Life Design Action: Take Control Of Your Groove

Requires: A brown paper envelope and stealth

Does not require: Gloating or certificates of achievement

(When we are feeling uber-flumped because we are desperately trying to create a new groove – if you don’t know what I’m talking about please see previous post – we are basically affirming to ourselves this fact:

I Am Not In The Groove and I Am Not Happy.

And the more we say that to ourselves, the more we deepen the flump. Result? Total lack of motivation, sighing sensation around heart area and another deepening of the anti-Groove.

Not a very nice place to be.

However, one tiny action we can take to move out of the anti-Groove grip is to glance the other way and hum. I know this sounds strange, but it works in the same way that stopping a small child from having a hissy-fit works. Rather than paying it attention and empowering the child with silent pleas of “stoppppppp!” we simply look the other way, hum and start doodling on an old paper envelope. As many of you who have had hissy-fitty children will know, the child then can not resist creeping over, sniffing a bit, then peering in to see what you are drawing.

And Grooves are a lot like children. Rather than feeding them our desperation, we need to withdraw attention, reassure them that we aren’t going anywhere, then draw their attention to where we want to be going. We can do this by acknowledging to ourselves the GOOD things that we are already doing.)

***

Bethan’s Chi-Groove Epiphany

Sitting on floor lying on bed, drinking Green Tea whilst in lotus position in star-shape, gazing into distance gawping at ceiling in overwhelming realisation that …

*Actuall-Y*

I have been in a massive chi-building Groove and haven’t even noticed it!

I mean, I HAVE noticed it, but I haven’t really allowed myself to acknowledge that I’ve been in it. Which is bizarre. What is wrong with me? It is as though, because my Chi-Building Groove has been also been punctuated with Doritos and Bueno Kinders and other bits and bobs that we shall not mention because it would be dreadfully boring for you (did you know that 5 packs of chocolate Crispy Rolls were on offer in Co-op recently?) I have failed to recognise where the Chi-Building is desperately trying to break through.

Let me give you Examples.

So, for the last two Thursdays, myself and the Golden Curly have been attending a two hour meditation and Pranayama class.

 Prana is the Indian term for gorgeousifying life-energy. This is a subtle, invisible force that is around and within the human body. Different cultures have different names for this energy, but essentially it is the same thing. It would take a v v v long time and lots of typing for me to really explain this energy that I’m seeking to build, so I will put it simply.

Prana/Chi/Ki/Mana are all names for a form of Spiritual Evian; spring water for the soul (except this Evian isn’t liquid). We all have it in us to different degrees. If we work on our Evian through different practises, our Evian goes from being a bit old and stagnant to being v clean and sparkly. This results in more personal energy, empowerment and vibrancy. Mix this this with the cordial of your Gorgeousness and wah-lah, your personal energy, clarity and creativity is amplified.

So, the Pranayama class is about using conscious focus to build and cultivate the Evian and dilute it with your you-ness. Miraculously, during sessions, myself and Golden Curley haven’t laughed once.

?

Instead it appears that Pranayama turns us into deeply grounded, self contained Yogic Types. And somehow, without any real effort, I have now made Thursday mornings a sacred space of creating Inner Space. (One tick off for What Every Woman Needs).

Okay … what else?

Well, I have been to see a Chinese Herbalist called Lawrence who was v v v nice. I also dragged Ads there too, which was quite funny, but another story altogether. The Chinese Herbalist diagnosed me as having stagnating chi in my liver. He then gave  me a small plastic bag full of brown powder to make tea from. It was called

     How could anyone resist a tea called Happy Wanderer even if it did taste like Bisto gravy or mushroom flavoured Bovril?

I’ve been giving it out to everyone.

(Which I’m sure is allowed.)

Last Friday I also went and had some Acupuncture with Lawrence. By this point my Liver Chi Blockage appeared to have dissolved, so the acupuncture was for balancing vital organs and building energy. T’was amazing.

So, do you see? The Chi-Building Groove was there all the time trying to break through and catch my attention, but because it was so subtle I wasn’t really acknowledging it. On the other hand, the Doritos-and-Kinder-Bueno-Groove was so loud and sugary that it was hyper-actively in my face, dragging my mind here and there and everywhere and demanding attention.

It turns out that Grooves really are like children.

It turns out that we need to parent them with love, fairness and wise consideration; give positive attention to the good Grooves; hum and doodle at the Grooves; then breathe deeply …

…and …

relax.