Showing posts with label family patterns. Show all posts
Showing posts with label family patterns. Show all posts

Friday, June 27, 2014

Divine Feminine- Part 2 of 4 'Ask and You Shall Receive'


Bamboo Warrior 'Blog-Banner' Photo Credit: www.clareceleste.com




©TuesdayMayThomas

From an early age I was taught to fear intimacy with men. At least, that's how I translated the words of my grandmother. From the age of five she would tell me "Anytime a man looks you in the eye, he wants to have sex with you.." I was too young to know what sex was at the time, but by the way my grandmother affirmed this statement to me time and time again, it seemed that men and sex were something to fear. I learned to not attract the attention of men in any way shape or form, for fear of an inappropriate transference of energy. 

Granted, yes it's true- at five years old I should not engage with strangers or strange men attempting to hold my gaze. This truth aside, there was something about what she used to tell me- that got under my skin as a kid..., into my mental projections as I grew up, and fueled my emotional triggers as an adult. I know my grandmother was only doing what she felt was right for my well being at the time... But this one belief pattern informed my life for over forty years. It filtered the way I perceived myself as a woman in the world, which was to shrink my energy rather than expand it. I spent years agonizing over trying to understand the complexity of the male/female dilemma in the world.

Throughout life, a personal fear of men and sex caused me to squelch any feminine attributes I had, and filter them through a masculine pretense. Deep down I feared drawing too much attention from men by being beautiful or attractive, or too feminine in any way. I feared men would be seeking to have sex with me like my grandmother said and that was bad- right? 

Though my mother is a strong and beautiful woman, we spent very little time together in my youth and without my biological father around, I was left on my own to figure things out. It was complicated because I was told not to seek attention from men by my grandmother, yet I sought it desperately as a means to be validated by my 'missing' father. When ever I did receive sexual attention from men, I felt terribly ashamed for receiving it. My lines of understanding were all criss-crossed. I am just beginning to tread a new world of trust and expression as a Divine Feminine being upon this planet. And it's about time!

~

Six months ago while journaling, I wrote... "I will be turning forty-two and can count on one hand, how many times I have truly felt feminine in my whole life. I have spent years being afraid to be a beautiful woman in the world. I long to explore what it means to be feminine and how it feels to honor the beauty that resides within myself." -

I knew I was ready to start re-defining who I was as a woman. I was ready to release the old belief patterns placed into me by my past and launch a part of myself that had for my entire life, been missing. I lay in the bathtub with a candle and my crystals. An urge to 'call in' my female-power came over me. I found myself praying to be lifted into the arms of a universal wisdom that could safely reveal it's secrets through the Divine Feminine. I prayed to understand myself as a woman in this world. I prayed to download the strength I needed to trust that it was okay to be beautiful and powerful without needing to use my female energy to manipulate or seduce. I prayed for grace and innocence, humility, wisdom and healing. "Divine Feminine, come unto me- for the highest good... I call upon you now. I am ready to embody your wisdom, grace and beauty."

I have a face to face with Sophia Loren. She tells me:
It is okay to relax into your femininity. Raise your head up high and own your womanhood.

Soon after my bathing/prayer ceremony I decide to practice bellydancing in the same room as my fiance. This would be a challenge for me as I had not danced in front of him in this way before. At first I fumbled and felt so awkward. I had to battle feeling stupid and foolish. Even though he was on his computer, I knew he was watching me. I decided this was the perfect gateway to embracing my femininity and allowing the Divine Feminine to move through me. After all, I'm in the presence of a man with whom I feel completely safe. And I'm in my own home too. What could go wrong? After forty minutes of practicing some moves- I made a HUGE breakthrough... Bravo!!! I actually felt safe inhabiting the feminine force for the first time in my life. I had a breakthrough and it was fucking amazing.

 But the next day, my body told a different story. I went to get up out of bed and my hip was killing me. "What the...?" Had I opened up a part of myself so deeply that it caused my physical body to require some sort of a re-boot? There was no pain when I was bellydancing last night, how could this be? Ughhhh. When I meditated upon it, the message I got was: The strain in my hip is due to the opening up of an area where 'trusting my sexuality' had been previously blocked.  For the next two weeks I shifted my gait to acclimate my new hip strain.  My hips moved in and out of a staccato motion, but eventually I found a new fluid rhythm in my hips that I had only encountered briefly at one other time in my life. 

While undergoing my 'hip transformation', I began writing new affirmations for my body. I realized further acknowledgment  of the Divine Feminine was important. I started this crazy train, now I better take the reigns! I asked for it, and here she was. Was the Divine Feminine showing me her love through my hip transformation? My new affirmation became: "I now expand my vision and see more beauty in myself than ever before."I now expand my vision and embrace more femininity."

In fact, I kept writing and writing and have been using the following affirmations as a means to acclimate my mind, body, emotions and spirit into a new paradigm of trust and empowerment. I placed the affirmations into a video.You are invited into my world. Watch the following video, and if it connects with your soul, please use it often. It has helped me to create new awareness and expanded energy and grace in regards to embracing the Divine Feminine power in my life... And it can help you too!
Love
Tuesday






Saturday, December 7, 2013

Paradigm Shift- Holding onto Healthy Patterns




paradigm |ˈparəˌdīm|nouna typical example or pattern of something; a model 
shift | sh ift
verb
     - change the emphasisdirectionor focus of

    Holding onto Healthy Patterns
    You are in a flow of working-out regularly and making changes in your daily diet.. You feel better than ever! You expand your reserves of energy and have more of it. You are exercising not only your body, but more will-power with the choices you make. Your body happily glows a healthy shine from being regularly oxygenated, nourished, rested and hydrated. Your waistline synches-in and perhaps you begin to feel better about how you feel in your body and clothes. Things have changed. You are changing via the changes you are making in your life. You have created a new pattern to live by. Welcome to the paradigm shift. 'Usual patterns' that include the way you used to do things has changed. And you are changing as a product of it. You love the way you feel, you love the way you look!!.......

    And then... dun dun dunnnn!!- You spend the Holiday with your family or a certain click of friends, and all of your healthy habits that require so much of your thoughtful energy and power to sustain- end up going out the window- but they don't have to.

    Family & Friends
    Often this is where habits begin. Maybe you come from a family tradition/family paradigm that includes eating a lot when you are all together. Your family keeps telling you to eat and fills your plate with food. You have worked so hard to grow your new body, but just can't help to do as in Rome when around them. 

    Or it could be a certain circle of friends you spend time with. You have given up smoking, but when you see them- you end up smoking with them again. You know what I mean-there are many guises to how this works; it could be drinking, talking negatively, gossiping- or doing drugs you swore you'd not do again. I'm not talking about having fun in good company, and having a couple more glasses of wine- or treating yourself to an extra slice of pie on Thanksgiving. No, what I'm talking about is the fine line of holding space for your new paradigm (the new set of patterns you are embedding into your body and mind- that help you to feel good and empowered) while in the midst of the old ones that still exist, like when around family or a certain click of friends.

    Around  two years ago I had finished a very long fast. See posts from my blog Confessions of a Spiritual Apprentice:  Shaman's Fast- Part One & Shaman's Fast- Part Two . When visiting my family around the Holidays, they all insisted I eat more to make up for it and would say- "Go on and eat, you've lost so much weight..." Now, I didn't fast to loose weight, I fasted to release addiction to certain paradigms in my life. I fasted to help me break through old destructive patterns. The fasting lead to a huge paradigm shift in my life. My will became stronger, my emotional fortitude and mental clarity had enlisted an abundance of positive patterning that includes a new awareness of what self love means. It means not gorging on food until I feel disgusted with myself. It means not drinking senselessly, especially when in bad company..ummm..you know what I mean- right? Okay- I'm gonna take it you do. It even meant letting go of some 'friends' that don't emit the same sensibilities that match the paradigm I have shifted into.

    Though I had lost weight when fasting, my focus when re-entering life outside of the fast was more about making conscious choices, than fitting into a skinny pair of jeans. It was hard for my family to acclimate and shift into the new paradigm I was living. It was as if I was speaking a different language.They had to adjust so they could relate to the new me. It was the first time I experienced a true Paradigm Shift. I was able to say 'no thank you', when faced with tempting possibilities. 

    What I'm saying is you can do this! Once I actually realized I could in fact Love my body and maybe even feel Beautiful in it- it took several years of making conscious changes mind & body- especially in the face of temptation. Over and over I spiraled- and then two years ago all of the positive work I had done really clicked in. It clicked into my consciousness; my mind- but also every cell in my body! Feeling good about myself, and truly desiring to sustain healthy change in my mind and body have become my motivations. Slipping back into old destructive patterns, has less and less room for possibility. The more I exercise choices that match the new paradigm where I feel greater self love, the easier it is to stay there. You can do it too! Give yourself permission to make healthy choices, no matter who or what surrounds you. It may even mean excusing yourself from certain company- and that is ok.

    Involve your Family this Holiday Season 
    Instead of giving into hanging out like a couch potato over the holidays... Encourage your family to join you for a walk after the Holiday dinner, or even as a regular family activity. Even if it's cold out and you have to get bundled up, everyone will feel so much better for it. T.V can be fun, but after hours, it can become isolating with no conversation. during a walk, there is room for chatting, catching up, and having some fun in the snow, or 'chilly' sunshine if in Los Angeles! Bring your favorite Zumba music and get every body up for a dance party after you've digested.

    Visiting Family this Winter - No Gym in sight? - Be Prepared!
    When visiting family abroad, we can often blame the lack of a gym for letting our good habits slip. Be prepared by bringing your yoga mat/running shoes or jump rope/resistance band, and do some mini work outs during your stay.Take the stairs as often as you can and walk more- out in the fresh air. If you can't do your usual hour or two at the gym two-three times a week, perform twenty (or more) minutes of mini workouts each day that include getting your metabolism up with some cardio. It can be as simple as jumping around to your favorite song- and working your favorite body parts. Or maybe a yoga session. 

    This Holiday Season stick to the new positive patterns you've been creating, mind and body. Make positive choices that ensure your happiness, mind and body. Practice your favorite exercises, maybe invite your friends and family to exercise with you! 

    Lets work out together: Visit my videos on youtube <3

    Love,
    Tuesday May



I am not a certified nutritionist, doctor or therapist. 
Please consult your healthcare professional before participating in any
 lifestyle changes you may feel are questionable to your health. 
I am not responsible for any action you resume, You are- Make it pleasurable.
© Tuesday May Thomas 2013
  











www.tuesdaymaythomas.com