Cultivating an Inner Sanctuary

When I think of a sanctuary, I imagine a large, open space with massive stone pillars, and billowing white curtains separating the space. I imagine the intoxicating scent of lilies, jasmine & magnolia flowers. I can see still gazing pools with lily pads floating on the surface. There is a beautiful swimming pool, and a few hot tubs scattered here & there. There are tables filled with artistically arranged food, and the purest water in crystal goblets. There is soft, angelic music playing in the background. I can receive Reiki, massage, sound treatments, or any other kind of bodywork imaginable - any time I wish. 

This is my inner sanctuary.

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You can have one, too, if you can dream one up. 

When I teach restorative yoga, I think of each moment in the class as cultivating this inner sanctuary. What would make you feel ultimately relaxed, comforted and take care of? If I come around during the class, what is it that you need from me? A gentle adjustment, a blanket to better support you in a pose, or simply a loving hand held to your forehead? 

How can I help you take care of yourself?

My mission in these very special classes is to guide you into a loving experience - but ultimately the experience is up to you. The only thing we can truly "own" is direct experience. The tricky part is that your thoughts, emotions and sometimes past experiences, can begin to change the way you view direct experience. 

I love teaching Restorative Yoga above all other forms of yoga, because it is truly about You. You become responsible for how much you are able to relax and release into the experience. You are responsible for ensuring that you feel physically comfortable during the class. And you are also responsible for your own inner sanctuary ... Using your breath to support the poses, focusing on releasing anything that no longer serves you. 

This language can sound strange for a long time .. but when you hear your yoga teacher repeating it enough times, you begin to try putting them into practice. And suddenly one day you find yourself at ease ... with everything. 

Yoga occasionally brings us profound moments of true silence, deep inner peace, and freedom. But in order to get there, we must practice. You can practice at home - even just for 5 minutes at a time - even just 10 deep belly breaths, or 3 Uujayi breaths, or a few Cat/Cows. 

And when you come to class, your body knows what's happening, and those openings are waiting to be experienced. 

Cultivate an Inner Sanctuary every day, by giving yourself moments of space and breath. Your body will thank you. Your mind will thank you. 

Here's to Inner Peace!

Love Nicole

Nicole Aracki is a yoga teacher in Kamloops, BC, Canada. Guiding You to the Light Within.
www.nicolearacki.com 
https://www.facebook.com/nicoleatmanyoga/# 

Cows, Abundance & Letting Go

The other day I was out running and happened upon a rather large group ... of rather large Cows. They ran across the trail, seemingly out of my way, but as I began to pass by them, they all turned toward me and started charging! It was freaky, and a bit hilarious at the same time ... I haven't run that fast in quite a while!

At first, I thought that I must have been doing something wrong in order for them to chase me like that, as I don't even eat meat! I am their friend, aren't I? I began to wonder what it could mean to have such an obvious sign placed in my path like that. These occurrences, especially when animals are bringing you a message, are never by accident. They always mean something.


I began to actually research the symbolism of the Cow. She does come to symbolize abundance, fertility and the Mother. When I remembered what the Cow means to Hindus, I realized that Abundance is actually chasing me down! What better omen than to have 20 cows charging at you? 


"In Hinduism, the cow is a symbol of wealth, strength, abundance, selfless giving and a full Earthly life." - Wikipedia


I knew I had hit on the truth of the message because of the feeling it brought me ... A sense of rising energy within me, a powerful surging of purpose and meaning. A feeling of connection and elation with a touch of bliss.


My purpose and my vision through the last few months has been to touch as many peoples' lives with love and joy as I can possibly reach. My intention has been to give more than I get. To offer the very best that I can to each person I meet. And while I'm teaching yoga - I always ask that the Universe work its' magic through me so that my students can receive the offerings/messages/guidance that the Universe is trying to convey to them. I always ask that I be a clear channel so that the energy can move through me freely, and out to the desired recipient.


The trick to this surrendering of spirit and body is that I also surrender the results to the Universe. It is the process of giving someone a gift, but they will never know it was you, and you will never know how it affected them.


I don't know for sure what kind of abundance will come my way, and I don't pretend to be able to predict the future for myself. All I know for sure is that this situation reminded me that I am connected to this Earth, I am a part of it, and I relate to all beings that thrive on it. I am not separate from those creatures, even if they scare me - even if they seem like something that could take my life. If they come to me to convey messages - how separate can they actually be from me? What kind of power draws together a group of 20 cows, and me?


I am not separate from you either, dear reader. Even if we haven't spoken in months, and even if we've never met.


What if you treated everyone you encountered today as if they were a part of you - as if they were you? How would you treat the people around you? Would you treat them any differently than you do now? Something to ponder ....


Have the most lovely day ~ Namaste, Nicole

Finding Dharma

After months of waiting, the wave has finally broken! We will finally be moving to Kamloops at the end of next month!!!


These last few months have tested my patience greatly, and caused stress in my life - something that I continuously work to avoid. But all suffering is necessary and almost always leads to some conclusions.


For me, this waiting period led me to some pretty massive emotional breakthroughs. It pushed me up against the most fearful parts of myself - the parts that are terrified of rejection, need to feel a sense of security to survive, and of the lady in me who's incredibly scared to let her kids down in any way.


I was also forced to face my feelings of inadequacy, my confidence, and the driving force in my life. Which I figured out is a great desire for independence, freedom and space, in whatever I am doing.


I realized through this that the work we do on ourselves is never done, and this is something that I've heard successful people say. But I never thought I would get there in my own mind to actually see it. There is always going to be another challenge that comes up in our lives - it's how we approach it that will determine whether we look at our outcomes as successes or failures. For instance, as I come out of this dark period of winter, I look at the thoughts that I've been able to get under control, and at the formidable way that I have gone above and beyond in order to work towards my goals.


Diving into these deep-seated emotional issues is not easy work. But you're the only one who can do this work on yourself. Don't turn away from the things that frighten you, but rather go towards them with curiosity, love and acceptance. No healer, shaman or witch could perform on you the transformations that are required in order to excel in your life. You are your own Shaman. You are the guardian of your own heart. You are your own light, and when you are able to remove the stuck emotional baggage, your vision will be clear and free. It is in these moments of clarity that you will see your own personal truth, and at this pivotal point, you will have the power to live out your purpose. Your Dharma.


Sincerely and With Love,
Nicole

Precious.

I have had some moments of epiphany in my life. Yesterday, I was driving to Kamloops for the Interior Wellness Conference, and was truly enjoying the morning. It was bright and sunny, traffic was flowing smoothly, and I was belting out a Kiesza song. There was enough water on the road that it was coming off of the cars in a superfine mist, and I took comfort that the roads would not be icy, but just a little wet.
On the left hand side of the road, in the opposing traffic, there was a large yellow truck stopped, and three people walking north. As I turned my full attention back to the road in front of me, it took me a moment to comprehend that there had been an accident up ahead. A transport truck was stopped and the man was waving his arms at me to slow down. I immediately applied the brakes.


But nothing happened. I panicked, and stepped on the brakes harder. Nothing. I heard something locking up in the car, and at that point I was visualizing what would happen if I wasn't able to stop. I was saying "No, please no. Not like this. Oh god, please no ... " and then I said it "I'm not ready to go". I heard or felt a deep inner voice say "Nicole, you have to let everything go." I took my hands off the wheel, I took my foot off the brake, and I must have felt the car regain control. Then I gently applied the brakes and they took hold. I came to a fast and solid and full stop.


At that point I was able to actually see the scene in front of me. There was a dually truck on it's roof, and the attached, enclosed trailer it was towing was on it's side. I put my hazard lights on, turned off my engine and walked onto the scene. My feet were slipping on the frozen, black ice of the Coquihalla, and I realized how lucky I was to have been able to stop. As I walked over to the scene, the lady who had been driving said there was a horse in the trailer.  I asked the good Samaritan who was helping her if the horse was moving. She said she didn't know. So some men pried open the door, and the woman said the horse needed to be able to stand up, or it would have to be put down. I looked into the trailer and saw a sweet little miniature horse. I knew I had to help, so I climbed in with her and we got the horse to stand. This poor woman was in shock, and as soon as she saw that the creature was okay, she left the trailer. I had to stay. The poor little guy was in shock too, and I smoothed and petted him all over. His heart was racing and the sounds of the highway were making him feel pretty uncertain. But he seemed to calm down quickly, and when I started giving him Reiki, he immediately leaned onto me quite heavily. I gave him Reiki for quite some time, and finally decide that he would be okay, so I climbed out of the trailer. Just as I opened the door to leave, he pawed at the bar in the trailer and whinnied at me. I told him he would be okay, and I got out of the trailer.


I walked past the overturned truck, and noticed the antifreeze dripping like syrup from beneath the hood. I approached two bystanders and told them the horse was okay, and they both sighed in relief. We started chatting about the icy roads, and how we both had difficulty stopping on the slick surface. It turns out they were from Merritt, and were also heading to the conference. We talked and talked while a few other people were assisting with the scene. Pretty soon the police cars, tow truck and ambulance came, along with a highway maintenance truck and a snow plow. The scene was cleared in 20 minutes, and the highway was open once more, with more salt to melt the nasty ice.


Upon reflection all day yesterday, I realized how incredibly lucky I am to have been able to stop my vehicle. It really spooked me, and I realize that nothing happens by chance. The Universe had a master plan to pluck each person involved to learn a lesson, to have poor judgement, to fill up a water bottle and get one more hug from each family member before leaving the house. I was meant to meet that little horse, and those wonderful ladies from Merritt, and the kind police officer who said "120 km's probably isn't the right speed limit in these conditions". The woman who was involved in the accident probably had something she was meant to realize because of the accident - something that only a very big scare could make obvious enough. ( I don't know her story, and it wouldn't be fair to assume anything!)


All in all, I cannot lie, I was incredibly shaken all day as I walked through the conference and chatted with some amazingly beautiful people. I value this life so deeply and feel that this moment that I had will continue to affect me profoundly. I feel that now, more than ever, I must make the most of this life, and continue to simply share myself with the world ... from simple interactions to this blog to my work teaching yoga. It is all so precious. Life is so precious. I am precious, and You are precious. Make the most of each moment ... I know it is hard sometimes, but with practice you will get there more often, I promise you that.


The Light in Me sees the Light in You.
Sincerely, Nicole

Tricky Emotions to Shake

As many of you know, I had some pretty nasty anxiety issues a few years back. At the time, I would have given absolutely anything to rid myself of the suffocating sensations, and I did try many different techniques to shake it. Nothing seemed to work. I received spiritual healings almost weekly from a friend, I meditated, did breathing exercises, started exercising. Truly there was no quick fix to this debilitating condition, and the thought of taking medication never crossed my mind.

What I came to realize, after thinking a lot about faith and forgiveness this week, is that you must make a daily practice for yourself in order to sort through these tricky emotions. With my anxiety, I was able to eventually find a technique and daily routine that helped me work through this difficult time. It was also my circumstances that challenged me - two toddlers at home! Tricky, tricky time.

As I have been thinking about forgiveness this week, I realized that there are people and situations that I have been holding inside myself in a tight little ball, unwilling to let go of the pain of circumstances that caused them. I realize that in order to thrive in my life, and to be able to offer the very best that I can, I must release this pain in the spirit of forgiveness. I have done many rituals over the years to practice forgiveness, but I realized this morning that I must make this a daily practice in order for it to really work. I read something that said *"people do not have to ask you for forgiveness, it is something that you can do silently, close to your chest, and they don't even have to know." I absolutely love this perspective, because it means that I don't have to painstakingly make contact with people who are no longer in my life. I can love them for what they gave me in my life over the years. I can release the hurts and pay attention only to the joy and love and contribution they made to the person I am today. What a liberating thought!

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So for today, I am working on forgiving and letting go of the past. I am working on healing the wounded parts of my spirit by making space for love where there was once pain. For years now I have aimed to live my life with love, peace and joy, and I have so enjoyed this beautiful direction in my life. With a daily practice of forgiving the past, I feel that I can be liberated energetically to channel even more energy into the life I have always wanted. And THAT, my friends, is Pivotal!

I realized as well that you can forgive people right in the moment as well. When my child takes his frustrations out on me by shouting or stomping up the stairs, I can forgive. When the person on the highway cuts me off in traffic, I can forgive. When I smile at someone and it is not returned, I can forgive. Every day I will release feelings of guilt, anger, disappointment, fear and sadness. I will offer love in the place of these destructive feelings, and I will do it again tomorrow if I have to. I forgive.

*The Traveler's Gift - by Andy Andrews

Emotions and Memories

It always comes back to how you feel inside of your own body, mind and spirit. There is something so unforgettable about the kinds of memories that involved all three of these aspects of ourselves. When each part of these ethereal bodies are passing the time by communicating strongly with each other, you know that you have found a sweet spot in your life.

I have many memories that tie in all three of these aspects, but I would like to share the most profound with you today - the life-changers:

1 ~ When I received my Reiki training in the late 1990's. I was recovering from ... my teen years that were steeped in avoidance and denial ... from the transition: highschool to a full time job ... late nights every night ... becoming a woman ...

Sometimes the Universe sets up a perfect storm for us so that when we are lying flat on our backs in the dark, and we finally open our eyes we are looking UP towards the light.

When I received my Reiki training, I was instantly cradled by strangers - mostly women, and a handful of deeply nurturing men. I wept and I cried and I released all the pressure that was built up inside, all the wretched angst of teenhood, all the ways in which I thought I wasn't good enough. I left it on the table, and my angels mopped it up.

2 ~ After I had my second child, I suffered from some pretty nasty anxiety. I had found a friend, a fellow mom, to collaborate with in our healing journeys. We practiced tons of energy work together, held circles to release our struggles, ate delicious food and celebrated evenings while the children slept. There were many beautiful experiences, visions and emotional releases that we shared. It was a special and transformative time, albeit a difficult time.

3 ~ When I travelled to Mexico for my yoga teacher training. I was 33 (double digit years are always amazing). The kids were still quite little, and I couldn't believe that the Universe had opened up this opportunity for me to travel to Mexico to become a yoga teacher ~ It was absolutely amazing. I learned a technique there on how to allow myself to truly acknowledge the emotions that I was feeling. It was the final piece of the puzzle that allowed me to finally let go of the crippling anxiety I had been feeling.

I cried a million tears in those 16 days. I truly felt myself being cleansed by those tears. All the people who were there with me - we all cried together, we supported one another and I will feel forever forged to the memories I have from that time.


Sometimes I find it difficult to remember exactly what it was like before I did this emotional work for myself. But I suppose it is better to be forgetful - this way you are not giving the emotional junk a "story", because the Ego thrives off of stories ... When you ask "why am I feeling this way", rather than allowing yourself to feel it completely, you create a resistance, a stumbling block on your way, a place to pause and conjure up a story about why you are this way. From there the Ego becomes free to create a way in which to stagnate your growth even more by delaying you from actually feeling uncomfortable.

When you simply allow yourself to feel what you're feeling, you open up to the opportunity to release the feeling. It is certainly not the easiest path, because it can feel messy and out of control. It can feel like you're not being strong, that you don't have time to be down and out for even an hour, let alone a week or longer.

Sometimes you aren't given a choice as to whether or not you feel ready to let the emotions go ... sometimes it is just your time, and there is not a thing you can do to stop the tears from falling.

Let yourself feel it. It is so much easier.

Peace and love to you from me ~ Nicole

Ever Feel Like Something's Missing?

There are times in life when we have a yearning desire to help others, and when that time is upon us, we feel absolutely invincible. We feel filled with purpose and love, and there is a simple joy that radiates and touches all the people we meet. This feeling, unfortunately, cannot be forced. There is always a precursor to this type of bliss, and it usually involves a dark period of time when we simply must be alone as there is nothing left to give.

There are times when we must nurture our mental and spiritual health. There are times when we must figure out what it is that truly makes us happy, and we can only do this when we get a little selfish and turn our back on the needs of others. Did you know that it's okay to do this?

Guilt holds a lot of people back from doing the things that could ultimately bring happiness into their lives. It is such a shame that we should feel guilty when nurturing our innermost Needs, because this kind of self-indulgence is required in order to have the ability to give of ourselves. It is only when our cup can be filled no more that we have the capacity to allow it to run into the cups of others! It's like those towers of champagne glasses - the one on top has to be filled first.

It is particularly hard to give to ourselves at this time of the year, but a few stolen moments for a 20-minute coffee with a friend goes a very long way to sowing seeds of happiness. Of course, it's more important to have some kind of regular routine that helps you to work through some of the nonsense stories that we play in our minds. Whether it's working out to burn up anxious energy, or meditating to find focus in your mind, or practicing yoga to get in touch with the language of your body - It is important to find a way to Do something proactive.

"A martyr is a person who displays or exaggerates their discomfort or distress in order to obtain sympathy or admiration."
(Merriam Webster Dictionary)
No one wants to be seen as a martyr, but sometimes we don't realize that this costume is something we often try to wear. You are the only one in charge of your destiny, your body, your thoughts, your decisions, and even of your feelings, believe it or not. There is always a choice, but sometimes the choice isn't easy to make when we don't want to hurt others.

In the end, I believe that the way we live is the way we shall die. This concept may seem dark, but the reality is, we will all pass away one day, and the way we operate in life is how we will approach our ultimate death as well.

The question is: How much time do you have to put your innermost thoughts and desires on hold? How long are you going to wait before you take a strong hold of the reins of your life? You have the power to be fabulous, amazing, strong and beautiful ... and you also have the power to ultimately help others. We all do, but the most effective people are the ones who take time for themselves, who nurture and love themselves, who have found a balance in their lives, but who also understand that life will always be a balancing act. There will consistently be times in life when you miss opportunities to get time alone to get back to You. But there will also consistently be decisions to make about getting real about what is most important at any given time.

The most important piece of the puzzle is YOU, and how you perceive the world and your place in it. Sometimes we need to get a little selfish to experience the extreme of how we have been operating in order to go to the place of balance, and that is absolutely fine. I am quite certain that life will give you many chances to go back to the life you led before ....

This holiday season, do it differently. See what happens when you remove your expectations and your thoughts of what you think you are supposed to do, be, have or give. Just seek out your own personal Bliss, and see where this leads you ... I wish you good luck on the Journey!  Love Nicole

Life Ten Years Ago

I had an interesting conversation with some girlfriends last night about what life was like for us ten years ago. I, personally, was a proud homeowner with my man and was in the midst of planning our wedding. I had fierce baby fever. I actually worked in an office - full time. I still lived in my hometown. 

I thought I had the best life in the world. Nearly every day, on my lunch break I walked home to eat and to gently stroll through my yard, looking at my gorgeous, unorganized garden. That garden made me feel like I was creating something. Little did I know how much more I could create in my life ...

It is quite fascinating to look back upon my life, my personality and my perceptions. Ten years ago I had no boundaries around anything. If someone slipped into a lineup ahead of me, I said nothing. If I received the wrong drink at a restaurant, I said nothing. I was a pushover, meek, timid and afraid of certain peoples' judgements about me.  Amongst family and friends I was myself, of course.

There was so much I wanted to learn about energy, Wicca and my own self. I liked to delve into past life stuff, and I thrived on the stimulating effects of energy and of magic. I had been practicing Reiki and yoga for a few years, and though it was mainly for my own health, it was also part of "Who I Was". I wanted people to know these things about me, because I thought that was what made me special, unique and different. I so desperately wanted to be special.

As time has passed, I have been handed many challenges in my life. When we had to move from my hometown, to a new town, all I had left of that former self was my papered accomplishments. But I was happy and content being a mother and wife, and at first it really was enough. Of course, when times got tough, when I began to realize that no one knew "Who I Was" things became difficult. Everything about me seemed to dissolve when the outside world no longer supported the mirage I was trying to create. It wasn't just the fact that I didn't have the time, it was also the fact that I didn't have anyone around to affirm my image. No one in the new town had any ideas or expectations of me. It shattered my self-perception. And it was just what I needed, at the time.

Earlier this week, I had a thought come to me - The Universe is the greatest healer. Call it fate, destiny or circumstance, the Universe places you in the situations you are meant to experience. There is such a beautiful art to the way that a person can be "set up" to uncover the lessons in life. When we are going through a difficult time, or an unproductive time, or a frustrating time, it usually lasts until we don't think we can take it anymore. We reach the bottom of the well, and the only place to look is up ~ towards the light. And this happened over and over and over. This cycle, who knows, maybe it lasts the rest of our lives? Or does it get easier?

I sit here wondering what life will be like for me ten years from now.

My oldest will be ready to leave the nest, my youngest will not be far behind. A brand new chapter will open up for me to explore, and new challenges will arise. I wouldn't even know what to wish for at this point ... All I know is that I am looking forward to finding out. I am looking forward to getting old, watching the cycles of life rise and fall, and simply see what I turn out to be like in my next decade!