SDEpisode29 - Getting trough "Muddy" waters & The Lotus Flower W/Guided Meditation

The lotus flower is one of the most powerful symbols of resilience, transformation, and hope. It begins its life rooted in the mud, growing through dark and murky waters before finally rising above the surface to bloom into something breathtaking. Its journey reminds us that our struggles don't define us, they often become the very foundation of our growth.

In this episode, we explore what it means to move through life's muddy waters. We talk about healing from difficult seasons, finding purpose in pain, embracing the lessons that come from adversity, and trusting that even when life feels heavy, you are still growing. Sometimes the mud isn't there to bury you—it's there to nourish the person you're becoming.

Join us as we dive into the spiritual meaning of the lotus flower, the beauty of resilience, and how every challenge has the potential to lead us closer to our most authentic selves. No matter where you are on your journey, this conversation is a reminder that your bloom is coming.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:06

Welcome back, fellow yogis, to the Sol Deep Yoga and Healing podcast. I'm so happy to be back. My name is Kimmy. I'm your host, and next to me I have my co-host, Brittany. Woo! Oh my goodness, it has been a busy week for us. Busy, intense. Um, but also great.

SPEAKER_02 0:25

It was like, but yeah, like ended on like a great note.

SPEAKER_01 0:28

So we had uh in our town of Preston, we did the the famous Preston Rodeo Days weekend. Preston, famous Preston Night Rodeos.

SPEAKER_02 0:38

It's some there's a night word in there somewhere. We only do the sidewalk sales, so we we don't do the rodeo stuff.

SPEAKER_01 0:45

Yeah, but um we took our little storefront that's in the back out to the front of the shop and we did the the sidewalk sales this week, and it was really awesome. We've been planning for it, so we um we had all of our crystals and we did uh 40% off of our punch passes for the weekend, which was really great, and I was super glad that people took up that opportunity. We had a lot of our students come in and and take advantage of it, so it's really awesome. We had uh some of our friends come up and bring things. Um, my sister came up and did some face painting, which was so cool. It was her first face painting experience, and she did so good. I think that was one of my favorite parts was seeing how excited the kids were when they got done seeing their face paint, and she did such a good job, she's so talented.

SPEAKER_02 1:34

Uh, yes, she is. She did, I had her do the flower freckles. She did the shooting star on me. Yeah, and it was just fun because like all the little girls and boys that would walk by and just see us, they'd be like staring at us with wide eyes, like beautiful yoga teachers. Not that they knew we were yoga teachers, but it was just really fun, and she had she had a really good turnout, and I'm really glad for her.

SPEAKER_01 2:00

Yeah. Um, we also kind of collabed with Ivy Jade and we sold some of their stuff, which was really awesome.

SPEAKER_02 2:07

I had them provide um facial kits, and I didn't realize this till this morning that each facial kit was for different skin types. So we have facial kits here at the studio for acne-prone skin, brightening. Um there was another one that I can't remember, but she had three different kinds, and she had like two or three of each, and we sold some of those. And I mean, these are tried and true products, so yeah. Well, I love them. Like I love IV J. We love you, IVJ. Yes, we love you. And I I actually really like clabbing with them because like once you get to know them, like you know that like they don't just like take care of their skin, but they're also taking care of like their gut health. And so they're really, really big on like hey, like you need to make sure that like to have good skincare that you need to be taking care of your body as well in other ways, not just like putting products on your face.

SPEAKER_01 3:03

So yeah, they just know their stuff. I do. I also have to give a huge shout out to Meg because she brought up her plants and her macrame and killed it this week. And I we sold so much of her stuff, I was like, holy cow, like it was awesome, and that's actually my love for the week. I love um supporting our friends and just like it's so it's like mutually beneficial too because a lot of people would stop to to see what we were selling for our friends, and then they would see what we're selling too, and it was just it was so great.

SPEAKER_02 3:36

I love collaborations, it was especially with the collaborations that truly work, yes, like and the this was very beneficial for us. And we had your other sister selling her stuff, and she that was really fun because she was able to she had some pieces that um I I just couldn't explain, like her turquoise, and it was just really fun to see her be there, share her experiences where she got she had a fossil, and she was like, Oh, when I was working, I don't even know where she said, but it was like out of the country, yeah. You have some cool sisters, by the way.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

Yeah, I've got some pretty cool family, that's for sure. But yeah, it was it was a busy weekend. It also was a hundred degrees, so it was a little toasty, but we made it through and we did it, it was good.

SPEAKER_02 4:25

Kimmy brought out our misting bottles, so we've been using these misting bottles for our hot yoga class.

SPEAKER_01 4:30

Yeah, they're filled with water and lavender essential oil, and if people were looking hot, I was like, You want to spritz? I was spritzing myself all day.

SPEAKER_02 4:39

It was it made it, it made it nice. It was nice because like our space was so small that every time you spritzed, I was right next to you, so I just got spritzed too. I was like, And it smells so good, it smells so good, yeah. It just smells nice. Um, was I was surprised we had one lady come by and buy five things of sage at once.

SPEAKER_01 5:03

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 5:04

And I was and so now we have to reorder some of our sage.

SPEAKER_01 5:07

We do, yeah. We're almost completely out of our sage stock, so we're gonna have to restock on that. And yeah. Yeah, it was good. We had good sales this weekend. Right? Um Do you have any loves that you want to share? I do. My love.

SPEAKER_02 5:22

Wait, I have two loves because I just thought of one right now. Okay, let's do it. The one that's on the top of my head. I loved our book club book. Can we just stop and appreciate the book that we just finished for book club? Yes. We just got done reading The Calamity Club. I think we've talked about this a couple weeks ago.

SPEAKER_00 5:40

Yes.

SPEAKER_02 5:40

When we picked it. Oh my goodness.

SPEAKER_01 5:45

Probably one of the best reads I've done this year. Um, highly recommend, especially if you're into like female empowerment. This is it. Such a good book. It's based in the what 1920s? Early 19th century.

SPEAKER_02 5:58

1930s, Mississippi.

SPEAKER_01 6:00

Like southern Mississippi. And if you're one of those people that can't do a physical read, um, this was the best audiobook I've ever listened to. Like the voices, the narrators, everything was just so good. Like I I was really sad when it ended, to be honest. I was like, oh dang it, it's already over. I know I will be rereading. And there was none, and I was like, no.

SPEAKER_02 6:26

I know I wanted one, but oh, it was yeah, it was a very good book, and it was your book that got chosen. And I was like, okay, cool. And so I think for the last couple weeks, Kimmy's had to hear me say, like, this book, Kimmy, like, I'm so glad that yours got picked. This is this is so good. Yeah, it was a very good read. Highly recommend. Yeah. What's your job this week for book club? Do you have the drink? I have drinks. Yeah. Do you know what you're gonna do? No. No, I don't. Lemonide.

unknown 6:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 6:56

Maybe someone's gonna be a little bit more than that. Yeah, you could totally, yeah, like a sweet tea. I'll figure something out, but and I have to, I kind of said this to you the other day. Super appreciate, like, like this author had to do some deep diving and some historical stuff because some of the stuff that they were talking about, I was like, whoa.

SPEAKER_01 7:14

Yeah, so this is the same author of The Help. So Catherine Stockett is the author of this book, and I mean she just does an amazing job anyway. It was heartwarming, it was comical, and it's her brand new book, it came out this year. Yeah, so highly recommend. Very good read. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 7:30

My other love is that I just love that we me and you naturally have a good time together. It's not forced, it's so natural, and um, I tell you this all the time. I tell Matt this all the time, my husband. You and Matt are the funniest people ever in this world to me. Thanks, dude. You guys make me laugh all the time. Uh you know what?

SPEAKER_01 7:58

Well, I I feel the same way. Yeah, it's never forced with me and you. We just it's I just like the natural flow, right? Because we we work well together, but we have fun doing it too.

SPEAKER_02 8:07

So And you'll match my energy, and that's really important to me.

SPEAKER_01 8:11

Mm-hmm. Yeah, we like feed off of each other, which sometimes can be a little bad, but most of the time it's pretty good.

SPEAKER_00 8:17

Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:18

I mean, I told you this morning, I was like, I love feeding your ego, Kimmy. I know, I was like, keep feeding it, maybe not though, you know. Um, okay, my hate is it's not bad hate. So when I'm applying essential oils during Shivasana, and like my hair will fall down my shoulder and land in a hand, and I'm just like, but I can't have it in a bun, because if I have it in a bun, I can't I can't go to a flat back. Uh-huh. That's so funny. Maybe you just when you're applying oils, you gotta like clip it up or something. So dude, sometimes those clips.

unknown 8:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:56

I'm gonna have to find if anybody out there has extremely long, thick hair, like long, like to the middle of your butt, what are you doing? Like, how are you keeping it in place? Like, I can't do braids anymore because it rubs too much, and I don't like that feeling. Like, I've tried everything clips, hair, hair pieces. I'm running out of options, man. And I'm not cutting my hair, so don't tell me to cut my hair.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

Yeah, nope. Brittany's got beautiful fake hair, it's all the way down to her hips, and I'm very jealous, but also don't have that issue because my hair is to my shoulders, and I'm actually waiting for the moment that you find a piece of my hair wedged in your butt crack. Does that happen to Matt all the time?

SPEAKER_02 9:46

But that's so funny.

SPEAKER_01 9:49

That's like well, I find your hairs, but never in my butt crack so far.

SPEAKER_02 9:53

I'll find your hairs up at the top of the mat where you lay your mat sometimes. Yes, but it smells like I'll find your hairs up there sometimes.

SPEAKER_01 10:00

But we just it's like 10 feet long. Well, it's like we can clearly tell whose is who. Brittany's got like four feet of hair that's dark and long, and I just have short little blonde hair, so we always know who's is what, but that is. Um, I have two hates because I missed out last week because I went and visited my family over in Denver. Um, and it was so fun. I love seeing my siblings, they're just the best. But that was also my hate is saying goodbye. I always hate saying goodbye. I only get to see them, you know, like once or twice a year, maybe. And so I just I hated saying goodbye. I started crying like a big old baby, and I was like, just ignore me, you guys, it's fine. But I hate, yeah, I hate saying goodbye to my siblings. I wish they lived closer to me. I keep telling them, I'm like, let's buy some property together, let's build a couple houses on it. Yeah, let's do a homestead. Right, maybe one of these days I'll convince them, but um I I have to add another love.

SPEAKER_02 10:57

Okay, I love your dad. Oh yes. He was he brought us pizza yesterday. He came and hung out, he hung out with us, he made sure that we were drinking water. He's like, Do you need something to drink? He's just doing that. I'm like, oh, Kimmy's dad.

SPEAKER_01 11:13

He's he's literally the best. He's who I aspire to be. Like, I hope I grew up to be half as cool as he is, and half as kind and patient and empathetic as he is. You know, I try to be, but he's he is a one-of-a-kind man. So, you know what? That's a good love.

SPEAKER_02 11:28

You and your siblings definitely got that trait, that loving kindness. Like, not just like um when you speak, you can hear it, but like in your energy as well. It's very like I noticed it with your brother when I'm when I met him when he was here a while ago. So like I can I yeah, I felt I felt that in all of your siblings. So your sibling, you and your siblings are very blessed to have your dad's like that gentle side.

SPEAKER_01 11:57

Yes, he's he's seriously the best.

SPEAKER_02 11:59

He is, he's yeah.

SPEAKER_01 12:01

Um what a guy. Yeah, what a guy. Um, would you rather? I have wait, I have another hate. I have one more hate, and then yes. Um when we were doing the sidewalk sales this weekend. Um, we had someone who sneezed over our stand like into the crystals. Um yeah, the the clean the clean freak in both Brittany and I, we just we had to take the crystals back and go clean them and all the things. It was you know, like innocent sneeze, yeah, it's not a child. She was trying, you know, but like I know it's because people come and they they want to feel the crystals, right? So people were all putting their hands on them, and I was like, and like literally, like pretty much fondling these fondling the rock. You know, you gotta feel like which one feels right, you know? And so we're like, ooh, gotta go clean those real quick.

SPEAKER_02 12:58

Okay, yeah, let's move on to our would you rathers. Okay, I'm gonna start with mine, and I have to ask you the one from last week. Do you remember the one that me and Junior did from last week?

SPEAKER_01 13:10

Was it spaghetti for hair and pancakes for feet? Is that what it was? I want to know your answer. I'd rather have spaghetti for hair. Pancakes for feet, like I just feel like that wouldn't be stable enough, you know. Like I'd I'd be flopping all around, you know? I need that sturdiness beneath me.

SPEAKER_00 13:29

All right.

SPEAKER_02 13:30

That was a good answer. Yeah. Because I think Junior picked pancake for feet.

SPEAKER_01 13:36

He did, yeah, and I was surprised. Um, okay. That's funny. My would you rathers are yoga themed. So would you always, or would you rather always arrive five minutes late for a class or chronically arrive 30 minutes early to class?

SPEAKER_02 13:53

Chronically arriving 30 minutes to class. Yes. And if I have to sit in my car and wait, fine. Yep.

unknown 14:00

Fine.

SPEAKER_02 14:02

But I'm probably gonna sign up and yeah, because yes.

SPEAKER_01 14:08

I hate arriving late to a yoga class, the anxiety behind it.

SPEAKER_02 14:12

Show up late for a class, that would be oh yeah, no.

SPEAKER_01 14:16

Alright, my other, would you rather? Would you rather fall asleep every time in Shivasana or never be able to fully relax in Shivasana? I'll fall asleep. Because I do, anyways. Yes, I agree.

SPEAKER_02 14:32

Awesome. That's great. Alright, what else you got for me? I got a smell for you. Alright.

SPEAKER_01 14:38

Yes, that smell.

SPEAKER_02 14:42

Alright. You ready? Ready. Okay, opening. I'm gonna sniff it first. Okay. Sniff. It's a single blend. But we don't use it very often. Is this company? No. Is it like waka wood or whatever? No. Dude, you're close. Cedar wood? No. It's earthy for sure. It is very earthy. What else do we got back there? Like I said, it's not something that we use very often.

SPEAKER_01 15:16

Frankincense? No. I want to peek.

SPEAKER_02 15:23

Oh. And the name? Clary Sage. Oh sage! But it does smell like the patchouli.

SPEAKER_01 15:30

It kind of does smell like patchouli.

SPEAKER_02 15:32

Yeah, I don't like that smell though.

SPEAKER_01 15:34

I don't know why those are always so hard for me. I guess I don't have the best sense of smell. Oopsie baby. It's okay. Alright, I'll close my eyes. Alright. Mine's a blend. Oh boy. Here you go.

SPEAKER_02 16:15

Is it a blender that we've created? Is it shrouded? No.

SPEAKER_01 16:32

Think for body. We typically will use this for the body.

SPEAKER_02 16:37

Oh, isn't that aromatherapy? No, you're getting closer though. Um I know which one it is. I just can't think of it now. Pressure's on, dude. It's hard. Aroma touch?

SPEAKER_01 16:51

No. I'll give you a hint. It's a butterfly express oil, not a doTERRA. Oh, okay, thank you. Whispering hope. Fortitude. Yeah. Fortitude. Oh, I love fortitude though. It's so good. It's specifically meant to like help with like chronic pain and inflammation and stuff. Smells so yummy though. I do love this one.

SPEAKER_02 17:17

We're starting to memorize like all the oils we have at like. It's it's Butterfly Express. Um, I love that. We actually, when on our sidewalk sales, we had some lady come up and take a look at our essential oils that we've blended together. And she bought like two or three of them. And I was like, Yeah. We have some for certain things, like we've created one for like healing, for inhaling, and just exhaling, relieving all that stress. What else? Migraines, depression, anxiety. We have the our bug spray too, which is sold, yeah. Which we've sold that consistently every year since we've opened up.

SPEAKER_01 17:54

Well, it's awesome. I mean, nobody loves the smell of bug spray, you know? Like this is natural. And this is natural and it actually works.

SPEAKER_02 18:02

It it works well, actually. Yeah. So we have a recurring customer. We do. We have a few reoccurring customers. They're like, where's that? Is it is it bug season time? Is it spray season season?

unknown 18:14

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 18:16

Um, okay, so should we go on to the poll of the day? Yes. Kimmy pulled our studio card, um, book magic. So I thought that was cool, but I see that it's associated with learn and grow, and I think that's a great transition into what we're talking about. I love that it's like matching. Beautiful. Again, we're still reading out of the comfy cozy witch. Kimmy, your new cards. Maybe one day we'll have to bring the new cards out.

SPEAKER_01 18:43

Next week, we'll bring the new cards. That's another one of my loves. I got a new, I got a new Oracle deck this weekend from my sister. And they're amazing. They're cool. Oh, yeah. We'll bring them out next week. We'll tell you exactly what they are and how you can get them.

SPEAKER_02 18:59

Alright. Book magic. Learn, grow. I constantly learn and grow, expanding my mind and nurturing my spirit. The message. Books are portals to knowledge and transformation and are vital to us to a spiritual practice. Each page turn is an opportunity to expand your mind, to enrich your spirit, and to discover new perspectives, perspectives and practices. This card invites you to devil in the book, the magic of books. Embrace the wisdom and inspiration that books offer on your journey of self-discovery and magical growth. Choose book that resonates with your current paths and interests, whether that be fiction or nonfiction. Create a reading ritual by dedicating time each day to reading pages of a book about your craft. Engage in conversations about the books you read. Journal your thoughts, learnings, and insights to solidify this new knowledge. It's important to always be learning and growing in your journey. And the prompt to go along with this reading is what topics in the spiritual world or books have you been meaning to explore to grow your magical practice?

SPEAKER_01 20:11

That is a beautiful transition into our theme today. So, question of reflection. Have you ever looked back on a season of your life that felt impossible while you were living it, only to realize later that it changed you in the best possible way? I look back on my life, and there's I have so many examples of when I felt uncomfortable or discouraged or anything, but those experiences have helped me in like my future life to either help other people or to just like share my experience and and help like help me realize how much how strong I am, how resilient I am, and how or that growth, like the growth that's come from that situation. Yes, yeah. And you know, this those difficult times, it's like I wouldn't be who I am today without them. So that's kind of what we're talking about today. Um, in the yoga world, um, there is a um mudra that goes along with this, and also the story. It's the story of the lotus flower. Um, if you're familiar with the lotus flower, it's this beautiful, it's either like white or pink, you can get different variations, but it's those those beautiful petaled flowers that sit on top of the water. And they're they're known to like represent like purity, enlightenment, and just all the good things. Um, and when you look at those flowers, you just you you notice the beauty, you notice how perfect they are, you notice how just like wonderful they are. But the lotus actually begins its life. Once that flower is bloomed, the seeds drop down through the water and settle into the mud. So they um The beginning of their life is buried deep beneath the surface of the muddy water. It doesn't grow in crystal clear lakes or perfect conditions. It grows in the darkness, in the stillness. It's surrounded by that uncertainty. But yet every single day it stretches upward towards the light until one morning it finally breaks through that surface and blooms. And what's remarkable is that the mud isn't something that the lotus has to overcome. It's exactly what actually nourishes its growth. It needs that darkness, it needs that stillness, and it needs that grounded energy for it to be able to grow. And our lives often work the same way. So most of us wouldn't choose heartbreak, disappointment, grief, failure, or uncertainty. And most of us don't even choose change because change is scary.

SPEAKER_02 22:48

Change is hard.

SPEAKER_01 22:49

We naturally seek comfort. We want life to feel predictable and safe, but growth rarely happens where everything feels comfortable, which is exactly what our quote of the day is. It says a comfort zone is a beautiful place, but nothing ever grows there. So some of the strongest parts of who we are have been shaped by the seasons that we never would have chosen. So whether that's a season of failure, a season of unexpected endings, the moments where we questioned ourselves, or the times that we feel lost. And those experiences are our quote unquote mud, the things that we go through. But that mud also teaches us resilience, it teaches us compassion, patience, strength, and most importantly, it gives us a different perspective to look at life upon. So to go along with that, I want to talk about how comfort isn't the goal, you know. Like, and we talk about it a lot a lot in yoga. We're like find a comfortable position, like be comfortable. Like, of course, like physically we want to be comfortable. Um, but what if the purpose of life isn't to be more come or to become more comfortable? Um, maybe it's to become more compassionate or more courageous or more authentic in your own experience. So comfort often keeps us where we are, but growth asks us to let go of who we've been so that we can grow into our full potential. Um, so when we talk about growth, oftentimes we're thinking about, oh yeah, we're getting this done and this done and this done, and we're like getting more. Like we we attach growth with like the concept of more. But sometimes growth looks like less. So maybe that's less people pleasing, less perfectionism, less fear, less comparison. Comparison, less comparison. Um, and maybe it's less needing everyone's approval. Um, sometimes blooming isn't adding another petal, sometimes it's shedding what was never really you. Um every season that we have in our life has a purpose. So right now we're in the summer season, which is like our flourishing, our abundance, our this is the growth season. So we're in that season, but we're about to come into autumn, which is more of the letting go and the bringing back to balance. Um, with our society, we we have like these outside expectations that we constantly need to be producing something, like we constantly need to be productive, we constantly need to be doing more. And especially as women, I feel like that's kind of just like placed upon us. It's like we we always have to be caring for other people before we ever care about ourselves. Um, but depending on the season that you're in, sometimes you need to rest, sometimes you need to grieve, sometimes you need to give yourself that time to heal. And none of those seasons are wrong, they're all meant to get you to exactly where you need to go.

SPEAKER_02 25:47

And something that just kind of came up into my mind, so like growing up, um, if I was just always taught, like if I wasn't productive, I was lazy.

SPEAKER_01 25:58

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 25:58

And so, like, take this with like find that read like when you find yourself being so productive, and it's like for me, like if I notice myself like overworking, I'm like, whoa, this is stemming from my childhood. Like, you need to stop, like, you're you're working too much, you're doing too much, you need to stop. You need like I understand that we want to be productive, right? But there is a time and of like where it's too much, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 26:27

And we also need to like be able to like let go of that guilt, right? Like, especially like you the guilt, like the mom guilt, is this like you finally have like 30 seconds to yourself, and it's like I'm going to the bathroom, free man. Well, it's like sometimes you feel bad about like not doing something, you know, or like taking time for yourself, but like it's so important to be able to take that time so that you can you can rest and you can grow from there. Um, so how do we know the difference between healthy discomfort that leads to growth and harmful situations that we need to leave? There's there's a distinction between there. So healthy discomfort expands you. Um, it often does feel uncomfortable because you're growing, but not because you're being harmed. So, some examples of this, like healthy discomfort would be like speaking up for yourself for the first time because that's encouraging you to share your own voice, to share your authenticity. Um, maybe healthy discomfort is like trying yoga when you're like, I'm not flexible, you know? Like it's just like putting yourself out of your comfort zone. Um, the reason why I actually chose this topic is because I I was looking at my sister this weekend who came up to face paint, and she at the end of the weekend she told me um, she's like, this is exactly the push that I needed to like show myself that I can do this. And like she killed it, like she did so good, like she did amazing. And so that's kind of what inspired today's podcast because sometimes we just need that little extra push, like we need to just step out of our comfort zones a little bit, you know, to help us expand.

SPEAKER_02 28:00

Embrace the change.

SPEAKER_01 28:02

Yes. Um, so harmful situations that um aren't like helping us grow um would be situations where you notice yourself becoming quieter, smaller, more anxious, or more disconnected, more like when you're like people pleasing or like doing things to help other people versus like your own your own needs. Um not taking care of yourself and putting other people's first. Yeah. So growth asks you to expand, to grow into the person that you're becoming, um, but that harm causes you to like shrink into yourself, to disappear, to like let go of those things. So that's the distinction there. Um, so and when you're in a situation that you need to like figure out like, is this helping me grow or is this like actually harmful to me? You can just ask yourself, who am I becoming because of this situation? Are you becoming more compassionate? Are you becoming more authentic? Are you becoming more patient? Or are you becoming more feel fearful? Are you becoming more isolated, or are you becoming more disconnected from yourself? And this changes, this question changes everything. So just ask yourself if you're ever in a situation, who am I becoming because of this? Is this helping me grow or is this potentially causing me harm?

SPEAKER_02 29:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:20

Um, another tip, if that question still doesn't resonate with you, and I I preach this all the time, but your body knows before your mind will ever catch up to it. Um, so examples of this. Um, when you're in a situation and you're uncertain about how you feel, if this is like a harmful situation that's not helping you grow, your body's gonna give you signs. You might feel shaky, you might get those knots in your stomach, you might get like that high blood pressure, high heart rate, like you're gonna be able to do this like you feel like you're on fire. That's me. You might even feel a little bit more emotional or vulnerable. Um, but also on the other side of that, um there's usually a sense of relief. Um, if you're going into those situations that help you grow, you'll feel a lot lighter. Um, you'll feel a sense of alignment and you'll feel like you've honored yourself. And that's what's really important. Um, in order to grow though, we need to be able to feel safe. We need to be able to feel supported. And if you're not getting that support from outside people, I feel like a lot of times people are like, oh, I need support, like I need a friend to help me, or I need X, Y, and Z. We always preach this, but be your biggest supporter. You don't need that outside help, you just need that little push from within.

SPEAKER_02 30:44

Especially if you're looking for someone to like motivate you, like, I just need I need a gym partner. Like, are you always gonna be able to rely on that partner to show up for you every single day? Exactly. Or are you gonna show up for yourself every single day?

SPEAKER_01 31:00

Exactly. Yeah, so be that supporter for yourself. Don't be looking for the outside circumstances to give you that push that you need. No one's gonna do that for you. You have to do it for yourself. So just reflect on what feels healthy, what feels aligned, and what feels good for you. And if it doesn't feel good, then maybe that's something you need to let go of. And that letting go is growth. Absolutely, and it's getting out of your comfort zone. Yes. So coming back to the lotus flower. So we have a mudra that comes along with this, and I refer to it like we did it in our practice today. Um, but I like to use this just like whenever I'm feeling like I'm down in the mud. So, what the lotus moudra looks like is if you place your palms together at heart center, flat, you'll keep the base of your hands together and the pinkies and the thumbs touching, and then the three middle fingers will just start to expand, like you're just holding this little flower. And in our practice today, we held it at our heart, and then we would visualize that lotus flower growing. We'd bring the hands up above head and we would let it bloom, and then we would let it go. And that's the other thing with growth. We need to be able to let it go. We need to be able to let the universe take over, like things become aligned and things work out for a reason.

SPEAKER_02 32:12

And the more you release, the more you're going to bring in to fill that cup and to fill that need here. Like the like, hey, I really actually truly can do this.

SPEAKER_01 32:25

Yes, so the lotus never blooms because the mud disappears, it blooms because it keeps reaching towards that light anyway. And maybe that's exactly what growth really is. It's not waiting for life to become easier, but it's continuing to move towards what gives us life, even when the path feels unclear. So if you're in a season that feels heavy, I hope you'll remember this. The roots grow in the dark, and some of the most important transformations happen beneath the surface long before anybody can see them. And you may not feel like you're blooming today, but that doesn't mean that you're not becoming something worthy. Um, like when we see those lotus flowers, I'm like, we only see the very end when they're so pretty and they're just perfect, but they've been going through, they've been going through it.

SPEAKER_02 33:08

They were like, I've been through to get to this peak in my life. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 33:12

And and I can relate to this topic so much because I mean, like, we were talking to Riley this week, and she was just like, Oh, I wish I could just be so happy and just like so, you know, as you are. Like you always have a smile on your face, and I'm like, you know what? It's taking me a lot to get here. Like I grew up depressed. Like, I, you know, I've definitely had some really dark seasons in my life. Um, but because of those dark seasons, like I probably would never would have become a yoga teacher if I hadn't gone through all the stuff that I went through like in high school and even out of high school, like the you know, the the relationships that happened, you know, like just all the things, like those, and they were difficult. Like I'm not trying to like just diminish like what I've been through. Like those those times are really hard and like they really sucked at the time, and like I hated it, you know. But but because of those experiences and looking back at it now, I've been able to see how resilient I really am. Like I'm a strong woman, like you know, and it's I don't know, I've just had to look back and be like, oh yeah, like you know what? Like I did it, you know, like I've I I grew through what I went through.

SPEAKER_02 34:22

Absolutely, and now you know what you like, what you don't like, what works, what doesn't, what's good for you, what's not. Like you truly know yourself and you know how to protect those boundaries to make sure that you don't like of course you're always gonna go through those muddy waters, right? You're always gonna have time to get it. There's gonna be more gonna be more, but like now you know that you can get through it without like falling into the spiral of depression or or anxiety. Like you know that there's the light at the end of the tunnel. Like, once you get past that water, the sun is right there. The sun is there, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:58

There's always something to look forward to. So I hope this is just a reminder for everyone out there. Whatever season that you're in in your life, there's always going to be a better season coming. And even if you're in that really good season right now, just there's probably gonna be some muddy waters ahead, but that's okay because they shape us into who who we are today.

SPEAKER_02 35:17

So you typically you gain a lot of wisdom through those muddy water times.

SPEAKER_01 35:20

Yeah, I feel like I'm very wise just from the situations that I've that I've gone through, and I'm honestly really, really grateful for every hard experience that I've had because it's it shaped me into being a more compassionate, kind, and empathetic person. And so I'm honestly really grateful for him. If like, you know, people will ask, like, if you could go back and change one thing, like what would you do? Like, would you start over? Like, would you do a different career? Would you do X, Y, and Z? And whenever people ask me that, I was like, I honestly wouldn't change a thing. Like, like, there's definitely some things that I would love to redo and like maybe avoid, you know, but like but also I wouldn't take that back because because I learned so much from it.

SPEAKER_02 36:03

And then look where you're at now. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 36:05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 36:06

And if you go back and change those things, you're not gonna come back to this. It'll be completely different.

SPEAKER_01 36:11

Yeah, I had a friend ask me, this is a few years ago, but they're like, if you can go back, like would you, would you maybe not date that guy or like do you know, do that? And I I think about it and I was like, well, if I never would have dated that guy, I never would have come to Preston. I never would have met you. I never would have wouldn't have your friends. Wouldn't have my I mean, I probably wouldn't even be a yoga teacher. Like all the things, like they're just so, yeah. I'm just so grateful for all of the hard times that I've had because it got me to where I am right now.

SPEAKER_02 36:42

So and finding gratitude in those muddy water dimes is like, I feel like one of the most essential things to do to get you through that. You just have to find the good in the bad.

SPEAKER_01 36:54

Yep. There's always something to be grateful for, right? And then talking about manifestation, like practicing that gratitude, it brings in more more things to be grateful for. So just look for the good. There's there's always something good to come out of, regardless of whatever situation you're in.

SPEAKER_02 37:09

Um it doesn't have to be anything big, it can be the simplest thing. It's the fact that you had you cooked yourself breakfast.

SPEAKER_00 37:15

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 37:16

Or the fact that you had food to cook, you know, or that you have a house, or you have a car, or you have running water, you had fresh air to breathe today, you know? Like it can be so simple. Just look for the things to be grateful for. There is always that light to look forward to. Um, with that, I think I'll pass it over to you, Britt, so that we can do our writing activity.

SPEAKER_02 37:37

Okay, so for our note card, we have two questions we want you to answer. And you're either you will grab your note card or your journal, and I want you to date it. So, whatever date you're listening to this and you're filling this out, write the date. The first question is what mud have I experienced that has quietly shaped who I am? What mud have I experienced that has quietly shaped who I am? And the second question that you're going to ask yourself looking back, what strength or wisdom was born from this difficult season? What strength or wisdom was born from that difficult season? And take as much of time as you need here. Pause, write it down, reflect, think about it.

SPEAKER_01 38:33

And then celebrate your own resiliency. Absolutely. If you're listening to it right now, you've already made it through. Yeah, you're here, man. You did it. We're listening. Yeah, you did it. You did it. You made it through that hard time, and we're proud of you for it.

SPEAKER_02 38:46

So and I feel like we always like when we're talking to our yoga students and stuff, we're like, you guys already did the hardest part, and that's by showing up. You showed up. You showed up, like you got in your car, drove here, and showed up because that is a really hard thing. We were even talking the other day, like, if I go to the gym without my headphones, I'm leaving.

SPEAKER_01 39:04

I do the same thing. If I forget my headphones, I turn right around. I'm like, no. Which I should be better at. I'm like, it's fine, but it's hard.

SPEAKER_02 39:11

Music in the gym, I could do it, but but it's hard because usually we can use our headphones so like people don't talk to us so we can like get in and get out because yeah, we're busy. Yeah, that was yeah, take your time and write your answers down. Feel free to reach out. Yeah, like feel free to reach out and share experiences. We'd love to share like anything, really. If you have some wisdom to share, some wisdom.

SPEAKER_01 39:39

Some wisdom to share, yeah. We'd love to love to share that with everyone.

SPEAKER_02 39:44

Or is there something that you do?

SPEAKER_01 39:46

Yeah, to have other tabs.

SPEAKER_02 39:48

Yeah, we want to hear that. So reach out.

SPEAKER_01 39:51

All right, okay. From here, I think we're gonna go ahead and settle into our guided meditation. So grab whatever you need to be comfortable. If you're driving, stay alert. But if you're in the space to lie down or sit and close your eyes, I highly recommend, and we'll go ahead and get started. All right, go ahead and allow yourself to settle into stillness, letting your body become heavy in your space. Allowing your breath to be soft. Letting go of the outside noises, the outside expectations. Just settling into this moment. Take a slow breath in. And a long breath out. Again, inhale, filling yourself with fresh air. Exhale, letting go of anything that you've been carrying. With each breath you take here, allow yourself to arrive more fully. Feel the steadiness of the ground beneath you. Feel the gentle weight of gravity holding you here. Small and resting deep beneath the surface of a pond. Above you is water. Below and around you is rich dark earth. You cannot see the sun yet. And you cannot yet see what you are becoming. All you know is where you are. The mud around you may feel heavy, dense, maybe even a little uncomfortable. And maybe it reminds you of the seasons in your life that felt impossible. The moments when nothing made sense. Maybe it was the heartbreak you experienced, the uncertainty in your life, the disappointment, the fear that maybe you were stuck. Maybe it's the waiting. But what if those seasons were never meant to hold you back? What if instead they were quietly preparing you? Notice something beginning to awaken inside of this tiny seed. Feel the first gentle movement. A tiny root reaching downward. A tender shoot reaching upward. Feel the steady growth. This growth begins with one breath. One choice. One small act of courage at a time. As you continue breathing, imagine yourself slowly rising through the water. This journey isn't effortless. Sometimes the water feels cloudy. Sometimes the current pushes against you and throws you off course. And sometimes you wonder if you'll ever reach the surface. But still, you continue on. You continue not because you're fearless, but because something inside of you is holding on to hope. Take a deep breath in and out. Notice your strength. Notice how many times in your life you've already done this. How many times you faced something difficult and somehow found your way through. There's more resilience within you than you often give yourself credit for. Keep on keeping on. You finally see that sun, and you continue to grow towards it. With every inhale, you move a little closer. And with every exhale, you release what's been weighing you down. Old stories, old fears, old versions of yourself that no longer fit you. You continue towards the light until finally, without forcing, you reach the surface. And for the first time, you feel the warmth of the sun. You breathe the fresh air and you see the open sky. And your petals begin to unfold one by one, not all at once, but exactly when they are ready to do so. Notice that even though you've bloomed, it doesn't erase the mud below. The mud is still there. It always will be. But it no longer defines where you are. It's no longer all that you see, all that you experience. Instead, it becomes a part of your story, part of your strength and your wisdom. And it's the very thing that nourished your becoming. And don't search for the answer, just simply notice that it rises. It could be a feeling, a word, or an image. Just trust what happens here. Perhaps it's an uncertainty you're dealing with, could be a relationship, a loss, or maybe it's a dream that feels far away. And rather than asking, why is this happening to me? Instead ask, who is this experience inviting me to become? And sit with this question. Who is this experience inviting me to become. And let it all go. You are allowed to grow slowly. You're allowed to change, and you're allowed to outgrow the person that you once had to be. Growth is rarely dramatic. Most of it happens quietly beneath the surface long before anybody notices. And just because no one else can see your growth doesn't mean that it's not happening. Silently repeat these words. I trust the timing of my life. I honor every part of my journey. Even my hardest seasons have shaped me. I choose courage over comfort. I will keep reaching for the light. Take another deep breath in and let it all go. Remember this. The lotus never wished for different conditions. It simply kept growing towards the light that it knew existed, even when it couldn't see it yet. And may you do the same. May you trust that even the seasons that feel heavy are growing something beautiful within you. And may you remember that you were never buried, you are being planted. When you're ready, you can slowly open your eyes, coming back into your space. And if it feels good, I invite you to practice this Lotus mudra, hands together at heart center. Keep the base of the palms together, pinkies and thumbs touching, and separate the three middle fingers away from each other, holding this Lotus mudra at your heart. With your inhale, reach this lotus mudra up above your head, straightening through the arms, allowing this lotus to grow and bloom. And as you exhale, release your hands by your sides, letting it all go. Thank you all so much for joining us today from our heart to yours. Namaste.