Writing Takes Me to My Pathway of Inner Peace - #2

Welcome back to my Healing Motion Blog. If you read last week’s

Healing Motion Blog please scroll down to the Chapter 2 excerpt.

If you’re new to my Blog, please enjoy the full page:

I am continuing to enjoy the process of editing each chapter and flashback for my upcoming memoir, Apple In My Truck, A Pathway to Inner Peace.

Erin R Lund of Sunshine Editorial Services is currently hard at work brightening each paragraph. I am grateful to Erin for her professionalism, enthusiasm, and quick wit.

My initial editor was Angie Bihn. She had helped me to unbury my painful past while writing and editing. I have referred to Angie in previous blogs as my personal therapeutic archeologist. I am thankful to have Angie’s brilliance within the pages of Apple In My Truck.

Allow me to briefly explain my history with writing. One afternoon during elementary school recess, in 1978, my teacher kept me confined to the classroom while the other children got to play. Her reasoning was that I needed to learn how to NOT talk during the moment that she was attempting to perform the roll call duties.

My punishment was to stand in front of the chalkboard and write out, ‘I Will Not Talk In Class,’ one-hundred times. So you can imagine that I never really liked writing much when I was younger.

During 1993 through 2011 I worked in the emergency medical and fire service profession while living in Arizona. Patient documentation was a daily requirement. Therefore, while I worked for the fire service, the act of writing was never enjoyable.

However, in 2011, I discovered a Yoga Teacher Training program. It was my yoga teacher trainers who helped me to realize that yoga wasn’t only a physical practice. They’d taught me that yoga is about joining together or ‘yoking’ your mind, body and spirit. I’d learned how to connect to my higher Self mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually.

Today, I continue to practice the ancient teachings of yoga. Specially the teachings of an ancient sage known as Patanjali. He is famous for his teachings of the Yoga Sutras. The Eight-Limb Path of Yoga is embedded within the Yoga Sutras.

Svadhyaya (self-study, study of the Self, journaling) is the fourth tenant that resides underneath the second-limb or Niyamas, which inspired me to begin journaling or writing.

My yogic path of a daily Sadhana (practice) of the Eight-Limb Path of Yoga continues. I will be a forever student of yoga continually visiting the teachings of Patanjali to learn, explore and reach my own pathway to inner peace.

Below is a short excerpt from Chapter Two, Practice, from Apple In My Truck, A Pathway to Inner Peace.

Excerpt:

Other moments when I chant are while I am hiking. Often I chant the fabulous phrase, I am whole and complete just as I am, which I borrowed from my Yoga Nidra Teacher Training class.

While hiking along, I continually sing or chant this mantra softly to myself over and over: I am whole and complete just as I am, I am whole and complete just as I am, I am whole and complete just as I am. If any negative thoughts arise, I repeat the intention, and focus on my slow breath moving in, and moving out.

Staying focused on this simple phrase takes me to that peaceful place on the mountain. A hiking trail which once seemed steep and challenging becomes like a stroll in the park when I maintain my intention. At times, it seems as though the mountain was created just for me.

Moving along the trail amongst the cacti, birds, trees, sky, chuckwallas, wind, and bright sun cleanses me. I know my hike is near completion when I feel my taste buds turn on. Soon I will be biting into that juicy red apple resting patiently inside my truck.

As I learned about the ancient teachings of yoga, I simultaneously learned how to be kind to myself. Yoga helps me strive for a sense of equanimity of mind. Yet, because I am not perfect, I don’t always achieve this peaceful feeling every time I practice.

There have been other times when I’d experienced a state of pure bliss. During those brief periods, I didn’t equate that experience with enlightenment. I might have simply thought, I feel incredible, I want more of this, or I am blessed. Most of these blissful moments were when I was outside in nature. It was a gift for me, from my Spirit, to feel love pour out from nature.

There was one particular instance, however, which at first didn’t appear quite so blissful. It was during a time that I felt imprisoned by my back pain. I had sustained a major back injury while working as a firefighter. After months of physical therapy and finally feeling free of extreme pain, I had thought that I was in the clear. Then the back pain returned. I was about to give up all hope, but I continued to pray. I wanted to move my body freely without pain, but it was a daily struggle.

I was in my backyard barefoot, trying to do my physical therapy exercises, but the back pain wasn’t softening at all. I continued to look up to the sky and pray. I welcomed the shade from both the Mesquite and Palo Verde trees. Peter and I had planted both of these from just one single seed only five years ago. It was a blessing to watch these trees mature into beautiful, adorning crowns.

I continued to pray. “Spirit please help me to hear your message. Bring me a blessing of healing. I want to move my body free of pain.”

In that moment, I saw my Spirit in my dog Gusey’s eyes. I began to cry, and sang; Spirit In His Eyes, Spirit In His Eyes, Spirit In His Eyes. Gus’s ears tilted back and I knew he was smiling. We danced, and I felt the pain wanting to leave my body. As I began laughing and feeling at ease, I noticed my breath once again becoming smooth. My Spirit helped me talk to my pain: Pain, you have my permission to leave. I’ve received your message and I honor you. Enjoy your vacation.

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I hope you enjoyed this short sample of Apple In My Truck, A Pathway To Inner Peace. Stay tuned, as next week I”ll bring you another brief excerpt from my upcoming memoir.

To learn more about the Eight-Limb Path of Yoga please read my self-published fictional book, dYnO’s DaNcE, On The Eight-Limb Path.

dYnO’s DaNcE, On The Eight-Limb Path, is an imaginative tale liberally sprinkled with Patañjali’s spiritual teachings. This story offers a great pathway for you to connect with your inner child.

Find your copy online at:

https://www.amazon.com/Alicia-J.-Valentyn/e/B086VNZ8ML

Be a Flower,

Share your Beauty.

Namaste.

Alicia

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