The Shakti Shine - June 17th, 2019
Shakti Love Notes
We are always growing. I love that! And the more I grow, the more I recognize how important it is for us all to share what we're going through-- even (and especially) me.
So these Love Notes are a space for me to share with you each week-- about the studio, my life, how our community is growing.
If it had been up to me I would have missed out on a really special moment this week.
When tough, uncomfortable, or simply inconvenient things come up my default is to put my head down, push through, and get to the other side as quickly as possible. I go into full-on survival mode. If I hurry this won't hurt, and it can't last long. I rip off Band-Aids.
So when it came time for my partner & I to move from an 800 sq ft apartment into a 1500 sq ft town house, my excitement (coupled with the misery of impending packing-moving-unpacking) put me into turbo mode.
Here's what I mean: Our new lease started on Saturday, June 15th, but they let me pick up keys at noon on June 14th. We don't have to be out of our old place until June 30th. By 5pm on Saturday, every single thing was moved from our old apartment.
And if it had been up to me, every single thing would have been moved by Friday night.
But thank goodness it's not just up to me.
So Friday night was our last night in our old apartment where we'd created & shared a home together for four years. We laid on our mattress in the middle of the empty room, and I cried really sweet tears thinking of all the smiling people who had crossed the threshold, all of the honest & meaningful conversations had in this place, and all of the firsts we'd shared.
As we talked I thought to myself: If it had been up to me, I would have missed this.
And *this* felt really necessary. *This* felt very healing. *This* is the part I usually rush through.
When I rush through I push through, and I never give myself permission to fully grieve the change.
The consequence?
I hurry through everything-- the challenges & the celebrations, and the result is a glazed-over version of life where I stuff down feelings and half-live experiences, where everything is fine, but nothing is complete.
The alternative?
L E A N I N .
What happens when I lean in?
I feel emotionally clear, complete, awake, & ready.
It's kinda that simple, and it doesn't look much different from P R E S E N C E . In fact, it really is the same thing.
I feel ready to move forward with gratitude & ease as I lean in to creating a new home for new conversations, old friends, & more firsts.
xx
Ruby
Beyond the mat...
We love Athens.
And we love you.
So let's have more of that-- together.
Here's where you can see what we're up to outside of the studio.
Have ideas about where we should be / what we should check out / how we can show up?
Reply to this email to let us know.
SYU 200 hr teacher training immersion is one week complete!
Ask Sonja how it's going when you see her around the studio. <3 <3 <3
~ June Events! ~
Inquiry Corner w/ Emily: The Chakras
Hi everyone, Emily here! If you’re new to inquiry, this looks like moving through questions, prompts, activities, and conversations that help you learn more about yourself. I’m excited you’re here! For the next eight weeks, we will focus on the chakra system, or the subtle/energetic bodies. This week is an overview.
The chakras are seven energy centers that sit along the spine of your physical body. The chakras start at your tailbone and move to the tip of your head: Root, sacral, solar plexus, heart, throat, third eye, and crown. Each chakra has a specific location, energy, theme, action, color, texture, sound, and *quality*.
~ The Root Chakra ~
The root chakra is the seat of your home. It’s located at the base of your spine: your pelvis, sit bones, and feet. It connects you to the earth. Your root chakra symbolizes the different experiences you’ve had that affect how you understand “home.”
The root chakra is your access point to the earth; it’s what keeps you grounded. But when your root chakra is unbalanced, this can feel like anxiety, unsettled energy, a sense of not belonging anywhere.Like you’re constantly in transition from one place to the next, never really *landing*.
Here’s some inquiry work themed around the root chakra:
1) Do I feel confident and sure-footed?
Do I feel grounded and like I belong?
Yes or no? Why might that be?
+ List three experiences that have shaped your confidence and sense of self.
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2) How do I treat my body, my one forever home?
What lessons has my life taught me about how I should treat my body?
(If you'd like more information on the chakras, check out Shakti's IGTV.)