Self-relaxation breath
Self-gratitude rant
Self-worth
prayer
Self-forgiveness
winter 2017 PSG 23
Sit comfortably and close your eyes. Check in and see where you are holding any tension. Scan your legs, back, shoulders, chest, jaw, forehead. Now, just breathe in through your nose for a count of four thinking, “Let,” and out through your mouth for the count of eight thinking, “Go”. Repeat four times and then take a couple of normal breaths to end the set. Do four sets, for a total of 16 deep breaths. Assess how you feel. More relaxed, right?
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Stand up tall, spread your arms out and say out loud all the things that you are grateful for having in your life! Your child(ren), the sun, rain, trees, flowers, butterflies, birds, your pet, your job, yourself, your friends, your home, your gifts… go on for as long as you wish. This is a great way to increase your inner state of appreciation and is a tool you can call upon any place and any time!
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Place both your palms over your heart and say, “I remember I am worthy just for being me. There is nothing to do, to know, or to have to create my worth. Being worthy is an inside job and my birthright. I am worthy just for being me.” Say this out loud when you wake up and just before you go to bed to build up your self-worth muscle.
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There are four simple phrases that you can repeat to yourself in order to create inner alignment of the energies that support you in forgiving. Whether it is situations or you who need it, forgiveness is another ‘inside job’ that involves letting go of the disruptive dysfunctional energy and emotions around past or present experiences.
An ancient Hawaiian practice of Ho’oponopono focuses on inviting the freedom that forgiveness brings. It does so by offering a process for self-alignment, of making things ‘right very right’ on the inside, and of releasing the ‘poison’ that is the negative energy we hold in our emotions and thoughts, affording you the freedom that forgiveness brings. A simplified practice involves you saying to yourself, and in any order you feel is best, these four phrases:
“I love you [your first name].”
“I am sorry [your first name].”
“Please forgive me, [your first name].”
“Thank you, [your first name].”
Repeat the sequence at least four times. Notice whether you begin to feel calmer around the situation. For the strongest effect, say them out loud, but lean on this exercise any time and anywhere because you can also say them in your head.
Once you have picked your favorite three exercises, the best thing you can do is make them into your daily ritual that fuels your ability to heal. When you need more support, do your favorites more frequently or do them all, but on a daily basis you should not need more than 20 minutes for the entire routine. The value of a ritual is that it multiplies the benefit of each session because it trains your body/mind to (cont. on p. XY) positive daily experience. In other words, a ritual will serve as a stepping stone into your best-self mindset.
Once you have picked your favorite three exercises, the best thing you can do is incorporate them into your daily ritual fuelling your ability to heal. When you need more support, do your favorites more frequently or do them all, but on a daily basis you should not need more than 20 minutes for the entire routine. The value of a ritual is that it multiplies the benefit of each session because it trains your body/mind to expect and enjoy positive daily experience. In other words, a ritual will serve as a stepping stone into your best-self mindset.
Please plan on being consistent for four weeks (28 days) before your new ritual feels like second nature: this is how long habits seem to take to be built or broken, as increasingly concluded by behavioral research. Once self-care becomes habit, you
will notice (cont'd on p. 30)