Talking truth about "self improvement" as it relates to health, overall wellness and expressing the truest version of you. This is Marta Mrotek with Something Honest…..

If you listened all the way to the end of the last episode you know my answer to this week’s question and the bottom line is that attitude adjustments are things that we have to work on all the time. Our attitudes really can change pretty quickly. And even when we’ve been doing the work and think we’re all lined up with the right kind of energy life can bring you right back into the middle of that transformation process... knowing that it doesn’t always happen all at once and that all of those old emotions, characteristics and patterns are reminders for checking your motives and readjusting your aim.

Hi Everybody, welcome to the Practice Challenge for Willingness! Today we are reaching the halfway point for this first season and wrapping up what really has been a three-part process for transforming old emotions and removing some of those old characteristics and patterns that keep us stuck.

And I thought we’d do something different this time, something I do in almost every teacher training to give my own personal spin on how physical posturing, even if you never assume physical poses but especially if you do, can have an underlying meaning and paint a really clear picture of the way energy moves and how you can use it to get to where you want to go. So, who’s ready for yoga story time?.. Now before we start I’ve got to tell you that you don’t have to believe in any of this for it to be useful. I constantly tell my students, no matter what we’re talking about that, especially when we’re talking about the metaphysical or mystical things, I’m not even saying I believe it, I’m just saying that I think it’s really interesting. We’re going to talk just a little bit about a few Sanskrit words. Which, I mean, if you know me at all, I love to geek out and think about the meaning of words all the time but when we’re talking about Sanskrit that goes even deeper because even the sounds themselves are said to call out the very essence of all things in what they sometimes call the language of the gods. And of course, that just makes it obvious that we’ll have to talk about Hindu mythology because that’s where almost all of the naming conventions and stories find their roots.

So, hang in here with me and we’ll start at the beginning to get a better understanding of how the poses got their names. And I’m going to try not to get too carried away so this episode doesn’t turn out to be three hours long. But we’re just going to start with the word pose and in Sanskrit that’s asana and it means very simply, to sit. People think yoga’s all about turning yourself into a pretzel, but there are 196 sutras and only three of them talk about asana practice and all it really says it is to sit steady and comfortable… and I mean that’s really it. I really believe that it’s referring just to seated practice and that maybe all of the exercise that eventually, sadly became the main focus, was originally created mostly to prepare the body itself for seated mediation. It’s hard for most of us to be still… And hopefully we apply that to all the physical stuff and it says that I can physically “sit” meditate, focus on this, and get totally into it, steady and comfortable to get my mind a little more quiet and get plugged into the energy behind this shape. Does that make sense? Okay, so poses are named after all kinds of things, lots of animals and even everyday items, and the pose name always turns out like this thing, cat, cow, dog, plow, asana or pose. But they’re also named after people, from some of those Hindu stories and probably the most famous of all is Virabhadra and all of the warrior poses are named after him. Vira, means hero, but even more right here it means warrior and Bhadra, even though it has many meanings, including auspicious and skillful and blessed and prosperous, right here it means friend.

So, our hero friend is an avatar, or incarnation of Shiva. The god of destruction and while that might sound a little scary while Shiva is the destroyer, he really is the embodiment of all transformation and a reminder of change and the all cycles of nature, like reproduction and wounding and healing, encompassing everything from birth to death and how it’s all working together.. and I digress. So the story goes that Shiva falls into a deep state of grief and rage when the woman he loves bursts into flames, and I’d love to tell you all about that but the point of THIS story is that he is just super pissed and pulls a dreadlock straight from his own head and throws it down from the heavens and summons Virabhadra to rise and destroy pretty much everything. I mean Virabhadra was a badass, like, the most badass warrior ever because he was tapped straight in with the power of god. And I know it’s not the sweetest story so far, and if we had forever I’d tell you that there is resolution and even forgiveness in the end but we’re really just concerned right now with that badass warrior and his unrivaled strength, absolute devotion,  and sense of direction that came straight from his master. This story really is about the rise of the warrior and that does apply to us! Virabhadra asana and for this one it’s what we call Virabhadrasana A or Warrior I and our job is to sit down, right, now really to physically sit but to physically embody, be with, get in tune with that energy. And when you think about that way, this dude was totally in alignment and when you look at the pose you can see it, we talked about this last week. He’s standing there, and I mean entirely ready for battle, weapons raised, we’re calling those weapons tools in our case, totally into it and channeling all of that energy. Super plugged in guy.

So that’s Warrior I ready for battle and this week we start talking about Warrior II and what I’m about to talk about is just something that I like to think about it’s not official it’s just what I think about when I ponder the poses and in this case the hand gestures too. In a little bit here, if I ever get to it, we’re going to work on our last energy moving ritual and we’ll add in something called Rudra Mudra. Now, mudra means seal, or mark or gesture and Rudra means howling, or roaring, or crying, or terrific or terrible but the point here is that he’s not really an avatar, he’s actually a form that Shiva takes and interestingly most often called the howler, and to suit our purposes, he’s often called the archer. And when we get to the pose for today we’ll talk about why I think our badass friend Virabhadra may have been actually channeling Rudra but first I want to talk about the hand gesture.

Still with me?... I promise I’m almost there... So, Rudra Mudra is calling on the energy of the destroyer, in the most positive possible way, clearing the path, removing all obstacles, bringing us into full energetic alignment so we can reach our highest potential. And it is very much related to transformation and the seal of personal power. And I just couldn’t be happier about how this hand gesture happens to look. We’re going to use it today so we’ll just talk about it here but... Actually, real quick, I think it’s pretty clear that this show wasn’t made for children and if any of those little darlings are hanging around right now you’re going to want to put me on pause for a minute or least cover their ears. But for me, and I really am just talking about me here, none of my benevolent teacher taught me this, but for me this mudra hinges on a very rude, I hope that’s not lost on you, no way I could make that up, rude gesture, that really is not just saying but howling, “Fuck You” to fear. Rudra wasn’t afraid of anything and I mean even more focused than Virabhadra cause he wasn’t an avatar, he wasn’t just tapped in he actually was that energetic force and entirely focused and a reminder of that absolute power within to vanquish anything that’s standing in your way. And even better you’re not JUST making that rude gesture, I mean, it’s there, that middle finger is clear, but just to remind us about our motives and make the whole thing not quite so rude it adds the little finger, takes some of the edge off and also fortunately make it a little more socially acceptable, so that’s nice. But I really don’t see any way that it could be more perfect for this principle and the work that we’ve been doing with a seal for transformation and personal power that really does remind us we’ve already got everything we need inside, we just need to let go of the fear and keep readjusting our aim to stay focused.

So, we’re not quite done talking about this yet because we’ve got a new Warrior pose for practice this week.

Physical Practice

Again, even if you’re not that into the physical expression there’s a little bit more about our warrior friends and my favorite visual image for taking aim. Warrior II in Sanskrit is Virabhadrasana B but for me, even though there is a totally different pose called Rudrasana this pose is all about Rudra to me. If you start there where we left off last time in Warrior I getting ready, everything opens up for Warrior II, you might need to broaden your stance and open it up to sit low with the hips open out to the side and the arms open out in one straight line, looking out over the leading hand with absolute focus and taking aim like the archer. And I’d love to tell you that there will be a visual for that on YouTube today but, this is something honest and the YouTube Channel has been extremely challenging, I’m not the most technical girl, and it’s not highly viewed at this point so uh, I need to catch up on that but I’ll get there. Until then, if you need a visual this very minute google Warrior II and I think you’ll get the picture.

We’re going to take a quick break here to acknowledge our sponsors. Find a quiet spot, a comfortable place to sit and anything else you might need to get ready. We’ll be right back with the Integrity Practice Challenge in just a moment.

We’re back and ready to work on putting everything that we’ve been doing with these last three principles with one more Energy Moving Ritual that seals the Transformation Practice and sends out a strong invitation the kind of Energy we need for what lies ahead. If you don’t already have it get your journal and a comfortable place to sit.

Invitation Ritual

Even if you haven’t been playing along this whole time you can join in for this one because it really incorporates everything that we’ve been working on and if you have been following it will be very familiar at this point. Okay, if you’re all ready to go we’re going to come back to pretending, right? Because we’re practicing, that you just noticed a seemingly negative thought, emotion or physical reaction that points to something that’s standing in your way. And this very well may be one of your own characteristics or what we sometimes call character flaws but they’re really just pointers to what needs to change. Once again, this doesn’t have to feel like a huge thing or something that feels specifically negative. But it often relates to places where we feel stuck, or something that we’re afraid of, or any kind of hesitancy or stubbornness that’s keeping us from being who we were really meant to be. And as soon as it comes to mind, stop what you’re doing, and if you’re in a place where you can, close your eyes. You can do this next part mentally but if your hands are free this time, we’ll start again by rubbing the palms of the hands together… This does work best from a seated positions but even if you’re standing or reclined it’s pretty easy to apply. Breathing normally and increasing the amount of friction between the hands until they start to get really hot this time, and when it feels right hold them out in front of your chest like you’re holding the sides of that big glowing ball of Energy. And just exactly like last time, while the sensation is still strong see if you can manipulate the edges of that energetic ball. Just moving the energy around, maybe even pressing in slowly, just slightly at first, moving in slow small increments, to mentally condense that energetic ball, squeezing out of what we’ve been calling the bad stuff, but it’s really just all that stuff you don’t need anymore. And just keep the hands moving in toward center, even if the sensation starts to fade, and eventually you’ll feel the fingertips touch, readjusting to line then up if you need to, and at some point it’s like you’re holding something about the size of a softball or a grapefruit close to your chest. And remember last time we said all that’s left there is the really good stuff, and we’ll take a big breath just to affirm it. So, breathe in deeply and exhale completely. With your next inhale flatten out the palms so the hands are together at the center of the chest, palms pressed, all of the fingers lined up in that prayerlike position…. and a big exhale here to hold. Breathing in now and pressing the palms firmly and with the exhale push both hands out in front of you, with the palms facing out like you were pushing something away and hold. Next inhale, bring the hands back into that prayer posture, hold for just a second at the top, and exhale to push the hands out until the arms are fully outstretched. Inhale bringing in all the energy you need for transformation… and exhale extending the arms to remove every obstacle. One more time inhaling, bring the hands toward the heart and pull in everything that is good about you, pause at the top to feel it and exhale to push out everything else, so all that’s left is the very best of you. And with the still palms facing out you’ll draw that physical or mental circle for protection and for the purification of your own little space. Maybe drawing the arms out to the sides and just twisting back and forth slightly. Resolving by bending the elbows so both hands are held up at your sides as if you were taking that oath in court, for the seal of fearlessness and a promise to tell yourself the truth. Breathe in Truth and sigh out all the fear… Next breath bringing the thumb and the little finger together with the three middle fingers raised for the seal of clarity and a promise to yourself to do your best, breathing in clarity and breathing out all that stuff that’s been getting in your way… Now turn your hands around so that the backs of the hands face forward and bring all of the fingers down except the middle one, still raised to make that very rude gesture, and add the little finger to make it not quite so rude.. and this time if there’s till something in there that you’re still afraid of or holding you back that’s what the middle finger is for, warding that off. Reminding you of your pure intentions and removing all those characteristics that just don’t serve you anymore. And if there’s something that just needs a little more of that good feeling energy, that’s what the little finger is for, it’s just a little reminder of what you want and finding that right attitude. Getting ready for whatever lies ahead. And the best part is that you can do both of those things at the same time. There can be so much balance found here. Knowing that it’s okay to be afraid. That’s just a reminder to connect with that part of you that knows how to walk through it and find courage. Reminding you that you do have what you need inside of you. You’re already strong. You just want more of that more of that good stuff that’s already inside you coming to the surface. More of the real you, expressing itself. And once you feel like you’ve dramatically explored this gesture as much as you need to bring the backs of the hands down to rest on the thighs. Still holding the mudra but open. Holding here. Mentally focused like the archer. And take a big, deep breath in... all the very best stuff in, hold it in and let it grow. Intentionally growing that energy and when you just can’t hold it anymore let it all spill out.  All the stuff that you don’t need and just a surplus of all that good stuff spilling out into every area of your experience. And setting our intention, “I am willing, ready and open to change.” And just take a few breaths here to let that sink in. Letting the breath move naturally, you’re not trying to control it. Noticing, affirming, any energetic shift, any shift in attitude. Any healing that might have happened or might still be happening… Recognizing any change in your state or shift in perspective and allowing any information that floats to the surface. Taking special note of what you’re feeling now. Maybe take a moment to mentally or verbally affirm your intentions. Maybe just to feel a little more focused or a little more open. Stay here until you recognize the desire to move. But not moving just yet. Of course, ask yourself, “what next? “More than ever just looking at that next right thing. Knowing that with all the work you’ve done, it’s pure, and that you’re strong enough, willing and entirely ready to go do it. And when it feels right, open your eyes, do it slowly. See if you can hold still here for another breath or two and if you have your practice journal nearby pick up your pen and write about your experience.

We’ve been using prompts to help you explore a little further for all of these energy moving practices just stirring that energy for transformation so maybe ask yourself something like, “How can I change my state and open up right now?”  And maybe at least part of that answer is to make this a regular practice. Take some time here, take some time to write about everything that you’ve learned about this principle and the entire transformation process.

Now you’ve got three energy moving rituals but this one really can serve to incorporate all three. I recommend practice with them together and separately to start moving energy in any places where it might feel stuck and removing anything that might be standing in your way.

So, we’re ready wrap things up with our Challenge Question for this week…

Challenge Question

We’ve been asking, “Are ready for an attitude adjustment?” Hopefully that question holds a lot more weight for you than it did when we started. I really hope that you’ve got some tools now that help for getting entirely ready.

We’ve got a link in the description for the Something Honest YouTube Channel if you’d like a visual reference, look for the Willingness Remix for this one.

I want to thank you all so much for listening. Be sure you’re all set up to get notifications and come back next week for what we’re calling the half time break. We’ll have three bonus episodes to go over what we’ve done so far and how you can use it to get ready for the work that lies ahead.

Check the links in the description to find show notes on the podcast page and go to wellnessmeetings.com for more about the Wellness Meetings Method….. Something Honest is a Wellness Meetings production with original music composed and produced by James Mrotek at Mrotek Media.

This is Marta Mrotek sending out all love and gratitude. Until next time, let’s all get to work on being well!