Hello—
Here's a question for you. Are you ready for Thanksgiving and for all the family gatherings (and potential dramas) that are about to happen? If not, it might be a good time to brush up on your "table manners".
I've found that these gatherings—regardless of how packed they are with good intentions—can so often devolve into a multi course meal of outgrown patterns, misunderstandings, dashed expectations and hurt feelings, along with a side order or two of acting out and bad behavior. In short, not quite the lovely family reunion we'd envisioned.
If nothing else, Thanksgiving is great chance to do several aspects of your practice: stay present, release expectations, tend to your boundaries and expect the unexpected. In short, have your wits about you.
To bolster this practice, let's revisit the concept of free will—something we all have—and stop Our Selves from getting caught up in the tiniest of details. Remembering these two signposts can make a huge difference both at and away from the table.
"Power / Free Will" (2:47)—(This builds on Choices/Consequences.) There is a delicate balance that happens between the "power" we think we have in a moment and the free will that someone chooses to exercise—or not. (YouTube Link or Facebook Link)
"Molasses" (2:53) Sometimes we can get so bogged down in the minutia of a moment—pre pre planning, pre planning and planning it that we can derail and stymie Our Selves in moving forward. (YouTube Link or Facebook Link)
Feel free to share your insights and thoughts with us. It's always helpful to get someone else's perspective.
If you're looking for my take on other aspects of the art of listening with your Bodymind, you can find all of my SwaffWords© videos on either my YouTube Channel or in my Facebook Video Library. For a quick "mini session" with me, just scroll through the playlists and click on a topic that speaks to you. Then watch, learn, and practice—all in about 3 minutes or less.
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In the meantime, here's to giving thanks for all the riches in our lives. Remember to dust off your "table manners", allow for the practice of free will—yours and others'—without having to tricycle through molasses. Thanks much.
Until next time—
Cheers,
Steph
