Fifteen-Minute Fix #4: Visualize the Best

10-29-12         Fifteen-Minute Fix #4: Visualize the Best

Sun Star by Anne LaBrie

As the East Coast prepares for and deals with a giant storm, I find myself feeling tempted to be nervous about the people I know and love that live there.  I know that the more nervous I get, the less grounded I feel which means the more nervous I get.! For me, the best that I can do is to visualize the best for them and for the situation.  Will doing that actually change the outcome?  I will leave that to the scientists and skeptics to be with. There have been some fascinating studies on the subject and I really wish I had to time to dig those out, but for now, I will let that train of thought go and just concentrate on this one thing. It will help me deal with the uncontrollable.  It will help my mind focus on an outcome that is as positive as possible.  If I lived there, I would also be doing the physical work to prepare, and in some ways, that would also give my mind something to do!

Meditation:  Sitting in a comfortable position, take a deep breath in.  As you breathe out, imagine energy traveling down your legs and into the Earth.  Repeat three times.  Next, imagine a white-yellow bubble of light completely  surrounding you.  Imagine your loved ones in their own bubble of white-yellow light and feel your love for them.  Stay in this place as long as you wish.   When you are ready to go about your day, take a deep breath in.  As you breathe out, imagine energy traveling down your legs and into the Earth. Repeat three times.

Just typing this out helped to calm and center me.

Many blessings to you.

Fifteen-Minute Fix #3: Soul Bathing

Bubble Up by Anne LaBrie

This bath is one of my very favorite fifteen-minute fixes. The sea salt and baking soda combination was first introduced to me during my time at the Barbara Brennan School of Healing and has been a really great tool for keeping my aura sparkly and my muscles more relaxed. I use it in the morning sometimes when I wake up after one of those funky-dream nights.  You know the kind.  The kind of dreams that leave fragments floating around in your head and emotional landscape.  A regular shower helps by leaving you feeling clean, but this bath usually leaves me feeling soul-clean!  I also use it at night after a full day of dancing with other peoples’ energy or riding the emotional Roller Coaster of Life.  If I get a cold, I will even take two a day – one in the morning and one at night.  Any colds I do get just don’t seem to last very long.

The Recipe: Into a bath of very warm water, add 2 cups sea salt, 2 cups baking soda and bubbles, because bubbles are fun.  You can also rub some of your favorite aromatherapy oil into the bottom of your feet before you get in the tub.  Fill the tub enough that your body is covered but shallow enough that you can let your neck float!  Unless you own the longest tub in the world, you will not be able to fit both your neck and your feet in at the same time.  I usually start by rubbing my feet and legs first and then let my neck float.  This has the added benefit of stimulating your reflex points on your feet, but more on that in another fifteen-minute fix!  You can also take this time to think about your positive intentions for your day and/or release anything ready to go (and no, you don’t even have to know what that is).  After about 10 minutes, rinse off and notice the difference. 

I would love to hear any comments about your experience with this one.  Oh, and Costco has great prices on baking soda and Epsom salt, which you can use instead of sea salt.  I get my sea salt in bulk at New Leaf, but I’m sure any health food store that carries sea salt in bulk would be happy to order it for you.

Fifteen-Minute Fix #2: Self-Care for a Speeding Life

Photo by Anne LaBrie: John's Car

Lately I’ve noticed that my life seems to be speeding up and I feel as if I’m trying to catch up with it.  In those moments I think that if I could just go a little faster and cram a little more into my day, I’ll actually get it all done so that the next day will be easier.  It takes a few days (or even weeks) to realize that there is always even more stuff to do! This is when I know I need a little relaxation-intervention.

Find a guided meditation tape that’s not too long, maybe 15 minutes -- and program it into your iportable device.  Don’t get mad at yourself if this step takes a week – you’re moving toward a goal!  Pick a time and listen to it. Try to aim for every day for the first 21 days.  If this feels like too many days in a row, ignore it and do what you can – you’re moving          toward a goal!

I find it best the very first thing in the morning – even before getting out of bed. I set my alarm for 15-minutes earlier and just plug in my headphones and listen.  It seems to help me set my intention for the day.  It is astonishing to me how much easier my days go when I’ve done this first.  I don’t forget my keys, there’s no line in the grocery store, traffic moves freely.  All the little things that can trip me up and add stress to my day just seem to happen less frequently. And even if stuff does happen, it doesn’t bug me as much!

Another great time to listen to the meditation is before going to bed.  That way, I’m actually thinking good thoughts before I go to sleep instead of all the things I didn’t get done in the day!  Either way, life will slowly get better.  And isn’t that worth fifteen minutes?