Listen to Gayle reading the blog aloud.
Hello my friend,
It’s all good. This is what a friend frequently said after we had deep, true, uncomfortable conversations.
It’s all good. The sentence softened surprise sore spots and popped us back to our gentle happy place. I went along with the move as a reliable “keep conversation light and appealing” practice to stay in our comfort zone of okayness.
These days I am not willing to spread peanut butter and jelly on shit to make it taste better.
The bitter, sour and salty truth is here for a reason. Our discomfort is an invitation. Because the truth is, eventually it IS all good, yet much of the time, we miss the chance to access this authentic goodness with a premature rejection fueled by fear-filled habits.
So, how do we face discomfort?
We choose and practice and allow.
Here is one way to choose, practice, and allow facing discomfort:
For 2021, I am hosting and facilitating a deeper exploration of the Inner Money Map based on the Inner Map created by Julia Colwell. Each month we explore various emotional states as they relate to money. [Join the FB group if you are inspired to play and discover.]
Joy is our exploration for July. But I don’t mean It’s all good kind of joy. Not to be a killjoy, but right now I am being right where I am — and in my discovery, joy co-exists with many other feelings.
It’s all good is a Joy masquerade.
Let’s take our masks off and be right here with what is.
With this view and practice, I am discovering the infinite facets of Joy that do not feel like effervescent champagne bubbles. Joy often accompanies sweet tears, power sweats, shivers in uncertainty and stomps in disgust. The surprise feelings may not last long, but the potency of these truths is unshakable and undeniable.
The problem, which is really not a problem, is when we hold Joy on an It’s all good pedestal, our expectations will always crash into the reality that something else also wants attention. Truth is truth. I cannot talk about the simple, delightful side of Joy without giving attention to all of the ways Joy is here to meet us.
Joy is so many forms of expression! Do you recognize any of these in yourself?
When I feel angry about manipulative money situations, or an unappreciative sibling, Joy is my cheerleader chanting “you go girl, you go girl, you go girl.” I experience passionate fiery joy in my belly.
When I feel sad about young adults with student debt, or my repeating “do more, give more” self-sabotage patterns, Joy is my comfort blanket stroking my back. I experience compassionate kind joy in my chest and eyes.
When I feel scared about overconsumption killing our planet, or my ability to handle the stuff in our home-downsize, Joy is my expansive breath generating a pause. I experience clear determination-joy in my belly, chest and spine.
Joy is maturing happiness we feel without words.
Joy allows me to see and experience the gorgeous complexity of being human felt inside my body and emotional states.
In Joy, I am discovering that by abiding in creativity, all emotions naturally arise simultaneously. The more I open, the more I welcome all feelings. That’s what we are up to when we explore Joy.
My Joy discoveries show me that I am whole and lovable, wise and worthy — and all reactive emotions are a part of Joy expressing themselves in their essence. And this, my friends, leads us to the authentic experience of It’s all good.
Enjoying all facets of Joy,
Tiny Body Practice
Expanding Soul-Spaces
In January, I introduced my Walk with Me series with a winter beach walk. Six months into 2021, let’s amplify our soul space practice, I am now calling “soulspacing”- feeding our soul in the space we intentionally inhabit. Our videos this month are short offerings of a recent hike in the Redwoods. Nature is a reliable place to nourish our bodies and calm our minds. Simply watch while breathing through all of your pores like a gentle breeze.
Then, float these questions in your mind for generous answers:
How am I soulspacing?
What is my/are my soul spaces?
How does my body feel in my soul space(s)?
What is the same/different in other spaces I inhabit?
What happens when I ignore my soulspacing?
Deepening Practice
by Gayle | Jul 29, 2021
Hello my friend,
This summer I’m taking advantage being outside in the warmer season and accessing deeper connections through my soul spaces. I encourage you to do more “soulspacing” (isn’t this a great word!) too. It’s through our deeper connections – inside, outside, all sides- we access authentic goodness and promote health.
Amplifying our soul space practice, soulspacing, is triple nourishment calming excessive thinking in our brain, caressing tender spots on our body and tending to fatigue from low energy. Soulspacing, we feed our soul with nutrients the soul recognizes as vital lifeforce.
Tiny Body Practice
Expanding Soul Spaces
Listen to an audio of the practice.
Practice Preparation
Be aware of your soulspacing practices and building soul space muscle.
Choose which practice to engage, standing or sitting practice.
Pre-reflection:
How is my mind? Is my mind full of chatter or free of thoughts?
How is my body? Do I feel tightness and tension or ease?
How is my energy? Am I fatigued or full of vitality?
Open to:
Release anxious thoughts.
~ Receive calming silence.
Release tension.
~ Receive ease.
Release fatigue.
~ Receive vitality.
Practice
In the standing position, face a tree, lay your palms on the trunk and feel your whole-body presence.
Feel your feet on the ground in front of the tree. Say hello.
Imagine roots growing through the soles of your feet down into the earth.
Recognize your power and presence here and now.
Give your attention to your hands connecting to the bark.
Imagine a releasing and receiving circuit moving between your heart and the tree.
Release from your heart through your right arm and hand into the tree.
Receive loving energy from the tree into your left hand and arm feeding your heart.
Allow and receive.
With your feet and hands connected to the tree, give attention to your third eye.
Relax into the tree, visualizing your roots moving with tree roots down into the center of the earth.
Stay here for five minutes.
Complete your practice expressing gratitude to the tree for connecting nourishment.
In the seated position face away from the tree with your back resting on the tree trunk.
Feel your legs and bottom on the ground.
Feel held resting your back and head against the tree.
Take three generous breaths to get settled and relaxed seated next to the tree.
Touch your head, upper back or lower back as the points of connection with the tree.
In your own way, initiate the release and receive circuit with the tree.
Pay close attention to the sensations in your body.
Stay here for five minutes.
Complete your practice expressing gratitude to the tree for connecting nourishment.
Post Practice
Float these questions in your mind (or journal) to arrive at generous answers:
How am I soulspacing?
What is/are my soul spaces?
How does my body feel in my soul space(s)?
What is the same/different in other spaces I inhabit?
What happens when I ignore my soulspacing?
What’s possible when I am nourished through my soulspace?