Trick or treat?

MINDFUL MOMENTS # 135

Over the past few weeks, I have had some very strange dreams, followed by some very strong experiences. I can best describe it as the feeling of something pushing its way to the surface. The image that comes to mind is that of a very small but fierce creature insistently burrowing its way from the centre of the earth to the surface, through layers and layers of thick, cloying, occlusive, dirty, damp and muddy soil.

I spoke last week in yoga class about maya, the Sanskrit term describing a veil or illusion; it speaks to this founding principle that beyond the veil of illusion, we are already whole perfect and complete. It is similar to the fogging of glass that prevents a reflection from truly being seen. These are the layers we are seeking to unpeel and discard as we move to understand ourselves better - whether or not we deem this to be a yogic, philosophical or spiritual process.

Therapy is an investment - a treat if you will. But this week, I have felt somewhat tricked. Therapy is a deep unearthing; a deep excavation of the self, and this digger-like drilling can be deeply uncomfortable, painful and unpleasant. It’s the trick, not the treat. It’s the egging of the houses and the hiding behind corners with scary masks on, jumping out when you least expect it.

During acupuncture this week, I sobbed. It must have been hiding round the corner, lurking, because I didn’t see it coming. How can one inch of needle provoke such an intense response? It’s the second time it has happened: finding myself crying despite myself, totally unclear where it is coming from and completely out of my control. It left me feeling profoundly exhausted. This little creature won - it bored through another layer of the earth’s deep crust - and of course, that means that I won, too.

It felt like a cruel trick, but really it was a gift; a treat to be that little bit closer to the surface of my Self.

Mindful moment: “Life doesn’t always give you what you ask for, but it always gives you what you need”. Sometimes you have to go through the tunnel to get to the other side. Can you think of a time when this has happened for you? Is there a time that, Dolly Parton-like, you realised that by putting up with the rain you were rewarded with the rainbow? Maybe trick and treat are two sides of the same coin. Happy Halloween.

YOGA

Mindful Movement with Laura

Join us every Saturday from 11am-12.15 at the Cornerstone Community Centre in Hove for an all-levels vinyasa yoga flow class, meditation and mindfulness (mats provided or bring your own). £6 per class or £24 for 5.

Upcoming classes:

November 4th, 11th, 25th (no class Nov 18th)

REFLECT

“On a cloudless autumn day, the sky looked so high”

- Hiro Arikawa, The Goodbye Cat

I think today is the first time I haven’t woken up to the sound of wind and rain. I don’t mind it; in fact, I’ve really embraced the instinctive hunkering down that has been forced upon us. Autumn and Winter are seasons which seem inherently to encourage stillness, reflection and introspection. Perhaps we can see these quieter months as a hibernation of the ego; an opportunity to reflect on that which we really love and enjoy now that the external noise has been dampened.

Mindful moment: I never anticipated a day when I would quote Miley Cyrus in this newsletter (although one of my favourite YouTube videos is old school Miley singing ‘Jolene’; highly recommend). Anyway, her lyric '“I can buy myself flowers’”springs to mind (or, I should say, ‘falls’ to mind)...This is a season for doing just that: the self-sufficiency of giving yourself exactly what you need. So, in the quiet moments afforded by dark evenings, ask yourself what you really want; what you really enjoy doing; what you really need - and do more of just that.

Have we met?

Welcome to the Community.

I'm Laura, a yoga teacher and NHS doctor. With this weekly newsletter I aim to help you incorporate mindful moments into your week. I want you to feel inspired, empowered and creative. I promise to always be authentic; to only include content that speaks to me and which, therefore, I hope will do the same for you.

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Thank you for reading! Until next time, Laura x