Notice

I get a lot of guidance when I’m on my yoga mat. The combination of presence and relaxation and movement really puts me in an open state; a quiet mind leaves room for my higher self to come in. You could call your higher self anything— God, the Universe, clarity, whatever. It all applies. A couple weeks ago, in the middle of a stretch, I heard “notice.” 

It was a reminder to notice the stretch in my body, notice how it felt after I released it. To take a moment to feel the elongation, the blood flowing, the energy release. But also to notice myself, my vibe, my thoughts, my feelings, my mental state. 

I first learned this lesson in a yoga class at the LGBT center in Norfolk, Virginia 10 years ago. This wonderful light of a person taught free classes there on Monday evenings. He used to say “notice how it feels in your body” between every stretch. And it unlocked so much for me. 

When you experience trauma, especially at a young age, you become separated from your body. It’s why modalities that include somatic healing are so powerful. To put your consciousness back in your body is empowering, it’s grounding, it brings you to life. 

Remembering to Notice these past few weeks has shifted my awareness yet again. I’ve been noticing how good working out feels, and how necessary my hour of stretching in the morning is for my holistic health. I’ve been noticing how certain connections resonate (or don’t). I’ve been reminded to tune into the tuning fork of my body to connect to the frequency of everything. It’s made all the difference. 

All the things I love doing, but which take a concerted effort—discipline, concentration, motivation— to do every day, have stopped feeling like chores. They’ve started feeling like gratitude. And isn’t that amazing?! 

I’ve been walking through all my tasks and chores and jobs with a lightness that makes them feel easy. This is a feeling I have accessed before, but noticing—really stopping to notice— how they feel in my body makes me want to return to them again and again. It also makes resting blissful. I don’t need as much rest as I used to, because the rest I am getting is high quality. I also take care of myself in such a multitude of ways, that rest has become built into my work days. But that has taken time. It also has taken a shift in perspective.

Thinking “I get to” instead of “I HAVE to” has created the shift that has stepped my pussy up in a big way. Especially because I remember what it’s like to Not get to. 

Noticing is a gateway to presence. Think of being in nature—noticing the beauty around you gives way to awe, which always gives way to gratitude. And gratitude is the highest vibration. Gratitude is an overflowing cup, it just aligns you with more gratitude, which helps you accentuate the positive, which quiets the negative thought-spiraling mind. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. Before you know it, life starts feeling more gentle, more supportive, and less antagonistic. 

Start small. Start with a moment. Noticing something beautiful. Noticing when you’re happy, when a bite of food is extra delicious. A deep breath. A good vibe. Then expand that out, until you embody presence, until every moment is a meditation. Until you just Are. 

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