Spirituality&Health | Embrace the Transition

Embrace the Transition

Spirituality & Health Magazine

By Tracee Stanley

This being human is a guest house. 

Every morning a new arrival. —RUMI

WE ARE IN a time of undeniable change, transition, and  uncertainty. We are collectively asking the same questions: When will this transition be over? What’s next? How will I withstand the changes that I am not ready  

for? Who will I be when this is over? 

When we are in the midst of change, our power lies in learning to remain present. Within each moment of transition there is a drop of in!nity, a moment of magic that exists  between creation and re-creation.  

What we do during the transition  is everything. One of the most potent  gifts that we can o"er ourselves is to  dedicate ourselves to dharmic prac tices that empower us to live in a way  that helps us to reclaim our truth and  power. 

Here are my eight go-to practices in  times of uncertainty to stay grounded,  balanced, and gain clarity and peace.  If done consistently, these practices  have the power of transformation.

1. Reframing your concept of  rest is a gift in these times.  Think of rest as part of your spiritual practice. Allow it  to become a ritual that you carve out time for every day and that  you approach with an essence of  devotion and reverence. Set a rest  alarm to remind yourself to rest twice  daily. Take 10-minute rest breaks to lie  down and do nothing. Notice the  resistance that may arise from the  feeling of not being productive. 

2. Yoga nidra is a practice sequenced to systemically relax the body while the student lies down in a supine position. Known as yogic or conscious sleep, yoga nidra is  often described as sleep with a slight  trace of awareness. It is a spiritual  practice where you are guided towards  resting in spacious awareness. Research has shown that practitioners  of yoga nidra can reach states of  consciousness that resemble deep,  dreamless sleep while remaining conscious of their surroundings. Students of yoga nidra report feeling deeply rested and rejuvenated after practicing for as little as 20 minutes. 

3. Self-inquiry is one of the most powerful tools of spiritual practice despite often being overlooked. Self-inquiry asks you to unpack the beliefs that you hold dear,  to dig deep and examine the motivations behind your actions, to ask the  questions that lead you to the truth of  who you are. That means you must !rst  peel o" the layers to discover who you  are not.  

You may start by asking:  

• What stories am I repeatedly  telling myself that keep me in a  cycle of suffering?  

• What lessons am I tired of learning?  

• What can I start doing or stop doing to change negative  patterns? 

4. Creativity represents the full cycle of life. The process allows us to flow within the transitions and approach them with a sense of curiosity and play. Let go of a plan, let go of perfec tion, and tune into what inspires you:  music, poetry, nature, dance, painting,  writing. Get started by exploring these nine emotions: love, joy, fear, disgust,  awe, peace, sorrow, anger, and courage. Spend two minutes expressing the  emotion on paper as a poem, through  movement, or as a piece of art. Then pause for one minute and be perfectly still; feel into the stillness. Then  proceed to the next emotion until you  are complete.

5. Embrace sacred dreaming, because the space between waking and sleeping is a powerful transition that is  full of magic. Keep a dream journal by your bedside. Take a few minutes in the space between sleeping  and waking to write down your dreams,  writing whatever you remember,  including images, fragrances, and  words. You may want to explore lucid  dreaming practices.

6. Breath awareness practices ask us to be aware of our breath. They can help us to observe transitions within. Lying on our back or in crocodile pose while practicing  diaphragmatic breathing can be very  revealing.  

Try 1:1 ratio breath, with the inhale  and exhale taking the same amount of  time. Make the breath even on inhale  and exhale. Smooth out the hitches and  breaks in the breath. Feel the breath  becoming smooth, quiet, and deep.  Next, begin to notice the transition  between the inhale and exhale. Gently start to eliminate the pause between the inhale and exhale until the breath  becomes continuous, flowing in an unbroken stream. After five minutes,  release the practice and remain still as  you notice the effects.

7. Forgive, because when we hold back our forgiveness we find ourselves stuck amid transition, not being able to cross over. The lessons of our experience may remain undigested, leaving us unable to receive the wisdom  that empowers us to move forward. We must cultivate more clarity, love, and  discernment; forgiveness frees us from  a self-imposed prison. To get started: Decide who you most need to forgive. You may choose  anyone, living or deceased. In a handwritten letter, detail what you  forgive them for and explain why it is essential to forgive them. You do not  require a response from the person you  are forgiving. Decide if you would like  to mail your letter or burn or bury it.  Once you release this letter, you let go  and step across the chasm to the other  side. You can repeat this practice as  many times as you need until you feel  a shift.  

8. Gratitude is the practice that amplifies everything in life. In every experience, in every moment, there is something to be grateful for. In the direst of times, gratitude can  buoy our spirits and remind us of the  sacredness of life. To get started: 

• Write a list of !ve things that you  are most grateful for today. 

• Include a few positive things that  have emerged as a direct result of  your most challenging transition. 

• Remind yourself to tell those who  you are thankful for in your life how much you care about them.

••• 

What does it mean to be in transition?  When we are in the midst of change, the only real answer is: We’ll see  when we get to the other side. But the space between can be a portal to  awakening.

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Simple Ayurveda Podcast | Yoga Nidra and Radiant Rest w/Tracee Stanley