Stop, in the name of self-love… by Monica Aparicio

Stop, in the name of self-love…

Until fairly recently I was suffering from a serious case of “people pleasing”. Perhaps it rings a bell for some, when relating to the desire of making everyone around you happy, whether it is your mother, boss, friends or lovers. Does it ever feel like you forgot to bring happiness and joy into your own life first?

I found myself feeling weary and tired of running around, saying yes to every offer at work, feeling unbalanced in various areas of my life, including my health. I had always struggled with issues of weight loss, body image and eventually asthma, which was brought on from stress and the possible impact of poor air quality in downtown Manhattan, post 9-11.

Mentally, I began to notice that my emotional state was greatly affected from the  discomforts I felt physically. I remember sitting in my living room crying after leaving the hospital with a severe lung infection, depressed about the whole ordeal of spending a couple of days trapped in a bed while being pumped full of steroids.

The good that came out of the illness was a strong desire for healing. Becoming more aware of  the connection between my body and mind I realized that what I so desperately needed was whole healing. I didn’t want to just treat the symptoms of my dis-ease  with the use of an inhaler. While I am a huge fan of therapy I also knew that passively sitting and “talking” about my feelings wasn’t going to cut the mustard either. At the suggestion of my therapist I began to participate in a class that incorporated breath with dance and used these as tools to access a space of meditation and healing. I discovered that Biodynamic breath was the most powerful and direct route to whole healing I have ever experienced.

When I stopped to make my whole health a priority, true healing started to take place.  I learned to create more balance in my life by setting healthy boundaries. As a result of taking better care of myself I was able to be more available for others.

I invite you to do something just for yourself; experience how Bioenergetic breath can help ease stress, tension and physical discomfort while raising your awareness. Meditation is not something that needs to be still and silent, it is the act of being fully present in the NOW. Bioenergetic breath meditations engage your body, mind and spirit.

Claim Your Body!

Do you ever feel awkward or disconnected in your own body or experience a sense of being ungrounded from time to time?  Maybe you find yourself ignoring chronic discomfort in your neck and shoulders or tension that builds up into constant headaches?

Try this simple exercise: Just for a few moments put your mind on pause..while sitting comfortably with a soft but straight back and feet flat on the floor, close your eyes. Bring your awareness to your body by taking slow deep breaths through your nose. Start scanning your body for sensations of discomfort. Examine how your feet feel. Are your shoes comfortable, do you feel supported? As you move your way up through your ankles take inventory of the joints in your legs: do your knees feel tight or are they loose? Continue to bring attention to every area of your body while breathing gently, until you have scanned your entire body. This simple exercise that takes 5 minutes will heighten your body awareness.

It is impossible to be present to our bodies when we are constantly living in our minds as it challenging to be focused when we are physically ill or in discomfort. We invite you to experience how deep guided breath can aide you in healing body aches, releasing tension and grounding you. Join us this Friday for Claim Your Body breath meditation workshop with aromatherapy.