Friday, February 8, 2008

Relaxation...thankyou, i'll take some!


Funny isn't it. For thousands of years humans worked very hard, fighting off beasts, catching dinner, and gathering wild food. We evolved so many extraordinary ways of survival, and inbetween these extreme activities, we sat around and did...nothing. Maybe we chatted amongst each other, mabe we just gazed out in the distance. We know we did this because many cultures outside of the west still do. This was our down-time. Zoneing out, plebbing out, chillin out...time out. We evolved to a state of NEEDING this time to balance the other extremes of life. We couldn't go around fighting beasts EVERY minute!


Now look at us. We come home from a hard slog at work, and then we try to have our own "down time"...television, internet...but what are we really doing? Tapping into tension-filled programs, zipping around websites...we have to be kidding ourselves.


Recording relaxation CDs, i often get asked "how can i relax?". The most common question within this subject is "what can i do to relax?"...and therein lies the answer, within the question itself. What can i DO to relax...simple... DO nothing.


In all the different definitions of what relaxation is, there is one common element...that relaxation is about decreasing, taking away, diminishing, relieving, etc, the body, mind and spirit. In this light, it would seem quite logical that to decrease any kind of stimulation is really the only way to truly relax.


In a rare email i received from a customer, she said she didn't like the DRIFT CD (music for sleep and deep relaxation), because the music was "boring". I felt she had missed the point. Relaxation is supposed to make you feel a bit numb, a bit "blank", and a bit dopey. THAT is what true relaxation is all about. It's about stopping input and decreasing stimulation, and inserting an amount of nothingness in it's place.


What is it that makes us so afraid of nothing? Guilt perhaps (" i really should be doing those dishes"). Maybe we're hiding from ourselves, afraid that if we stop and just BE for a moment, we might see something of ourselves we didn't know. Is that so frightening? Or have we just become consumed by consumerism, convinced that we need our hands held even during the most basic of moments.


When was the last time you really "stared into space"? You probably remember doing it quite a lot when you were young, but what about now? Remember as a child how you tried to hold onto the stare for as long as possible, because that nothingness felt soooo good? Children often indulge in moments of nothingness, and they're very good at it. I think they may be closer to what's natural to the human being than their parents living in a non-stop reality.


Here's a thought. Next time you're finding it a challenge to relax, you might like to ask yourself what your forfathers and mothers did after slaying dinner, or treking across deserts. And just maybe, you could sit, stare, look out, and soak up a singular moment, just like they would have done only a few generations ago. Zone out, chill out, pleb out, and soak up a bit of nothingness everday, and see what you discover.


smiles to you, Tania

Monday, February 4, 2008

INSPIRATION & how do we get some...

Recently (thank you RedBubble ) i was encouraged to write about the topic INSPIRATION. It's the beginning of a new year, so there's a lot of it going around...that is to say, a lot of people seeking it.

Whether you're trying to get inspired to get off the couch, change your behaviour, or in any way tweek a better YOU, inspiration is a key factor which can turn the whole experience from being a hard slog into an effortless Awakening.

So how do we get some? Is it just about being motivated? We'll motivation is one thing. For example,i might be really motivated to write a great new song, but i need to feel inspired in order to achieve it. It's feeling the passion, the buzz of the moment, and everything seemingly coming together in an effortless moment of clarity!

The word INSPIRATION actually means "TO BREATHE IN", and essentially that's the easiest way to explain in. So, let's feel some and get it buzzing...

TRY THIS EXERCISE
Just for 1 minute, close your eyes and imagine the love you have felt for a person, place, thing, or a time when you felt rapturous inspiration (nothing that might make you sad). Really indulge in the physical feelings it brings. 1 minute...then read on...

...OK, try and explain it in words on paper. Use brief phrases rather than just single words, like "the swelling of a red balloon about to burst" or "a buzzing feeling starting under my teeth", etc. Write as many as you can, and really try and tap into the physical feelings of that love, that passion, then read on...

Now take the best 3 phrases. Say your favorite to yourself followed by a big, deep breath in. Say the 2nd, followed by a big *sigh*. Say the 3rd, and feel those feelings welling inside you, swiling about in a giant vortex, that's growing bigger than even you. How do you feel? Good? Better than before?

OK, stick each phrase in places where you need inspiration. Example, the fridge, your screen, your bathroom mirror...the best places are the ones where you find yourself LACKING in inspiration. These are your new affirmations; reminders of the FEELINGS of inspiration. When you see them, breathe in and tap into those physical responses to being inspired. Close your eyes if you like, then (once you feel the vibes), think about the subject you WANT to feel inspired about (i.e. becoming healthier, creating a masterpiece, ...insert yours here...).

Inspiration can be "triggered" by many things, but the reality is that the feeling actually comes from within. And as mushy as it sound, it's all about LOVE baby! Love within you, exuding outwards. And, it's all about the POTENTIAL of love. The possibilities of your expression of love...love for yourself, love to the world, love to a higher plane.

And to wrap up with a few musical anecdotes:

Love is ALL you need
Love is IN THE AIR
How deep is YOUR love?
LOVE...will find a way
and last but not least..
CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE

smiles to you!