Soothing Your Soul: Strategies for Self-Care and Finding Balance in April

Embark on a tranquil journey with us as we navigate the gentle waters of self-care and balance. April, with its promise of renewal, invites us to tenderly embrace the ebb and flow of life's demands. The show unfolds as a tapestry woven with the threads of kindness and respect toward one another, revealing how these virtues serve as a soothing balm amidst societal discord. As we explore practical strategies for self-soothing, you'll discover how to create a harmonious atmosphere in your own space, with tips for everything from indulgent baths to the peaceful melodies that can transform your home into a haven of relaxation.

Close your eyes and let the serene visuals of our 'Imaginary Boat on Soothing Lake' chapter transport you to a place of calm. Here, the delicate balance between the soul's yearning for peace and the world's chaos comes into focus. We guide you through a meditation of the senses, inviting the healing power of nature and mindful breathing into your routine. As your host, I share how this pursuit of tranquility is not a solitary endeavor but a shared human quest, and I welcome you to contribute your own soothing rituals to our collective search for well-being. Join us for this episode that promises to leave you feeling refreshed and harmoniously attuned to the world's rhythm.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:38

So, as always, you can start with a moment of quiet insurrection, a moment to simply be, to find that calmness within the busyness of the day. So just take a nice, calm, deep inhalation, feel as you fill up the lungs and as you exhale, you let go of that, that no longer serves you and you just let it go back to the earth. And you inhale deeply and as you exhale, you just let everything go. Inhale, feel as if you fill up and as you exhale, with gratitude, you let that no longer serves, you, go back to the earth. And for today's podcast, do I have a show for you? And just a very quick recap.

Speaker 1: 1:33

January, we made our plans for the year. February, we started implementing them. March, we start to pick up the pace a bit more, but then we kind of decided how we're going to navigate through obstacles. And for April, it's all about finding balance. So balance between action and fun, of course, which are the obvious ones, but also kind of balance, in a sense, that we have our dreams, we have our ambitions, but we live in this present moment and we soothe our soul, and by being the best possible version of ourselves, meaning at the same time that the best possible version also means taking care of ourselves. We can't be the best possible version of ourselves if we're not taking care of ourselves. We can hopefully inspire others to do the same. So it just kind of reminds me of like olden days when people kind of really could be quite judgmental to one another and unfortunately there seems to be like so much separation now. And I think if we treat each and every human being with love, respect, understanding and understand that they might not necessarily want to live the life the same as us, but equally there's a kind of wonderment, mutual respect and joy, then there wouldn't be all the trouble that there is. So for today's show we're going to learn how to soothe our being.

Speaker 1: 3:00

Soothe is like a cuddle. When I say the word soothe it feels like I'm giving myself a cuddle and it's like, yes, we're navigating through this kind of spring vibrant terrain, but there is some kind of difficult parts to that, as there is an everyday life and how can we build some nice mindful strategies which are realistic and that we can take into our everyday lives, which will help soothe our being? And I always think about soothe is soothing is that when we kind of support ourselves so we're not like burning. Is it the candle that she wins? When we're staying up too late and going to bed, getting up too early, without enough sleep, we are. Equally we're not being like stagnant water, where we're just not moving and we're just kind of stuck in front of the TV because that's convenient. It's always about balancing.

Speaker 1: 3:59

It's quite could be quite a complex thing to feel like you're soothing yourself as you kind of go through life and kind of find our ways. And when we soothe our being it's a great value to our mental health and to the health around others as well. So perhaps you're feeling a bit stuck and stagnant. The obvious thing besides the yoga breathing, which is the best tool in the world to soothe your being, I feel, is through the breath, mindful breath, where we kind of really take into the present moment. Because when we breathe kind of shallowly, I feel like it's a rejection of the present moment and there's so many complex reasons why we do that, and I would be lying if I didn't say that I sometimes breathe shallowly, but it's when we remember that we're doing it and then I think, oh yeah, that's why I'm feeling anxious or that's why I'm feeling like a bit fizzy because I'm not breathing well enough and it can be like healing, so healing to our being. But changing our environment as well can be really soothing and it sounds really obvious. But humans, I feel, can be creatures of habit and we're kind of like doing the similar things and doing the same things. But can you kind of break up your normal routine and do something different, like a change of environment? And the change of environment I feel will be something like outside, in nature, something green and somewhere to kind of really nourish, think of nature as nourishing and healing, and to get out there and to kind of clear any stuck energy that we have. And if you're having trouble with kind of removing or getting rid of stuck energy, then suggest you go and see someone to help you with that. Maybe do a guided meditation, see an energy healing I do shamanic healing sessions. I find that helps me, I love receiving them.

Speaker 1: 6:02

Maybe drawing a Reiki group there's all different kinds of things that you can do. Join a talking group Maybe there's a group of people that have a similar interest and you can go for a talking group or something like that and then moving the body, because there's soothing the body and in all people you're tired. There is slower forms of exercise that you can do, things like Tai Chi. And then there's the really slow yoga like Yin yoga. Maybe check out a local Yin yoga class or something like that to help everything feel soothed and help everything feel fantastic and you soothe the body and you find that movement. So I was fine that going to a class or doing yoga class where that kind of moves and twists and gets all the nooks out of my body like gets all the tightness out of my body. But as always, there are more forms of exercise than do consult your doctor before doing any of them.

Speaker 1: 7:08

A nice kind of bath, you know, like on the colder evening because it is spring but it can get a bit colder, but like a really kind of like sensual barf in a sense that it's using all the sense in kind of nice barf oil or nice candles, whatever works for you. And then music like if you can't get to somewhere to change the atmosphere, then nothing changes the atmosphere. I think then playing some kind of soothing music that is uplifting. Again, if you like to listen to heavy metal and you find that soothing, then go for it. But if you want to kind of calm the nervous system down, then find some sort of relaxing music that works for you and your very being and like a walk is like a walk is worth so much because it ticks a lot of boxes, because you can concentrate on doing your mindful breathing, you can be in the present moment, you can kind of get some exercise, you can connect with some new inspiring and settings, and it was kind of so soothing for the soul.

Speaker 1: 8:21

And maybe you've got a day off work and you could go and treat yourself to have a massage because that's so soothing, and then these are like things that you can kind of do to help soothe. And then you then what if you did? Then try and do something towards your goals and it feels like it's not working out for you or things aren't going well, because I'm going to tell you something, things don't work out a lot of the time. Some things sometimes are doing. That's great, but it's how we learn to navigate through the things as they come up. And maybe you're trying to do something for your business, for your work, and that particular thing's not working. Then then try and imagine that you're an eagle flying high in the sky and you're trying to see this from a bird's eye view, and then the birds eye view is going to be the thing that's going to help you to see things through like a fresh lens, and then perhaps, however you're trying to do this thing, you might find a new way of doing.

Speaker 1: 9:21

And what is it that you really want to achieve for this month? Can you write down what it is you want to achieve but, at the same time, write down the list of ways that you're going to soothe and support your being as you navigate through those tasks for the month? And remember we can set tasks because we always feel like we want to better ourselves and, of course, that is a good aspiration to have. But please don't forget to put tasks in that soothe you, and soothing is doing something that's going to help your soul, help your being, help your body. So kind of eating unhealthy food or not exercising isn't the best option to help your body. But perhaps you could like go for a nice walk with a friend and then finish it off like a nice cup of tea or something like that.

Speaker 1: 10:13

There is ways around and obviously maybe, if you're younger than I am, maybe you want to do something different to that, and that's fine, but just fine for your particular body, your lifestyle. Find out a know what triggers you and be. Know what kind of things you can put in place to soothe. Know what kinds of things you can put in place to soothe that. So what can you do to soothe your soul, soothe your being? Find that beautiful gentleness amidst this flow and flux, and what fantastic dreams and aspirations are you going to go for this month? And are you going to be kind to yourself if the don't all work out, and equally, when there's some do work out, remember to give yourself a great big hug, a great big pat on the back. So there's so many different ways in which we can find to soothe and yet progress our beings.

Speaker 1: 11:10

As promised, here is your meditation, inspired by today's show. Top tips for the meditation is either sit nice and cross-legged on the floor with a nice straight back always nice to sit on a block or a cushion, although that's not available for you. You sit in a chair with the back nice and straight. The important thing is you're not slouching, and if you're doing something that requires you concentration, all you need to do is just pause this and you can reconvene the meditation at a time that is good for you. If you're doing the meditation, that's Begin. So, as always, here is a meditation. It's only a few minutes. Soothe the soul by living in the moment.

Speaker 1: 12:00

As you sit in your meditation practice, can you feel as if you are soothed, you are held and you are safe as you sit on this magical boat on this beautiful lake and the lake is so crystal clear.

Speaker 1: 12:26

As you sit on this imaginary boat on this imaginary lake, the water is as crystal clear as it comes and occasionally koi carp pop their head up just to see what's going on.

Speaker 1: 12:43

Perhaps they're trying to get some food, who knows?

Speaker 1: 12:47

But you just feel soothed in this water as the odd water lily floats by and gingerly you dangle your fingertips over the edge of this imaginary boat and you feel the texture of the water, the wetness, it.

Speaker 1: 13:04

First it feels a little bit cold, but then it feels a bit soothing and then you bring your hand back in and you can still feel a texture of this water as it cools and soothes your being.

Speaker 1: 13:17

And then the sun does come and brings light upon your being and shines so brightly, so warming, as it soothes your being. You notice in the boat that there's a soft blanket made of the favorite texture of a snugly blanket that you would like, and you wrap it around you. Ah, you feel warmed and soothed, and all you have to do now is just allow yourself to be in that feeling of soothing, nurturing, nourishing moment, as you just sit there and breathe for the next few moments, as you comfortably come back into the moment, come back into the room and, as always, there's always the option to have a shamanic healing session or a long distance energy healing session to help you on your journey. Just go to shamanichealingsgov. So thank you, dear listeners, and enjoy the rest of your day and please share with me any top tips about soothing your being. Thank you, bye.