Clearing Your Sacred Space

Creative Nudge Fridays is here!

Welcome to nudge #27. We're clearing space. With our breath.

We know how brilliant it feels to shed the clutter in our home or work space, to clean that room or let go of what hasn't been used in years. It shifts the energy, lets in more light and creates the space for more of what you do want in your life. It feels just as brilliant to let go of stale energy within the sacred space that is our physical body.

Here is a nudge to tune into the cleansing power of your own breath. Use it as a meditation. Find a comfy spot where you can sit on a chair or the ground, or if you want you can lay down - though some people do fall asleep in that position! Before you begin you might like to make your comfy spot more tranquil by lighting a candle (safely) and placing a few natural elements infront of you such as a flower, leaves, crystals or shells.

When you are ready close your eyes and bring your awareness to your breath. Allow your body to enter its own natural rhythm of breathing. Use your in-breath to breathe in what you would like more of in your life, it might be deeper peace, greater calm, more love, joy or whatever is calling you right now. Breathe it in as you say to yourself, "I breathe in ___________" (fill in the blank). Then use your out-breath to breathe out what you no longer need. Breathe it out as you say to yourself, "I breathe out all that is not peace" or whatever you wish to breathe out. As you exhale it can feel very clearing to let out a sound, imagine it's coming up and out from your belly. Continue the process for a few minutes or until you feel done. Then when you are ready, wiggle your toes to bring yourself back to your body in the present moment, and slowly open your eyes.

Note, when practiced in the morning it can help set the tone for a calmer day. Practiced at night it can assist in letting go any stresses and concerns you might be holding, and help induce a more restful and replenishing sleep.

If you feel to expand on the nudge further, write down your response to the meditation in your journal. You might like to note down how the process was for you - easeful or did any resistance surface?

To remind yourself that your breath can help clear and calm your energies, take a pic of your tranquil spot, then use the pic as your screen saver or wallpaper on your phone or computer.

If you give the nudge a go, comment below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page. If you share your tranquil spot via Twitter or Instagram use the tag #creativenudgefridays so we can find you.

Create on, Jelena x

p.s. Our breath can speak to us of the relationship with our own life. Read more.

© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2013.

Permission is granted to blog about this nudge or share this post and images within it freely on the condition that the author is credited and this byline is included. Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Deep Wisdom of Your Breath

It's a universal language, primarily involuntary and a natural action we do our entire lives. Breathing.

Our breathing functions around the clock sending essential oxygen to every single cell in our bodies in order for us to be able to be here right now. That's a mammoth undertaking and fortunately we don't need to remember to do it. Our physical body keeps right on breathing even when we are asleep. It so often goes unnoticed as we go about our everyday happenings, though there is deep wisdom in our breath - it can inform us a great deal about our relationship with our own life and is a powerful tool for positively shifting our thoughts and feelings, especially when we might need to ground our energies or calm the self down.

The depth of our breath speaks to us of our openness to life. 

In a rested state are you more of a shallow breather or do you take long deep breaths? It can be useful to consciously breathe deeply at least once a day. Take a deep breath in to allow fresh air to fill your lungs and belly, and breathe out to release any stale air so to speak. Exhaling with a sound such as a deep sigh from your belly can feel great too.

The rhythm of our breath speaks to us of how we move through our life. 

In a rested state what is the rhythm of your breath doing - is it calm, even and easeful or challenging and out of sorts? If your breath feels easeful though your life feels somewhat out of sorts you can consciously tune into your breathe to help invite more of its easefulness into your life.

The source of our breath speaks to us of our alignment with our centre.

Breathing from our belly gets more oxygen into our system. When we enter the world we innately breathe from our diaphram/belly. We are centred in our being, connected to our divine flow. However as life unfolds, we can switch to upper chest breathing which can leave us feeling out of our centre, agitated without knowing why or breathing too much/too fast. If you desire to return to breathing from your belly be patient with yourself as it can take time to reprogram a primarily involuntary action.

The presence of our breath reminds us that we are transformational beings.

Our breath transforms after each inhale, when it flips direction and upon our exhale, flows out. We can literally use our breath as a tool to consciously flip our inner flow too. By bringing our awareness to our breath it can help ground our energies whenever we might feel anxious, nervous, agitated, irritated, frustrated or angry. When our mind and emotions are in overwhelm or overdrive, focusing on our breath can create powerful and positive change in our mental and emotional states.

How are you breathing right now? Are you giving yourself room to breathe calmly from within and in your life?

I'd love to hear from you. How does your breathing reflect your relationship with life? Add your comments below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page.

Shine on, Jelena x

© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2013.

Permission is granted to share this post and images within it freely on the condition that the author is credited and this byline is included. Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Move Your Inner Creativity, Out

Creative Nudge Fridays is here!

Welcome to nudge #26. We're moving our inner creativity, out!

What comes to mind when you think of the world 'creativity'? We each have our own definition of and connection to the word. Though in our busy inner and outer worlds we can feel like there's just not enough time for it. Yet that's what life is. An ah-mazing and ever-evolving act of creativity. Beyond the bounds of time, are you paying attention to the creativity within you or are you pushing it away?

Here is a nudge to amplify your awareness of your inner creativity and move it out into your life. Pay attention to how your inner creativity shows up for you this weekend and then, action it. Follow through in a way that feels life-enhancing for you. Your inner creativity is there to assist you in living the full expression of your highest self. It simply loves to create. It can show up as an inspired thought, an illuminated idea, an intuitive hunch or a spontaneous 'yes' to step out of your comfort zone. It can show up while you are taking a shower, driving, dancing or about to fall asleep (you might like to keep a pen and a notebook on your bedside table for such moments!).

However your inner creativity shows up for you in your life, pay attention to its blazing creative genius.

To remind yourself of your blazing creative genius is always with you, take a pic of your nudge in action, then use the pic as your screen saver or wallpaper on your phone or computer.

If you give the nudge a go, comment below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page. If you share your nudge in action via Twitter or Instagram use the tag #creativenudgefridays so we can find you.

Create on, Jelena x

© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2013.

Permission is granted to blog about this nudge or share this post and images within it freely on the condition that the author is credited and this byline is included. Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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A Little Sparkle

Creative Nudge Fridays is here!

Welcome to nudge #25. We're sparkling.

There's a divine spark in each of us. Its fiery, pure light, life-giving goodness radiates from the core of our being, out through our skin and into our lives. Ever notice how people say, "You're glowing!" or "You look radiant!" whenever we are on fire in our life, blazing forward on our highest path and feeling alive from the depths of our being? It's the inner spark, sparkling out.

Here is a nudge to remind you that your inner spark was born to shine through your whole self. Consciously add some 'sparkle' to your life this weekend. Interpret this in whatever way calls you right now.

To help you get started here are a few ways that you can get your sparkle on:
- Bust out your glitter, glitter pens or glitter paint.
- Make something using sequins.
- Get creative with anything metallic (in a non-explosive way of course).
- Paint your nails with sparkly polish.
- Wear something gold, silver or sparkly.
- Write a poem inspired by the word 'sparkle'.
- Capture the sparkle of the sun or the sparkle in your own eyes via a photo.
- Light a sparkler (safely), setting an intention of how you would like your own inner spark to shine through you.
- Journal out what it means for you to 'sparkle'.

Your divine spark illuminates your entire being from the inside out when you step out of your own way and allow it to shine.

To remind yourself that you are a divine spark, take a pic of your nudge in action, then use the pic as your screen saver or wallpaper on your phone or computer.

If you give the nudge a go, comment below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page. If you share your nudge in action via Twitter or Instagram use the tag #creativenudgefridays so we can find you.

Create on, Jelena x

© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2013.

Permission is granted to blog about this nudge or share this post and images within it freely on the condition that the author is credited and this byline is included. Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Planting Three Wishes

Creative Nudge Fridays is here!

Welcome to nudge #24. We're planting wishes.

As one of my first yoga instructors taught me many moon ago, where the mind goes the body follows. And does one's life. With the earthy energies of the New Moon Solar Eclipse in Taurus today, we're being given a divine invitation to pay attention to the direction our life is flowing. Whether you have been flowing closer toward or further away from the highest vision of your life, here is a nudge to assist you in aligning deeper with it.

Plant a wish. Three of them.

New moons are a time for getting clear with your intentions and what you truly desire to be calling into your life. Find a comfy spot indoors or out in nature and ask yourself, 'What three wishes do I have for me and my life right now?'. To plant your wishes, write down your responses in your journal or artwork them out with pencils or pastels. You might even like to literally plant some seeds in a pot, your garden or an egg carton. Knowing wishes really can come true.

So, what would it feel like if yours really did? Feel that.

Then hand your wishes up to the Universe, trusting whatever is for your highest good always finds it way to you.

To remind yourself that wishes can come true, take a pic of your nudge in action, then use the pic as your screen saver or wallpaper on your phone or computer.

If you give the nudge a go, comment below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page. If you share your nudge in action via Twitter or Instagram use the tag #creativenudgefridays so we can find you.

Create on, Jelena x

© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2013.

Permission is granted to blog about this nudge or share this post and images within it freely on the condition that the author is credited and this byline is included. Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Your Highest Path

Imagine there's a path to the highest vision of your life vibrating in the ethers. It's there for you right now. Are you on it, near it or feel far from it? What if you knew there was no right or wrong way to reach it? That all roads can transform into it when you ask and allow the self to receive?

What might it alter if you knew that the path to the highest vision of your life existed beyond self-made beliefs and limitations? That it's there for you if you believe in destiny and that all things are predetermined. That it's there for you if you believe life is an exclusive free will experience. That it's there for you if you believe that you are a co-creator of your life; creating, choosing and deciding as you go along. Perhaps aware of a higher force taking care of the who, what or where, but knowing it's completely up to you in how you choose to deal with and move through the things that show up on your path.

We can concern ourselves that we've fallen way off track. That we missed a turn that will never present itself again. That we made the wrong decision. Or moved in a way that our present self might feel uneasiness, disappointment or regret about. What is for your highest good is unencumbered by lineal time. Where a choice was made that your present self now questions, the lesson or gift is there for you when you bless not blame your decision. Where your soul desires to manoeuvre, a missed opportunity will present itself in another way. If not, trust your soul desires for a new experience and allow yourself to be present to the new opportunities that present themselves.

Far from an ordinary straight line, our life path is an extraordinary synchronised kaleidoscope of many roads. 

The roads we can journey on are vast and varied. The road of our dreams. The road of our fears. The road we have been told or taught to travel upon. The road we think we ought to tread. The road of struggle. The road of liberation. The road of anxiety. The road of peace. The conscious road. The unconscious road. The road we are walking to avoid another road. The road of our true self. The road of our false self.

If your road had a name, what road are you on right now? Giving it a name acknowledges the path and empowers you in the now. Name it with self-kindness, sans judgement. If more than one name surfaces, you might wish to journal out your response. Or artwork out your path with your pencils or pastels.

There's always a gift on your present road. Whatever road you are on, you can invite in the path of self-love. It is key to transforming all and any roads into the path to the highest vision of your life. 

I'd love to hear from you. In what ways do you know when you are on your highest path or far from it? Add your comments below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page.

Shine on, Jelena x

p.s. Kalvin and I came across this silver heart beside the road while out walking this morning. We loved it. He especially loved that is shimmered. Like a beacon of light reminding him of our inner guidance. He reckons it's divine stuff when we develop and maintain a conscious connection with our inner guidance. He says no matter if you call it your intuition, your soul, your higher self, your gut instinct, your authentic self, your wise self, your heart or your divine life force. He says what matters is that we allow ourselves to trust the higher power within us. The more we trust its guidance, the greater our ability to accept the roads (and stories) we have come from. Acceptance gives us permission to set down the load of yesterday. Allowing the self to hold the beauty found within and on our path today. Like, say, a shimmering silver heart.

© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2013.

Permission is granted to share this post and images within it freely on the condition that the author is credited and this byline is included. Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Pleasure Loves Awakening You

Creative Nudge Fridays is here!

Welcome to nudge #23. Let's go out and play.

As kids we don't need a reason to play. And we sure don't need to be asked twice if we want to go out and play. Whether that means going on the swings, sliding down the slippery-dip, kicking a ball around, running through the park, collecting leaves, climbing trees, shape-spotting in the clouds, drawing with chalk or building sandcastles. Perhaps due to weather or your location it's all about indoor fun like colouring in, finger painting, face painting, baking cookies and creating a mess in the kitchen, carving potato stamps, making play-dough, playing an instrument or a board game. Maybe it's more quiet play like doing a puzzle or reading a book.

Here is a nudge to up your inner-child happiness. Play. Go out or stay indoors. Whatever works for you. Think about the kinds of things you loved doing as a kid. Or maybe it was things you would have loved to do as a kid if you could have.

Play is happiness enhancing and ups your inner bliss! It's sheer joy in motion and super food for your creative spirit.

Here's my acronym for play --> Pleasure loves awakening you! It loves awakening you to the full expression of who you are.

To remind yourself that play is serious self-care business, take a pic of your play in motion, then use the pic as your screen saver or wallpaper on your phone or computer.

If you give the nudge a go, comment below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page. If you share your play in motion via Twitter or Instagram use the tag #creativenudgefridays so we can find you.

Create on, Jelena x

© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2013.

Permission is granted to blog about this nudge or share this post and images within it freely on the condition that the author is credited and this byline is included. Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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Up Your Inner Bliss

What if you knew that pleasure, as a way of being, was seeking you right now. Would you answer its call to lighten up? Would you seize the opportunity to expand your joy? Would you accept its invitation to be more playful with who you are? Or would you press pause, take a ticket and push it aside for later?

Pleasure is expansive, soul-nourishing and boundless. It is readily available to us in each moment. But how ready are we really to be present to it, and to accept it?

Every experience of sheer joy need not be off-the-richter scale states of euphoria. True inner joy is cultivated one happiness at a time, no matter the intensity. Yet how we respond to pleasure on one level informs us a great deal about how we respond to pleasure on any level. Let's consider for a moment one of the most intense points of physical pleasure aka the "big O". It is interesting to note men have little challenge experiencing this. On the other hand, according to Planned Parenthood statistics, at least one in three women have issue in this department. Our culture calls it "Female sexual dysfunction (FSD)". The very word 'dysfunction' suggests that in fact intense states of pleasure are a natural part of female functioning. Others say women just aren't built 'that way'. As George's dad in an episode of Seinfield says to Elaine, "What the hell does that mean?". She responds, "That means whatever the hell you want it to mean!". 

So, what might really be going on beneath the surface of such an imbalance within humanity? Regardless of gender we each hold masculine and feminine aspects within. Our divine masculine makes no excuses for immersing in fun on all levels and is more au fait with meeting its own needs of pleasure, including but not exclusive to sexual pleasure. Our divine feminine however, has been placing the pleasure of others (including the inner masculine) above the needs of her own pleasure, also including but not exclusive to sexual pleasure. We are living in a time where this is shifting. The divine feminine is awakening on an individual and collective level. The more we surrender to this awakening within our own selves, the more we awaken to its positively powerful ability to transform our lives, our relationships and our outer world.

Adept at self bliss, our divine masculine is now ready to expand its definition of pleasure to include the embodiment of heart-based love. Experienced with heart-based love, in particular expressed toward others, our divine feminine is now ready to expand its definition of pleasure to include her own bliss.

Inner bliss is a vital part of the full expression of who we are. Every little morsel of joy matters.

I'd love to hear from you. In what ways do you pursue or push aside your inner bliss? This question can also be used as a journal prompt! Add your comments below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page.

Shine on, Jelena x

p.s. Kalvin says when we surrender to bliss~fullness on any level, it helps us surrender to bliss~fullness on all levels. Pleasure can show up in an abundance of ways depending upon where you are at in your life right now. It might show up as a smile in your eyes, in being present in the moment when immersed in play or in greater actioning of what feels good for the highest vision of your life. Kalvin says pleasure as a way of being is seeking you right now. To help you up your inner bliss here is a pleasure activating affirmation; "I breathe with pleasure. I allow pleasure to flow through me. I open to the pleasure in my life right now."

© Copyright Jelena Mrkich 2013.

Permission is granted to share this post and images within it freely on the condition that the author is credited and this byline is included. Jelena Mrkich is an Artist, Art Therapist and Creative Catayst who is passionate about creativity as a tool for healing, transformation and self-awareness. For more info visit JelenaMrkich.com or for regular creative good things join her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

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