My Voice, My Words, My Heart, My Soul…Unleashed

I remember as a young child struggling to do homework. The family member that helped did not possess the patience, awareness, and emotional capacity to support my learning style. I was often called “stupid” and yelled at for not paying attention. I began to see myself as a victim of life’s circumstances, and my wounds became the lens through which I perceived the world…
When I was accepted at Columbia University for graduate school, I thought it was a good opportunity to heal my earlier wounding. I would prove to the world I was smart and capable of achieving great things and, in fact, I did graduate Magna Cum Laude! Unfortunately, most of the assignments were experiential and entailed group work. I, with fear of being perceived not smart enough by others, experienced debilitating performance anxiety. I had a “thought” about my graduate school experience, but my body held another story.
I began to recognize that my childhood traumatic wounding—no matter how much I changed the way I thought—was also stored in my body and my soul remained tethered.
I began studying and working with modalities that addressed the body, mind and spirit. I recognized how my shadow side—for fear of not being a “nice girl/women” –dominated and limited my ability to fully express and find my authentic voice.
I practiced and studied Integrative Restoration (a practice of mindfulness and self inquiry) and explored and studied what it means to be a woman. I learned how to see every thought, emotion, sensation and feeling as a gateway to my true self, beyond all the veils, and closest to the innermost chamber of my heart.
Today, I invite the darkness to transport me to the light. I understand there is important work for my soul to fully reveal itself.
Here are a few suggestions for exploring your inner landscape of lightness and darkness:
1)Write a gratitude and desires list daily. Invite your body to feel into the words, capturing the essence of the word and your heart’s response. There is always light to be found!
2)Read a poem or inspirational quote. Pick up a pen and just start writing. Don’t think!
3)Share your writing with others. Intimacy (“In—to—me—i—see”) deepens your connection to yourself, others and the world around you.
“If something scary comes up, go for it. That’s where the energy is.”–Natalie Goldberg, Writing Down the Bones
Please join me in my upcoming workshop:
Mindfulness, Writing and Growth: A Workshop to Enhance Creativity, Intimacy and Self Esteem for Women
–Explore how to identify and work with thoughts, emotions, body sensations etc. that may be barriers to the creative process
–Learn how to use mindfulness practices to have a deeper sense of self-understanding, compassion and insight,
–Discover how obstacles in writing are an opportunity to overcome lifelong fears and disowned parts of ourself
Mindfulness, Writing and Growth is open to all people regardless of their writing experience. You will learn mindfulness practices to acquaint you with your interior castle—your mind and thoughts that limit you, your body and sensations that paralyze you, and your feelings and emotions that scare you. Awareness and intimacy is the first step to transformation.We will explore how a mindfulness practice, and an acceptance of all that arises in each moment, can positively impact our writing and sense of self.
We will explore—through mindfulness practices and writing prompts–how writing is a powerful tool to decondition ourselves. This class will be an opportunity to gain more knowledge, wisdom and awareness of your heart’s deepest desire!
Please register here
Where the Mind is biggest, the Heart, the Senses, Magnanimity, Charity, Tolerance, Kindliness, and the rest of them scarcely have room to breathe.—Virginia Woolf
 
In love and light,
Lara