Awakening to Your Inner Voice ~ Silence and Breath

"Let your mind start a journey through a strange new world. Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before. Let your soul take you where you want to be...Close your eyes, let your spirit start to soar, and will live as you've never lived before." Erich Fromm

I usually wake up around 4:00am to spend time in meditation and prayer and then time to connect with earth with a hike at one of the many desert mountains close to my home, in Phoenix. It's taken me 5 years to "discipline" myself to commit to create time for just me.

In the last 19 years of my life, I shared my life with everyone. Heck, I handed my life and energy over to anyone who asked: my partner, my foster daughter, my family, my class of students, my work, my blogs, my friends, my church, and anyone else or event that I came across that seemed like a good idea. I experienced many nights where I did not sleep, my weight climbed to it's highest and lowest within six months and many other what seemed to be tragic life events.

Yesterday, I noticed something very special that happened on my morning hike on the mountain. This mountain is located in central Phoenix, and with Phoenix being in the top 5 largest cities in the United States there is a lot of traffic and noise. In fact, at times it is challenging for me to not to hear the noise.

There is a portion of the hike where the trail leads almost straight up the side of the mountain and snakes down in to a small, cactus filled valley. As I push myself to climb what seems to be the most difficult portion of the hike, I envision the valley coming up. I hear sirens, school buses picking up children, cars honking horns and helicopters flying overhead and it seems to fill up all the spaces in my head which makes my climb even more difficult. I focus even harder in the small valley ahead.

Finally, I reach the peak of this mountain and see the valley below. I run down the path to this sanctuary. Ahh.....Breathe. In. Breathe. Out.

It was then I noticed...I hear something different. I hear nothing. I don't feel like I am in the middle of one the nation's busiest cities. I am in the middle of silence and breath. This sanctuary calls out to me, even in my dreams, to be silent...to breathe.

It is hard to "hear" our voice when there is so much noise distracting us from listening to who we are inside. Remember you have all the time there is - there is only this present time. The past is gone and the future hasn't happened. The present is now.

It only takes 5 minutes to start Awakening Your Inner Voice. You have five minutes ~ you are reading this aren't you? :O)

Right now, place both feet on the floor or find a place where you can sit comfortably. Now concentrate on expanding your breath in your belly and hold for 5 seconds. Release for 5 seconds. Do this three times. A quiet calm and your inner sanctuary will eventually come.

Remember this:

You may not know it yet but in your imperfection, you are actually perfect! That is where your “voice” comes from…in the power that comes from loving yourself…imperfections and all!

Stay connected to "Time To Find Your Voice" to discover the science of Finding Your True and Unique Voice and evoke positive change within your life and within the world.

"Addo",

Alison