Anyone who has a spiritual bent, or a desire to improve their life and become a better person, will be already familiar with the relief one feels when we finally have the courage to forgive someone who has dealt with us badly. Whether that be in matters of the heart, career or financially we all wear our wounds at differing depths. There are those who have harmed children, perhaps harmed us as children, those who have betrayed us when we have given complete trust, they may have tossed us aside without a care and left us feeling broken and incapable of love or trust again. And there are those who have physically harmed us with violence and others who delight in emotional torture. How do we forgive those people? Simple, we do not do it for them, for they may never know that we have taken such a brave step, instead we do it for ourselves. We allow the seething growth to leave our bodies and our hearts. Forgiveness is a powerful spiritual medicine that heals us and allows us to be open once again to joy and happiness.
When you learn that forgiving someone, and better still releasing them with love and letting them go, brings an incredible peace of mind, you will want to uncover every area in your life that needs forgiveness. Your vocabulary will change, your actions will change, your desires for living will change. The way the rest of the world sees you will change. Harbouring anger against others does absolutely nothing to hurt them as it is unlikely to have any idea of how you feel or that they ever ever give you a second thought. So why should you carry their burden. Let the universe or their own conscience deal with it. Shrug off the baggage and throw it out of your life. We don't have to forget the pain, or the lesson learned. Indeed we should remember that to avoid putting ourselves in that place again, but we do need to let go of the person who brought that lesson to us. You can rant and rave that the act is unforgivable and that is as maybe, but forgiving the perpetrator will stop the seeds of anger and resentment growing inside you and ruining your own chances and hopes of happiness. Do you want others to look at you and see only the dead weeds of a past person who still controls your life? No way. Forgiveness is like freshening up your garden to allow beautiful new flowers to blossom. It is not easy to forgive a terrible hurt, but believe me it is really worth it. You will see.
When you have done that, ask yourself how much courage do I have? How much do I want a happy and peaceful life? How much emotional releasing and healing am I prepared to do to live the best life I can? If you think forgiving other's is tough, try forgiving yourself? Emotional baggage and stress cause illness, they can even lead to cancer. You can offload that stress if you really want to.
Are you prepared to go on an emotional assault course? Climbing ropes and scuttling through murky pipes while the Staff Sergeant bellows in your ear, you can do better soldier? This is a taste of what you will face if you take on the challenge of self forgiveness. And like all gruelling exercise the endorphins will follow, but not just at the aftermath, but forever. You will be amazed at how good you feel. Perhaps you may shed a few tears along the way, but once you have forgiven yourself, you will wonder why on earth you did not do this a long time ago.
The desire to forgive yourself may come at a time when you feel so many things are going wrong in your life that you need to reassess what you are doing to cause this. However, it is worth reflecting on the fact that the world we inhabit is going through massive changes right now too and that all of these factors can impact on little old you. Global Financial Crisis has changed the employment sector for instance, our cash flow, our mortgage rates, and the geographical changes taking place, floods, fires, hurricanes, earthquakes, mining disasters, acts of terrorism, war, political unrest. Anyone with a sensitive bone in their body will absorb much of this chaos and feel at a loss or feel they are standing at a crossroads, and will certainly feel uncertain of the future. We have learned the hard way that no one is secure, banking away all our money no longer works as financial institutes and countries fall apart taking our hard earned money with them and we have no legal recourse. All that aside, if you still feel that things are beyond your control and you could do better, that you have made a mess of things, that you took wrong turns, and you may have hurt others along the way, chances are that you may be the only one holding a grudge against you, and it is time to let go. Here are four steps that may assist you.
The first step is of course, a willingness to learn to forgive yourself. You may know, or think you know where you have gone wrong. Did you break someones heart? Did you borrow someones money and not return it? Did you leave a great job and are having a nightmare getting a good one ever since? Did you cheat on a partner or abandon a child? We all carry our own skeletons in our closets. The more we have the heavier it is to carry those old bags of bones around with us. We drag behind us guilt and shame for things that happened in our childhood which we blame ourselves for. Things that may have set up a pattern that we must be bad because we were treated badly.
Acknowledging what it is that gnaws at you is step two. Writing down a private list, or keeping a journal will help with this process. You may be surprised at what comes up. Finding an affirmation that works for you will help and is step three. Our subconscious mind is very adept at accepting what we tell it is the truth. An example is that you can say as often as you can 'I forgive myself for all my mistakes and I live a joyous life'. You can say whatever you feel. An affirmation reminds us that we are working towards a goal, and the mind will help us reach that goal when we affirm on a regular basis. It is aligned with the Law of Attraction. Picture yourself in the place you long to be emotionally and you will begin to naturally attract that with positive energy and belief that you really can forgive yourself. Step four is dealing with the mistakes, looking at them and apologising to yourself, or others for not knowing any better at the time, for doing what you thought was best at the time, and to say out loud 'I now forgive myself for....................'. You can do it over and over again, until you know deep down inside that forgiveness is real.
The process may takes days, or months or years, depending on your commitment and your personal attitudes to the acts you feel need forgiveness. I guarantee that when you see yourself as a pure human being, who started out as an innocent loving infant, and who is now willing to cleanse and let go of the past you can delete those old useless files off your life CD. Then you are free to embrace a new future, one where you no longer wish hurt others or yourself, bad habits will cease, your heart, your mind and your life will be 'whoosh' opened wide and love will flood in. You can allow yourself a 'do over' a clean slate and release all the sadness and pain from all those months and years that have gone, gone, gone. Like the wake of a boat, we cannot go back and change the ripples in the water, but we can choose to steer that boat in any direction we wish.
Good luck in your new and emotionally healthy life where you can proudly claim 'It's great to be me'.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Sand Is Good For Your Heart!
No, I am not suggesting that you go ahead and add sand to your diet? However, I have been known to inadvertently eat sand on a windy day along with my cucumber sandwich on the beach! I simply wish to describe the importance of your feet in the health of your body and how sand can be the best thing for your heart. Not convinced, well read on Mac Duff!
During Neanderthal days, when women were supposedly dragged around by their hair, and men were macho beasts hunting for our food; when it came to footwear, rather like some of us in Australia, they were happy to avoid wearing shoes. If they did, it was to protect their feet, and early shoes were usually made from animals skins. No such thing as feet being crammed into stiletto's which not only can cause damage to the small bones of the toes if worn for years on end, but also damage to the spine as the body is tipped forward in an unnatural gait. Flat shoes really are not better! Excuse me? Yes, flat shoes are not natural either. Our feet are not flat, even if the Dr says they are. We may have fallen arches, but our feet are never entirely flat. There are undulations and curves, that when forced into flat shoes do no allow our feet to do their job.
I once wrote an ode to my feet, appreciating them for all the adventures they have taken me on, sometimes into mischief but also keeping me safe from trouble by allowing me to walk away. However, our feet have much more power than simply taking us from A to B and looking fine in our latest pair of designer heels. Sex and the City persuade us that we can look like Sara Jessica Parker regardless of our age as long as we can squeeze our tootsies into Manolo Blahniks and the like, which, yes, I reluctantly admit have seen me drinking to quell the agony that ensued after 3 hours of standing at a wedding.
Modern society dictates that we not only wear shoes, but that we continually walk on flat surfaces. As you can imagine, when our friends in bear skin shoes roamed the earth, there were no such thing as pavements, or boardwalks or an earth that was flattened out for our convenience. Thankfully there is an awareness as more and more healthy shoe manufacturers are measuring our paws, endeavouring to fit us into running and walking shoes that mimic the contours of the feet whilst providing us with support against the ravages of the flat surfaces and roads. They realise that the constant pounding of these 'flatmospheres' can cause serious knee and hip damage. Ask any Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Specialist. Start at the bottom and work your way up they will tell you. Bare feet would be ideal but of course this is not practical in our 'dress to impress' world.
We can do much to alleviate the deterioration of our sole mates, maybe not in the workplace, but at home. If we are lucky enough we can also go to the beach. Our feet love the sand as it accomodates their shape and does not force them to splay out unnaturally. Soft sand is best. The benefits of being able to sink our feet into millions of tiny moving particles will not only save your hips and knees from further damage, but will pump your calves up to sexy dimensions. Wouldn't you agree that muscularly defined calves look really good on men and women alike?
Why would your calves get pumped? Simply because we are not used to really using our feet. We need our lower legs to lift and work them properly. It is a symbioisis. After a long stroll on the beach, you will notice that your calves usually ache for the next day or so. With regular beach walking this of course disappears and the muscles start to appear, along with admiring looks.
Sexy calves, exfoliated feet, but why is this good for your heart? Another little known fact is that the feet contain some very important blood vessels. Defined originally by Leonardo da Vinci I believe, the feet have their own built in extremely vital pump. The Dorsal veins and arteries and the Saphenous vein rely on the feet to return the blood that comes from the heart and down the legs, to be pushed back up from whence it came. While we are walking the foot muscles act as the first stage of sending that blood on its way, via the calves to the upper part of the leg, the abdomen and back to the lungs for oxygenation prior to being pumped by the heart to the head and the rest of our bodies. If we sit around doing nothing, we are reducing the efficiency of this marvellous work of anatomy and letting our heart work even harder. Another reason why being sedentary is not healthy.
Take for instance when you fly on a long haul flight, a good airline will ensure that you are able to walk around the plane when appropriate, and will have video exercises for your feet and calve muscles as you sit for long periods of time. This is to prevent the formation of a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), left untreated, a DVT can become a Pulmonary Embolism, which is where a small clot breaks free from the large clot (DVT) and may work its way to the lungs and can be fatal. Some people are more predisposed to DVT's than others, and it is worth assessing the risk factors before you fly. There is plenty that can be done to decrease those risks. Support socks or stockings are the first line of defence, ask your Pharmacist or Dr for more information.
You can start with the beach if you want to be healthier, go find some sand if you can, and walk, walk, walk. Kick off your shoes whenever you can, wiggle those toes, and wear correct running shoes for running and for long walks. Get a loved one to give you a foot massage or treat yourself to a pedicure that involves total foot care.
Our feet are far more important than we realise, and they really can look after our hearts. As a baby we love our toes, and as we age they loose our respect. Those couple of characters on the end of your legs can keep you really healthy. So look after them, let them out whenever you can and hey, don't forget the sunscreen.
During Neanderthal days, when women were supposedly dragged around by their hair, and men were macho beasts hunting for our food; when it came to footwear, rather like some of us in Australia, they were happy to avoid wearing shoes. If they did, it was to protect their feet, and early shoes were usually made from animals skins. No such thing as feet being crammed into stiletto's which not only can cause damage to the small bones of the toes if worn for years on end, but also damage to the spine as the body is tipped forward in an unnatural gait. Flat shoes really are not better! Excuse me? Yes, flat shoes are not natural either. Our feet are not flat, even if the Dr says they are. We may have fallen arches, but our feet are never entirely flat. There are undulations and curves, that when forced into flat shoes do no allow our feet to do their job.
I once wrote an ode to my feet, appreciating them for all the adventures they have taken me on, sometimes into mischief but also keeping me safe from trouble by allowing me to walk away. However, our feet have much more power than simply taking us from A to B and looking fine in our latest pair of designer heels. Sex and the City persuade us that we can look like Sara Jessica Parker regardless of our age as long as we can squeeze our tootsies into Manolo Blahniks and the like, which, yes, I reluctantly admit have seen me drinking to quell the agony that ensued after 3 hours of standing at a wedding.
Modern society dictates that we not only wear shoes, but that we continually walk on flat surfaces. As you can imagine, when our friends in bear skin shoes roamed the earth, there were no such thing as pavements, or boardwalks or an earth that was flattened out for our convenience. Thankfully there is an awareness as more and more healthy shoe manufacturers are measuring our paws, endeavouring to fit us into running and walking shoes that mimic the contours of the feet whilst providing us with support against the ravages of the flat surfaces and roads. They realise that the constant pounding of these 'flatmospheres' can cause serious knee and hip damage. Ask any Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Specialist. Start at the bottom and work your way up they will tell you. Bare feet would be ideal but of course this is not practical in our 'dress to impress' world.
We can do much to alleviate the deterioration of our sole mates, maybe not in the workplace, but at home. If we are lucky enough we can also go to the beach. Our feet love the sand as it accomodates their shape and does not force them to splay out unnaturally. Soft sand is best. The benefits of being able to sink our feet into millions of tiny moving particles will not only save your hips and knees from further damage, but will pump your calves up to sexy dimensions. Wouldn't you agree that muscularly defined calves look really good on men and women alike?
Why would your calves get pumped? Simply because we are not used to really using our feet. We need our lower legs to lift and work them properly. It is a symbioisis. After a long stroll on the beach, you will notice that your calves usually ache for the next day or so. With regular beach walking this of course disappears and the muscles start to appear, along with admiring looks.
Sexy calves, exfoliated feet, but why is this good for your heart? Another little known fact is that the feet contain some very important blood vessels. Defined originally by Leonardo da Vinci I believe, the feet have their own built in extremely vital pump. The Dorsal veins and arteries and the Saphenous vein rely on the feet to return the blood that comes from the heart and down the legs, to be pushed back up from whence it came. While we are walking the foot muscles act as the first stage of sending that blood on its way, via the calves to the upper part of the leg, the abdomen and back to the lungs for oxygenation prior to being pumped by the heart to the head and the rest of our bodies. If we sit around doing nothing, we are reducing the efficiency of this marvellous work of anatomy and letting our heart work even harder. Another reason why being sedentary is not healthy.
Take for instance when you fly on a long haul flight, a good airline will ensure that you are able to walk around the plane when appropriate, and will have video exercises for your feet and calve muscles as you sit for long periods of time. This is to prevent the formation of a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT), left untreated, a DVT can become a Pulmonary Embolism, which is where a small clot breaks free from the large clot (DVT) and may work its way to the lungs and can be fatal. Some people are more predisposed to DVT's than others, and it is worth assessing the risk factors before you fly. There is plenty that can be done to decrease those risks. Support socks or stockings are the first line of defence, ask your Pharmacist or Dr for more information.
You can start with the beach if you want to be healthier, go find some sand if you can, and walk, walk, walk. Kick off your shoes whenever you can, wiggle those toes, and wear correct running shoes for running and for long walks. Get a loved one to give you a foot massage or treat yourself to a pedicure that involves total foot care.
Our feet are far more important than we realise, and they really can look after our hearts. As a baby we love our toes, and as we age they loose our respect. Those couple of characters on the end of your legs can keep you really healthy. So look after them, let them out whenever you can and hey, don't forget the sunscreen.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)