The Chakra Series-The Solar Plexus Chakra We are continuing our chakra series today by discussing the 3rdchakra, or solar plexus chakra. If you didn’t read our root chakra or sacral chakra posts, you can check them out here, and here. In Sanskrit the solar plexus […]
This week in our Chakra Series, we will be discussing the svadhisthana chakra, or sacral chakra. If you missed our first post on the 1stchakra or root chakra, please go read it now here. In the root chakra post I suggest a great book to […]
Back in February I wrote about how meditation had changed my life for the better (Click here to read). Today I am going to share with you my favorite type of meditation focus-The chakras.
According to Liz Simpson, the author of ‘The Book of Chakra Healing’ “The Chakras are metaphysical vortices of energy originating in the ancient Indian system of healing, which positions them in seven major centres down the body, controlling the flow of subtle energies.” So you can imagine when one of these areas of the body becomes blocked or stagnant. The result can manifest itself in many ways, from mental and emotional issues, to actual a physical health problems. The purpose of chakra meditation is to unblock and/or increase, or even decrease points of energy flow in your various chakra points. Today we I am going to share a little bit about the first Chakra-the Root Chakra….
Location: Perineum
Sanskrit Name and Meaning: Muladhara- meaning “root or support”
Color association: Red
Main issue: Survival and physical needs
Glandular connection: Adrenals
Body parts: Bones and skeleton
Element and Planet: Earth/ Saturn
Astrological associations: Capricorn
Associated sense: Smell
Fragrances/Incense and Oils: Ceadarwood, Myrrh, Patchouli
Crystals: Hematite, Tiger’s eye, Bloodstone
Animals/Archetypes: elephant/ earth mother/victim
Physical dysfunctions: osteoarthritis
Emotional Dysfunctions: Mental Lethargy, “spaciness”, incapable of inner stillness
Sacramental association: Baptism
Foods: proteins/ meat
Developmental age/Life Lesson: 1 to 8 years old, standing up for oneself
The root chakra is what keeps us grounded to the earth. It has the lowest vibrational rate of all the chakras, and it resonates with the color red. It connects us to our maternal existence, and when healthy can help us to overcome obstacles.
If you chakra is “too open” or spins too fast, one can exhibit certain behaviors such as bullying, being over materialistic, self centered, and engages in physical foolhardiness.
If the root chakra is blocked, or spins sluggishly or not at all, we can become emotional needy, have low self esteem, become fearful, and take on self destructive behavior.
If your root chakra is balanced, and maintains equilibrium and spins at the correct speed, one will achieve self mastery, high physical energy, become grounded, and exude optimal health.
Keeping contact with your root chakra energy brings an awareness to how your physical body and survival needs are affected through diet, exercise, and interrelations with others in your particular group or family.
In Liz Simpson’s book mentioned at the beginning of this post, it is noted that “Psychologists state that babies ‘fed on demand’ learn to trust that their needs will be meant. If this is reinforced, these individuals go through life expecting the same, and are rarely disappointed. Babies left to cry learn to distrust and expect disappointments, believing that they do not deserve their needs to me met. This can affect how they conduct relationships later on in life.”
WOW….that is pretty profound. When you think of all of the generations of people out there who were told to just “let the baby cry”…it is no wonder we find the world in the state it is in. Imagine if everyone took time each day to connect to their chakras and focused on peace and harmony! The world would be a much happier place.
What I have written here is just a quick summary to introduce you to our base chakra. If you would like to learn more, a great introduction to the chakra system would be the book I mentioned in this post. Cot obtain your own copy of this book, just click on the photo below!
Next post in our Chakra series will be about the Sacral Chakra….
Until next post….
Fitness and life update Hello again everyone, I thought I would check in with everyone with a fitness and life update today. If you recall in this blog post, I stated I was about to start my summer fitness shape up. All was fine at first, […]
A family tradition-Picking strawberries at Holly Fork Farm-from two different perspectives Ciarra’s Perspective…. I look forward to the different seasons we have here in Virginia, because they mark the start of fun family traditions like this! Going to our local farms and orchards is something […]
I feel so much gratitude for being gifted the chance to live in an area where there are 4 seasons. Every few months I have new sights, sounds, weather, and foods to look forward to. When spring rolls around, I love to watch the trees, as they begin to explode forth with new green leaves. It’s amazing to watch the tulips and daffodils emerge from the soil, and the dogwood and redbud trees bless us with delicate pink and white blooms. This change of season also signals a reset in my fitness program. It’s time to shed the “winter fluff” that has accumulated on my body, and shred down to show off my hard earned muscle. Usually around October, I begin to add more calories to my daily meals. I love all the hearty warming food fall has to offer, and I enjoy myself thoroughly. I still workout, but my focus is more on building muscle tissue, and less on “getting shredded.” I never allow myself to gain more than 5 to 7 pounds over the autumn/winter season. If I were to gain more than that, it would just make it harder, and take longer to sweat it off, and I have better things to do with my time. LOL!
Hands down, my favorite way to lean out for summer doesn’t require a gym membership! It is free, and anyone, anywhere can do it! All one has to do is step outside! My two favorite ways to get my sweat on in spring are walking/running, or mountain biking. When ever I take to the outdoors for my workout, I actually burn more calories than if I was on an elliptical, treadmill, or other cardio machine. The beauty, and energy all around me, is so motivating and inspiring, that I find I push myself harder and sweat more. Being out on a beautiful trail also eases my stress, and clears my head. It’s so good for the soul to reconnect with the natural world. This week I have started to ramp up my outdoor workouts. I have several trails and areas I like to frequent. I really want to visit some new places I haven’t been before, and review them for this blog. I am so lucky to live in an area with so many options for outdoor exercise. There are thousands of miles of trails all over. It’s just amazing.
I always train with weights, and this does require a gym membership, or purchasing your own equipment. Over the years, we have purchased many pieces of equipment, and have our own gym in our garage. After I had kids, I found the convenience of working out at home, a much easier option….and it also saved us a lot of money (not just in gym fees but gas to get to the gym!) I have worked out at gyms as well, but I prefer not having to wait in line for equipment, or being exposed to germs (YUCK!) as not all people are considerate, and stay at home when ill.
I train with weights 5 days a week for spring/summer training, and in the autumn/winter, I usually cut that down to 3 or 4 days a week (heavy weights). I currently am utilizing a split routine, and work at least two body parts a day. I usually will follow this up with some sort of cardio. If I am not taking my cardio outdoors, I perform HIIT for 10 to 20 minutes on my treadmill, or with a body weight circuit of plyometric exercises.
For my body type, I absolutely need to do regular cardio. I gain muscle fairly easy, especially in my upper body. I hold my body fat in my lower abdomen and legs, and regular cardio is what melts it off in those areas. If you have stubborn body fat on your lower body, then sprints are your best friend, I highly recommend them, especially if you have a hill you can get at! Sprint up the hill, then walk back down. This will also work for a long flight of stairs.
I also do well with a more moderate carbohydrate intake. If I eat too many carbs, I bloat. I will literally gain a pound or two in water weight overnight! This being said, if I am going to load up on carbs, I make sure to burn them off. If I know I am going to mountain bike all day with my family, I consume those carbs.
I have now started my summer fitness program. It will be interesting to see how fast or slow I will lean out. We spend a lot of time out on our boat, so I am always wearing swimwear. Who doesn’t want to look their best in a bikini? I will be updating my progress as time goes on here. If you want an idea of what type of weight training I do, just click HERE. What are your favorite ways to get in shape for summer? Are you ready to join me in my fitness quest? Comment below and join the conversation!
Have a wonderful week everyone! Stay fit and healthy!
Meditation is the key…. Meditation practice is on the rise these days, and everyone from seniors to children are giving it a go! This really comes as no surprise. Life isn’t always easy with the constant stress, deadlines, and traffic….not to mention the absolute absurdity […]
3 Logic Puzzles to Chase Away the Winter Blues The air is frigid, and snowflakes drift on the wind, draping the landscape in a frosted blanket of white. You sit watching with a warm drink under your nose… Nowhere to go and nothing left to […]
The sunlight glistens off the pale green river and the cold winter air blows through your car. You are waiting for the ferry, watching curious seagulls scavenging for an early afternoon snack from one of the waiting cars. Taking in the sounds of the lapping water and the chatter of sea birds, an idea blooms in your mind—an idea that feels just as real and important as the car that you are sitting in. Quickly! You need to grab your notebook or sketchbook and explore this new inspiration, before it sweeps away like the passing winter wind.
You may not be waiting for a ferry by the river, but you could be working on making a nice dinner, taking a shower, or laying down for the night when this happens…inspiration strikes!
From the beginning of our youth, we all have creative brains and endless imaginations. As we age though, those moments of pure creative thought or play can be pushed aside for the more pressing responsibilities of life. Often, this can’t be avoided, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find the time to let yourself play in the same creative nature you once did. Finding and embracing inspiration is critical if you have a creative based career, but it is also adds something special to our everyday life. Creativity connects us to our inner self, and helps to reestablish and appreciate the beauty all around us.
“There is no such thing as creative and non-creative people, only people who use their creativity and people who don’t.” –Brene Brown
When moments of inspiration strike, embrace them! Stop, and take a moment to document what that inspiration is. A story? A new design? A concept for an art piece? Maybe a new way of creating that favorite dish you love to eat every Saturday!
You can use a sketchbook, a favorite notebook or journal, a camera, or just some loose paper to jot down this idea as quickly as you can. You can even use your phone or tablet, but I would not always recommend doing this. Since we depend so much on our electronics as it is, it can be nice to set that aside for a while and return to the more tactile experience of handwritten or drawn notes. I will use my phone to take notes if there is nothing else available, but I will then later transfer those ideas to a notebook/sketchbook. This helps me to reevaluate the idea and make it stronger, and it also helps me to remember it better.
Next, ask why this moment of inspiration happened to begin with. What were you doing before that moment? Walking your dog along a tree covered trail? Listening to soothing music while watching the rain? Waiting in traffic on your way to work? Look closely at those moments, because they have a lot to do with how this inspiration came to you.
I personally find a lot inspiration in nature, or from the natural world in general. Traveling to new places and exploring new areas can be extremely helpful in feeding the creative half of your mind, and a well fed mind is able to produce some of your best ideas!
Being aware of the space that surrounds you is one of the biggest steps in helping you foster those moments of inspiration, and the creative process. Even just being in a tidy room in your house can do so much more for you than a disorganized one.
Disorganization leads to distractions and stress. Nothing kills my work process or inspiration more than being stressed out about something else.
I also find inspiration in music, photography, and dreams. Music in my case helps to quiet and focus my mind, as well as remove the feeling of passing time.
I am always keeping my eyes out for photography that inspires me for when I do struggle to find inspiration! Yes, sometimes a fresh idea just won’t come to you no matter how long you wait, so in those moments you have to remember to work through the creative block! Even if what comes to mind it awful, the fact that you tried will make all the difference later!
This is why I use things like Pinterest or Instagram to keep a plethora of photos to go to when I’m having an artist/writers block.
Finally, dreams can be surprising heroes for inspiration. Dreams are mysterious and unique to each person, and often they help you recognize or solve problems you aren’t addressing in our waking world. So if I feel that a dream is especially meaningful or exciting—I write down as much as I can remember about it. You never know how something from a dream can influence later decisions, so keeping a record can be pretty helpful and interesting later down the road.
Often when we are inspired by something it’s almost like second nature to write or draw it out, but then what? For some this is an easy answer—you’ve have it down on paper or a computer screen, it’s a perfect idea so there is nothing further to do, right?
In my personal experience this is rarely the case. Yes, sometimes I absolutely love what came to me in a sparked moment of creative frenzy, and I don’t think it has to be changed; but when I actually start to rework the idea, even something as simple as transferring what I’ve already written onto something else, I realize that my original idea needs to be changed for the better. Starting over while keeping what inspired you to begin with in mind, can create something a lot better than what you originally had. There is no surefire way to make sure that everything you create is perfect the first time around, or the second, or the tenth for that matter.
Often times it’s not about getting it perfect the first time, but learning through the process, and from our mistakes. Inspiration is a fickle beast and sometimes it won’t make any sense. You can’t ignore it or give up on it. So keep your notebooks, sketchbooks, or camera close and document your inspiration! Whether anything comes out of it right at this moment or not, you will probably have fun in the process, and that is reason enough to pay attention and try it out!
Let us know how you stay inspired! Use the hashtag #GossameryInspiration to share with us what inspired you today! We can’t wait to see what you come up with or how you stay creative!
“Creativity is contagious, pass it on.” –Albert Einstein
The “Free Spirit” Wrap blouse About the “Free Spirit Wrap Blouse” We all have a favorite garment in our wardrobe that makes us feel our best. When we put it on, we are overcome with a sense of well being, and […]