Honor Your Voice…No Whining!
I think it is safe to say that no one likes whining, but despite that fact, regardless of age we all find ourselves doing it. It creeps up on you suddenly, born out of a desire for something you
don’t have, or to leave a place where you don’t want to be, or perhaps to resist somebody making you do something when you’d rather be doing something else. A whine is an irrational expression, characterized by a high pitched cry expressing dissatisfaction. No doubt, it is always irritating; hence the upsurge in bumper stickers, t-shirts and pillows boldly exclaiming “No Whining!”
At the instance of whining, we often sound like a scared, insecure caged puppy and may not even know why we are whining. What we really want is sort of hidden beneath dusty clouds. Like a child (or adult) may be whining for a cookie when what they really want is a hug. A child (or adult) may whine for a toy his brother is playing with when what he really wants is for mom to put down her phone and look into his eyes and listen. Instead of reacting with a scrunched face or anger to a whine, consider the deeper meaning and respond from your highest self.
Often we may whine about doing the laundry when the real issue is that we haven’t had a deep meaningful conversation in a week.
When we feel cloudy and grey and like there is a dust storm inside of us…we whine. When we feel powerless, helpless, and stuck…we whine. When we feel disconnected, lonely, and bothered…we whine. It’s as if we have these feelings that are stuck inside of us like chewing gum on a shoe. What is one to do?
Ground Work, of course! :
Close your eyes and connect to your breath. Bring to mind a scared puppy. Consider how you would hug that puppy and whisper that everything is going to be all right. Hug your skin to your muscles to your bones that much. Perhaps sing a song or repeat a beloved word or whisper…
From Down Dog pose, become that huggable puppy. Spread the fingers of your right hand like big puppy paws, clawing the floor. Inhale and draw power up from the earth through your arm bone and into your atrium (bottom of you heart) in front, bottom of your shoulder blades in the back. Exhale and sweetly melt your heart with puppy love. Melt the whines away. Trust the strength of your right arm to support you as you inhale and bring your left palm to the outside of your right leg. Exhale and extend out from your atrium. Press your palm into your leg and your leg into your palm- twisting to look under your right armpit. Keep your basement floor level. Inhale and switch sides. Your left arm supports while you place your right palm to the outside of your left leg. Sense your pack nearby; you may want to bark, but there’s no need to whine.
Do your part in creating more harmony in the world. Enjoy how your people respond to your clarity.
The week before college life officially started at Belmont Abbey College, the Student Life department held one of its biggest and most important trainings of the year for its Resident Assistants. “RA’s” are some of the most influential student employees on campus. They represent the college in helping new students settle into resident hall life, assist in planning social events, lead discussions, report maintenance concerns, serve as a resource to campus information, lend a listening ear and comforting shoulder to cry on, perform room checks, work in the hall office and much more.
Want to be a risk taker?
Sedef Dion who teaches a Pre-Grounded class at Springs Yoga shared with me the story of a four year old girl who in the cutest way mistakenly called Savasana….Lasagna. This inspired me to write a Savasana visualization with a Lasagna theme that Amy and I recently used to connect with our Fernbank Elementary Yoga Club students. After we did our practice complete with the Lasagna Savasana, one of our students..the Principal’s seven year old daughter said…”that was so relaxing…this could help me fall asleep at night”. Since it was her birthday that day, we wanted to put together a recording that her parents could play for her as she lays her head down for a good night rest after a long day.
Have you ever felt not worthy? Maybe you lacked Self-love or maybe you didn’t surround yourself with goodness at the time. Who we surround ourselves with is who we become. If we surround ourselves with downers we begin to feel down. If we surround ourselves with happy, joyous, and delightful people we become more happy and joyful. If we were to eat junk food every single day we would begin to feel down and ucky. When we eat healthier we experience delight and Self-love. Honor Your Self! Surround yourself with goodness. “The first step toward awareness is being willing to look at yourself and your life without judgment or self-criticism.” (Iyanla Vanzant) Awareness opens the heart to new possibilities.