Saving Graces

Despite what life throws at us, there are three little tools that transcend - always. I like to call them the Saving Graces.

1. Breathe. No matter what the situation - you could be in the middle of screaming something at someone, in a long traffic jam, sitting bored in front of the tv - seriously - no matter what the situation, if you stop and take three really long, really deep breaths, everything will shift. Try this: sit up with a straight spine. Adjust your head so that your neck is not pushed one way or the other but is a natural extension of your spine. Close your eyes. Begin to breathe in very slowly through your nose. Keep breathing in until you can't breathe in anymore. Hold for a moment or two, and then begin to breathe out, very slowly through your nose.

If you find a situation where everything is just jumbled, try this: with your left hand, use your left thumb to lightly block the left side of your nose. Inhale through the right side of your nose. Remove your thumb. Using your first finger, lightly block the right side of your nose and breathe out through the left side. Then breathe in through the left side, block the left side with your thumb again and breathe out through your right side. Keep up for 3 minutes.
Breathe in left + Breathe out right
Breathe in right + breathe out left
Breathe in left + breathe out right
Breathe in right + breathe out left.

2. Practice Gratitude. No matter what is going on, if you take 10 minutes to sit down and write down everything you are grateful for, everything will shift. it can work to just 'think' all the things you are grateful for, but it is too easy to get distracted because the mind moves at a 1000 thoughts per wink of the eye. If you use a pen and paper (or even a computer keyboard) your focus rivets itself on the actual act of gratitude much easier.

Here's how: Take a sheet of plain paper (or start with a new document) and start writing down things you are grateful for. Write down 50 or 100. The first few are easy. The real challenge is when you have to get up to 50 or 100.

Another favorite way to practice gratitude is to breathe in thank you and breathe out thank you. Breathe in, say thank you. Breathe out, say thank you.

3. Presence. There is nothing like getting present to get real. All the thought and worry and anxiety and fear and whatnot that we spend on how things were, how they might become, everything we're not, everything life isn't, is a huge waste of our energy and so unnecessary. Coming back to this moment reminds us of what is important. Hey - you're with your family - get present with it. Hey - you're having a quiet night at home - get present with it. No matter what the situation - seriously, no matter what - getting present will chip away what is unreal and literally bathe you in what is real.

Try this: Take a long, deep breath and wiggle your toes. Feel how your toes feel. Continue to take long, deep breaths and feel how each part of your body feels. Then feel how your body feels in relationship to the environment (this chair is soft/hard, the window is on my face, the music is soft and melodic). Notice your surroundings and get at present with your surroundings as you are with your body. If your mind wanders off into the stress of daily life, gently invite it back to feel the moment, where that stress can just ease right on out of you.

We think we're stuck. We think everything (negative) has to be what it is, and yet there are these simple little tools that are truly saving graces, that can change anything. You may not change (as in the wave of a wand) the physical landscape, but you will surely shift your own consciousness in relationship to whatever it is you have in front of you and life changes that way.

Much love and many blessings!
- Darshan






© 2010 Darshan F Jessop