7 Day Writing To Heal Challenge!
Cultivating Self-Compassion
Day 6
“To be great, be whole;
Exclude nothing, exaggerate nothing that is not you.
Be whole in everything. Put all you are
Into the smallest thing you do.
So, in each lake, the moon shines with splendor
Because it blooms up above.”
― Fernando Pessoa, Poems of Fernando Pessoa
As we’re moving into our last 2 days of this 7 Day Writing To Heal Challenge, I feel like it’s important to include a post that explores writing as a support for self-care and wellness. We live in a busy, chaotic world. It’s often much easier to get lost in that then stay in touch with ourselves or others. This needs to be a choice that we make. Writing is a way we can connect with what is arising for us, what we are struggling with and what we are celebrating – it offers a way to stay present with ourselves. In a sense it can be a bit like a meditation or certainly a contemplative practice.
As human beings, our life consists of four basic levels: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical. In order to create a healthy, balanced way of living, we need to give attention to each of these aspects of ourselves. As we do so, we become able to heal the specific parts of ourselves that are in need in any given moment and we begin to create a greater sense of wholeness by attending to all aspects of ourselves. Life is always changing and so are we, but as we deepen in our experience of ourselves, all aspects of ourselves, we begin to create a foundation for living a more joyful and balanced life.
When go through life transitions, we tend to lose the structure of caring for ourselves or we may have never even had one. Also, when we are desiring to create a certain change in our lives, a new structure is needed and in the transition, we are lacking a foundation to support that change. This is a natural part of the change process. Although there may be discomfort with the uncertainty and instability that accompanies change, there is an opening for a new way of being to emerge. By being willing to look at where we are, what we have experienced and what changes we wish to bring forth in our lives, we have a great opportunity to delve deeper into ourselves and to create a new structure for living life in a more loving and conscious way.
One of the ways that I utilize writing personally and as a recommended tool for my clients is as part of building and rebuilding a holistic self-care tool box. I believe this is a essential for living a happy, healthy and balanced life. One specific writing technique is to do a holistic self-care review. I recommend doing this at least monthly but some folks like to do it weekly. If you are going through a challenging time or transition, that may be helpful for you as you work to recenter and recalibrate. I am offer a suggested practice here, but feel free to explore and create your own holistic self-care review, too!
Daily Prompt
Caring for our whole self- body, mind, emotion and spirit, is all equally important in order to live a balanced and healthy life. We need to focus time and attention on each part of us and our whole self. Most of us tend to develop certain parts more than others depending on our life experiences. We may also have been supported or discouraged from developing certain parts. At certain times in our lives, we may need to focus attention on a specific area to assist us in where we are and what we are experiencing or in healing traumas and wounds from the past that may exist on any level. There is no right way to heal or change. We can proceed by developing one area or working on all at once. Allowing our lives to guide us by being present with where we are and accepting who we are is a major part of the process. We cannot change where we have been, but by being gentle, loving and present with ourselves in the now, we can create positive changes in our lives. And it is this moment, which creates the next.
Take a few moments to answer these questions. The intention of looking at each of the four levels of existence is to see how you are experiencing these aspects in your life at this time. Notice any areas that may need attention and notice those areas that feel developed and balanced. Also, be open to noticing and exploring any resistance that may come up about any of the levels. Write down any ideas you have about how you can create more balance in any specific area or overall. Also, write down anything you have done in the past, particularly before recent transitions, which may have supported you in any of these areas.
Spiritual: Do you feel a sense of connection to your spiritual source? Do you have a relationship with your own inner wisdom or intuitive guidance? Do you feel you are a part of a greater whole? Do you spend time alone just “being”? Do you have a spiritual practice, which supports you being? Begin a list of things you can do to nurture your spirit…
Mental: Are you satisfied with your intellect? Can you think and express yourself clearly? Do you have a belief system that supports you and works for you? Are you open to new ideas without being overly impressionable? Do you have clarity? Are you able to stay focused? Begin a list of things you can do to strengthen you mentally…
Emotional: Are you in touch with your feelings and able to express them appropriately? Do you allow yourself to experience a full range of emotions or do you find you shut down certain emotions if they arise? (E.g. fear, sadness, anger, joy, love) Are you able to set appropriate boundaries with others? Are you able to be open and honest with others and your self about your feelings? Can you relate to others in a close, intimate way? Begin a list of things you can do to balance and support your emotions…
Physical: Are you physically healthy and active? Do you feel comfortable in your body? Do you like your body? Do you eat a healthy, balanced diet? Are you comfortable in the material world? Are you practical and down to earth? Are you financially stable? Do you enjoy your sexuality? Begin a list of things you can do to nourish your body…
Also, consider what it is that may help your with integrating all parts of yourself. For some people this comes from rest and relaxation, meditation, time in nature, talking with a counselor, shamanic healing, body or energy work, etc. Create a list of things that help you integrate body, mind, emotion and spirit, too!
This review can be useful in the process of creating changes in your life. It can also be used regularly as part of a holistic self-care plan. It is a great way to do a check-in or review of where you are in the change process. I tend to use it monthly just to touch base with the various aspects of myself and to see where I may have moved out of balance or need to give more attention based on what is arising in my life. It is also great to see the progress and how I have grown in certain areas as well. Begin a list of things you can do to nourish your body…
As always, please feel free to share you thoughts, feelings and reflections.
Until tomorrow.
Love & light,
Beth Shekinah
If you are enjoying this exploration of Writing To Heal, I invite you to join me and my Writing To Heal partner, Andrea Hylen for…
Writing To Heal ~ Transforming Our Grief, Loss & Change
A Heal My Voice 30-Day Writing Program (With Teleseminar Support)
September 21 – October 22, 2015
“Grief can be the garden of compassion. If you keep your heart open through everything, your pain can become your greatest ally in your life’s search for love and wisdom.” ~ Rumi
Joining a Heal My Voice program is a bit like embarking on a vision quest. It is a journey into the core of our being. In traditional cultures, this is done through time alone in nature; in Heal My Voice our vehicle is writing. The intention of the Writing To Heal ~ Transforming Our Grief, Loss & Change 30-Day Program is to create a space for exploring writing as a vehicle for transforming and healing. During this time, you will have an opportunity to:
- receive daily support for your writing for 30 days
- explore your own life and uncover a story that wants to emerge
- connect with a community of authentic women and men on a journey of self-exploration
- get to know yourself more deeply to reclaim personal power
- discover your inner gifts
- alchemize your pain into remembrance, honoring and joy; and
- explore or reconnect with the Heal My Voice program to see if our upcoming 9-month book program is a right for you!
This 30-Day program with teleseminar support offers an opportunity to get to know yourself on a deeper level through the Heal My Voice process of Listening, Discovering and Exploring. As you take this time to reflect on grief, loss and change in your life, Heal My Voice facilitators Andrea Hylen and Beth Terrence will support you in uncovering and identifying experiences and stories that wish to be expressed through self-reflection, writing and community sharing. This program creates a container for you to go within, gain insight into your life experiences and access the gifts that emerge as we shine a light on our tender places.
“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.” ~ Rumi
This 30-Day Program includes:
- Three Weekly Teleclasses with exploration and discussion on grief, loss and change and transformation
- HMV’s Sacred Sanctuary Writing Space (Audio recordings of inspiration and silence for writing)
- 30-Days of prompts to inspire and jumpstart your writing
- A Secret Facebook Group for sharing and discussion
- BONUS CALL Audio: Tips on How to Write a Book (or E-book)
- BONUS Fall Equinox Ceremony on the Phone. Live Call and Recorded. September 21: 12pm Pacific/3pm Eastern/9pm Europe
Three Teleseminars. All Teleseminars are recorded.
Wednesdays, 12pm Pacific/3pm Eastern/9pm Europe (September 30, October 7, October 14)
Location: Accessible by Phone or Online Listening; Audio replay will be available
Cost: $97.00 for full 30-Day Program
Payment automatically Registers Your Email Address.
Facebook Group Opens on September 21.
See you then!
REGISTER NOW!
We will begin the program on Sept 21 by opening the doors to the secret Facebook group and by offering a Fall Equinox ceremony on the Instant Teleseminar Line. Come LIVE or listen to the recording.
Then, there will be 3 LIVE teleseminars with information sharing, meditations and community sharing. The calls will be recorded and available to everyone who is registered for the 30 days of writing.
Teleclass One: Listening: Wed, Sept 30 noon Pacific/3pm Eastern/ 21.00 Central European Time
Teleclass Two: Discovering: Wed, Oct 7 noon Pacific/3pm Eastern/ 21.00 Central European Time
Teleclass Three: Exploring: Wed, Oct 14 noon Pacific/3pm Eastern/ 21.00 Central European Time
The Heart of Awakening 