I'm listening to 'My Stroke of Insight' by Jill Bolte and wanted to write down some notes about finding peace between the left and right brains we each have.
1. Remember you are part of a greater structure, an eternal flow of molecules from which you cannot be separated. Thinking back to moments of happiness, they are usually when I am outside and feeling connected to everything. Hiking, gardening, lifting my face to a gentle breeze, admiring the moon, soaking in the energy of a crisp and cool Christmas Eve's midnight grace. All of those moments are about feeling connected, and knowing with a certainty that I am just a very small piece of something magnificent.
2. I am part of the cosmic whole. See #1.
3.The essence of my being is eternal. This is an interesting way of saying energy cannot be created or destroyed, just changed. I always think back to the movie with Cary Grant and Sophia Loren and explaining to the kids about death by pouring a cup of water (their mother's soul) into the river. That is what formed my early impression of what happens at death - our energy is transmuted. Whether to heaven, a parallel universe, or born into another being is not that important to me. I know with a certainty that we go on in some form or another. But this also reminds me that I believe I am here to learn, whether by being the hands of God, or by learning about what is important. Whatever the case, I know it's important to find my own true self and that this weight loss journey of mine is part of the process.
4. Decide you are not in a hurry. Slow down to be in the present; find a way to settle into your calm 'right mind'. Meditation of course comes to mind, which I am still struggling with, and journaling, which I have been trying to do more regularly. Self care definitely entails slowing down, evidenced by the time I took to make a beautiful turkey sloppy joe mix in the kitchen this morning. Not in a hurry, just enjoying the cooking.
5. How does it feel to be here, right now. I know that is what I am doing when I raise my face to the wind, or sun, or rain. But I need to practice checking in with my body more often and assess how I'm doing.
6. Use physical stimulation to bring you back to the present when you are caught up in 'right brain' mind loop. You know, the narrator who keeps letting you know what's going on and analyzing everything to death. To break the cycle connect to the present using your body. A scented candle to ignite your smell, a walk to engage your muscles, check out the view around you and really look, or have a delicious cup of herbal tea. All ways to engage your body and bring focus back to the present.
7. Do you want to be right, or do you want to be happy. When I first heard this I thought of my 12 year old granddaughter and her need to right about everything. And I mean everything. (We are hoping it's a phase.) And I wondered, "Is she Happy?" I have never had the compulsion to be right. While I do want to share what I know from my experiences I have always been willing to accept another's point of view when I can learn from them. There have been a few people in my life who 'had to be right' and really, none of them were happy people. I think I have this one.
8. Angel cards. I had to google. And that took me down a rabbit hole! I think my take-away is that they are used for positive affirmations, and I now have a great Christmas idea for next year for someone in the family. I'll look into it more.
So lot's of ideas that dovetail to what I am learning in parts work, and I think I have a better idea now on how to work on integrating my parts by realizing which part of my brain they are coming from. I still haven't done the Split Brain exercise, and hopefully that is on my short term self care agenda.
Right now I need to go weigh out portions of the lovely turkey sloppy joe mix that has finished cooking. And prep more veggies for the week. I guess everything has to be all about me right now. Which is fine, I'm not in a hurry.
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