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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Your Heart Groove

Creative Nudge Fridays is here!

Welcome to nudge #20. Ready to get your heart groove on?

In the entire Universe there is only one you. And you were born to be exactly that. You. Yet from a very early age many of us are told, taught or take on board that we need to tame our roar, shun our light and turn down the volume of our soul. In order to be enough, worthy and loved. If you have ever heard (and believed) words like, 'You can't do that', 'No, you can't be that', 'Oh, you must be dreaming' or 'Welcome to reality', then at some point you have most likely felt (or feel) like a round peg in a square hole.

It takes a lot of energy to be less than who you really are. And calls for courageous vulnerability to be your whole self. To dance to the rhythm of your own heart beat.

Here is a nudge to turn up the volume of your own inner beat and express it out. Tune into the rhythm of your breath. Your breath is in direct relationship with your heart beat. And allow your breath to guide you in a few minutes of movement.

Find or create a space where you can move freely around, either indoors or outside. If you feel comfy close your eyes. Become aware of your physical self. Notice where you are holding any tension. And breathe. Notice where you are feeling any ease. And breathe. Allow your breath to enter its own natural rhythm. Then, begin to move your body however you feel guided to move from within. You might keep your feet planted on the floor and move your upper body in a swaying motion. You might move your whole self but stay in the same spot. Or you might feel to move around in a circle, around the room or wherever your inner beat takes you. Move freestyle for a few minutes or as long as you like. Allow your movement to come to a natural point of stillness. When you are ready, wiggle your fingers to help ground your energies. And slowly, open your eyes.

Allowing our physical selves to move freely in an authentic way gives permission to our whole self to freely be who we authentically are.

To remind yourself that your heart groove is always with you, take a pic of you 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 heart groove pics 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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Unprecedented You

Unprecedented might be a rare word to come across, unless one is an astronaut, inventor or say, you. The word means something that has never been known or experienced before, something that is unparalleled and unique. It's rare because one's ears are more likely to hear the sentiment, 'Everything has been done before'. That idea, those words, this action, every creation = done, done, done and done. Thankfully, not quite.

In order to manifest into form, every idea, word, action and creation streams through a physical body. And just like we each have one-of-a-kind fingerprints, we each have our own unique soulprint. It's the essence you give to everything that flows into, through and from your being, including what you say, think, imagine, visualise, make, create and do.

Your essence adds to the ingredients list of everything in your life.

Ever prepared a meal using the exact same ingredients, following the exact same recipe and method as someone else, yet yours turns out slightly (or completely!) differently? Another example surfaced for me during an aromatherapy course I took many years ago. During one particular class the same blue glass bottles and the same three essential oils were handed out to everyone. We each had to work with the same number of drops of each oil to make our own personal blend. Not only did the order of the drops alter the final scent, but even when same oils were added in identical order, using the same number of drops - each scent was unique.

Even though it's not visible on an ingredients list, we each add a dash of our own essence to all things we come into contact with or birth into being.

We are living at a time when we can consciously choose to bring through our being - not who we think we are supposed to be or who others want us to be or even who we were taught to be - but who we really are.

And you are unprecedented simply by being you. Because no one has or ever will be able to add to the world in the way that you do right now.

I'd love to hear about your uniqueness! In what ways do you connect with your essence? Add your comments below or be a part of the conversation on my Facebook Page.

Shine on, Jelena x

p.s. Kalvin reckons sure, it can appear as if everything has been done before. But, not with your dash of soul essence. Our essence is aware of its uniqueness. It is what ignites our desires, fuels our passions and drives our determination. It's what pulls us forth, it's infused our breath and we feel it every time we are lit up, inspired and uplifted. Which means whenever we feel disconnected to our essence, but want to feel plugged in - look to and connect with what inspires, lights up and uplifts you. Whether the last time you felt inspired was this morning, last week, last year or when you were a kid. You can even invite new inspiration into your life by setting the intention to be open to it. Unprecedentedly.

© 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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