The Shakti Shine - April 13th, 2022
April 13, 2022
Note from Jillian
Bring a Buddy Week
Emily's Intuitive Eating Workshop
Summer Semester Pass
Playlist of the Week
Meditate with us on Instagram
2022 Teacher Training
Give Back: Practice with us at Creature Comforts
Stay Tuned - Outdoor Classes Coming!
Offer Feedback to Shakti
Hello April!
Springtime is here. New beginnings are everywhere โ green leaves on trees, bright flowers, the call of birds, and the rustling of the little creatures that live around and among us. Seeing all this new life around us, itโs only natural as humans to want to create something new, too. To feel inspired by the life and called to be a part of it.
Spring reminds me that everything has its season. Everything is always evolving โ including me & you, inside & out. There is no finish line or end point for the journeys we make in this life. You donโt have to strive to end up somewhere, or fret that youโve ended up in the wrong place. There will always be somewhere and something new to experience.
And that comforts me. Iโm reminded that striving to have it all figured out is fruitless. Life is always changing, and it changes regularly enough that every moment I think I have it all sorted, it shifts again. I shift again. I become aware of new thought patterns; the people around me inspire me, and I feel something new. All that I can really do is sit with the feelings that are with me, right now, in the moment, and see what they have to say.
My feelings, be they anger or joy, sadness or hope, are trying to tell me something. Theyโre a signal, a push. And I have to sit with them in order to hear what theyโre telling me. They may be intense, uncomfortable, or inconvenient, but they arenโt an enemy. They demand to be heard, and they will come out one way or another. My feelings are providing me with information, calling me to lean into the change, to trust myself and take the next step.
Striving to lead the perfect life by otherโs standards, to avoid mistakes or looking bad, or expecting too much out of myself โ it leaves me with no time or space to listen to those feelings. I only end up fighting or ignoring them, and I miss the information they have for meโฆ until they well up and spill over.
But thereโs another way. If we see life as the Springtimeโฆ as a constant evolution of possibilities, as seasons to move with and through, we get to be a part of something much bigger than having it all figured out. We get to feel it through and be a part of the change. We get to be present. We get to be messy. We get to be beautiful and emotional and new. We get to take risks and make mistakes. We get to change our minds and follow what feels good, rather than what we think is expected of us. We get to be free.
Change is the only constant in life. Clichรฉ, but true. We have a choice here. To be afraid of the change and fight it, to ignore the calling of our feelings, to stubbornly think we know better. OR to move with the Spring and be a force of that change. To listen to ourselves as we listen to the birds calling and wind rustling the trees. To see ourselves as beautiful expressions of nature, like the bright colored flowers in your front yard. To embrace change and bring to life something new, just as Nature shows us how.
Be like the Springtime, embrace whatโs real and present, and lean in to your natural desire to create. Each of us is worth the work it takes to create a life where we shine. We are worth the bright new beginnings and growing pains of change. We are worth being seen, loved, and celebrated for who we are & what we want, really.
This life is yours to create as you feel called. Give yourself permission to hear the calling of your feelings, to take the next step toward what you want, to transform with nature, and see what new possibilities await you. Each new life of the Springtime is right there with you. Iโm right there with you.
Practices that serve me as I feel my feelings and embrace change:
Journaling is my favorite method of getting empty and organizing my thoughts. Mostly I free write until I feel done, and sometimes I create prompts to structure my writing:
Where does this feeling live in my body? What does it feel like? Can I describe it with words or images?
What part of my life is this feeling asking me to look at?
What action is this feeling asking me to take?
What does change mean to me? What perceptions of myself do I hold related to change?
How can I show up courageously for myself and what I want?
Any option to move my body mindfully to release energy and feel free. This could look like yoga, cathartic movement, dance, running, or taking walks and noticing the plants, animals, ground and air around me. What can I see, feel, smell, and hear?
Research something new Iโm interested in. How can I make this happen?
Share with someone I trust about whatโs present for me. I am an external processor, and I find that talking about my feelings allows me to move with and through them with more ease.
Art: painting, drawing, chalk, clay. While I make things, I let my creation be just for me to express myself, so it doesnโt really matter how it looks or if Iโm good at it or not.
Breath and meditation. My breath is always my friend when Iโm feeling lots of things. Noticing my breath is like a message to my body โ โItโs okay. Iโm with you. We got this.โ Meditation can be as simple as setting a timer for 5 minutes and being still. I practice taking mental note of what feelings come up when I slow down on external stimulus. I welcome those feelings into myself and ask, โWhat are you trying to show me?โ I also love meditations from the CHANI app or Shaktiโs IG.
Affirmations. I write down phrases and words that make me feel powerful, sure, and ready. Reminders of what I need to know. Keep them on sticky notes where you can see them in your home, car, or make them your laptop or phone background. One of my favorites lately is โLife flows from me and through me.โ Create your own!
Thank you for reading and being here with me. Know that community support is always at your fingertips. We are all in this together!
Love,
Jillian
~ PLAYLIST OF THE WEEK ~
Feeling Everything At Once
This one's good for exercise, any hobby, or when you really need to yell it out.
- Jillian
MEDITATE WITH US
ON INSTAGRAM
Every Friday, we offer a live meditation through our Instagram. Can't make it live? No worries. All meditations are saved to the grid so you can enjoy at your own convenience.
Our Spring training is well underway! As we approach our third weekend in the program, we're excited to keep learning and discovering new things together.
Applications are OPEN for our Summer 2 Week Intensive Training
on June 11th-17th & July 9th-15th
Early Bird Special: Apply by May 15th and receive $400 off your total tuition!
You are READY right now!
All proceeds from these classes contribute to the Get Comfortable Fund, a non-profit founded by Creature Comforts Brewery that directs aid to Athenians with the most need.
At Shakti, we offer feedback as a gift in the form of Keep, Stop, Start. This method allows us to contribute clearly to each other's growth and learning. Thank you for your gift of feedback!
Forward this email to a friend you want to practice yoga with!
Thank you for trusting Shakti with your practice. We appreciate your time, energy, and support more than words can contain! You are an incredibly valued part of our community, and we can't wait to see you next time on your mat!
Take care of yourself in the meantime.
Shakti love xx
Jillian, Lucy, and the Shakti Team