Two Easy Steps To Experience An Inspired Calm
My husband and I planned a quick trip on Labor Day. We were looking to relax and reconnect while exploring the Grand Canyon and Sedona in Arizona. I made reservations for a glamorous tent site as well as a couple of guided tours. I didn’t take into consideration that 25 percent of the world’s population and their pets made the exact same plan. I also wasn’t prepared for a heatwave impacting every waking moment of our escape. In the first 24 hours, I needed to be emotionally rescued from my vacation.
Our luxury camping adventure began with our GPS attempting to send us through the desert on a road that didn’t exist. When we finally located our weekend stay, it was well over a hundred degrees, crowded, and dusty. We found our tent with very small water, mister, in the doorway providing little protection from the heat. If the canvas flap was open, we could sometimes feel a light breeze. We quickly figured out that taking a shower and lying in front of the doorway was our best cooling option. On a side note, the shower had no temperature control and it was operated by a pull cord. The glamping wasn’t quite what we had expected. It was memorable and interesting but definitely not relaxing.
The following morning, we had a late start to a hiking adventure. Because of the heat, we decided to trek only three miles down before starting back the steep climb up. We shared the narrow trail with mules, their riders, families, rangers, happy people, stressed people, and everything in between. I was completely inspired by the beauty of the Grand Canyon but overwhelmed by the crowds.
On our way out of the canyon, I mentioned to my husband that I was struggling and needed to decompress. I felt a divide between the deep ravine and the crowds. The canyon pulled at me in a jagged way like I was meant to fill a void. The people jumbled my thoughts.
I needed to quickly restore my connection to calm and inspiration.
Two of my favorite techniques for clearing my personal energy are lying on the ground and connecting to something that inspires me. At first pass, this might sound too easy but the ground is calming and inspiration will open up your heart and remind you that all is good in the world.
Step One:
Find a place where you can fully lie down and experience the sensation of being supported physically. Ideally, you should be outside and alone, but a floor or even a bed will work. After finding your restorative resting place, let go of what you have been holding on to. Allow yourself to sink fully into the surface that is supporting you. Feel yourself being wrapped gently by the natural healing vibrations of Mother Earth. Breathe deep and experience the connection. Exhale your stress and inhale the calm. Allow your mind to empty itself.
After our hike, my husband and I found an area with trees and no people. I grabbed a very thin yoga mat from our car and found a little clearing. There were hoof prints, pine cones, and rocks in our designated sacred space of calm. We lay down on the yoga mat. Our heads met in the middle, and our legs stretched out in opposite directions touching the earth. I could see the sun through pine tree branches. Slowly, I let go of the stress I had been holding. I was able to reconnect with the earth and find calm. I could feel myself sinking deeply into all that is and releasing all that did not matter.
Step Two:
Allow your mind to empty itself fully. You might even feel like drifting off to sleep. Do whatever it takes to create a clean slate in your mind. After you are fully relaxed and your thoughts have been released into the universe, allow yourself to connect with a moment of inspiration. Think about a person, an event, or a place that inspires you. Allow the energy of inspiration to fill you up. Continue your deep breathing and feel the inspiration regenerating every cell in your body and thought in your mind. Enjoy this feeling of support and renewal. Stay here as long as needed.
On the yoga mat, looking up at the trees, my mind traveled to some fellow travelers I met on the Bright Angel Trail. One of them was a wheelchair athlete and the other was his support person. I asked if I could snap a picture to remember their incredible journey. I moved about four feet up the trail. When I looked back at them, I paused. Honestly, their eyes stopped me. They both radiated such amazing, clear energy. I was beyond inspired. It wasn’t just because they undertook this very steep and rocky trail in the crowds at 105 degrees. It was the love of life they shared with the world. My day was changed.
What I remember most about the Grand Canyon is lying on the forest floor and meeting Dominic and Josh. Everything else falls away. I will be back to explore but I treasure these two memories. To learn more about Dominic (wheelchair athlete), visit www.extremeabilities.com. If you are interested in creating a life that feels good, check out my website pollywirum.com, intuitive life coach.
Channeled Message
Imagine that at this moment, like any moment, there is unlimited potential for what you decide to give attention to or connect to. This is part of your journey. The gift is allowing yourself to trust the process and understand that it is not just a careless muddle. You have chosen your primary gifts and attributes prior to this life. Everything that is a match to your beliefs is offered. Allow yourself to shift from the deep textures and valleys of emotional experiences to a place that holds smooth transitions and the awareness of all that is.
End Channeled Message