I've created this challenge for my habit formers and whomever else is interested.
I discovered the premise for this challenge on ivillage. The mind body challenge is meant to introduce you to yoga, meditation, positive thinking and relaxation techniques. It lasts six weeks and I believe each day or maybe each week is a different objective.
I thought this challenge would be great to share with you all. This challenge begins tomorrow, October 9th but feel free to join whenever and your name will be added as you arrive. I'd love to have you!
Participants:
Extrinsic Rapture (Rosie)
Vicki
Last edited by Extrinsic Rapture; 10-15-2005 at 03:49 PM.
Well in case anyone wants to join me...I thought I'd enter this week's goals. You can PM me if you want the exact ivillage challenge link, since I'm not permitted to list it here. So onward to the goals ...
Monday (10/10): Find a Room/Spot of Your Own- Create a Sanctuary Tuesday (10/11): Declutter Your Spot- Remove anything in your sanctuary that doesn't help you stay on the path to becoming more balanced. Wednesday (10/12): Indulge in Relaxing Moments- as you're sitting quietly in your sanctuary, do something soothing for yourself. Thursday (10/13): Rejuvenate Yourself- recharge our batteries while also honoring our commitment to well-being. Friday (10/14): Personalize Your Sanctuary- Carefully choose a handful of items that will support you on the path. Placing photos nearby of people who inspire you is a nice idea, whether it's Gandhi or your grandmother. Or hang up a photograph of yourself that represents you at your most peaceful.
"Home is heaven for beginners." --Charles Henry Parkhurst
We all need a place where we can go to relax and reflect. Somewhere we can retreat to and emerge from reenergized and more ready to face whatever lies ahead. Superman had his Fortress of Solitude. Virginia Woolf had a room of her own. Now it's time for you to carve out your own space.
Your assignment: Spend some time today exploring your home, room by room, looking for a restorative spot. Each person will have a different definition of the "right space," but there are two things your sanctuary must have: privacy and quiet. Be willing to get creative; with a little bit of vision, a closet can make a lovely sanctuary. And if you don't have extra rooms or closets to spare, the sunny corner in your favorite room will also do nicely.
The space you choose should be free from distractions. That means no television or computer. If there's a phone nearby, make sure you can turn off the ringer. Be vigilant about this. You're looking for a place that will allow you to recharge your batteries, not drain them further. We'll be returning to this sanctuary again and again throughout the challenge; make sure yours will be accessible whenever you need it.
Once you've found your space, gather whatever you need to be able to sit comfortably; a soft chair, floor pillows and a meditation cushion are all good options. (You don't have to do anything else to the space today -- we'll spend more time here later in the week.) Then spend 10 minutes sitting quietly. Notice what it feels like to be still. What noises can you hear? How does the air smell? What can you see from where you're sitting?
Before you leave, set your intentions for what you want your sanctuary to do for you. You can say something like, "I will use this space to restore myself, to practice being more mindful and to become more balanced." Now wherever you are, you'll know that you have a sanctuary waiting for you when get home.
Today we're going to take the next step in creating our sanctuary. We're going to de-clutter.
Getting rid of things we don't need can be a great catharsis. It helps us stop worrying about things that don't matter. I know I feel a palpable sense of relief when I finally go through the pile of papers that inevitably accumulates on the kitchen table. Purging also frees up space for new things to come into our lives --- possessions, sure, but also intangible things such as hopes, habits and attitudes. Buddhists believe that it's our attachment to things that impedes our happiness. What kinds of things are you hanging on to that don't really serve you anymore?
To do: Remove anything in your sanctuary that doesn't help you stay on the path to becoming more balanced. We already discussed the television, the computer and the phone. You should also move any gossip magazines, "beach" reading, piles of work and bills. Even mementos, in excess, can be distracting. Make piles of stuff: one to throw away, one to donate, one to move to a more appropriate part of the house. Again, be vigilant. We'll decorate your sanctuary later in the week, so today, think minimalism.
Once you've cleared some space, give the area a good cleaning. You don't want to be sitting on cracker crumbs in your area of refuge. (Trust me! I know. It's very uncomfortable.) Let the hard work you do today be an outward manifestation of your drive to create a more balanced life.
When you've finished, sit quietly in your sanctuary and soak up the feeling in the room. Notice how it has changed since you cleaned up. Over the next few weeks -- and beyond --- remember that cleaning and maintaining your sanctuary can help renew your dedication to your practice.
In our busy world, relaxing sounds like an indulgence, something frivolous that only people with hired help can afford to do. On the contrary, relaxing is as important to our health and well-being as eating well, getting enough sleep and exercising. So many diseases are caused or exacerbated by stress. If we could all learn how to relax and then do it regularly, we might just put HMOs out of business! Consciously relaxing also helps us go back into our busy day with renewed energy and focus.
To do: Today, as you're sitting quietly in your sanctuary, do something soothing for yourself. Notice how even a simple, do-it-yourself relaxation technique can affect the rest of your day. Here are some ideas to get you started:
Close your eyes and visualize a billowy white cloud in the prettiest blue sky. In your mind's eye, follow it until it disappears from your view. Open your eyes and feel soft and serene.
Make yourself a cup of chamomile tea. This herbal concoction has been used by folk healers for generations to soothe colicky babies, and it can help you calm down too. As you sip, inhale the scent of the tea, feel the warmth of the cup in your hands and notice the sensation of the hot liquid traveling down your throat into your belly.
Spritz a handkerchief with lavender oil and breathe in the scent. Or light candles or incense, scented with a fragrance that relaxes you. Close your eyes and sit quietly for a few moments, enjoying the effects of the smell on your mood.
This conscious relaxation will help you perform the rest of this week's tasks with more focus. You'll also be able to rely on these techniques again and again on those inevitable high-stress days.
The sanctuary you've been working on so diligently this week isn't just for relaxation. Although relaxation is a vital piece of a balanced life, sometimes you'll need to energize yourself. I'm not talking about the kind of energy that comes from tossing back three cups of coffee and eating a doughnut. I'm talking about the sustainable, long-lasting energy that is necessary to keep you on the path toward your goal of a more balanced life. Today, we're going to learn some simple ways we can recharge our batteries while also honoring our commitment to well-being.
Your assignment: Take 10 minutes to perform one of the simple energy boosters listed below. The best time to infuse yourself with new energy is in the morning when the world is quiet and the day is still stretching out before you. If you're not a morning person, just commit to finding 10 good minutes sometime before dinnertime. Any later and you may be too stimulated to sleep.
Pull a plump, juicy orange from your refrigerator and gently pull its rind away from the pulp. Something as simple as peeling an orange and breathing in its citrusy scent can revitalize you and refresh your spirits instantly.
Get outside: Nature is a great energizer -- and it's free. Spend some time outside, preferably somewhere that is quiet and rich in plant life. Breathe in the fresh air, listen to the sound of the wind rustling the leaves, smell the rich scent of the earth. If you can't get away, throw open the windows in your house or office and notice how much sweeter the air smells.
Energy spritz: Add a few drops of menthol or eucalyptus essential oil to a spray bottle of water. Spraying your body before exercise will do wonders to boost your energy.
Balance is always in flux. Sometimes you need to energize, and sometimes you need to wind down. The relaxation ideas from yesterday, along with today's rejuvenating practices, should help you see how simple acts can bring you to the state of mind you need to get through your day. Learn to give yourself what you need, when you need it. This is the simple premise behind finding your balance. Cultivating this knowledge will help you to center yourself, no matter what's happening in your life.
What are some other ways you've found to relax and to rejuvenate?
In subsequent weeks of the challenge, we'll be returning to our sanctuaries again and again --- to practice yoga, to meditate, and to rejuvenate ourselves. Today is the day to make your refuge feel like home.
To do: Carefully choose a handful of items that will support you on the path. Placing photos nearby of people who inspire you is a nice idea, whether it's Gandhi or your grandmother. Or hang up a photograph of yourself that represents you at your most peaceful.
Plants or cut flowers are always a good addition. They bring a connection to nature and help to purify the air. Make it a sensory experience with candles or incense for aromatherapy or a fountain for the soothing sound of running water. Bring in a floor pillow or yoga mat for comfort, and a book of poetry, notepad and pen for contemplation. (You may also want to use that pad and pen to keep track of the "things to do" that will inevitably pop up. That way you can jot down whatever arises and return to your quiet time confident that you're not forgetting anything important.) You don't need to go overboard or fret that you don't have enough stuff. Our goal is to make sure that whatever is in your sanctuary is there for a specific reason.
Now that your room is set up, I encourage you to spend some time there each day. Make a commitment to spend 10 minutes a day there this weekend, whether you're relaxing, rejuvenating or just sitting quietly. What will truly make your space sacred is the moments you spend in it. You are the room's most important accessory.
I've got the room picked out--but this is such a horrible time for me to be trying this. There's so much crap going on right now in my personal life that I can't focus on relaxing. I keep trying but the "real" world keeps intruding. I will keep trying thugh so don't worry. I'll post more when I can. You keep up the good work because what you're doing matters. I for one have been reading every day. Thanks.
I feel you. My personal life is disatrous right now. I dont really have a spot picked out. Except for my bed because there isnt much room in this apt. living with family. But I try to do other things that rejuvenate me and make me feel good...like baking, kickboxing, and yoga. It's hard to find quiet time when no solace exists in your life but even if we try to do one thing a day that makes us feel good then I think we're accomplishing this challenges goal.
Well this week's about yoga practice. As I am not an avid yoga person. I think I will change the focus of this challenge for more realistic means. We should focus on centering. Come up with goals that you currently which to aspire to and things you need to get done to be more at peace. You can choose to post your full goal list/ partial or just mention that youve completed the list for yourself.
WEEK THREE...DAY TWO: Increase Your Happiness Quotient
"The greater the level of calmness of our mind, the greater our peace of mind, the greater our ability to enjoy a happy and joyful life." -- the Dalai Lama
What makes you happy?
Before you can answer this question, ask yourself: What does happiness mean to you? Is it winning the lottery? Finding a bargain on a cute outfit? Getting a promotion? Crossing the last thing off your to-do list?
I would argue that it's none of those things. Studies have shown that people who win the lottery go back to being just about as happy or unhappy as they were before they won gobs of money, bought a new house and quit their jobs. Money, possessions and status are all external things. They can't really change how we feel on the inside. Happiness comes when we can stop resisting things as they are and learn how to be content, no matter what's happening around us. It also comes from doing more things that bring us joy -- helping others, taking care of ourselves, pursuing a passion, delighting in the many wonderful things (such as a sunset or the sound of the rain) that exist all around us.
Today's task: Following the Dalai Lama's thoughts on how to cultivate true happiness, dedicate as much time as you can today to doing things that help clear your head. Whether it's taking a walk around the neighborhood before or after work, sitting outside on your deck and listening to the birds or dancing in front of the mirror with a hairbrush for a microphone, just do it. Practice doesn't always have to be serious -- have some fun!
If you think you've got too many important things to do today and that you don't have time, consider this: The Dalai Lama says, "I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness." What could be more important than that?
Six Week Mind Body Challenge
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There's so much crap going on right now in my personal life that I can't focus on relaxing. I keep trying but the "real" world keeps intruding. I will keep trying thugh so don't worry. I'll post more when I can. You keep up the good work because what you're doing matters. I for one have been reading every day. Thanks. 