Tag: change

Meditation, Topics

Healing PTSD Through Meditation: A Path to Peace and Recovery

Pamela

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can leave deep emotional scars, making it difficult to find peace and move forward. While therapy and medication are often essential components of PTSD treatment, meditation can be a powerful complementary tool for healing and recovery.

Understanding PTSD and the Role of Meditation

PTSD is triggered by a traumatic event and can lead to a range of symptoms, including flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, hypervigilance, and emotional numbness. These symptoms often stem from the body’s stress response becoming dysregulated, leading to a heightened state of arousal even when there is no immediate danger.

Meditation, particularly mindfulness-based practices, can help to soothe the nervous system and restore a sense of calm. By focusing on the present moment and cultivating awareness of thoughts and sensations without judgment, meditation can:

  • Reduce Anxiety and Stress: Meditation helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, responsible for rest and relaxation, counteracting the hyperarousal associated with PTSD.
  • Manage Flashbacks and Nightmares: Mindfulness practices can create a sense of distance from distressing memories and thoughts, making them less overwhelming.
  • Improve Emotional Regulation: By increasing awareness of emotions as they arise, meditation can help individuals develop healthier coping mechanisms and reduce impulsive reactions.
  • Enhance Self-Compassion: Cultivating self-compassion through meditation can counteract feelings of self-blame and shame often associated with trauma.

Types of Meditation for PTSD

Several types of meditation have shown promise for PTSD:

  • Mindfulness Meditation: Focusing on the breath or bodily sensations, observing thoughts and emotions without judgment.
  • Loving-Kindness Meditation: Cultivating feelings of compassion and kindness towards oneself and others.
  • Body Scan Meditation: Bringing awareness to different parts of the body, noticing any sensations without judgment.
  • Guided Meditation: Following guided instructions for relaxation and visualization.

Tips for Starting a Meditation Practice

  • Start Small: Begin with short sessions (5-10 minutes) and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable.
  • Be Patient: Meditation takes practice. Don’t get discouraged if you find it difficult at first.
  • Find a Quiet Space: Choose a peaceful environment where you won’t be disturbed.
  • Focus on Your Breath: Use your breath as an anchor for your attention.
  • Observe Thoughts and Sensations: Notice any thoughts, emotions, or bodily sensations that arise, but don’t get caught up in them. Let them come and go.
  • Seek Guidance: Consider joining a meditation class or working with a therapist trained in mindfulness-based practices.

Important Considerations

  • Meditation is Not a Replacement for Therapy: While meditation can be a valuable tool, it’s essential to seek professional help for PTSD. Therapy can provide a safe space to process trauma and develop personalized coping strategies.
  • Start Slowly: If you’re new to meditation, begin with short sessions and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable.
  • Be Kind to Yourself: Meditation is a journey. Be patient with yourself and celebrate small victories along the way.

Remember: Healing from PTSD takes time and effort. Meditation can be a powerful ally in your recovery, helping you to find peace, resilience, and a renewed sense of well-being.

Meditation, Thoughts, Topics

Bloom from within: Meditation and Yoga

Pamela

Bloom From Within: How Meditation and Yoga Can Cultivate Hope on Your Healing Journey

Life can be a rollercoaster, filled with exhilarating highs and moments that leave us feeling lost and unmoored. When we’re struggling with mental health challenges, that feeling of being lost can intensify. But here’s the beautiful truth: within each of us lies a wellspring of resilience and hope. Practices like meditation and yoga can be powerful tools to tap into that inner strength and cultivate a sense of peace on your healing journey.

Meditation: A Path to Inner Calm

Think of your mind as a busy marketplace. Thoughts flit around like chattering vendors, anxieties loom large, and negativity can cast a long shadow. Meditation helps us step back from this marketplace and become the observer. By focusing on the present moment, often through breathwork, we begin to quiet the mental chatter and cultivate a sense of inner calm.

This calm isn’t about achieving a blank slate – it’s about creating space. In that space, we can observe our thoughts and emotions without judgment. We can acknowledge them, and then gently let them go. This practice doesn’t erase challenges, but it equips us to face them with greater clarity and a sense of inner peace.

Yoga: The Mind-Body Connection

Yoga is more than just fancy pretzel poses (although those can be fun!). It’s a holistic practice that connects the mind, body, and breath. As we move through yoga postures, we become more aware of our bodies, releasing tension and cultivating strength. This physical movement has a powerful impact on our mental state. Studies have shown that yoga can reduce stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression.

But yoga’s benefits go beyond the physical. The practice of focusing on our breath during yoga postures creates a bridge between the mind and body. This connection fosters a sense of mindfulness, allowing us to be present in the moment and appreciate the simple beauty of being alive.

Hope Blooms with Each Practice

The journey toward mental well-being is rarely linear. There will be setbacks and moments of doubt. But with each meditation session, each yoga flow, we cultivate a seed of hope within. We learn to navigate challenges with greater resilience, find moments of joy amidst the storm, and connect with our inner strength.

These practices aren’t about achieving some unrealistic state of zen. They’re about progress, not perfection. It’s about showing up for ourselves, even when it feels hard. And with each effort, we nurture that seed of hope, watching it blossom into a powerful force that guides us on our healing journey.

So, take a deep breath, unroll your yoga mat, and begin. You have the strength to bloom, and these practices can be the sunlight that helps you flourish. Remember, even the smallest step forward is a step towards a brighter, more hopeful tomorrow.

Topics

Chakras – What Are They?

Pamela

Unleash Your Inner Rainbow: A Guide to the Vibrant World of Chakras

Imagine your body as a luminous lighthouse, radiating energy in a spectrum of colors. That’s the essence of chakras, those swirling vortexes of energy believed to be the key to our physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Forget dry anatomy lessons – chakras are a vibrant invitation to explore the hidden language of our being.

Each chakra, from the fiery red base at the root of your spine to the ethereal violet crown at the head, governs a specific aspect of life. The root chakra pulsates with grounding stability, while the heart chakra throbs with the rhythm of love and compassion. When these energy centers are balanced, life flows with a harmonious ease. But blockages in these chakras can manifest as anything from fatigue and anxiety to creative ruts and troubled relationships.

The good news? You hold the key to unlocking the power within! Here’s a glimpse into the world of chakras and how to keep them humming:

  • Root Chakra (Muladhara): Picture a grounding ruby red. This chakra is all about feeling secure and connected. Feeling scattered? Practices like yoga poses that root you to the earth, or simply spending time in nature, can reignite this vital energy.

  • Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana): Let your creativity flow! This orange chakra is the seat of passion, pleasure, and our connection to sensuality. Feeling stuck in a rut? Spicy foods, creative expression through dance or art, and simply indulging in life’s little joys can get your creative juices flowing.

  • Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura): Sunshine yellow embodies this center of personal power and confidence. Feeling drained of willpower? Power poses, dynamic yoga flows, and setting achievable goals can help you radiate your inner sun.

  • Heart Chakra (Anahata): Emerald green, the color of love and compassion, defines this chakra. Feeling disconnected? Acts of kindness, meditation focusing on love, and spending time with loved ones can open your heart chakra and foster deeper connections.

  • Throat Chakra (Vishuddha): Find your voice! This sky-blue chakra governs communication and self-expression. Feeling unheard? Singing, journaling, and speaking your truth can help you express yourself authentically.

  • Third Eye Chakra (Ajna): Deep indigo represents intuition and wisdom. Feeling out of touch with your inner compass? Meditation, spending time in nature, and activities that stimulate your intuition can awaken your third eye.

  • Crown Chakra (Sahasrara): Imagine the vastness of space – violet is the color of pure consciousness. Feeling ungrounded? Meditation, spending time in nature, and connecting to something larger than yourself can help you tap into your deepest sense of connection.

Exploring your chakras is a vibrant journey of self-discovery. By incorporating practices that resonate with you, you can unlock the power within, experience a sense of wholeness, and radiate your unique light into the world. Remember, it’s not about achieving perfection, but about embracing the beautiful dance of energy that makes you, you. So, unleash your inner rainbow and start living a life that vibrates with joy!

Meditation

Heart-Based Meditation

Pamela

What will a heart-based meditation do for you?  It will bring you out of the chaos of your thoughts swirling in your mind.  Concentrating on your heart as a bright white light will center you away from those thoughts and bring you into the now.  Where there is peace and love. 

When you are truly in your heart-space.  Seeing your heart as this bright, warming light, you will naturally feel a smile.  Tell your heart thank you, I love you my heart.  Sometimes this will cause the reaction of tears streaming down your face.  I know it did for me.  It still does from time to time.  Not because I am sad, but because I feel so much love and peace.  They are tears of joy and happiness.  Something I had longed for my entire life.  And it was always there for me to tap into.  I just did not know how.

Taking a step every morning to show your heart love – you will begin to transform your life into something you never thought possible.  I used to think this was all crazy talk.  I am here now to tell you, it is not.  I am a testament to this being possible for you.

The following meditation will get you into your heart-space.  You will feel so much love for yourself.  The quiet will feel blissful.  As with anything you start, it will take practice.  Do this with zero judgement.  There is no right or wrong.  This is your journey. Your beautiful journey.    Take a few moments every day and do this meditation.

Topics

Angel Numbers

Pamela

Friday I was feeling really sick and while at work, all day, it was Angel numbers. To the point that it was crazy! 1:11, 11:11, 2:22, 3:33, 4:44, 5:55 and then two people I rang up, for some reason their totals stood out. $29.00 and $79.00. There was one day I keep getting even totals. My guides were making sure I was paying attention! Yesterday was 4:44 and 5:55. I am paying attention! Things are going to be changing but my guides and angels are all around me, supporting me.

The run of repeating numbers are them telling me to pay attention. I need to make note of what is coming. What messages I need to listen to. 79 is telling me to get into my heart space. Do what it is I want to do. That is where we should listen to ourselves. From our heart. Not from the confusion and judgements of our minds. 7 is fear not. Its when you are feeling called to do something and not quite sure what it is or how it will work out. Reminds you to be spontaneous and courageious, but also smart and cautious. 9 is telling you something is coming into completion. There have been lessons learned but it is ending. Its ok to be sad but with the 7, it is saying dont be fearful. Now 29, hold on to your purpose! Life can be such a distraction at times, but I need to remember what my ultimate goals are. My purpose. I need to stay on course amist all the noise.

This all makes sense because I was starting to feel overwhelmed and distracted and letting self-doubt creep in. When you open yourself up to what your guides are telling you, your whole world will become simplier to navigate. Life doesn’t get easier, but you will be given nudges on your navigation through it. There is a reason and lesson for everything. There is no good or bad. The question to ask is, what will I learn from this?

I will just breath, put my hands on my heart during a meditation and say, “I have purpose.” Life is good.

Topics

Root Chakra

Pamela

How do you know if you have a weakness or imbalance with your Root Chakra?

The following signs of a weak or imbalanced root chakra:

  • Disconnection from the body, being ungrounded
  • Knee or feet troubles
  • Underweight, obesity and/or eating disorders
  • Fearful, anxious, restless, can’t settle, phobias, nightmares, psychosis
  • Basic lack of trust, suspicion, keeping guard up
  • Greed, hoarding or financial difficulty
  • Sluggish, lazy, tired
  • Becoming overly dependent on others
  • Poor focus and discipline
  • Poor boundaries or rigid boundaries
  • Chronic disorganization, indecisiveness, easily overwhelmed

What may help you balance and ground?

  • Deepen connection to the natural world
  • Become aware of one’s physicality
  • Avoid premature development of higher energy centers
  • Reconnection with body•Physical activity
  • Touch, massage
  • Hatha yoga
  • Analysis of earliest childhood relationship to mother
  • Reclaiming the right to be here

It is so important to start your journey balancing your first chakra. Grounding will be the solid building block to reaching your goals of becoming happy, healthy, and filled with joy.

General Thoughts

My Yoga Journey

Pamela

I knew the physical aspects of yoga were going to be challenging. I deal with trauma related aches and pains displaying as lower back pain and arthritis. I also realize I battle with my own self with thoughts that do not serve me. This will be a journey of self-discovery and a lot of inner work. It is a test of my will and determination. I will not give up because I understand the long term benefits both physically, mentally, and spiritually.

Part of my “shadow work” is my desire to finish things quickly. Always feeling I need to hit the finish line now. I believe this comes from being held down not only by others, but by my own false beliefs. These false beliefs came with a very low self-esteem which lead to the act of comparison which of course steals your joy and so my inner work will consist of getting rid of that desire because they only stop me from achieving my own passions and purpose in life.

I have signed up for online courses through Yogamu Institute. I have set goals for myself and will stay the course. I will understand these goals will not happen overnight and they are part of a spiritual journey. I have finished my 100HR Meditation Teacher course so far and working towards my 200HR. In the meantime, I have also began my Yoga courses. (Kundalini is also in my future as these will all work together beautifully.)

This will be my true test by keeping my focus forward, with positivity, joy, and love of self. It has been a hard journey up to now but I can tell you one fact – it has been well worth it!

Be sure to follow me on all my social media accounts to stay up to date and to join me in online live classes in the near future!

General Thoughts

Give up this one word.

Pamela

If you had to give up one word that you use regularly,
what would it be?

I have already given up this one word because I have learned that saying this word only gives you permission to give up if you fail. I’ve learned that “failure isn’t failure if a lesson from it’s learned.” And yes, I’m using a line from an old Garth Brooks song. That one line changed my thinking so well worth it!

If you take out this one word, you will begin to open up a whole world of possibilities. You will begin to stop limiting yourself and the beliefs you have about what is possible for you. I won’t lie, it is not an easy word to give up, but I do promise you, you will thank me later!

The one word is TRY. Yes, the whole, I will try to make my bed every morning. I will try to eat better. I will try to start exercising. Get the picture? Let us remove that word and change the whole feeling of those sentences. I WILL make my bed every morning. I WILL eat better. I WILL start exercising.

Do you feel the power difference between the two options? I know I do! Let’s start today off with:

I WILL REMOVE “TRY” FROM MY VOCABULARY

General Thoughts

How are you feeling right now?

Pamela

How are you feeling right now?

The journey of self-discovery is not a straight path. I can be honest about that fact for sure. There are so many subconscious factors in one’s life that manifest our present and future lives. But the question is, how am I feeling right now?

At the moment, I am feeling the new discoveries on an emotional level and learning to let go. Letting go of things that do not serve us seems like it should be a no-brainer. Easy-peasy. What is the point of holding onto them? Sometimes, even the horrible things, are part of our being. It has become so normal that even the things we would never wish on others, feel safe. Because we know how to cope with them. The thought of an existence of all the things we want to manifest in our lives has a level of uncertainty because in our subconscious, we do not believe it is possible for us.

I look back at everything I have survived in my life, and think, WOW! I am learning to take them as lessons rather than feeling like a victim in my life. I rework my brain to know that I can overcome anything put in front of me. I am strong. Rewiring my brain to focus on my “now” with no judgment, will lead me to a new future that is not based on my past. I use my past as a learning experience to share with others to give them hope and strength.

So to answer the question of how am I feeling right now, I’m battling the letting-go process and rewiring my thinking. This process sometimes puts you in a grieving or depressed state, and that is normal, but pushing through it and not allowing those past thoughts to overtake you is worth the effort. I do not put much thought into the down states and focus on the positives because I know the change will happen. Let me also state, that no matter my circumstances, I continue to keep joy and love in my heart. Everything else is just noise.

General Thoughts, Thoughts

Silence Harbors Guilt & Shame

Pamela

I called out from work today because I am sick so I went back to bed. After 3 hours of random, crazy dreams, I woke up with a thought that needs to be talked about. This is so important in the beginning of healing from trauma. The title of this is it simplified. Silence holds us in the feelings of guilt and shame. Question is, why and how do we repair that in order to heal?

For years, I dealt with Anorexia Nervosa(AN) in response to my life. Many resort to AN simply because we feel we have zero control over the world around us. The trauma’s we experience leaves us feeling helpless. I also realized mixed in that, I felt guilt and shame. I felt it because I was hurting myself with the AN and being told so many times that everything was my fault no matter what I did, or didn’t do. I believed all the horrible things being told to me which further fed my sorrow and pain. The AN was an effort to speak to the world my pain because I was unable to express it verbally. This can also be the case for drug addicts, alcoholics, and cutters as examples. I somehow thought others would get it. They would see I’m hurting and put the pieces together. I will save you years of personal torment and spoil the ending. I can attest to the fact that after almost 25 years, no one “got it.”

I’m guessing from one of my many therapist sessions I was told about silence harboring guilt and shame and that I needed to talk about everything bothering me. That I needed to question the thoughts that beat me up daily as to whether or not they are true. I decided one day, not too long ago, that silence was not going to be my friend anymore.

I decided one day I would start diving into my subconscious and begin questioning all the horrible things I told myself. To begin to talk about the trauma’s I have experienced over the years from the death of my 3 year old son, domestic violence, dealing with a narcissistic alcoholic, and rape. I attached shame and guilt to all these things and it kept me sick. Kept me in a state of hating myself, believing I was a horrible person, and resulted in poor choices. When I realized none of these things were my fault, that I am a good person that can offer my heart to those in need, I began to slowly open up. The AN was the first to go. I can say that today, I am 100% recovered. I don’t deal with the depression anymore and the anxiety, well, it pops in from time to time but I have a bag of tricks to squash it. The C-PTSD from all the years of mental and physical abuse, that is taking some time and that’s OK. I have to stand by my healthy boundaries and have been researching about the correlation between deep meditation and repairing the broken aspects of my brain waves. That’s a whole other topic. Bottom line to this, there is hope!

I started to wonder lately, do I talk too much about my personal life? Everyone around me doesn’t share in depth the things they go through in general. I mean, I have random people feel the need to unload their problems on me because it’s the empath side of me. But day to day, I will say things and then wonder, should I have divulged that? I started questioning myself and doing the whole comparison thing. And then it hit me. The side of me that almost stole my life was trying to creep in. Or maybe the Universe is trying to test my commitment. I speak the truth of my life because silence holds guilt and shame and in turn, makes you sick and very low vibrational. It goes against everything I have fought for the past 3 years to regain my life. Maybe I am guided to spill my guts because the person needed to hear it. Or maybe, I needed to say it.

If you stop and realize that hurting yourself will not send out a destress signal to others. And that keeping all your hurt and pain deep inside causing you grief, guilt, and shame will not accomplish anything other than hurting you, then you can start your journey to wellness. Here are some bullet points to keep in mind. Write them out and refer back if needed.

  1. I am worthy of love and respect.
  2. Others actions to me or against me are a reflection of them, not me.
  3. I cannot control all aspects of life. I make the commitment to let go and take them as life lessons and move on.
  4. I will not stay silent about my pain and understand there is nothing to feel guilty or shameful about while processing trauma or poor choices I’ve made.
  5. Life doesn’t happen TO me, it happens FOR me. Life gives lessons whether good, bad, or indifferent. We do not stay there. We process it and move on.
  6. I will create a list of all my wonderful qualities and will not let the opinions of others interfere with it. Others opinions are none of my business.
  7. I will begin to question the validity of the statements I tell myself. Are they true? When you are telling yourself you’re stupid, nothing good will come to me, I deserve everything I get. Well, I stand here to tell you, those are lies!

Now Understand, as I’ve said many times, changing your life means making changes. These changes consists of replacing your harmful, subconscious thoughts, setting up healthy boundaries of how you will be treated and stick by them. Maybe it is rethinking the people in your life because your circle of friends will reflect who you become. Don’t be ashamed of shaking that tree and letting bad apples fall. Change your normal. This means changing your routine because once you start working on yourself, the real you will start to emerge and you won’t know what to do with that. It’s OK. Just keep moving with it! A whole new world will start to open up for you. I promise! And it will begin with you taking the steps to getting real with yourself. Opening up. Stop harboring shame and guilt for things in the past. Hurting yourself will only do just that, hurting a wonderful spirit living a human life.

Now get out there and shake your tree!