Ask yourself, do you operate ( body/mind/spirit) from a now, fully present consciousness? Or do you operate from habit, from the past, from some old programming? Mankind, in general, usually responds to situations in an old way, from habit. War and fighting is a habit. We do not look to diplomacy as our first and obvious solution to a problem. Threat and attack are much more common than calm discussion and a desire to reach an agreement and understanding. Another habit is surrounding ourselves with people, events and stories which match the thinking we are currently most comfortable with, thus preventing ourselves from seeing other points of view as valid, or learning anything new.
Making assumptions that we need to live in a society which operates on a money / government / power basis is a habit, one which keeps many of us trapped in jobs, relationships or situations which contribute to feelings of unhappiness.
How we eat and drink – habits. When did you last eat or drink something completely new to you?
Notice your thinking. Listen to the words you use when you are talking. Do you belong to the ‘should’ , ‘shouldn’t’ , ‘have to’ brigade? This, too, is a habit, usually one acquired as a child from the grown-ups around us. It is a habit which severely limits freedom.
The Alexander Technique direction to free the neck to allow the head to release forward and up, helps us to free ourselves from the past, from fears, from habitual reactions. The head being held ‘back and down’ – the very opposite of ‘forward and up’ holds us physically, mentally and emotionally in a mini fight or flight response, and freedom of all kinds is limited. This is a survival response, a fear response, not a ‘free to pursue adventure in my life’ response. There are those who say we have lived many lifetimes in this way and that this is what makes it so difficult to embrace change.
Alexander Technique inhibition and direction is about stopping, saying no to a habitual response and, in that space which ensues, allowing something new to happen. We can do this on any level – physical, mental, emotional or spiritual.
We can create new synaptic pathways, new belief systems, new and different responses to situations we find ourselves in. If you have a thought, and you don’t like how it makes you feel, let it go and then change the thought. Yes, it takes discipline, but the more we do it, the more it becomes our new norm.
It used to be said that a large percentage of our DNA was ‘junk’ , unused. Now it is said that this ‘junk’ is codes, language. So can we choose to talk to our DNA? Why not have a conversation with the cellular structure of our body? It is time to take charge of ourselves on every level, to decide we are in control, in the driving seat now.
The old dramas and trauma are just ‘tapes’ that keep playing in our lives. We can insist that our synapses stop playing them. In order for us to do this, we have to live in the ‘now’ moment. Living in the past is living in survival mode, and living for a future which does not yet exist is downright confusing. The future is forming as we make decisions in each ‘now’ moment.
Time, you may have noticed, is speeding up. The planet we live on is demanding our attention. Be present and you can become aware of the synchronicities which occur when you are present enough to notice them. Allow yourself quiet time to receive, to just be. Listen to your intuition and act on that information which seems to come from deep inside. Allow your heart to guide you more and let joy be your compass.
You are in command now. Your thoughts and feelings about yourself frame the kind of life you create for yourself and the thoughts and beliefs you have about the world frame the ‘world’ experiences you have. Change is not only inevitable, it is to be welcomed. Choose carefully, wisely, both for you personally and for the bigger ‘world’ picture you carry within you. You are a lot more powerful than you realise. Demand beneficial change.
As an example, for so many years, plastic has polluted our oceans. Many, many people have now decided that this must stop. They are demanding change. Manufacturers are responding, governments are responding, cafes using plastic straws are responding. The use of plastic is suddenly decreasing, simply because enough people have now demanded it. Add your voice to the change you wish to see. I myself am now scanning everything I buy to see if palm oil is used, having become very aware of the impact on the orangutans. I am assured, by someone working with these creatures, that there is no such thing as sustainable palm oil. Maybe palm oil will follow the same path as plastic?
You have the power to contribute, every moment and in many ways, to creating more love and joy on this planet. And make sure you give to yourself as once you have ‘filled up’ with love and joy and fun all surplus is automatically redirected to others. It’s all energy.
Trust yourself. Long ago, you set up default responses. These are fear based, to ensure basic survival. You don’t choose to run your computer on an outdated old programme – don’t run yourself on one either!
We live in magical times and your own magic is inside you. Let it out and share it!
Susan
