Moving from Stress to Ease - Contraction into Expansion
What do you do when you become overwhelmed? What is the first practice you go to?
Stress is a choice and it is hard to decide not to be stressed when we have so much going on in our lives. When we don’t invest in time for ourselves for peace, stillness and quiet we lack the space element. I understand sometimes it feels like we can’t afford to give ourselves space and 3-5 deep breaths is a great place to start.
I’m in an Ayurveda elements course right now called Awake Living and the first element our teacher talks about is space. When you aren’t sure what to do or you feel overwhelmed the teaching is return to space. I have followed this advice over and over again this year and the emerging clarity is priceless.
What does adding space into our lives look like? It could look like cleaning and rearranging the house, giving away clothes (Marie Kondo style), clearing the calendar for a day, planning time alone to meditate in the morning and/or going outside to be with nature.
Why is it so difficult for us to give ourselves permission to enjoy and create more space? What I am learning about in my course is without space the other elements of water, earth, fire and air will become out of balance.
Balance is something most of us are continuously seeking in different aspects of our lives. I don’t think we reach a point of balance and then we are done. I believe it is a constant journey, at least for me it is and my fellow health coaches and holistic practitioners agree.
Earlier last week I hit a moment of overwhelm and I just had to stop and sit. I decided to go to the beach the next day and enjoy being in the ocean, in nature and one with the elements. Here is an article speaking to how nature is able to help reduce stress.
Thankfully, I have the ability to clear the calendar and go be with the elements in nature. I wrote this blog a day later than I would have liked to and I needed the time to allow myself to simply be.
When we become stressed we enter a contracted state of being. When we embrace ease and flow we enter an expanded state of being. When we are contracted we don’t see possibilities and opportunities. We feel stuck. When we enter into an expanded state possibly through yoga, meditation or communing with nature we see the endless potentiality in our lives and choices.
In this conversation two of my acquaintances discuss how healers, coaches and teachers have to prioritize caring for themselves. It is a great conversation. No one is able to find balance without gifting themselves space to simply be.
How do you move from stress to ease? How do you move out of overwhelm or a contracted state? If you haven’t yet, join my holistic health facebook group and share what you do to move from stress into ease. I would enjoy learning what practices help you.
Blessings and love to you with lots of space.