I have a confession. In all my wellness workshops, during my yin and Vinyasa classes, when I’m doing a reiki session on a client or friend, through my e-books, I always strongly encourage self-care. I know countless practical tools to incite the sort of self love that promotes a sense of wellbeing necessary for a balanced, fulfilling life. I encourage these tips so strongly to my students, but have I been using them? No! I don’t prioritise those tools for myself because I’ve always found it easier to connect with and help someone else than I can for myself.
When I do reiki on a client I imagine the beautiful light energy swirling in and around them, with every breath I take I imagine that energy flowing directly from the universe into that person via my hands which I can feel the vibrations in. When I teach a strong Vinyasa class I imagine with every long hold, the individuals I’m teaching are getting stronger in their physical and mental bodies.
This morning I woke up with the same high-pitched tinnitus I wake up with almost every morning. I always just ignore it until it passes over time. It was particularly loud this morning after sleeping through the particularly heightened stress planning a quick solo cross-country relocation. I laid in bed with the blaring ringing in my ears and covered my head with my hands. I imagined the reiki symbols permeating my scalp as I do when I place my hands over a client’s head. The ringing softened within a minute. I moved my hands to my ears and a couple minutes passed, the ringing lowered to a dull hum. I’d forgotten the power I possessed in my hands that I readily love using for people but tend to completely dismiss using on myself.
I lowered my hands and realised how it literally only takes a few minutes of focused and intentional self love to care for yourself in such an important way. I say intentional because after time of making things habitual, sometimes that intent can be forgotten within the routine, which I’m guilty of as much as anybody else.
I take hour long walks by the beach almost every morning but realised the intent of being in nature and grounding myself was totally lost when I would spend the entire hour scouring my brain with to-do lists instead of feeling it to be the meditative experience it once was.
For women especially, and even more so for mothers, self-care goes so far out the window it can be like it never existed. I ask you to not only give yourself just a few minutes of self love today in a way that resonates with you, but in those moments only focus on the intention of why you’re doing it. Imagine the intention itself is nourishing you in mind and body. Know that even when it’s your choice or important duty to care for others, especially little ones, it’s equally as important to care for your own little child inside you.
If you find it hard connecting with your own self love and care like I do, just imagine yourself as you were when you were five years old. Would you neglect giving that little girl or boy the attention and love she naturally needs and deserves? Of course not. Imagine yourself taking hold of that little child’s hand through your intention. Embrace and speak sweetly to that little person. She or he deserves it, she or he is worthy of it, as much now as ever. 👩👦👨👦
Pictured 📷 teaching my second to last ever Yin class with my beloved @scarboroughyoga students in savasana before embarking on my Sydney adventure - with the beautiful scarf given to me by a lovely dedicated yogi ⭐️
