transforming.

i went to a yoga class this morning and, at the end of our session, the instructor read this passage from daily om:

the great transformer
loving what you hate

Hatred can be irrational, and it has a greater impact on the individual who hates than the person or object being hated. Yet overcoming hatred is difficult because hatred reinforces itself and causes greater enmity to come into being. The most powerful tool one can use to combat hatred is love. Deciding to love what you hate, whether this is a person, situation, or a part of yourself, can create a profound change in your feelings and your experience. There is little room for anger, dislike, bitterness, or resentment when you are busy loving what you hate. The practice of loving what you hate can transform and shift your emotions from hatred to love, because there is no room for hatred in a space occupied by love.

Granted, it is difficult to forgo judging someone, love your enemy, and seek the good in situations that seem orchestrated to cause you pain or anger. But in deciding to love what you hate, you become one less person adding negativity to the universe. On a simple level, loving what you hate can help you enjoy your life more. On a more complex level, loving what you hate sets you free because you disengage yourself from the hatred that can weigh down the soul. Responding with love to people radiating hatred transmutes their negative energy. You also empower yourself by not letting their negativity enter your personal space. Rather than lowering yourself to the level of their hatred, you give the other person an opportunity to rise above their feelings and meet you on the field of love.

Gandhi once said, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” Loving what you hate sends a positive, beautiful energy to people while spreading peace and harmony throughout the planet. Instead of reinforcing hatred, you become an advocate for love. Hatred responds to hate by causing anguish. But hatred responds to love by transforming into blissful peace.

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eyes closed, muscles relaxed & in the corpse pose...i listened.  and listened.  i was nearly moved to tears.  was i already reaping the relaxation benefits of yoga?  or, was my mind simply open & receptive to such an intimate look at hate?  i think it was a little bit of both.  and, as i listened, i realized just how consumed i was with hate.  hatred has been building up within me for the last few years.  i know where it stems from.  i know what caused it.  one day, i'll be able to forgive.  one day, i'll be able to let it all go.  i'm slowly learning to release myself from such negative energy. 

one day, i'll find blissful peace.

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self-medication.

if you've been reading the private blog shell said what?!, then you know what i am referring to.

i've been trying to take a more active, more holistic approach to my health & well-being.  i'm fortunate to have a friend & co-worker whose family believes in holistic care and i am very appreciative that he has shared some insight with me.

he knows a lot about what is going on with me personally {it's always nice to have someone unbiased to talk to} and yesterday i approached him & asked him to give me some alternatives to being a slave to a prescription pill.*

1. diet - he told me to take stock of my eating habits & to look for deficiencies.  i believe we are a relatively healthy family when it comes to cooking & eating.  we shop smart. we eat fresh veggies pretty much on a daily basis and, if fresh isn't an option, then the frozen veggies in our freezer come to our rescue.  we don't have soda in our home {much to adam's dismay}.  we drink lots of water.  we eat fruit.  but, when i get sad, i have a tendency to binge on sugars & carbs.  i've jokingly said in the past that i haven't met a carb i didn't like...it's my favorite food group.  according to my friend, acute depression is the result of a b-complex or cal-mag {calcium-magnesium} deficiency.
   i started taking a cal-mag supplement {with vitamin d} yesterday.  i plan on adding a b-complex supplement to my diet this weekend.
   
   
2. chamomile or mint tea - more than one person suggested a nice, warm cup of chamomile.  it's a natural soother.  duh.  my mother drinks {green} tea on the regular.
   
   
   
   
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   "there is no trouble so great or grave that cannot be much diminished by a nice cup of tea." ~ bernard-paul heroux {1900's basque philosopher}
   
   
3. massage - my friend suggested that i get a deep tissue/stress relief massage.  the massage therapist he recommended to me offers relaxation massage, too.  relaxation: i definitely need some of that in my life.  the massage therapist is located in a chiropractor's office.  i should probably see the chiropractor, too {for other reasons}.
   
   
4. yoga - my friend hit the nail on the head when he said to me, "there's probably way too little quiet in your life."  there is.  yoga is something i've wanted to try.  i had every good intention of starting a class months ago; however, the financial commitment deterred me.  coincidentally, i was reading our local newspaper online yesterday and found out that a free class is offered at the oceanfront every sunday through august 22nd.  free yoga.  on the beach.  the class is at 6:45 a.m., but for the relaxation & peace of mind, i'll be there {any local friends want to join me??}.
   
   
   
   
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so far, i've only done points 1 & 2.  i started taking a cal-mag supplement yesterday at dinner and i ended my day with a cup of chamomile tea.  i hope to incorporate points 3 & 4 into my life this weekend.

we'll see how these four things help me along as i try to regain control of my inner self.

is there anything that you do to try and keep balance & sanity in your life?  suggestions?  words of wisdom?  prayers?

*i have not been to a doctor nor have i been clinically diagnosed with depression.  my friend is not a medical doctor.  his suggestions are merely that...suggestions.  this post isn't meant to knock modern medicine {please, my sister works in the medical field!}.  instead, this post serves as a reminder to me {and, hopefully to you} that there are other ways to finding your inner well-being than by collecting prescriptions.