“Surrender is faith that the power of love can accomplish anything… even when you cannot foresee the outcome” Deepak Chopra
My little boy has a new trick. However, his trick might not mean much if you don’t know him: so, here’s his back ground…
He is extremely speech delayed. At three and a half, he is regularly only speaking a handful of words, not putting words together, and not repeating very much. It’s been a hard and long journey…
But he is my sweet little green-eyed boy, who has a personality too big for words. He taught himself various gymnastics moves, he rides a two-wheeler at 10mph, he burns the street up on his scooter and he can climb ANYTHING. Not to mention, he is the life of the party, even without having to say a thing. But his energy is high. Let me rephrase that. His energy is OUT OF CONTROL. If I could bottle it, I would put Starbucks out of business.
So, when he slows down, relaxes, allows, and surrenders; I get out my pom-poms!
Getting back to his trick: every night he has a bath, and recently he likes to submerge himself under the water almost completely except for a little outline of his face. He just stares up at the ceiling with an expression of pure serenity and peace.
I’ve always lived by the water, in New York, in California, in New Zealand, and in my few months living on Kangaroo Island in Australia. It was always a bike ride away.
That said, I have heard EVERY story about kid’s drowning: from drowning at a beach party in a cooler of 2” of water, to big waves taking children out to sea. To put it bluntly, it FREAKS me out.
In fact, in my own life I had a near drowning experience on the cusp of 2000…
At the end of 1999, for New Year’s, a friend and I decided to go to Costa Rica for the Y2K scare. We figured if the world was going to end, we would rather be in a tropical paradise than anywhere else, with coconuts and bananas at our fingertips, and the ability to sleep -comfortably- anywhere outside.
Another good friend lived in San Jose and took us on a road trip to this absolutely gorgeous beach right outside of a small surfer town Dominical. We were the only ones on the beach and I felt so blessed and so lucky. It felt like we had journeyed back in time thousands of years. We could hear the monkeys and birds in the dense jungle behind us. Large white sun-drenched tree trunks spotted our landscape as we sat on the foot-print-less beach drinking lime filled coronas. Beautiful parrots flew overhead.
None of us were great swimmers and little did we know that you actually have to be a great swimmer in that part of the world because it’s the undertow capital of Costa Rica. Clueless, off we went for a swim in the seemingly perfect turquoise waters…
We were swimming peacefully for quite some time. In fact, the water was pretty shallow, so you had to go some distance to get to the deeper waters. At some point the tides strength quickly started to build, and we yelled to each other “Let’s go back in”. But it was too late. The strength of the tide was pulling us further and further from the shore…
We both started to panic. I was probably the weaker swimmer, but my friend was a bit further out then I. She started to yell for me,” Can you come and help me?!?” As I looked back, I realized I was using all my strength just to stay put, my heart started racing and I started to panic, as she clearly was as well.
I yelled to her to just go with the tide and I would try and get help… We both were literally in over our heads. My Costa Rican friend and her husband were on the shore and I knew if I could get to Juan, he might be able to help my friend. I was terrified I wouldn’t make it on time.
It was one of the scariest moments in my life and, believe me, I’ve had a lot of scary moments. It was scary because I absolutely couldn’t help my friend which is the only thing I wanted to do, and I knew to my core if I tried, I would die in the process.
I harder I swam the further the tide pulled me back. So, I surrendered. I just started to float. Then I would try and swim, but if it was too strong, I started to float again. I went back a little, then forward a lot, then back a little. I eventually made it to the shallow waters and by that point, my friend who was behind me had followed suit. We both were alive; shaking, breathless, shocked, but breathing.
Letting go saved our lives.
Yoga has what I call its own 10 commandments. They are called the Yamas and the Niyamas, and they are meant to be perfected BEFORE you even start practicing the poses. Coming in at number ten is – you guessed it! Surrender or Isvara-Pranidhana.
Yogapedia writes “Ishvara pranidhana is the practice of fully surrendering the self to God, chosen personal god, or Life Force.”
Surrendering requires discipline, trust and faith. It is the art of allowing but believing that the higher self, the source, God, Universal energy- whatever you want to call ‘It’- It has your back.
Jen Sincero talks about this in her book “You are a Bad Ass”. She writes about how it isn’t giving up, but rather doing your best and allowing the outcome to arrive without force. Her ‘to-do’ list is: “Showing up every day with an excellent attitude. Doing your best. Leaning back. Celebrating what is. And steadily working with the grateful expectation and belief that the universe is sending you a new more lucrative opportunity.” and “Surrender is not what you do, but how you’re being as you do it.” Jen Sincero
We can’t control everything. and when we try, we struggle. If I had swam back to my friend, I most likely would have drowned. I had to let go of control. I had to allow what would happen to happen. I had to do my best in that moment. I had to have faith.
“When we know love matters more than anything, and we know that nothing else REALLY matters, we move into the state of surrender. Surrender does not diminish our power, it enhances it.” Sara Paddison
Back to the bath tub…
Each night my little guy plays in his tub, and after a while, lays down deep in the water and looks up. I sit there, watching him intently, always there in case he needs me. I have gotten used to allowing him enjoyment in this moment. I watch as he embraces surrender and the feeling of weightlessness and the warmth of the waters that surround him. I watch as he does through some deprivation of sound and movement; as he is a highly sensitive child, and this calms him. And as I watch him, he teaches me how to surrender with joy and love.
“God can dream a bigger dream, for me, for you, then you can ever dream for yourself. When you’ve worked as hard, and done as much, and strive and tried and given. And pleaded and bargained. And hoped. Surrender. When you done all you can do, and there is nothing left for you to do, give it up. Give it up to that thing that is greater than yourself.” Oprah Winfrey
Be well, Be Strong, Be Love, and Be faith,
Shana Heatley
Word Of the Year: Flow! Getting in it for 2023
This made me realize: sometimes things happen at their own speed, in their own due time. I am not in control, even as much as I wish I was, or as much as I try working hard to be. I can’t force anything- life can change and impact us -on a macro or micro scale – at any moment. It just is what it is….Shana Heatley
1:59 PM (35 minutes ago)
to me
Word of the year: FLOW
2022 taught me a lot. It was tougher than I thought it would be , wasn’t it?? After all we’d been through in 2020 & 2021 most of us thought 2022 would be a walk in the park. But honestly- I don’t know anyone who felt that was.
The world was maybe only very slightly calmer- at least from my perspective- but my inner landscape was vexed. Things came up , situations changed, and topsy -turvy feelings became the norm. And this was the universal sentiment that seemed to rock our worlds- both outer and inner but mostly the former.
There were some larger energetic shifts that impacted us all,but, regardless of that, we all felt the awareness that there was still work to be done. This made me realize: sometimes things happen at their own speed, in their own due time. I am not in control, even as much as I wish I was, or as much as I try working hard to be. I can’t force anything- life can change and impact us -on a macro or micro scale – at any moment. It just is what it is….
And now I truly get that. My son having difficulties has really shown me how we can’t force things to happen. He is going at his own pace, not one imposed upon by me. He is doing the best he can. All I can do is pray, set intentions and ask for help when I need it. BUT I can’t force him on any level to go any faster to do any “better” even though my WILL, my ego might want him to.I need to be in the FLOW. The flow of my outer life and unexpected circumstances that may arise, as well as my inner life- flowing with my feelings, thoughts, passions and purpose- as well as my shadow side.
And now I truly get that. My son having difficulties has really shown me how we can’t force things to happen. He is going at his own pace, not one imposed upon by me. He is doing the best he can. All I can do is pray, set intentions and ask for help when I need it. BUT I can’t force him on any level to go any faster to do any “better” even though my WILL, my ego might want him to….I need to be in the FLOW. The flow of my outer life and unexpected circumstances that may arise, as well as my inner life- flowing with my feelings, thoughts, passions and purpose- as well as my shadow side.
That Summer Feeling~ June, Hormones, Sunshine and Heart-to-Hearts
June is a slip into summer……New scientific research has even discovered that different hormones peak during different seasons. Our reproduction hormones tend to peak late winter into spring. Move over birdie! Moreover, our serotonin levels are also elevated during the summer months with more exposure to sun light. With this higher dose, we can feel more confident in our skin, more able to open up and share with others. This hormone also creates feelings of loyalty, which may engender trust and open honesty. Hormonal changes such as these can increase our desire to connect with others. Biologically, we are social creatures and it is vital to our survival, our health and our well-being, to have solid connections with a close, core group of people in which we can allow ourselves to be intimate and vulnerable with.
‘You Must Believe In Spring…’
“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom” Anais Nin. The Cycle begins again… Birth. Emergence. Becoming. Newness. Freshness. Blooming. Budding. Moving. Ascending.
For many decades now, I have come to live in harmony with natures seasonal changes and create rituals around them. I suppose my interest started at first as a child because I was always very observant to nature and what was happening in my outside world. Now, even the years that I am not quite as attentive, I still feel a buzzing in my body come late March that continues through to June. To me this sensation is spring….
….Think of the sort of “anger” one has when playing a sport, or the “anger” one has when playing a game, or the burning sensation that one might feel when a highly valued project or endeavor hits an avalanche of an obstacle. It’s the sensation of being so alive and so on fire that only a blood curdling cry can truly demonstrate the depth (like the NZ Maori’s war dance, the Haka). It’s that kind of anger that runs rampant during these spring months. If this anger is felt and understood and then, most importantly, let go of, it is useful in allowing us to forge ahead. It gives us resilience and strength despite our possible uphill battles. However, if this anger is nurtured and feed, it can become a noose around our necks and follow us everywhere we go. Not relinquishing its hold can poison even the most tender of moments, even the sweetest of relationships…..
What a Little Moonlight Can Do
The full moon is a super-attractor: meaning- whatever you are feeling will be 200% accentuated during this moon phase. Feeling crazy? Well, get ready for more Cra-cray. Feeling amorous? Here comes more mojo! Feeling sad? You better grab those tissues! The full moon amplifies EVERYTHING.
You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling
“Intimacy is being seen and known as the person you truly are.” Amy Bloom
Ever want that connection… but not THAT connection? And, doesn’t that sound so much more than sexy Victoria’s Secret lingerie? I mean, there’s nothing wrong with sexy, but sex and intimacy aren’t necessarily interdependent. And, for many people, it’s harder to be intimate WITHOUT the sexy part than WITH the sexy part. When the “private part” is one’s own vulnerability the stakes are higher than when the clothing comes off. It’s no wonder, then, that true intimacy is somewhat of a rarity.
After all, it’s hard to open up and allow someone else to see your tender underbelly. It’s frightening and creates anxiety; it brings up all kinds of stuff. However, if we can’t go “there”, the other stuff is just a roll in the hay which may be fun in the moment or a whole lot of regret down the road.
Love and Happiness
…and left me alone in our hotel room. That is when the anxiety got really strong. “Oh shit. What have I done? My world is caving in and I have LOST all control”… I felt my breath shrink and then quicken, and my heart pound…. I sat down on the bed and looked at the duffel bag that housed some of our clothes and toiletries. I noticed one of the books from that book club peering out of the open zipper as if to say, “Here I am, help is here”.
“Every Breath you Take” How to get the “ahh” in meditation….
The body makes us VERY aware of our present moment. These thoughts (or the mind chatter) are anchored in two places: either in the past (“ did I remember that?”, “ why didn’t so-and-so say hello to me at the grocery store”) or in the future (“if I don’t get this done I won’t have time for…”, “my 10,20, 30 year reunion is coming up, what should I wear? what will so and so look like, etc.”). In very VERY few moments of our day are we actually aware of the present moment; are we focused on the here-and-now to the exclusion of all else.
Ceremony & Ritual & Community~ Winter Solstice
December 2021 Greetings and well wishes to all! Can you feel winter coming??!? Burr! Here in the North East it’s been hitting us like a brick wall! I used to hate winter but now I see it as a part of my spirit’s journey. The quiet part. The renewing part. The...
Spring into Stillness
(Post from April 2017) https://unsplash.com/photos/k05w653yXQc?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink I don’t know about you, but I feel as if spring came three weeks ago. The weather, the green grass, the LACK of snow- my energy...
Those Achy Breaky Feet
https://unsplash.com/photos/qeuJczNo54w?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditShareLink Winter Tip# for Restoring Your Yin: FOOT SOAKS (even the words sound like "ahh") Snow boots, heavy socks, cold feet- winter months really add a toll...
Did you know Meditation can reduce insomnia by 75%?
It can reduce anxiety by 60%?
It increases heart, hormonal and gut health!!
The problem is… whenever you’ve tried it, a voice goes off in your head and the laundry list of to-dos rattles off, or there’s the train you need to catch or the dog that has to go out or the kid that’s late for school.
Sound familiar?
That’s why I made this FREE Yoga Nidra recording.
To make meditation EASY, ENJOYABLE and DOABLE so that you can gain ALL those benefits by literally just lying there! An easy first step to ultimate health.
Start with an “ahh….”
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Journey through the dense undergrowth of uncertainty and skepticism to uncover the hidden trails of intuition, where obstacles mirror life’s challenges and disruptions. Embrace the whispers of your inner voice as you traverse this profound forest, emerging into the sunlit meadow of profound understanding and enlightenment.
Embracing the Soulful Growth and Expansion of Wintering
Have you ever found yourself pondering over your deepest desires, visualizing how you want to express your life, and asking, “What is it that I want to attract and manifest?” It’s a concept that might seem bizarre to some, and one that is often met with a lot of doubt. This is especially true when it comes to the belief or concept of manifesting or attraction. You might have heard of “The Secret,” Abraham-Hicks, or Gabby Bernstein, and thought it all sounded a bit too “woo-woo.” However, it’s a concept that is definitely worth exploring.
Regardless of your personal beliefs, manifestation can be an incredibly useful tool for achieving your dreams. Whether you see it as a blueprint for action or a method of bringing your desires to life, the practice holds true value. And the best part? Its applications extend far beyond just achieving your goals – its principles can be applied to many areas of your life.
Manifestation is a powerful tool that can help you bring your desires and dreams into reality. While there are many techniques for manifesting, some of the most effective ones are often overlooked. Here are five tips for manifesting that will be sure to can bring you closer to joy:
Five Tips to Usher In Your Manifestations!
Have you ever found yourself pondering over your deepest desires, visualizing how you want to express your life, and asking, “What is it that I want to attract and manifest?” It’s a concept that might seem bizarre to some, and one that is often met with a lot of doubt. This is especially true when it comes to the belief or concept of manifesting or attraction. You might have heard of “The Secret,” Abraham-Hicks, or Gabby Bernstein, and thought it all sounded a bit too “woo-woo.” However, it’s a concept that is definitely worth exploring.
Regardless of your personal beliefs, manifestation can be an incredibly useful tool for achieving your dreams. Whether you see it as a blueprint for action or a method of bringing your desires to life, the practice holds true value. And the best part? Its applications extend far beyond just achieving your goals – its principles can be applied to many areas of your life.
Manifestation is a powerful tool that can help you bring your desires and dreams into reality. While there are many techniques for manifesting, some of the most effective ones are often overlooked. Here are five tips for manifesting that will be sure to can bring you closer to joy:
Shana is a New Yorker and a native to Long Island’s east end. A lifelong passion in food, health and wellness led her to become an advanced 500 hour registered Yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance, a Licensed Body Worker, a trained Herbalist, a Reiki and PEMF (Pulse Electro-Magnetic Field) Practitioner. She has studied abroad in India, as well as studying functional and integrative nutrition at IIN (Institute of Integrated Nutrition), is a National Board-Certified Health & Wellness Coach (NBC-HWC), and Certified Hypno-counselor.
She is well versed in ancient theologies and eastern healing systems such as acupuncture and Ayurveda. Working with these philosophies, and integrating holistic nutrition, yoga and meditation is how she serves and supports her clients to heal and transform their lives. Shana currently lives in Northport, NY where she works as a Holistic Coach.