10 minute read
MANIFESTING YOUR TRUE PURPOSE
{ SHIFT+CONTROL }{ MANIFESTING YOUR TRUE PURPOSE } CREATIVE TRANSFORMATION
BY LISA WAGNER
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Navigating Turmoil to Reach Calmer Shores
Personal transformation during these challenging and tumultuous times can be tricky and leave us feeling anxious, fearful and/or uneasy. Navigating your own pursuit of self-growth and greater enlightenment can be achieved using creative intentions, helping you to feel supported and divinely guided. The need to reach those calmer shores is what drives most of us to continue our pilgrimage towards our light and our heavenly purpose. That highest form and vibrational presence within you, calls to you to just keep moving, and trusting in the process. Easier said than done, yet it is a journey that is worth creating.
A recent article by pubmed.com quantifies personal transformation as, “a dynamic, uniquely individualized process of expanding consciousness whereby individuals become critically aware of old and new self-views and choose to integrate these views into a new self-definition.” * When we think of this concept and envision it for ourselves, we allow in messages from something larger than ourselves. It is one of the most profound gifts we can give ourselves. This form of self-nurturing is rooted in love. When we base our personal expansion from this tender place, we are no longer in a state of contraction; better known as “fear.”
Beginning the route towards our divine self can just be as simple as noticing our breath or our posture. Ask yourself when the last time was that you were aware of your body’s response to fear? Do you contract by doing shallow breathing, rounding the shoulders, slumping, or telling yourself you’re tired consistently throughout the day? These are all ways of making ourselves smaller and more insulated. It is a buffer we create to keep ourselves from getting hurt again or feeling our traumas. There are times this serves us when we are amid the traumatic event. Even for a time afterward. Allow yourself that space to truly be in it so that you may move out of it with the lessons it was here to give you. But please don’t stay long. Living the life that is intended for you asks that you move away from that fear mindset and into the light again. Take those baby steps to build your strength and resilience for the road ahead.
Once you begin to emerge from your protective cocoon that harbored your old self, look around to see who you can call on for loving support and guidance. That buoy helps you to begin building a solid foundation you can count on when the next difficult challenge comes your way. You won’t be thrown around like a ship in a storm anymore. They are your soft place to fall and rest. Reconnecting to those baby steps, (deep breathing, connection and calling on divine wisdom), will allow you that floatation device to survive rough waves or a full-blown hurricane. It’s your anchor and mental lifeline that will be on the ready in your self-care toolbox.
Upon building that bravery tool, you can begin to move towards creative ways of expressing yourself, your needs and using your voice. This step facilitates your mission to add more self-care go-to’s that will slowly become noble rituals. Take a moment now to close your eyes and picture yourself on a path that is filled with sparkling, brilliant light. You feel instantly loved, supported and happy there. At the farthest point of the path, there is a dazzling light calling you forward. You begin to see your guides of the highest truth and compassion standing there with open arms, beckoning your forward. They ask you to walk on the path with them towards your most loving intentions. You take their hands and feel the warmth and nurturing they possess for you, filling you with that same cherished version of you at your utmost loving presence. Feel into that and allow it to fill your heart and your mind and your words with only things routed in love. That is yours to keep and rest in whenever you feel fearful or unsure. It asks that you value your healing and growth. You are valued, wanted, and treasured here. You are meant for great things.
Using our imagination in this way shows us we can move out of fear and into a state of love at almost any point. It also opens us up to messages from outside of ourselves that have our best interests at heart. You are a vessel for love and healing that will ripple out to others who are afraid to begin their own journey or are in their own state of trauma. Your work and willingness give others the opportunity to grow and expand their hearts right alongside you. There is a growing army of souls who are working towards this same higher way of being. You won’t be alone on this path.
“We are travelers on a cosmic journey, stardust, swirling and dancing in the eddies and whirlpools of infinity. Life is eternal. We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other, to meet, to love, to share. This is a precious moment. It is a little parenthesis in eternity.” Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist
Envision yourself now, doing something creative that you’ve always wanted to do but never had the resilience or courage to try.
Have you always wanted to paint, write, make pottery, sing, dance, take photos, make a movie or all the above and more? No one, except possibly you, expects you to make a masterpiece. Getting lost in the process of making and doing is where we find serendipity. Experiencing that flow state helps you to begin noticing things much more easily, where before you were distracted by your mind’s ruminations. When we use our gifts of imagination, we allow in divine inspiration and a shift in mindsets. Your mind’s eye can now see the rainbow that comes after the storm, promising you that things are going to be brighter in the days, weeks, and months ahead.
One of my wonderful Intuitive Painting students was with me just last night, talking to me about the hope creativity has given her. That she finally sees there is a real potential for something better. Her self-talk has improved drastically in a very short window of time, and she is so excited to come each week. Our pre-lesson meditations and the art of creating her piece have shown her that she is meant for more and being led towards a more loving way of being in her own life. Watching her cry tears of joy after the meditation and having a palpable sense of knowing that all is well, brought the entire space a feeling of joy and possibility.
That self-compassion and strength is available to you at any time. We need only to set the intention of allowing our most honest feelings of vulnerability to mend so that our hearts can begin their beautiful expansion. Achieving that strength to become vulnerable has a sincerity our soul responds to in kind. You feel lighter and shame that not a moment before felt engulfing, floats away. You have now taken control of your narrative. You create a loving, nurturing story about what it is you want and need in this life for yourself. It is a light that cannot be dimmed by outside forces. It is your shield from that which is meant to harm you.
Expressing yourself through creative means can have the added bonus of attracting like-minded people who are walking next to you on that path, communing in one another’s light. The breadth and width of that radiance gets sent out into the Universe, touching every atom and cell within it. We become a force of illumination for those who are still in the dark, braving their own storms. You now become their saving grace. You and your loving actions, thoughts and words are that powerful. They hold weight and must be used wisely and benevolently. We each beget the karmic energy we choose.
So, choose wisely. Observe how you’ve spoken to yourself recently. What have you written about yourself or others, and your experiences in your journal? Was it kind, compassionate or hopeful? If your answer is “no,” that’s okay! Gabby Bernstein’s technique of noticing our thoughts, forgiving the thought, and then choosing differently can be a beautiful and simple way to return to love. (I have that on a sticky note in several strategic areas in my home and it has changed my own verbiage and way of being.)
My hope for you is that today is the day you honor your light. That you bravely take those baby steps towards higher ground as you watch the sinking ship you boldly jumped off into unknown waters, knowing you just saved your heart. That you get to rejoice in the intentionality you have now chosen as your new norm. Your personal space has become a sacred sanctuary for you as you creatively grow into the higher consciousness you were meant to reside in. To develop with a tenderness and reverence for all you’ve been through and done to become your highest self. Navigating life’s turmoil one baby step at a time will not only allow you to finally have shelter on those calmer shores. It will also give you the divine power to take larger strides with each passing triumph towards your personal transformation and exquisite new self you’ve been longing for. Namaste.
• Wade GH. A concept analysis of personal transformation. J Adv Nurs. 1998 Oct;28(4):713-9. doi: 10.1046/j.13652648.1998.00729.x. PMID: 9829658.
{ SHIFT+CONTROL{ WELLNESS 360 } } THE BENEFITS OF EXERCISE IN PARKINSON’S DISEASE
BY BETH PARRY
According to the Parkinson’s Foundation, someone is diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) every 9 minutes in the United States. More than 10 million people have a PD diagnosis worldwide. This number is increasing every year. PD is a progressive disorder that affects the nervous system. PD is caused by a loss of nerve cells in the substantia nigra of the brain. This leads to a reduction in a chemical called dopamine.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that supports many essential body functions, including movement, memory, and pleasurable reward and motivation. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that neurons in the brain use to communicate with one another; with the loss of dopamine, there is a disconnect between the brain and the body’s movements. PD symptoms typically start mild and are barely noticeable. It tends to start on one side of the body and worsen over time. Parkinson’s symptoms present differently in each individual. Some Parkinson’s symptoms include, but are not limited to: bradykinesia, or slowness in movement, shuffled gait pattern, forward trunk posture, resting tremor, and flat facial affect. Non-motor symptoms include a reduced sense of smell, constipation, and sleeping disorders. Due to lessened dopamine, psychological symptoms include anxiety/depression and impulsive behavior. While the cause of Parkinson’s disease is unknown, many studies are finding a connection between pesticides and the environment. Multiple things can slow the progression of PD and manage PD symptoms, including exercise, medications, and surgical procedures. This article will discuss exercise and its role in managing PD symptoms.
Exercise is an integral part of any
person’s health. For PD, exercise is a vital component of managing symptoms. It is essential in maintaining balance, improving movement, maintaining mobility, and keeping functional with daily activities. While all exercise is beneficial, certain types of exercise are most beneficial for PD.
FORCED INTENSITY
Forced intensity exercise can recalibrate the abnormal movement caused by the movement disorder. High-intensity movement has been shown to reduce tremors, joint stiffness, muscle rigidity, endurance, and cardiovascular function. Keeping your heart rate between 70 -80% during your high-intensity cycles is essential. An easier way to determine high intensity is your rate of perceived exertion. You should not be able to have a conversation if you work within the “high intensity” parameters. Workouts, including non-contact boxing and cycle classes, are great ways to get your forced-intensity exercise.
FLEXIBILITY
Flexibility training is a great way to combat a limited range of motion and rigidity. Flexibility exercise has been shown to improve posture, prevent stiffness, decrease dystonia (prolonged muscle contractions) and improve mobility. Yoga and generalized static and dynamic stretches are great ways to improve flexibility. The PWR moves program includes exercises performed slowly with big movements to focus on targeting rigidity.
BALANCE AND AGILITY
Falls are prevalent in the PD diagnosis. Balance deficits are common due to medications, rigidity, postural difficulties, and shuffling gait patterns. Balance training is multi-faceted; it is not just about standing on one leg. These exercises will focus on postural and core strengthening, gait patterns, weight shifting, and body awareness.
