Monday January 2nd 2012
Detoxing is hard. The hardest day is always the first, when the craving is strong, when habits are still so firmly imprinted in you that they seem impossible to change. Change is the ultimate goal, the biggest challenge to face, because detoxing is simply another way to change your life by ridding yourself of things you are normally used to which are not good for you.
A detox diet is hard enough when it comes to ridding the body of physical toxins – like sugar and alcohol, caffeine and nicotine - but even harder when attempting to rid it of emotional poisons. There are those people who we have grown accustomed to in our lives to whom we turn, speak or see regularly – but are they really good for us? Perhaps those people we have become somewhat attached to are actually hazardous to our emotional well-being. Maybe they throw stones at our spiritual walls and leave us with large gaping holes, or perhaps they abuse us in ways that are not obvious, silently chipping away at the paint, exposing the cement beneath, slowly picking at our emotional well-being, until there is nothing left. There is no denying that there exists such a thing as a poisonous relationship, and ridding your self of it will no doubt make you mentally healthier.
The first few days, weeks even, will be torture – there is no avoiding that. But what will keep you going is the knowledge deep down that it is for the best. After all, you would not be detoxing if you were not sure that all the suffering you will put yourself through will be worth it, that you will be better off at the end of the day. Deep down you know that you need to free yourself of the emotional and physical addictions in your life, so you can experience true freedom of body and mind, and thus true health and happiness.
How do you identify the toxic relationship, the person you need to detox from? They are the one who you turn to when you need something, but who don’t actually do you any good at the end of the day. Like a drink to an alcoholic, they are a shot of vodka when you feel reckless. Like a cigarette to a smoker, they are nicotine to calm you down, like sex to a sex addict, they give you a high when you feel low, like drugs to a drug addict, they provide a distraction from your own loneliness and depression, a boost when you feel down. But like all those things, they come with undesirable consequences too. Your obsessive compulsive behavior towards them is a clue that your involvement with them is toxic, and this is further confirmed by the withdrawal symptoms you experience when you are unable to speak/see/be with them. This person will have you in some sort of trap, a sort of endless cycle, and only with the detox can this destructive catch-22 end. Only when you have completely eliminated them from your life can you be independent and responsible for your own happiness. Only then do you have the power to control your life and steer it in the direction you wish.
Detoxing may be excruciating at times, but if you have tried it before and succeeded, you will know that it is worth it. That is works. Every detox is a little different depending on the object of elimination, but the test of endurance is always same. You will suffer, but feel better for it in the end. Whether it is food, drink or other substances, emptying or detaching your body from it all, will help cleanse your mind, and clearing your mind will in turn help purify your heart and soul. Finally, the decontamination of your heart, the distillation of your soul will help get rid of the hurt, pain, worry, angst, fear, anger and sadness that are clogging up your arteries and blocking your spiritual sensors. Only when you are entirely empty again, can you begin to fill yourself up with good, nutritious, consoling and healthy energy, be it in the form of physical or emotional sustenance.
Detoxing is hard, but necessary. Who wouldn’t want to better themselves, be happier and healthier? I don’t want to be attached or addicted, I don’t want to be a slave to anything or anyone… ever again. Which is why I choose to detox, now. I can envision myself lighter and feel myself freer already.
AddThis
Wednesday, 4 January 2012
2012 MY DIARY - JAN 1 - goodbye
Sunday January 1st 2012
This is the first time I write to you, but these words must be said, as I have spent the entire last year of my life with you. You were good to me, kind in many ways, but sometimes you gave me pain and sorrow. I shared so many new and memorable experiences with you – so many highs, so many lows - that you have become a part of me altogether now. You were my inspiration for every tear and every heartbreak, each and every laugh and smile, song and word I wrote. Through tough times and joyful ones, you were always there.
You were with me, all along the way, forever in my thoughts. I could never get you out of my mind. I worried about you constantly, about not having enough time with you, of wasting any time we had left together. I tried to make myself as present and conscious as I could be, with every moment that we shared. I tried to live each day like it was my last… and makes things last. But it wasn’t so easy. The clock seemed to tick too fast; the days and nights with you never seemed long enough.
There were times when I struggled. I felt old ties pulling me back, I felt myself repeating past mistakes. Yet, for a change, I sometimes managed to stop myself in time, or at the very least be aware of the error of my ways - enough to learn from every wrong move and every wrong turn. You showed me how everything is a life experience worth having – even the difficult or seemingly bad moments. I may have taken some risks that did not pay off, but I don’t regret them. In life, it’s easier to regret things you haven’t done, than things you have. Now, upon reflection, my time with you was a turning point for me. With you I ended a cycle of my life, where I kept clinging to things I didn’t need any longer, or needing things that weren’t good for me, where my cynical self ruled and there was no faith.
You made a believer out of me. You gave me hope. It was with you that I realized that I was over the past, and ready to dare to wish for a better future. You made me feel like I deserved to be more than just content, that I deserved to be immensely happy once again, and that it was fine to ask for more. You made it clear to me that if I desire things in my life it is not because I am unfulfilled but only because I have the imagination for dreams and the capacity to make them come true.
Because of you, I realized that I was ready to love again, to truly live again, and more importantly, to accept the way my life is for now and feel blessed for it. You made me understand that my life is good, and that I don’t have to focus on what I don’t have all the time. Being happy with what I do have is not settling. It’s simply a wise way to be peaceful… as long as it does not stop me from aspiring for whatever my soul seeks. Searching for my soul mate or striving for success has nothing to do with lack of acceptance or gratitude. I grew to see that I could be both happy and ambitious. With time by my side, anything was possible. All I needed to do was to enjoy every moment I had and have faith that there would be many more to come - just as wonderful, if not better.
Since with the first day of the new year, one has to say goodbye to the last, and farewell to the past, I thought it appropriate to write this final letter to you – an apt way to say adieu and let you go, as I begin a new era of my life. A part of me wishes we did not have to part; I grew used to you and somewhat secure with you, but the future beckons me. Thank you for all that you have given me, for all the love you have bestowed upon me, for everything we have shared and that you have silently promised me. For all that I will never forget you. You stood by me through all this. You meant so much to me, and still do, but now it’s time to move on.
Goodbye 2011. Happy New Year!
This is the first time I write to you, but these words must be said, as I have spent the entire last year of my life with you. You were good to me, kind in many ways, but sometimes you gave me pain and sorrow. I shared so many new and memorable experiences with you – so many highs, so many lows - that you have become a part of me altogether now. You were my inspiration for every tear and every heartbreak, each and every laugh and smile, song and word I wrote. Through tough times and joyful ones, you were always there.
You were with me, all along the way, forever in my thoughts. I could never get you out of my mind. I worried about you constantly, about not having enough time with you, of wasting any time we had left together. I tried to make myself as present and conscious as I could be, with every moment that we shared. I tried to live each day like it was my last… and makes things last. But it wasn’t so easy. The clock seemed to tick too fast; the days and nights with you never seemed long enough.
There were times when I struggled. I felt old ties pulling me back, I felt myself repeating past mistakes. Yet, for a change, I sometimes managed to stop myself in time, or at the very least be aware of the error of my ways - enough to learn from every wrong move and every wrong turn. You showed me how everything is a life experience worth having – even the difficult or seemingly bad moments. I may have taken some risks that did not pay off, but I don’t regret them. In life, it’s easier to regret things you haven’t done, than things you have. Now, upon reflection, my time with you was a turning point for me. With you I ended a cycle of my life, where I kept clinging to things I didn’t need any longer, or needing things that weren’t good for me, where my cynical self ruled and there was no faith.
You made a believer out of me. You gave me hope. It was with you that I realized that I was over the past, and ready to dare to wish for a better future. You made me feel like I deserved to be more than just content, that I deserved to be immensely happy once again, and that it was fine to ask for more. You made it clear to me that if I desire things in my life it is not because I am unfulfilled but only because I have the imagination for dreams and the capacity to make them come true.
Because of you, I realized that I was ready to love again, to truly live again, and more importantly, to accept the way my life is for now and feel blessed for it. You made me understand that my life is good, and that I don’t have to focus on what I don’t have all the time. Being happy with what I do have is not settling. It’s simply a wise way to be peaceful… as long as it does not stop me from aspiring for whatever my soul seeks. Searching for my soul mate or striving for success has nothing to do with lack of acceptance or gratitude. I grew to see that I could be both happy and ambitious. With time by my side, anything was possible. All I needed to do was to enjoy every moment I had and have faith that there would be many more to come - just as wonderful, if not better.
Since with the first day of the new year, one has to say goodbye to the last, and farewell to the past, I thought it appropriate to write this final letter to you – an apt way to say adieu and let you go, as I begin a new era of my life. A part of me wishes we did not have to part; I grew used to you and somewhat secure with you, but the future beckons me. Thank you for all that you have given me, for all the love you have bestowed upon me, for everything we have shared and that you have silently promised me. For all that I will never forget you. You stood by me through all this. You meant so much to me, and still do, but now it’s time to move on.
Goodbye 2011. Happy New Year!
Saturday, 9 October 2010
Tune in to Hemi-Sync
An Excursion Workshop by the Monroe Institute
Have you ever felt like you are stuck? Had enough? Feeling unfocused? Are you having trouble sleeping, or experiencing a creative block? Do people sometimes make you uncomfortable by invading your personal space? Have you ever had a worry that just won’t go away, a problem that you can’t seem to solve? Who hasn’t.
That is why The Monroe Institute Workshop, facilitated for the first time in Cyprus by gifted healer Barbara Jones, is perfect for everyone, no matter what you are going through or feeling. It deals with all these issues and more, offering you - no matter who you are, or where you come from - a way to change your life for the better. Something simple to achieve, if only by introducing one new habit into your life by choosing to continue practicing any one of the things you have learnt afterwards. Experience this workshop and you can emerge from it feeling lighter, more alert, with sharper sensations and a deeper sense of awareness.
I didn’t know anything about the Institute’s vast array of programs prior to the workshop, but when I read up a little about Hemi-Sync, which is what this excursion was going to focus on, I was curious to find out more, in person. However there was nothing that could have prepared me for what I was going to experience. A patented, scientifically and clinically proven audio-guidance technology developed by The Monroe Institute, Hemi-Sync uses blending sound patterns to help bring both the hemispheres of the brain into unison, which in turn enables listeners to accomplish goals by achieving a focused, productive ‘whole-brain’ state. This 2-day Excursion Workshop digs much deeper than you would think, and uses practical - not just theoretical - exercises to actually enhance your consciousness and expand your awareness, in order to help you understand yourself better. Are you a bit of a cynic? I was... until I took this course. Even though I had already previously taken a meditation course, I was still not prepared to believe how effective and life-changing this particular method could be until I had real proof of my own. However, I took a leap of faith and threw myself into this with an open mind and an open heart, willing to make the most I could out of this experience. It helps.
Upon arriving at ‘R’ place, a renovated village house which was our chosen location for this particular event, I was charmed by the beautiful and peaceful premises, as well as the intimacy of the small group who was ready to share and move forward and upward towards enlightenment and self-discovery together. Barbara and her visiting overseas facilitator Thomas were both delightful and encouraging, and everything was organised to perfection, from the sign-up sheet to the healthy snacks and array of drinks available to the poster cards used in the introduction to give us an outline of what was to come.
We began with everyone introducing themselves, followed by a description of what this course entailed, and then a short and illustrating explanation of how this effective method, created by founder Bob Monroe, actually works. We were then told what our first exercise would include, and from there we moved to another room on the upper floor of the building where we found an oasis where we could practice and learn. After choosing an inflatable mattress where we would settle down on, and making ourselves comfortable with pillows and blankets, we put on our headphones and started to tune in to Bob Monroe’s recordings. As we fell into the rhythm of the soothing sounds, followed his instructions we began our journey. Step by step, we found ourselves falling - or rather, rising – into a deeper relaxation, where our bodies felt ‘asleep’, but our minds remained awake. As the lights were dimmed and we closed our eyes, we were guided from regular normal waking consciousness (C-1) to Focus 10 (F-10), which is defined as ‘mind awake, body asleep’. And that was just the beginning. From F-10, we learnt the following day how to access an even deeper side to our consciousness, F-12, which is a high energy state where even deeper work on the self can be achieved. I was amazed to learn that practitioners of Hemi-Sync can often reach up to level F-21, and even F-27!
Throughout the practical sessions, Barbara and Thomas were always present to make sure we were comfortable and to help us emerge from our state of meditation back into full alertness. After each practical exercise we would retreat downstairs for a short break, a debrief about how we felt, where if we wished we could share how the experience had affected us, after which Barbara would introduce us to the next exercise. When I say exercise, you may think of tiring repetitive movements, but although the steps to get you to F-10 need to be repetitive, there is absolutely nothing tiring in these sessions which exercise your mind while your body relaxes. Even the mind is not getting tired, because it is not being tested, nor is there something specific thing to learn in each exercise, but rather a guideline and the freedom to let your body sink deeper and let your mind explore.
What I personally enjoyed most was the experience of pure relaxation of the body and mind, once I had reached higher levels of consciousness, but what I found most interesting were the actual differences between each practical session, as each time we were given a new and useful tool to help us access another dimension of ourselves. For example, we would begin by listening to the soothing sounds of surf crashing on the beach, mimicking the rhythm of your breath, and then we would visualise shutting away all our issues, troubles or anything that might get in our way, by putting them into our personal imaginary Energy Conversion Box and closing the lid. I practised how to be comfortable with my own voice, by humming or making sounds while I exhaled, something called Resonant Tuning, which helped to release and gather energy while giving myself an internal massage with the vibrations of voice. We also learnt how to visualise the breath spurting out of your body as a fountain, creating a spiral cascade of energy flowing downwards around you before being sucked back into you from your feet as you inhale again. This is your REBAL, your Resonant Energy Balloon, and it was fun working in groups of twos afterwards to try and feel the other person projecting their balloon. Something as simple as having your own balloon can help protect you in times when you feel you require more space, or need to defend yourself against bad energy, physical attack or draining people. I was delighted when Barbara told me she could feel my energy blasting outwards when I was trying to inflate my REBAL! The self-exploration with Metamusic was pleasurable, and the Releasing and Recharging exercise was a truly emotional cleansing process. An important step, not to forget, is the Gateway Affirmation: an internal speech of acceptance and awareness where you express that you are more than your physical body, that you are willing to let others more experienced and knowledgeable help support you, and that you are grateful. After this, you are ready to enter F10... and beyond.
I was thankful to have had the chance to experience this workshop. I went into it not knowing what to expect and came out of it refreshed and relaxed. You may not want to have an out-of-body experience; perhaps you are just looking for a way to bring a breath of fresh air into your routine by introducing new, useful habits and helpful tools into your everyday life. Or maybe you are experiencing something troubling and need to find a new way to work through it. Even if you just want to learn something new, and meet a bunch of interesting people and have a peaceful and enjoyable weekend away, this Excursion Workshop is for you. The benefits can be endless: profound relaxation, accelerated learning, heightened creativity, expanded awareness, enhanced sleep and well-being, pain and stress management, and spiritual growth.
Don’t worry about the unknown. There are no subliminal messages in the recordings, no potential for injury during the workshop, no residual unwanted effects afterwards. There is only a new dimension of awareness: a mental universe waiting to be explored. Transcend to a place where you can perceive untapped sources of information and energy which extend beyond your physical body. Hemi-Sync’s beats will lead the way. Tune in.
Copyright © Nathalie Kyrou 2010
Have you ever felt like you are stuck? Had enough? Feeling unfocused? Are you having trouble sleeping, or experiencing a creative block? Do people sometimes make you uncomfortable by invading your personal space? Have you ever had a worry that just won’t go away, a problem that you can’t seem to solve? Who hasn’t.
That is why The Monroe Institute Workshop, facilitated for the first time in Cyprus by gifted healer Barbara Jones, is perfect for everyone, no matter what you are going through or feeling. It deals with all these issues and more, offering you - no matter who you are, or where you come from - a way to change your life for the better. Something simple to achieve, if only by introducing one new habit into your life by choosing to continue practicing any one of the things you have learnt afterwards. Experience this workshop and you can emerge from it feeling lighter, more alert, with sharper sensations and a deeper sense of awareness.
I didn’t know anything about the Institute’s vast array of programs prior to the workshop, but when I read up a little about Hemi-Sync, which is what this excursion was going to focus on, I was curious to find out more, in person. However there was nothing that could have prepared me for what I was going to experience. A patented, scientifically and clinically proven audio-guidance technology developed by The Monroe Institute, Hemi-Sync uses blending sound patterns to help bring both the hemispheres of the brain into unison, which in turn enables listeners to accomplish goals by achieving a focused, productive ‘whole-brain’ state. This 2-day Excursion Workshop digs much deeper than you would think, and uses practical - not just theoretical - exercises to actually enhance your consciousness and expand your awareness, in order to help you understand yourself better. Are you a bit of a cynic? I was... until I took this course. Even though I had already previously taken a meditation course, I was still not prepared to believe how effective and life-changing this particular method could be until I had real proof of my own. However, I took a leap of faith and threw myself into this with an open mind and an open heart, willing to make the most I could out of this experience. It helps.
Upon arriving at ‘R’ place, a renovated village house which was our chosen location for this particular event, I was charmed by the beautiful and peaceful premises, as well as the intimacy of the small group who was ready to share and move forward and upward towards enlightenment and self-discovery together. Barbara and her visiting overseas facilitator Thomas were both delightful and encouraging, and everything was organised to perfection, from the sign-up sheet to the healthy snacks and array of drinks available to the poster cards used in the introduction to give us an outline of what was to come.
We began with everyone introducing themselves, followed by a description of what this course entailed, and then a short and illustrating explanation of how this effective method, created by founder Bob Monroe, actually works. We were then told what our first exercise would include, and from there we moved to another room on the upper floor of the building where we found an oasis where we could practice and learn. After choosing an inflatable mattress where we would settle down on, and making ourselves comfortable with pillows and blankets, we put on our headphones and started to tune in to Bob Monroe’s recordings. As we fell into the rhythm of the soothing sounds, followed his instructions we began our journey. Step by step, we found ourselves falling - or rather, rising – into a deeper relaxation, where our bodies felt ‘asleep’, but our minds remained awake. As the lights were dimmed and we closed our eyes, we were guided from regular normal waking consciousness (C-1) to Focus 10 (F-10), which is defined as ‘mind awake, body asleep’. And that was just the beginning. From F-10, we learnt the following day how to access an even deeper side to our consciousness, F-12, which is a high energy state where even deeper work on the self can be achieved. I was amazed to learn that practitioners of Hemi-Sync can often reach up to level F-21, and even F-27!
Throughout the practical sessions, Barbara and Thomas were always present to make sure we were comfortable and to help us emerge from our state of meditation back into full alertness. After each practical exercise we would retreat downstairs for a short break, a debrief about how we felt, where if we wished we could share how the experience had affected us, after which Barbara would introduce us to the next exercise. When I say exercise, you may think of tiring repetitive movements, but although the steps to get you to F-10 need to be repetitive, there is absolutely nothing tiring in these sessions which exercise your mind while your body relaxes. Even the mind is not getting tired, because it is not being tested, nor is there something specific thing to learn in each exercise, but rather a guideline and the freedom to let your body sink deeper and let your mind explore.
What I personally enjoyed most was the experience of pure relaxation of the body and mind, once I had reached higher levels of consciousness, but what I found most interesting were the actual differences between each practical session, as each time we were given a new and useful tool to help us access another dimension of ourselves. For example, we would begin by listening to the soothing sounds of surf crashing on the beach, mimicking the rhythm of your breath, and then we would visualise shutting away all our issues, troubles or anything that might get in our way, by putting them into our personal imaginary Energy Conversion Box and closing the lid. I practised how to be comfortable with my own voice, by humming or making sounds while I exhaled, something called Resonant Tuning, which helped to release and gather energy while giving myself an internal massage with the vibrations of voice. We also learnt how to visualise the breath spurting out of your body as a fountain, creating a spiral cascade of energy flowing downwards around you before being sucked back into you from your feet as you inhale again. This is your REBAL, your Resonant Energy Balloon, and it was fun working in groups of twos afterwards to try and feel the other person projecting their balloon. Something as simple as having your own balloon can help protect you in times when you feel you require more space, or need to defend yourself against bad energy, physical attack or draining people. I was delighted when Barbara told me she could feel my energy blasting outwards when I was trying to inflate my REBAL! The self-exploration with Metamusic was pleasurable, and the Releasing and Recharging exercise was a truly emotional cleansing process. An important step, not to forget, is the Gateway Affirmation: an internal speech of acceptance and awareness where you express that you are more than your physical body, that you are willing to let others more experienced and knowledgeable help support you, and that you are grateful. After this, you are ready to enter F10... and beyond.
I was thankful to have had the chance to experience this workshop. I went into it not knowing what to expect and came out of it refreshed and relaxed. You may not want to have an out-of-body experience; perhaps you are just looking for a way to bring a breath of fresh air into your routine by introducing new, useful habits and helpful tools into your everyday life. Or maybe you are experiencing something troubling and need to find a new way to work through it. Even if you just want to learn something new, and meet a bunch of interesting people and have a peaceful and enjoyable weekend away, this Excursion Workshop is for you. The benefits can be endless: profound relaxation, accelerated learning, heightened creativity, expanded awareness, enhanced sleep and well-being, pain and stress management, and spiritual growth.
Don’t worry about the unknown. There are no subliminal messages in the recordings, no potential for injury during the workshop, no residual unwanted effects afterwards. There is only a new dimension of awareness: a mental universe waiting to be explored. Transcend to a place where you can perceive untapped sources of information and energy which extend beyond your physical body. Hemi-Sync’s beats will lead the way. Tune in.
Copyright © Nathalie Kyrou 2010
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