i’m committed to chasing and catching my dreams. and i’m committed to walking alongside other women as they recognize and pursue their own unique imaginings. i’m committed to THE ARRIVAL revolution, my own personal philosophy which has become the core theme of all of my retreats.
women journeying far beyond their preconceived limits. women taking risks worth taking. women joyfully and magically reuniting with their true essence.
THE ARRIVAL’s 7 essential elements include:
1. AWARENESS
2. MOVEMENT
3. NOURISHMENT
4. VOICE
5. ZEST
6. GRIT
7. UNTETHERED INTEGRATION
for me, it all begins with the AWARENESS assignment, with taking mindful steps. curiosity. observation. possibility. patterns.
over the next few weeks, i’d like to share these four steps with you, and offer both an invitation and an activity with each. this week we’ll dive into curiosity.
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you are already at your starting point, your point of origin, prepared to check in. it’s early, and you’re feeling a bit weary, not quite ready to face the pilgrimage ahead of you. but there will be no more retreating. the time has come to embrace your journey.
to open your eyes wide, truly waking up. to see for the first time what you may not have been looking for. hear what you haven’t taken the time to listen for. taste what you’ve been too afraid to sample. feel what you’ve only briefly touched before. and yes, to stop and smell the roses.
it’s time to plan your journey’s itinerary, deciding where you want to go and what your trip will entail. and as you focus on and pay attention to the details, you’ll realize that it all begins with awareness.
what do I mean by awareness? you know some of the dictionary definitions: consciousness, alertness, a well-informed and attentive state, knowledge of a situation, perception.
i think of awareness as approaching everything with nonjudgmental curiosity. looking at yourself and your life in a new way, in a delicious and engaging manner. this introspective journey begins by first taking stock of where you are at this very moment, and continues by remaining open to unexpected surprises along the way. staying curious and invested in one’s own life is the catalyst to new discoveries. about oneself, about the world. curiosity is crucial to an enriched existence.
because awareness cannot help but lead to insight. it’s a necessary element for paying attention, for deep questioning, for attitude adjustment, for kick-starting your life. notice the amazing and think about the wonderful, and you soon see more of both.
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“What we pay attention to thrives.”
(Karen Maezen Miller)
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awareness is being fully alive, awake to the world around you. when you are truly aware, you become an explorer seeking novelty in your everyday existence.
committing to essential element #1 — the AWARENESS assignment — is exciting and interesting in a gung-ho kind of way . . . expanding your senses to truly breathe in what you’ve never considered before. noticing your surroundings and your experiences with wonder.
today’s invitation . . . it is time. to invite heightened awareness into your life by practicing curiosity. look at the world around you through a different lens, as a photographer might view his subject. open yourself up to all possibilities, simply observing what is happening close to you. approach everyday occurrences and objects in unexpected ways. be fully aware of your senses in each moment. identify vivid colors, revel in joyful laughter, taste rich dark chocolate, stroke a soft kitten, inhale the scent of an exotic perfume.
activity #1-1: breathing meditation
okay. first relax your shoulders, and begin to let go of the tension you are feeling in your body. inhale through your nose, one long deep calming breath. hold it for a few seconds, then release the breath in a long cleansing exhale through your mouth. again. inhale. then exhale. and one more time. inhale. and exhale.
let your breathing return to its normal rhythm and pace, as you begin to notice the thoughts that are swirling around in your head. let them flow in and clear out, flow in and clear out, not consciously trying to hang onto any of them. acknowledge where your mind naturally wanders, then start to free the brain chaos that you carry around with you all day long. withhold self-criticism. allow the breath to remove all feelings of imperfection. notice any automatic responses or judgments that you form, then let them go. this meditation is for you to leave the past behind, to focus on yourself, here and now.
return to your breathing and concentrate on each inhale and exhale. once, twice, three times. feel your mind expanding with each breath as you connect to the present moment. as you engage in this deep breathing exercise, as the air enters and exits your lungs, allow a renewed sense of well-being to fill you up.
let yourself unwind and feel at ease. let this experience open you. accept whatever soothing message it brings. maybe it’s exactly what you need at this moment.
and as you go about your day — in your personal care, in your work, in your dealings with others, in your leisurely pursuits — remember this calming influence.
and let your mind be curious.