Anais Nin famously said, "We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."
We view the world through a multi-coloured lens tinted with the palette of our own choosing. Our perspective on life is influenced by all of our past experiences. We don’t just see with our eyes. We see with our hearts, our hurts, our joys and sorrows. They all line up as we engage with the world.
When we want to make change, we have to contend with this kaleidoscope of past events. As we push against old patterns of behaviour, they push back. These patterns live in the subconscious mind. Trying to conquer this primitive part of our brain is challenging if not futile.
In order to create change we need to neutralise or disarm our subconscious guardian. Relaxation or meditation has proved to be an effective practice for creating change. By relaxing in a peaceful setting, for example, we can detach from past experiences and allow the present moment to move into us. This can open the way for new patterns of thinking and feeling to form.
Take a quiet moment in a beautiful setting and try these steps
- Close your eyes, relax your shoulders & breathe gently until you feel a shift.
- Open your eyes and rest on the vision in front of you.
- See the colours around you as if for the first time.
- Feel all the elements - the sun, the wind, hear the birdsong as if for the first time. Do this for as long as feels comfortable.
- Now close your eyes and let your senses become magnified. Focus on the feeling inside your body.
- Continue for 10 minutes using only your senses to explore your feelings and sensations.
~ Susie Sierra
