Visual intentions

[pollyanna]

I think we all have good intentions and make resolutions that become forgotten and buried in busy lives. Here's an idea that is very visual and may help you stay on track, follow through and strengthen some little habits which will slowly but surely become so deep seated within you and incredibly improve your life:-

It's all about repetition and it's amazing how just a few little habits can make such a difference.

If you want to become physically fitter you could begin with walking round the block or using stairs instead of the elevator once a day to begin with and gradually build up from this as the task becomes easier. Many people want to do the marathon but remember the story of the hare and the tortoise

If you want to digest your food better you can eat your meal slowly and more consciously.

If you want to improve your relationship you can tell your partner/child how much you appreciate them.

If you want to write a book, learn a language or a new skill, allocate a small window of time each day to this, even if it is only 15 minutes.

To help you see the progress you are making with these tiny steps, begin each day carrying some dried beans or coins in your left pocket and each time you follow through with creating and strengthening a good habit, transfer a bean or coin into your right pocket.

At the end of the day place the beans or coins into a jar at the side of the bed or in your bathroom where you can see how you are progressing.

If you can use new beans or coins each day you will see just how much they accumulate over time. Sounds simple I know but it is very visual and works so well.

If you use coins, when the jar is full you can maybe treat yourself and/or your family, however the real reward will be who you become and how you feel about yourself.

Here's a link to the power of habits:-

Personal Development

I wish you an abundance of peace and joy on your amazing journey

[olmate]

Hi Pollyanna,

These are great presencing exercises. I too find visualizations very helpful.

Mmmm, I find the practice of being present an important aspect of reflection too. This probably seems like a paradoxical statement - being present while reflecting - but I guess it helps to process some of those repressed feelings which can just sit there like a prickle in your sock - painful and annoying and provide the relief and comfort that comes with their removal.

I particularly like to remind myself that there really is no such thing as opposites as well. Duality can lead the mind down some pretty dry gullies. If you think of everything on a continuum, then the whole concept of right and wrong just disappear. What you tend to see instead is just where you are on that continuum. So it becomes a case of "just is".

One of the serious side effects of duality is the tendency to beat yourself up. And as my Teacher ofen reminds his flock of Dear Souls, the world is full of people who will happily do that for you (I am sure you can name a few close to home), so doing it to ourselves is a total waste of time. But more importantly, it is really important to focus on developing a deep, caring and nurturing love for ourself. In my experience this is one of the hardest things in the world to do. I sometimes feel it is being self centred and selfish. But when I really think about it, if I can't experience deep nourishing love for myself, what hope is there to have that experience with another person?

So for me, my journey has been to have an objective, deep and critical evaluation of me. No pretenses, no hiding anything, just a bare, uncovered assessment. There was plenty that I was not happy with, so made a number of decisions to do something about it. Fortunately I am happy to report that I feel in a much better place today than I did 12 months ago. I feel much more centred, healthy, fit, balanced, caring, compassionate and connected. I just know - probably at the cellular level, that if I had not made those decisions when I did, I would be in a very dark place today.

And of course I am also convinced that meditation practice has been a significant aid to the healing process not just now but also through the tough terrain.

Today, I much prefer the light - beautiful, healing, nourishing, life-giving sunlight. I much prefer the joy and peace of water - the cooling, calming, loving lapping of water. And by no means least, the deep peace and joy of Love - cradling, caring and nurturing.

So, when you strip it all away, take the clothes off, take the labels away, peel off all the drama, wash off all of the stress ... and reveal the real you - as scary as that might seem, it is hard to make real change in our lives until we stand totally bare. And it is hard - well it is for me. I am pretty shy, so it is akin to walking down the main street of the city naked. The saving grace, and it is Grace, is that we can do it within the privacy of our minds. Sure, support from friends is important, as is the guidance of wise people, but ultimately, it is us alone who have to make the decisions.

Mmmm, sounds a bit like a sermon. I really didn't mean it that way. My intention is to just share some thoughts from a special place in my heart.

I often remind myself to be brave and smile a loving smile to the real me. Feel the love well up inside (that heart compassion), give myself permission to receive freedom (be Gracious to the little child inside me), accept healing and be fully self expressed.

And again in my humble experience, it is never too late while you have breath and heart. I can now make the calls, mend the broken bridges, extend my hand, be new and fresh and just be those powerful messages that emerge from deep listening.

Thanks again Pollyanna for your wisdom.

Nothing but the best…

Olmate