Non-Attachment Is The Way To Freedom

As we practice awareness we move into a state of acceptance. In this state of acceptance we learn to let go of outcomes or attachment to what will be, and instead we learn to observe or simply witness free from judgement. Live in the now with what is and simplify life.

When you free yourself from attachment, you are able to live a happy life. You no longer feel stuck or “married” to a specific ending. Feeling stuck or trapped is a very negative feeling and most of the time, sadly, we do it to ourselves. 

Attachment is really about fear, ego and dependency. When we are living with attachments, whether it is to things, to people or whatever, we are living in a negative place.

WE aspire to live a positive life. To raise the vibration we need to live from a place of love. Love allows us endless possibilities free from attachment, guilt, shame and fear… Love allows us to grow into our best selves and into oneness with the universe free from all attachment, which is a state of ultimate enlightenment.

In Ashtanga Yoga we practice the 8 limbs of yoga. Part of the 8 limbs are the Yamas & Niyamas.  The 5th Yama is Aparigraha, which means non- attachment or non possessiveness. This means to not be attached to outcomes, to not take more than you need and to not live with jealousy in regard to yourself and the world around you.  

The Sanskrit word, Parinamavada, is the teaching that everything is in a constant state of flux.  Everything changes and when we embrace this, just as we embrace the trees losing their leaves in the fall and the flowers blooming in spring, we know that life is cyclical. When we let go of outcomes and accept what is, we embrace our freedom.  

APARIGRAHA! Shout it out loud and embrace the concept of non-attachment! Let go and feel the resulting freedom. There is nothing to worry about and nothing to fear. Stay in the present moment. Allow what may come to come and let go of what no longer serves your higher purpose. Do not take more than you need. Do not eat more than you need. Apply this concept to every aspect of your life.

Attachment holds us back because we do not want to accept change and yet change is inevitable. Change is transformation and growth. Take love for example. Many people cling to the person who they love out of the fear of losing them, which can create a self fulfilling prophecy. Instead, embrace the concept of setting that person free. If you truly love that person free from attachment and they love you, they will want to stay. Placing restrictions will make them feel trapped and imprisoned, which takes us back to that negative cycle which no one enjoys. So, give love, give away all that you can and it will all come back to you! That is a key to the Law of Attraction! 

Peacefully,

Libby

P.S. - Yoga is so much more than a physical practice on the mat. It is the journey of the self through the self to the self. Please check out my new website www.TOTALSOULFULJOURNEY.COM for more helpful articles and grow with us in a like minded community of positive people. We are launching this website next week and I am so excited for you to see it!

New Year Better YOU

Each new day we wake and it is essentially a reset button, a chance to start anew. And as we approach the New Year, this is truly an exciting opportunity. Each year you hear people setting New Year's resolutions, but what does that mean anyway? And… why do most people fail at their newly set promises after one short month?  

I personally believe that the problem is two pronged. Part one is that we set resolutions or goals from our egos rather than our souls. What does that mean? When you live from the ego you do things to please others because it is somewhat expected of you. When you live from your soul you do what FEELS good to you and what brings you true joy from within. The other part is that we set goals based on what we feel society deems acceptable, and this is often in opposition to the calling of our souls. 

So, when you set your intentions to go to the gym three times a week, or to lose ten pounds, or to stop eating desserts, or to give up fried foods… these resolutions often do not last because deep down they do not satisfy your soul. You do not want to go to the gym because you want to workout, you go because ultimately you want to be loved and accepted by others and you feel that losing weight and being fit will get you that result. That is the subconscious mind at work. Therefore, the more realistic New Year's resolution would be to work on loving yourself and self acceptance. Working out may be a part of that. The same can be said about improving your eating habits, but the desire to change has to come from within yourself. 

When setting New Year's resolutions, I would encourage you to look at them as separate goals for the year ahead rather than one big thing.  For example; set small easily attainable goals, medium size goals, and then perhaps one really big goal. Giving yourself some challenges is good because it is through the challenges that we grow, but we also want to set ourselves up to succeed. We want the new year to truly be a chance to grow into the best version of ourselves to date. You will not stop growing at the end of 2018, this is a beautiful life long journey.  It is about learning what worked in 2017 and what you could do a little better. For 2018 visualize the new things that you want to try, the exciting places you want to visit and the ways that you can contribute to make the world a tiny bit better. 

The easy part is setting intentions or goals. The hard part is following through with them. The magic happens through our actions. So once you set your intentions, find friends or mentors who will hold you accountable. Manifest your intentions by writing them down and taking action toward them each day. Another great idea that was given to me by a friend is to hang sticky note reminders to yourself on the bathroom mirror (maybe to love yourself), or on your refrigerator (to make wise decisions), and in your car (to release the road rage, and use the time in your car to relax through music or comedy or maybe just quiet reflection). Regardless, these little kind reminders to are a fantastic way to stay on track and they really do work!

I am incredibly grateful for 2017. It was NOT my best year. In fact it was rather difficult and I am definitely ready to move forward. I know that 2018 is going to be amazing! My personal resolutions for this coming year are to eat plant based, sleep more regularly, organize my home better, waste less food, give my time serving others (volunteering), travel to new places and to grow my online business, which will include videos and yoga tutorials. Those are my BIG goals : )

Happy New Year from my family to yours!

Whatever your New Year Resolution may be, remember most importantly to practice:

1. Awareness each day: How are you feeling, check in and see how your goals are going….
2. Acceptance: If you fall off track a day or a week do not give up! Simply start over or where you are, it is NEVER too late! Be gentle with yourself.
3. Forgiveness: IF you fall off track, get derailed or decide to change course, forgive yourself first and foremost. You are allowed to change your mind. 

Always F.L.Y. (First Love Yourself)

It is with great gratitude, love and excitement that I wish you all a Happy New Year full of health, love, happiness and abundance. May all of your dreams come true! 

Peace & Love,

Libby

P.S. - Please help me raise the vibration as we close on 2017 and welcome 2018 and share your New Year's resolutions, goals & intentions for the year ahead in the comment section below. By writing them down we are putting them into motion and therefore into action. Thank you for helping me on my journey! Together as a community, I know we will soar to new heights in 2018!  

All Of The Answers You Seek Are Within YOU....

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Have you spent your life wishing you could ask someone a question, needing closure, feeling abandonment, fearing something...... or just wondering what your true purpose in life might be? We face many different questions every single day! Our minds are very complex tools. But truth be told,  all the answers you seek actually lie within yourself. Yes, YOU and you alone have the power to unlock all of the answers you could ever need to know.  

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It all begins with awareness. For me it began with a growing awareness on my yoga mat that then carried off the mat and into my daily life. That awareness evolved into a deeper consciousness. After you develop awareness, the next step is acceptance. Accepting yourself as you are and practicing full self love. Until you fully love and forgive yourself of any flaws you cannot truly accept love from others nor are you available to fully receive love.

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Developing the following practices leads one to higher levels of consciousness and clarity:

• Self awareness 

• Acceptance of yourself

• Self love

• Acceptance of others

• Letting go of judgement

• Releasing ego

• Daily gratitude

These can be a difficult steps because the ego jumps in and gets in the way. The ego has a place and is there to protect us, but we need to be aware of how it tries to influence us to keep it in check. Finally, there is the step of practicing being grateful for all that we have in daily life and living a life of grace. When we reach this spot suddenly all of the drama fades away and clarity arises.  

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Listening to your voice within, your intuition, is your best guide. Your intuitive voice is there to protect you, to lead you in the right direction, to keep you on the upward spiral. When something feels wrong, most likely IT IS. Listen to your gut. Know your worth. You were born with a purpose. You may not know the purpose yet, but if you listen to your intuition it will lead you in the right direction and the answers you seek will come. The universe will show you your path. Trust the journey. Have faith and patience. Keep your heart open and live with love, passion and a firm belief that all of your dreams will come true. YOU ARE WORTHY, YOU ARE SPECIAL, YOU ARE LOVED, YOU ARE JOY, YOU ARE LIGHT! Say positive affirmations to yourself if you feel a little low or lost. And write down your goals each day. Never give up. All is coming!

Namaste,

Libby

P.S. - If you want to learn more about awareness, acceptance, gratitude and empowerment, join me on my yoga retreat in beautiful Costa Rica this coming October.  Click here to learn more.

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