Day 26
Natalie Here

This journey of being conscious in my body right now sometimes throws me for a loop and as I find myself sobbing....  My tears are big lumps of water as they drop to the floor like a heavy rain  and I feel relief as I can see there is no more covering up and then,... I survive my feelings.

 Today I had the privilige and pleasure  of planting an edible garden that I created with parents at my children's Elementary school. There was a little girl in one of the classes with a group of 6 year olds and I saw myself at that age. She was taller and larger than her peers and that was me - I never fit in with my friends - I was always physically bigger than they were. In this lovely girl I saw such beauty in her way of being ~ her quietness, and I thought to myself I pray that she knows her own magnificence! I hope that her family and those close to her tell her everyday how incredible she is !

 That is what we must do for ourselves;  find the magniifcence and beauty in who we are now.
There are daily reminders everywhere for me to see that love and compassion can satisfy all the injustice that one can feel.

Namaste,
Natalie

The Rhythm of a Woman.....

Day 24
Natalie Here ~

I had an idea about myself open up the other day and I want to share it with you as it refers to all women: to us.
My Uncle was visiting us from Trinidad this last week and as I greeted him for the first time he said to me in his lovely lilting Trinidad accent "But you looking LOVELY! ( It had been 10 years or more since I had seen him)" Then he elaborated later saying "I do not mean how you look physically exactly but your rhythm." He explained that every woman has a rhythm; their own way of moving through the world.
I just absolutely fell in love with this idea of my rhythm. I continue to look at other women in a completely different light. If our beauty can be defined by our own unique way of being ~ our rhythm, should not our focus be on finding that place of peace inside or on finding our own voices. We communicate with our energy from the inside out and how we feel inside reflects outward creating it's own energy flow ~ your rhythm.

grasses being moved by a current underwater

So what is your rhythm today ?
Is it like water or the wind or the earth, fast, smooth or bumpy? 

Namaste,
Natalie

STEP TWO - Acceptance....... Day 23

Natalie Here- 


On this journey of transformation and living in connection from within we must find a way to surrender to the NOW. To begin to step forward in our lives we have to start from where we are at this very moment in time.

I believe we are spiritual beings having a human experience and our body is the vehicle that we use to walk through our life. This is our first partnership.
Finding love and acceptance for our body is essential to creating a relationship with ourselves that is full of love and being in the present, away from negative self talk. 

There is a two fold element to accepting our bodies as they are right now - one of creating an energy flow through our bodies and of being present in ourselves.
When we feel grounded from where we are, we can easily move forward and make choices that come from our truth.
Being in the now moment is a positive place to start our journey of balance and wholeness which are natural states for our body.

I find this one of the single hardest tasks, as in my life right now there are many ways that my 'voice'; the me that is full of judgement and regret, constantly shows me over and over how different everything could be. "If only I made this choice, or we did this instead of this...... "On and on the torture of the chatter finds ways to seep all the joy out of my day. This is living in the past, the moment I can bring myself back to Zero/Now I am free and in the reality of this moment.
I have found that starting from the present; the now moment, frees the energy to clear away the blocks that keep us tied to our current weight.
How do you stop the chatter and breathe into this moment and feel satisfaction? 
-You work on it with love and compassion for yourself. 
-You trust that the universe is full of possibilities and you are being shown the way everyday if you stop long enough to listen to the you that is grounded in peace and certaintiy of all the good that is available to you.
This is the gift of our current quest ~ an opportunity to live from spirit. 

"My gratitude for all previous Moments
sets me free in this one"

Accepting and Loving Your Body Now~

Our bodies respond to our mind and if we are disconnected and fighting with our present body how do we access the body we are capable of having-
The body that reflects vibrancy and health is the body that is full of self love. 
 This is where accepting ourselves is so very important and there are ways to get us to that place of love -
Away from the disgust that we can feel as we see the dimples and flesh and lumps and bumps. (Providing we ever actually look at our bodies naked). This is you that you judge and with each sigh you feel the heaviness of all the despair. I have been intimate with body judgement for most of my life. First from the people around me, then young boys whose attention I craved at age 14, then the magazines that seem to parade the ideal of beauty all around me. I hear my friends with their constant self depricating conversations, punctuated with false laughter. 
Whether it is public or private we have all had our moments of despair at how our physical self is looked upon by others and by our own selves. Hating our bodies has become a way we connect to our friends, almost a source of comfort.

If you are ready to take a stand in your life and be true to your own being you must love every inch of you!!.

I make a conscious effort daily as I look in the mirror every morning to appreciate what I see.~
When we love ourselves we create lightness and openings and levity in our day. Feeling love for ourselves opens up the door for the universe to move forward through us ! 
Accept, Accept, Accept-

This is what you do - 

Get naked and stand infront of the mirror~
Take a nice long look at what you see from zero/no thought/blank mind -(do not let your mind take you off track of your task now!)
Look, take your hand and hold your tummy, run you hands over your body from your shoulders, over your breasts down to your thighs. Turn around look at every angle Feel the skin and form of your body around your back. The moment your hear your mind start up just simply say "thank you, but now I am practicing love of myself" and breathe in light to that part of you that is hard to look at or appreciate. You may even like what you see ~ remember you are unique, there is no one like you and this is a thought that can be celebrated!

I sometimes smile as I hold my flesh and feel a giggle come over me, as perhaps embarrassment of checking myself out in the mirror feels strange. I see the scars that tell the story of my life and the moles that tell the time I have had in my life so far. I take in my full shape and see the whole of me and then the parts- my hands ,my elbows, my knees. This is your own personal discovery of your body and your feelings about it. Feelings and emotions are key to releasing energy that you carry so allow the feelings to move through you then resume the task at hand. (More on this in step 3)


How does your partner here- your body, work for you - 
can you move easily in your life, does it feel appreciated and loved so that it can perform at it's best. 

What does your body say to you ~ listen.
Sit, close your eyes and hear what your body needs~ sometimes I hear -
I need you to drink more water, I need you to stretch more, I like when you touch me.
With your eyes closed breathe light into the areas that need love and acceptance. 
My cellulite always needs some extra loving.
Feel the connection to this partner we travel with everyday.

ASK your body for permission to lose the extra weight you carry so that you may live in health.
Ask it to help you in this endeavour.
Thank your body for all that it does without your thinking and for you living in it today.

Tell your body "I love You"

"A life of freedom begins when we realize deep within ourselves  that we are whole and complete just as we are."

Next we make a list-

List 10 things you love about your body.

The list can be parts you love, as well as ways your body does things for you that you love. 

 1. My hands

2. My legs that help me walk and run over my favourite bridge.....

You might find other ways to appreciate the physical part of your self.

Take this step as often as you can. sometimes it will be just a glimpse as you change in the mirror and you become aware of the dialogue in your head then you change the voice into one of appreciation and love.

Affirm everyday- 

I love myself as I am.

I no longer wait to be perfect in order to love myself.

Before sleep, a little meditation as you close your eyes~

See yourself vibrant and healthy at the weight you desire.

Have a clear picture of your self and feel what your body feels like at that ideal weight.

Give it a smell and pull the image, feeling and smell into your body with both your arms melding the two together.

Let me know how this works for you.

Namaste,

Natalie