least one movie per day, preferably for 3 months. It takes only minutes per day observing how your body feels, any improvements in symptoms and in your relationships. Be persistent with your practice and you may experience great relief without going all the way through the list.

5. If you are taking medications and decide to discontinue them, please consult with your physician.

EFT Resources:

www.emofree.com Gary Craig’s extensive site with workbooks, DVDs and case studies.

www.learneft.org This is the site for Michelle Leuschen, MS, the trauma specialist I trained with.