It's a Practice, Not Perfection
I recently went to be with my brand-new grandson. It’s so much warmer in California than in Wisconsin. My trip was luckily aligned with a “Speakers Mastermind Retreat” with the amazing Caterina Rando. It was wonderful to spend time in Napa with the ladies and go to see my family.
Often, we don't spend enough time relaxing, even on holiday trips to recharge. Or at retreats where we are learning things that are valuable for our health or our business. Personally, I need to take it easy after traveling for a few days to process what I have experienced and just reground. It was no different this January trip. Because although I learned a lot of information at the retreat- there was not enough relaxing and just doing nothing or just talking and socializing with the ladies as I would have liked.
This was my own fault because I took on a new client during the retreat and worked 3 of the 4 days that I was there. And because I was on my computer with other clients and setting up events with others that I am collaborating with.
Then with my daughters and my 3 grandsons, I choose to take the two older grandsons to the park every day and spend time with them. I chose to stay up late and work on the computer when I knew I had to teach at 5 am pacific time.
Many of us, myself included, may know how to relax and give some do-nothing time to ourselves but don't. I am back with my husband in California- after I got back around Feb 6th, guess what? I got sick. Not terribly sick, but a little weak, a little nasal congestion, a little nausea. And I still had to work for at least the program that I created with Fran Lambert 4 days a week for 30 min a day.
I managed to cancel all my clients, and my other ongoing classes and attended one zoom meeting with Caterina's Bliss Cruise Retreat gals. And then I slept and tried to do nothing as much as possible. I downed Gan Mao Ling Chinese herb formula regularly and did my routine when I start to feel sick.
For me when I get sick, I know God is telling me SLOW DOWN. Sometimes it’s the only way I will slow down. This is really funny because this year is all about Self Care and Self Love for Optimal Health retreats that I am hosting. To help people remember to do nothing. To learn tools to help them love and honor themselves. And right out of the gate I am running around like a chicken with my head cut off. It’s a practice, not perfection.
I often say, I know a lot of great things, but I would not do them if I didn’t teach them. So, I am doing 4 Self Care retreats this year. I am currently in and co-hosting with Fran the Love Your Body, Love Your Energy program--- SO that I WILL TAKE CARE OF MYSELF. LOL.
Here I am starting to repeat and start over-- as last weekend was Valentine's weekend, Monday, Valentine’s day, and today my official birthday as I write this. And I have been starting up that cycle again of busy, busy, busy. I am happy that tonight I have an After Hours Wine Bar/Restaurant Social with the Milwaukee PolkaDot Chapter and some Madison dot sisters are coming -- to say hi on my B-day.
I was going to go to the gym, have a zoom dot connect, see a client---and I said NO. I am gonna take a nap, do the 30 min zoom at noon central with Fran..do some meditation....and I am going to let my husband sort his own dinner out....and go to see my only Friends I have in Wisconsin--- Dot sisters.
It’s me time-- heck it’s my birthday. I am noticing that I am getting into that cycle that is too much-- and I am doing nothing and doing things for me. I feel the full moon of today and I feel the millions of thoughts coming at me.
I invite you to consider and maybe try something if you feel that your mind is having millions of thoughts, or you notice yourself getting very busy. Sit or lie down and notice what you are feeling. Notice the thoughts. Be fascinated. Like a detective notice and observe your thoughts and your day's speed and the number of things you are doing. And say, "It's that fascinating."
Without judgment, just honor them with a fascinating mind frame. Honoring all our feelings and choices – is all part of self-love. Loving all of ourselves even if we are not always making the best choices. Giving the love we give to others in equal or EVEN MORE heaps to ourselves.
Sometimes when we travel or go somewhere to help others or ourselves - we can do well to stay fascinated and appreciate all we are doing. Then take a pause. Take a breath. Take a seat. Take a lie down. Take a bath. Take even a moment to appreciate and love ourselves.
We don't have to wait until we get sick to slow down. We can have fun with our friends in person or on zooms. Or we can have fun with a book or my favorite 30 Rock show. Self-Love is honoring where you are at and staying fascinated. Self-Care is listening to what we are honoring - if it's overwhelming or overworking --- and taking a pause.
Even millions of thoughts you can imagine as rain sounds. Notice them and say- it's just rain sounds. Pause. Put a view of all the thoughts or busyness --- and see them as rain sounds/ pink noise. Step away from them in your mind. Take a deep breath with the rain sounds over to the side---- and say HAAAAAAAAAAA high pitch to low pitch..... say it again while relaxing your face, jaw, and shoulders.....HAAAAAAAAAA and make it a third time and relax your whole body like a loose noodle- deep breath- HAAAAAAAA.
Remember to love yourself, stay fascinated and listen to what your body and mind are asking for. It could be just a pause.
If interested we have a 3-day pause Women's Spring Retreat Live in Person or Live Virtually - in Bethany Beach, DE at Sue Bennett's Beach house with myself and 4 other presenters. Mostly we will be doing nothing, community building in break-out rooms, having fun in person and online. Hope to see you there.
Dr. Amba Tobin DMQ-China
Dr. Amba is fortunate to have graduated in the last Doctoral class under the guidance of Abbot Sifu Professor Dr. Jerry Alan Johnson the founder of the International Institute of Medical QiGong and Senior Abbot at Tian Yun Gong (Temple of the Celestial Cloud) Daoist Monastery, in Monterey, California.
She also studied child development, psychology, medical sciences and holistic health at several colleges and universities including San Francisco State University. As well as Chinese medical theory, acupuncture from the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine in San Francisco and the Academy of Chinese Culture and Health Sciences in Oakland, California
She also is a 400 hour plus- Certified Yoga Teacher from Green Path Yoga and The Bhramanada Ashram also known as the Yoga Society of San Francisco, where she studied the Sanskrit language and Vedic and Yoga philosophy with Dr. Ram Karan Sharma and the teachings of Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati Udasina (Ramamurti S. Mishra, MD). And has a second yoga certification from Integral Awakening Yoga
Dr. Amba is also a Level 3 Qigong Instructor and Workshop Facilitator of Sacred Geometry and Food Based Healing with the Supreme Science Qigong Foundation based in Florida. Within the Foundation is where she also studied with Wim Hof in Tummo Meditation, which later he re named it "the Wim Hoff Method"