Category: mindfulness

Much love

The Barefoot Goddess 💋

“Wandering Towards Wellness, Globally “

For Just One Minute – Walk Ourside & Breathe In The Beauty Of Life….

Published on January 3, 2017 by abarefootgoddessonajourneyLeave a comment

For one minute come with me on a mindful adventure – Walk outside,Stand there in silence – look up at the beautiful sky and just breathe. It’s these times that you realise, how beautiful life really is.

🙏🏻

Let’s connect and wander mindfully towards wellness;

If you would like to book me as a speaker please connect with me through http://www.facebook.com/HarmoniShakti

How I Rediscovered My Mindfulness Key 🔑 For Chronic Illness.

Published on November 28, 2016November 28, 2016 by abarefootgoddessonajourney2 Comments

Mindfulness was something that I fell into accidentally when I was first diagnosed with chronic illness 10 years ago. Looking back, I wish I had kept my daily practice strong in my life. It may have saved me a lot of worry, distress, and hopelessness over the last five years of further and debilitating chronic illness symptoms. Through a lot of research and life experience learning, I found that mindfulness is a set of skills for healing, intuition, insight, calmness, focus, resilience, and hope that you can use to counter the destructive path that chronic illness is.

But what is mindfulness;
Using Google as a reference, mindfulness is “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.”

Across my journey of life, I’ve dealt with my share of pain and tragedies many which caused my path to being chronically ill. Prior to becoming chronically ill, I was a full time busy working woman, wife and mumma. I was focused on building a life for my young family to grow in. Unfortunately, the path that transpired was different . It began initially as a virus that never went away. Slowly that virus, tore my immune system apart and disease after disease began to be diagnosed. It often left me with debilitating aches, unable to eat and everyday simple tasks seemed overwhelming to say the least. It was then I found mindfulness through yoga and meditation . The techniques I found allowed me to build remission and a new passion for life. I began to research, study and train within coaching, yoga and meditation and my holistic wellness centre opened. It was growing in such a way that my body couldn’t cope. Through the path, I lost my mindfulness mantra and I fell ill again but this time in such a dark despair of dark inner destruction. The stress of chronic illness, was back worse than ever. Back in and out of hospital- more tests after tests! By the time end of 2015/beginning of 2016 came – suicide became my only option! Ahhh yes, this is when the first doctor stepped in and saw my darkness and depression. More tests occurred and it was my next hospital admission after I had , had a seizure and fall leaving me with right sided paralysis that my neurologist diagnosed (FND) Functional Neurological Disorder, just to add to my multiple health complexities. But, I was connected with a team of doctors, physical therapists and psychologists that began my rediscovered walk towards healing and wellness. Just as I was thinking I could not survive more stress and illness, I found a positive pathway to bring me healing. It allowed me to find the mindfulness tool of a few years back.

Today, I am rebuilding health and life. No, I haven’t completely moved mental and physical symptoms, but a LOT has changed for the BETTER in my life! So much so that I want to stand up in the world to show people that have struggled with the dark days of depression and chronic illnesses that their is a healthy healing path to wellness. Through strengthening my mental and physical health I am learning the daily practices of yoga and meditation that is enabling me to develop inner health and again a professional support network for others. Everyday I am grateful for my wonderful husband and youngest son that I have supporting my every step and struggle and in short, I am blessed to breathe clearance and clarity for life’s future.

Practicing mindfulness will always be a continuous learning process. But I know staying strong in this lifestyle that I’ve been fortunate to learn skills in of how to be more mindful. There are ways mindfulness can help heal chronic illness.

Here are 6 ways I have used mindfulness to help manage my chronic and I know that they can help you too;

1. Self-Love – Be good to yourself, treat yourself with kindness and compassion.

2. Focus On NOW – Live life with awareness in the present moment.

3. Be your POWER – Know yourself, don’t let your illness define you.

4. Heal Yourself – Seek healing by finding others that can help you.

5. Connect With Like Minded Souls – Surround yourself with people that love, support, and inspire you, especially when facing illness and other challenges.

6. Gratitude & Mindset are everything – Be grateful and stay positive.

This journey hasn’t been easy and it still has moments of fear, and hopelessness. This is something that happens to us all. But I don’t stay in the fearful moments long anymore because of the daily gratitude that mindfulness brings won’t allow it!

Using the skills I use, I want to help you find this lifestyle too. So if my story has resonated in anyway, please send me an email to: theblessedgoddessproject@gmail.com or connect with me through my social media channels;

Namaste 🙏🏻
Lisa-Raie 💋

‘Wandering Towards Wellness, Globally’

Can’t SLEEP-Come & Meditate With Me….🙏🏻

Published on November 13, 2016 by abarefootgoddessonajourneyLeave a comment

Ok – I am in my pjs and as normal night falls and sleep becomes non existent- what I have found is that even though I can’t get deep sleep , I can meditate and bring calmness, it’s my solution at this time.

If you would like to try this meditation activity with me or at some stage and then let me know whether you would like me to do a Facebook LIVE meditation session together on my blog page.

Here we go, let’s begin;
1. Find a comfortable space and a seated position and if possible set your phone or timer for 3 – 5 minutes.
NOW

2. Inhale fully to the count of 4, hold that breath, again to the count of 4 and then exhale fully to the count of 4.

Repeat 3 – 5 times.
3. Bring your breath to its most natural state, focusing on the inhale and exhale for the remaining time thatbyou selected on your timer.
This helps me clear any emotional and mental blockages particularly through the middle of the night when sleep is a issue.

I would love to hear your experience, if you tried the activity and if you want me to do a Facebook LIVE meditation, please also let me know.

Let’s connect here or on one of my social media channels;

Life is all about breathing, so let’s find our breath and use it to truly breathe!
Namaste 🙏🏻
“Wandering Towards Wellness, Globally”

Mumma, Just Chill Ya Undies…….

Published on November 7, 2016November 7, 2016 by abarefootgoddessonajourneyLeave a comment

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the what if’s!!! You know the stuff – work, family, health and life ! How awesome would it be if we could just space it all out so we never had to think anout more than one thing at a time! Ahhhh yes – what if!!!! But we all know the truth, that life gets hectic and there’s so much to get done or to think about that we regularly feel like our brains are going to explode. Thinking about the what ifs in life , end up making our ‘To Do Lists’ seem even longer and more stressful – so what’s the alternative? What if we found a way to include more mindfulness in our lives and as my son says ” mumma, just chill ya undies”! Chilling out and relaxing is something, we in this modern world have forgotten and it’s causing more chronic health issues around the globe.

We Need To Learn To Breathe…..

How many times have you promised yourself that you will ‘make more time’ for you – be honest, I know that you probably do this all the time – HELL, that was me too!! But, I’ve learnt that making time for myself is so very important. But sometimes it can be seriously really hard to find time for a even a small break so how could I stop for something like a meditation session even though i know it would help. During busy or stressful situations I’ve had to learn to simply use something i’m already doing, and that is breathing. What ever I am doing, I am still breathing throughout, so I thought I might as well make the most of using that most important action in a better way. When I am noticing that I am feeling tired or perhaps anxious, stressed or that I am not paying attention to what’s happening in life because I am overthinking – I now begin to deepen my breath rate for a short while. This doesn’t impact me in any way of what I maybe doing ; in fact by becoming more present and mindful through focusing on what my breath is doing, I can begin to lower my anxiety and stress levels so the head clutter and overthinking calms and I can be more productive and proactive across my day.

If You Forget – Write It Down……

I can tell you that keeping all of my TO DO list consistently enabled in my head is highly stressful. I was always worrying whether I was forgetting anything – to a point that my thoughts and actions becoming highly anxiety ridden affecting sleep and my relationships with family, friends and colleagues. Something had to give. I had to unclutter my mind, so beginning the process of writing things down began. Simply from filling my mind with clutter, I learnt how overloaded stress can take its toll. It left me feeling angry, irritable, tearful and depressed. Since writing things down or adding alarms into my mobile phone I have transformed my day.

Self Love & Compassion…..

Since becoming more responsive to my self care and love needs, it has assisted me greatly to be able to feel worthy, loved and safe in the crazy modern day world in which we live. Everyday I now know that I can calm myself through a number of different ways, whether it be by getting myself a warm green tea, or just stopping to tell myself how hard it is in life at a particular time through either inwardly or outloud self talk. Simply by giving ourselves random acts of kindness and compassion on any given day life can be wandered just as we want.

My life and those words muttered by my youngest son – ” mumma, just chill ya undies” is my everyday reminder how important I am for my life, but oh so important for my loved ones lives. If I continue to stay highly anxious and stressed doesn’t allow healing to take place and a life that I want to live. Stay mindful , present and consistent everyday and see how it changes your experiences within life.

If this has resonated with you please connect here or across on one of my social media channels;

http://www.facebook.com/IAMFNDAware

Lisa-Raie 💋
“Wandering Towards Wellness, Globally”

The Power Of My Breath….

Published on November 3, 2016 by abarefootgoddessonajourneyLeave a comment

Did you know that breathing is one of our internal behaviors that we can bring under control consciously. Tonight as I put myself into my mindful space through journaling, I begin to remind myself of what a powerful tool I have, when I just remember to listen to every beat of my breath.
These moments through journaling are coming more regularly and as I commit totally to being able to heal my health complexities, I find myself returning to the mindful space that allowed me to know that healing was achievable. Pranayama is the regulation of the breath through technique and exercise, it is taught very early on within yoga training. But this breathing technique can be also brought into the daily practice of healing and life. This technique has been known for eternity as a breathing mechanism for relieving people’s anxiety and overwhelm in order to free the body of a blockage so that a natural healthy body function can continue. When I can allow myself to consciously breathe, i can create an environment within my own mind and body that increases or decreases energy. In otherwise I can activate or remove a stress response which can then activate or reenergise my relaxation response making healing real.

Learning yoga has taught me some very important conscious breathing practices, as a way to increase my mindful awareness. When I can alter my mindful awareness space i can create more powerfully and positive behaviors and healthy habits. I had forgotten this for some many months when, my reality fell so deep into darkness. But as I began receiving medical assistance, I soon began to step through into a mindfully activated shift. You see, I was reminded that for healing and forward steps to be taken, I needed my breath to be in the moment of now. I was able to again see that I am unable to breathe when I am looking into the past, as well, I cannot breathe when I look into the future. So my attention to the reality of the present moment became my focus and as a result my breath, has calmed allowing my mind and body to find harmony and a path towards wellness.

So to heal and find my presence in the present world, this is the key. But how am I supposed to be breathing! Do I follow the breathing exercise of pranayama or do I keep wandering in search of perhaps one of the many other techniques of finding my breath and hearing my breath. I cannot answer that question fully, but I do know that if I allow my breathing to remain deliberate, constant and observed I will be able to continue to create a 100 percent healthy habit of the now awareness, beginning a strong daily practice of mindfulness for life in the whole. Finding the power of my breath is allowing me to wander towards wellness enjoying the feel and sound of my body breathing and that keeps me grounded to my ever present now for the vision of tomorrow.
Have you found the power of your breath? If so, what techniques do you use?

Connect here or across on one of my social media channels;

To you all, breathing in calms your body, breathing out allows you to smile. Letting you dwell in the present moment, where you know that where you are is a most wonderful moment.

Namaste

Lisa-Raie 💋

“Wandering Towards Wellness, Globally”

Breathing Through Chronic Illness With Meditation 🙏🏻

Published on October 3, 2016October 3, 2016 by abarefootgoddessonajourneyLeave a comment

If you are like me, I don’t have to tell you that living with chronic illness can be at times unbearable. I know I do everything I can to get through days and nights – I try moving but that hurts, I rest but that hurts, so I do nothing but that hurts more! So by the end of each day, I’ve taken the maximum dose of painkillers that I could but the ache is overwhelming and consuming every breath. It’s a vicious circle that rotates endlessly.
But, as I’m having to deal with the chronic pain and endless number of physical symptoms that hurt – it’s also my mind that is also hurting . Questions, questions, many questions consistently overload my brain with such things of being unable to deal and cope with the ongoing pain and illness and all I’m asking is that I just want it to stop – I JUST WANT IT TO ALL GO AWAY – but it doesn’t!
This has been my constant thoughts and feelings over many years but I find of recent weeks it’s back with a vengeance! Pain insomnia wreaks havoc on living, so the only thing that I can do is to fight back against these moments of excessive chronic pain and illness so that I don’t fall back into a spiralling doom of despair.
Last night, I switched off from social media and connected back into a mindful space with meditation. A number of years ago, I found yoga and meditation and I found that it reduced my chronic pain and illness immensely and I was able to learn the principles and I began actually teaching it. However, as I stepped up the energy levels, my chronic illnesses stopped me in my tracks again. I could no longer do or teach yoga because of paralysis and weakness and so meditation fell by the wayside too. Being in a zone with insomnia for over a fortnight, has lead me to think about ways of not falling backwards-the breath of mindfulness has come back. I know very well that this mindful action soothes my mental and physical angst. I have no idea if I can bring myself back to being able to no longer feel pain with the intensity that I am, but if I bring back my focus to the breath just possibly I can help untangle the thick fog that insomnia lands me in.

So back to meditation i go. What meditation does is focus on different parts of my body simply using my breath. It allows me to see my mind and body in action and to feel the pain sensations as they rise within my body and then let go of them using calming deep breaths. I did not think I would have success straight away, but I was amazed by the difference. Last night, has been my best night for about a fortnight. You see, just by bringing my calming breath back into play my chronic pain insomnia and intolerable nerve pain and twitches began to melt and I was able to rest and was able to sleep – YES SLEEP.

I know my pain arises from my multiple chronic illnesses and the damage to my bodies nervous system and what is like a speaker in my brain leading the intensity of mind and body suffering. From studying different forms of mindfulness and from my personal health experiences, I’ve learnt that my mind does not simply feel pain, it also processes all the information that it holds. Its like my mind, zooms in on my pain looking for away to take it away but instead what my mind is doing is causing my pain and or hurting to be louder. Before long I’m in periods of excessive pain and illness and insomnia is causing me more hurting. I know, if I don’t do something I will end up being consumed again by my excessive anxieties, stresses and worries as well as my physical pain. As I spoke earlier about in an instant the vicious circle of downward spiralling is with me again, which hurts and impairs my healing process and leads to even more hurting.

So it is time to again, step into handling my pain and hurting differently to how I currently am. I need to lay my hands open to the powerful effect of mindfulness so that I can better control my pain. I know personally when focused, that mindfulness does turn my volume control down on pain. It also lessens my anxiety, stress and the depression that it has brought me. Using mindfulness, my mind and body can again truly relax and perhaps in conjunction with my medication and other problems which include my memory loss may improve as well as my mental and physical energy. As I’m writing this I’m wondering – WHY THE HELL, DID I GIVE UP MY MEDITATION!

So come forward – I’ve found a wonderful app called “InsightTimer” – you may want to have a look at http://www.insighttimer.com . This app, has over 2000 different meditations- I regularly search the different rest, relaxation and sleep meditations and I’ve again found that stepping into following the guided sessions I can use mindful activity as a powerful painkiller in conjunction with my other medications to assist my steps walking forward.
If you would like to give meditation a go, I would suggest looking for the app I spoke of but also practising getting your mind and body to relax. This is an activity I use and its best practiced in a quiet area. Don’t worry if your mind wanders. Mine does, so don’t get mad with yourself. When it happens, just bring the awareness back to your breath and concentrate on the part of the body where your mind wandered. As you focus on each part of the body, listen to how your body is feeling.

So let’s begin the practise;

I will generally Lie on the floor, my bed or my sofa, letting my legs lay relaxed and slightly apart. I place my hands on my tummy (presently I have a paralysed right arm so I place that hand under my left, so it stays in place. I will close my eyes and sink myself into the floor. Next I focus on my breath – listening and feeling as it flows in and out of my body. I will just lay still noticing how my breath is, feeling the rhythm of each breath in and out with as much detail as i can – doing this allows me to really connect inward. I will start at my toes and work up – spending a few minutes with each area of my body feeling how it feels in temperature and with pain. As you breathe in, hold your breath and then slowly exhale in each breath, I use the count of 4 and then again to the count of 4, I exhale. I will often spend more time on particular areas of my body that are feeling worse pain. Once I’ve listened I will move my awareness to the next area of my body. I will stop and observe what i find for a minute. So basically it’s about breathing deeply in, holding your breath and then exhaling observing from your toes up all the way to the top of my head. Once I’ve reached my head I will spend a couple of minutes observing my whole body breathing as one. Slowly I will open my eyes and bring myself back to my surroundings. What I find, is that there is a calmness across my body, I may still have pain but my body is in a state of awareness that allows me to either continue with my day or settle into a restful space for night.

I hope that this post has been of help for you, if you’ve been thinking of trying to incorporate mindfulness and meditation into your life and chronic illness journey. If it resonates with you or perhaps you want to know more about my journey, please don’t hesitate to connect with me here or across on my social media channels.