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| NZ Tomtit |
There are many views of what Rejuvenation is and what it looks like. Often it is thought of in reference to being young again, or having youth restored. However, I found this beautiful definition which I feel touches on what I think of when I think about rejuvenation:
- to renew the activity, erosive power, etc., of (a stream) by uplift or by removal of a barrier in the stream bed.http://www.dictionary.com/browse/rejuvenate
Because I like to use the metaphor of water for life, I believe this is a beautiful example of not only what rejuvenation may look like, but also HOW we can have this for ourselves....The question is, What barrier needs to be removed from the stream bed?
Yesterday I took a long walk and jog through one of my favourite forest paths along the lake shore. I wanted to enjoy the beautiful day and just have a long meditative walk. I didn't want to feel the pressure of "exercising", so I just did what felt nice and did a combination of walking and jogging as it felt good. The path was quiet and peaceful and there were often songs from the native birds and sounds of their wings beating in the air above....The sun was glistening through the trees and occasionally you could see the water and the clear blue skies. I realized during this walk that this is life-giving to me. I realized that I felt both energized and freed by being out there and that I need more and more of this in my life. It occurred to me that there are "barriers" that need to be removed in my life in order for rejuvenation to happen.
Water doesn't always just flow naturally without aid. Sometimes in order to renew the activity of the stream, a barrier must be removed from the stream bed.......Some of these barriers are mental and some physical.
Yesterday was Thursday and according to the Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga it is a day to honour your Intention and Desires. Spiritually Thursday is linked with focusing on humility and grace and to follow Christ's example of love. Throughout the New Testament there are tons of stories of Christ healing people, breathing new life into people, and setting them back on their feet again. He was the "remover of the barriers".....If we want to live as He lived, than it makes sense that we would also seek to learn how to remove barriers....and what better place to start learning this than within our own lives? So, I decided to commit the month of March to REJUVENATION. This month it is my intention and desire to actively move a few barriers out of the way and to let health and wellness flow strong.
I would encourage you to take a few minutes either mentally or on paper and write a list of the things that make you feel wonderful/energized/full of life, and make a list of the barriers that block you at times from doing those things.....My list is below, but everyone will be totally different, so you don't even have to read my list, it's just there if you need some direction or ideas for how to compile your own list.
These are the things I have identified that bring me life-giving energy and help me feel my best:
- Good Food - Eating healthy, Plant-Based Foods that nourish (And being a lover of food this is also a barrier so it goes both ways for me! haha)
- Yoga - Taking the time for a daily practice is absolutely life-giving to me.
- Being in Nature - Going for walks/hikes, jogging or whatever I do outside is very energizing for me, especially if I can find a quiet place with good levels of green vegetation and birds...I do love the wildlife!
- Seeing wildlife - I find being close to nature and seeing birds and other animals just so invigorating.
- Essential Oils - The various uses do really strengthen me emotionally
- Reflection Time - Taking time to sit and think or meditate or read and journal etc. (This is usually the first thing to go when I get busy! - a note to self )
- Anything Warming - Hot baths, Hot Tubs, Saunas, Wheat Packs, Cups of Tea - these things give me a sense of grounding and wellbeing.
- Painting or taking time to be creative in some way
- Gardening - to watch something grow from seed is very life-giving. (But can also be a barrier as sometimes the time it takes to manage/harvest a garden can become a barrier to the other life-giving things on my list!)
- Time - When I fill my schedule too full I have no time for the things that actually bring me life and energy. When I am too busy I don't have time to walk/yoga/paint/read etc.
- Food - When I spend too much of my energy focused on cooking and on food it takes away from the other things I enjoy doing and that also bring me joy.
- Mental Blocks - When I have been working too hard, or working odd hours and not sleeping well then the mental blocks come in and keep me from doing the things that WOULD actually give me energy. My mind plays tricks on me and tells me that I'm "too tired" to walk or jog or even do yoga....and when listening to those thoughts it is a barrier to the thing which would actually rejuvenate my soul!
- Energy - When I'm not sleeping well or I'm working too much, I have no energy to even think about doing the things that I enjoy.
The connection I make here is that part of the rejuvenation process is about not worrying what other people think of you. Not living your life for their approval or filling your schedule with the things you are "expected" to do. Not seeking fame and to be the beautiful sought-after Tui bird....but to be content with being the sweet little Tomtit happily flitting away in the forest...Rejuvenation happens when we stop worrying over living up to everyone else's expectations and start bringing life into our souls by doing the things that make us happy and free. By moving away the barriers and letting the water flow.
"May this day bring me all the love and light that I seek, and may my soul be rejuvenated." ~ Namaste
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