TOOLS & RESOURCES

BREATHING PRACTICES

The breath is often referred to as Prana, in Sanskrit. It is our life-force energy, when used effectively can unlock incredible benefits for our health and well-being. There are quite a few effective breathing practices that can help regulate the nervous system and restore a sense of calm in our minds & bodies. For example, a balanced breathing also known as ‘Water Breath’ which entails breathing 4-6 breaths per minute can restore balance instantly. If you’re up, it will bring you down, if you’re down, it will bring you up. When you breathe 4-6 breaths per minute, it has an adaptogenic effect on your nervous system. Feel free to practice this breathing pattern as often as you’d like but especially in times when you may need a gentle boost throughout your day. Breathe IN: 4-6 breaths per minute. Breathe OUT: 4-6 breaths per minute.

Repeat for at least 5 minutes, or longer. For more info on other helpful breathing styles, see below.

MEDITATION MYTHS

I find that people often misinterpret meditation. First, I’d like to clarify that meditation is accessible to anyone, regardless of your experience with it. I often hear people say it’s just not for them! Listen, if meditation is simply not your thing, do not force yourself to like it or stick with it. Otherwise it defeats the purpose of what meditation is here to teach us in the first place which in part is about welcoming ease and gentleness into our life. So please don’t force yourself to like it. That being said, achieving a meditative state is indeed possible for everyone. Secondly, contrary to popular belief, meditation is not a practice that stops our thoughts, rather it’s a practice that helps us see our thoughts for what they really are, just thoughts…passing thoughts, passing through! Meditation serves as a gateway to help us see through these thoughts clearly and helps us create a sense of grounding, clarity and meaning in our life. See attached guide to learn more about some of the key benefits of meditation.

THE LIGHT CANNOT EXIST WITHOUT THE DARKNESS

Having experienced the darkness or perhaps I should say my own shadow is what inspired me to be a guide for people going through this phase of life. Simply because we usually don’t feel safe in this space as it’s not an easy space to navigate, especially alone! Also because we often reject the idea of exploring what’s hidden beneath the surface or fear what we may need to face within ourselves. Sometimes  we do this through denial, other times due to lack of awareness, shame or guilt. Without darkness however we can’t understand or embody our lightness. They both need each other in order to exist, as famously depicted in the Chinese Philosophy of Yin/Yang. The sooner we can learn to embrace our shadow the more things will start to make sense and most importantly, the more we can find peace within our own being to learn to accept and embrace all aspects of who we are. This very important stage is crucial for our growth, evolution and coming into our wholeness. Checkout the practical steps attached to begin working with your shadow. If you’re interested in receiving the complete guide of what the Shadow is, please download it on the home page.

IS MINDFULNESS DIFFERENT THAN MEDITATION?

Yes and No. Mindfulness is not exactly meditation but a similar principle. Mindfulness is the act of bringing conscious awareness to the present moment with anything we’re engaged with whether significant or insignificant. For example, while eating we may bring present moment awareness to the foods we’re choosing to consume while staying engaged with the eating process…by being fully immersed in the entire experience. Whereas meditation is a tool and practice that helps us develop more present moment awareness and helps ease and calm our state of being & our state of mind. Mindfulness when done correctly can also help us develop more gratitude towards the things we may often overlook. The benefits of mindfulness are endless but as with anything require consistent practice to make a difference. There are endless mindfulness practices that you can engage with daily to create present moment awareness. The 6 practical steps attached here might be helpful to get you started.