FlyLady - Pagan Style; Get Enough Sleep!

As you may have noticed, I have been posting the FlyLady 31 Baby Steps and my thoughts on them. I have been adding my thoughts on how cleaning your house, even the simple stuff, can be part of a spiritual devotion, and how the babysteps and the FlyLady program encourage you to think positive about yourself, your home, your habits - all to make life a little easier and better for you!

Today is Day 17 of the BabySteps! So far we have developed a few simple habits of things to do on a daily basis; in the form of simple morning & evening routines. Our goal is to make these routines a habit... if we do them consistently enough then they just become second nature!

Morning Routine

• Make Your Bed!
• Get up and get dressed to lace-up shoes; fixing your hair and face
• Look at your posted reminders in the kitchen and bathroom.
• Recognize the negative voices and change them. Remember, you are FLYing now!
• Put out your Hot Spots for two minutes
• Five-minute Room Rescue (pick any room in the house). Set your timer and go!
• Spend 15 Minutes decluttering each day. You can’t organize clutter!

Before-Bed Routine

• Keep your sink shining
• Lay out your clothes for tomorrow
• Put out your Hot Spot. It will make you happy in the morning!
• Go to bed at a decent hour!  Set a bedtime and stick with it!

For day 17, FlyLady wants us to think about how much sleep we are getting.  If we stay up too late and don't get enough sleep, we aren't doing ourselves any favors!  I know this is something a lot of adults struggle with.  For me, I tend to stay up late because after the kids go to bed is the only time I really get to myself!  Yet as much as I resist the idea, I know that getting a better night's sleep would be beneficial for my health!  I thought it was ironic that the "Motivational Essay" I just posted for yesterday's babystep was also about getting enough sleep!  Wait, not ironic... but obvious now that the Universe is sending me a message that I need to get more sleep!

From a Pagan/Witchy perspective, I think our time spent sleeping, in itself is a magickal thing.  It is a time for our bodies to heal and rejuvenate.  It is a time for our mind to rest.  It is a time for our spirit to be free!  Many magickal things can happen to our spirit while we sleep!  We can receive special dreams, we can have visits from loved ones or astrally travel to different places (even if we don't remember those, they happen!)  We sometimes receive spiritual lessons from our angels and spirit guides in our sleep!  Again, we might not remember these... it's like a file was downloaded to our system and then once we are awake, we have to be open enough to receiving the message before we can find the file!  Otherwise the "file" is stored for when we are ready!
If we aren't giving our self enough time asleep, what might we be missing?!
Last year I read this amazing book, called The Tibetan Yogas of Dream and Sleep.  It deals with some more complex aspects of Buddhism and Yoga, but it's written in a way that is easy to understand and gives some great insights as to how important our sleep cycles are and how to make our sleep cycles a part of our spiritual practice.

Here is a great video by the author of the above mentioned book!

I know as a Pagan, it's hard to set a regular bedtime also because so much of our ritual work is done at night time!  We wait until the moon has risen high in the sky to get the full energy effect of some of our rituals!  For Pagans, our spiritual time isn't at 10 am on Sunday mornings!  It's anytime.... but preferably at night for many reasons!!  So sticking to a regular bedtime just isn't part of our spiritual path... and that's okay!  The key here is to forgive yourself on the nights you DO stay up late, but on the nights you don't have to stay up, don't!  Don't just stay up late for no reason!  Recognize that sleep can be a magickal time as well as the times you are awake, invoking the moon!
Getting yourself on a regular sleep schedule can be hard!  But if you are consistent, you can reset your inner clock.  Part of what's great about the FlyLady routines is that you develop a routine of things you do before bed.  Once those routines are done consistently, your body knows that when these things are done, it's time for sleep!  Even if you don't do your before bed routine, just consistently going to bed and getting up at the same times will help you retrain your body, mind, and spirit!  I found this excellent article with some very practical tips on how to get enough sleep, it is worth looking at to see if you can make some changes that will help you fall asleep easier!
http://healthylifejournal.org/healthy-living/how-to-get-enough-sleep-at-night/

12 Days of Yule, Day 2

Follow along with my 12 Days of Yule Blog prompts here;
http://journalyourselfawake.blogspot.com/2012/12/12-days-of-yule-day-2.html

Tuesday, Dec. 11, Day 2

Day 2; A Sunrise Prayer;

"The sun returns! The light returns!
The earth begins to warm once more!
The time of darkness has passed,
and a path of light begins the new day.
Welcome, welcome, the heat of the sun,
blessing us all with its rays."

By Patti Wigington

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What does the Sun mean to me and what is my relationship with it in the Winter?  Here in the Arizona Desert, during the summer the sun is harsh.  With temperatures easily reaching well over 110 degrees, there are dangers in the summer.  Sun burn, heat stroke, heat exhaustion, dehydration, etc.  The summer is the time we spend "hiding" from the sun, staying indoors where there is air- conditioning and protection from the sun.  In the winter months, there is a chill in the air and the sky can often be overcast.  But when the sun shines, or when the skies are clear, you can stand in the sunlight and almost immediately feel it's warmth. 

Today's blog prompt asked me to consider how I am spending time in the sunlight when I can.  Ironically, just yesterday my husband started work again.  Since we only have one car, this means that I am walking to work again.  So now I will have a little time outdoors each morning, collecting some sunlight!  I am happy for this!  First of all, happy that my husband is working again!  But I am also grateful for my opportunity to spend some time each day walking, it is a time of solitude that I really enjoy.  Even in the middle of the city, surrounded by houses, streets with cars rushing by, dogs barking at me... it is time for just me and my thoughts with no one else demanding my attention. 

Here in the desert, although the solstice represents the returning of the sun, and the days growing longer, it's really just the beginning of our "winter" season.  It doesn't really get cold here until January, which is also when we can expect more rain and winter weather.  But as far as what the sun represents on a spiritual level, I like to think of the Solstice as a perfect opportunity for rebirth on an inner level. 

The  third chakra, Manipura, is also known as the Solar Plexus and it is bright yellow in color.  It's great to visualize this chakra as a bright little sun, glowing right in the center of your body, just behind your belly button.  The Solar Plexus is the source of our energy, willpower, and drive.  As we welcome back the Sun this Winter Solstice, I think it's great to think not only of the rebirth of the Sun as the days lengthen, but the rebirth of our own innermost energy.  I will think of my walks to work as a time of "recharging by Solar Batteries", soak up the warmth when I can, and visualize it becoming energy that empowers my Solar Plexus chakra!  I also think I will add the "Salute To The Sun" Yoga sequence to my morning routine for the rest of the Yule season, to empower my body and help connect my mind, spirit, and body with the re-awakening of Solar energy!

Salute To The Sun

 

Clearing and Healing the Throat Chakra

I had a blank deck of cards that I used to make my own oracle cards with.  I didn't draw pictures but simply wrote different areas of spiritual focus on each card... for example there is one card for each element, one for each chakra, etc.  When I am feeling the desire to have a spiritual focus in my life, but having trouble finding exactly where that spiritual focus should be... I go to my hand-made deck.  Today before work I drew a card to see what my spiritual focus should be for this week.  I got the Throat Chakra card!  So I wanted to write a blog and share with you what I discover about the Throat Chakra and how to clear it and balance it.  First off here is a wonderful guided meditation I found for Clearing the Throat Chakra;

The Throat Chakra is the 5th Chakra and is also called Vishuddha Chakra.  It is located at the center of the throat and glows a clear, bright blue.  The energy of this chakra deals with our communication with others, the communication of our Higher Self with our being, our ability to hear and see Angels or Divine Presence, how we hear and speak truth, wisdom, and self expression of our creativity.  This chakra also deals with connecting our physical body to the spiritual.  It is located below the Third Eye and Crown chakras which deal more with our Higher self, and the lower chakras which deal with our physical being and our ego.  Vishuddha Chakra helps connect body with Spirit and helps us express ourselves as truly spiritual beings.  If you are ever having trouble in matters of communication or have trouble speaking your truth or speaking up when needed, you Throat Chakra is probably in need of balancing.  Alternatively, if you have been overly vocal and have used your words or communication in a disruptive way or untruthful way, your throat chakra will need clearing and balancing as well.

To determine whether you have an imbalance in Vishuddha Chakra you can ask yourself the following questions;
* Do others see me as aggressive and overbearing?
*Do I dominate conversations?
*Do I find it hard to speak up for myself?
*Do I live in a way that is true to my core beliefs and values?
* Do I lack inspiration?
*Do I feel connected to my spirituality?

It's funny that I got this card today, because my personal goal this week has been to avoid complaining, which is directly related to the throat chakra!  Let me tell you, it is hard to get through a day without a complaint!  But with a degree of awareness and self restraint, I think it is possible!  Along with some meditation on clearing the Throat Chakra, it should get easier to speak only positive words.... therefore attracting more positivity into your life!  Also, I am starting a new job and I am having trouble knowing when and how to exert my communication.  I have had a couple times when I should have spoken up and I didn't, and a couple times when maybe I am dominating conversations because I am trying to fit in with my new co-workers.  So I can definitely see how this chakra needs some clearing and balancing right now!

So how do we balance our Throat Chakra?*Well, first of all, listen to the guided meditation I posted above... I think it's perfect!  Maybe listen to it once a day while you work on clearing and healing your Throat Chakra.
* Use affirmations and positive statements.  OFTEN.  Pick daily affirmations for yourself and say them frequently.  Get yourself used to speaking positive words.... and try to avoid speaking negatively and complaining or arguing.  The more positive words you speak, the more you cleanse away the effects of negative words on your throat chakra.  Practice complimenting those around you, and yourself!
* Visualization - Visualize Vishuddha Chakra as a beautiful ball of blue light rotating in your throat.  Visualize clear white light radiating from the ball of blue light and cleansing away any impurities.  You can even use a clear quartz crytsal or any blue crystal or gemstone to physically help clear away any impurities in your Throat Chakra.
* Breathing - Meditate simply on your breathing.  Become aware of the flow of air in and out of your throat.  Practice awareness of breathing slowly and gently for a few minutes, then alternate to pushing the air quickly out of your throat (exhaling through the mouth) to clear away an impurities in the throat chakra.  Allow yourself to make a sound with each exhale... whatever noise comes naturally as you push the air out, just let it flow.  You can also meditate with the Mantra of "HAM" as you breathe and feel the vibration of the sound of HAM resonate in your throat.
* Yoga - use specific yoga poses to clear and balance Vishuddha Chakra.  Asanas that help align your throat chakra invovle many shoulder-opening poses.  Below are listed some Asanas that will help you balance, open, and heal your Throat Chakra.  (You can look these poses up online if you are unfamiliar with them)

Warm up -
Shoulder Rolls (roll your shoulders in circles forward 10 times and backwards 10 times)
Neck Rolls (roll your head gently in circles to the right 10 times, and gently in circles to the left 10 times)
Ujjayi Prayanama (Victorious Breath Pose)

Asanas -
Uttiha Hatasana (Upward Worship Pose) or Talasana (Upward Reaching Mountain Pose)
Ardha Uttanasana (Prepare Pose)
Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose)
Chatushpada Pitham (Four legged Table Pose)
Setu Bandha Sarvangasana (Bridge Pose)
Sarvangasana (Candle Pose/ Shoulderstand Pose)
Ardha Matsyendrasana (Seated Spinal Twist) left and then right
and don't forget to always finish your yoga practice with Savasana (Corpse Pose) for final relaxation and meditation.