Studio Owner Note for August 2015

Words of Wisdom:

Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change. ~ Wayne Dyer (Click to Tweet)

Thoughts for August:

Wayne Dyer stated, “Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change.” When I came across this quote, it immediately reminded me of perspective and how perspective has been coming up a lot for me in my life as of late.
It was just a mere few days ago, that I was at my 39-week prenatal appointment with my midwife. At that appointment, I shared with my midwife that I am fearful and nervous for my labor to begin, as I know it’s going to be extremely painful from having been through it twice. Her response back to me was, “Can we try changing your perspective around the pain? Can we view it as “intense,” rather than painful? Just changing your words can help a great deal.” I pondered my midwife’s advice that entire rest of the day, after leaving my appointment with her. She was absolutely right. My words do have power and I can indeed change my perspective around my impending labor.
The very next day, after my appointment with my midwife, I arrived at the studio in the morning to take MBFY instructor, Mary’s class. Mary opened her class that morning with a beautiful personal story and invitation around changing perspective. “For example, when you are holding chair pose and you’re thinking, “How much longer am I going to be here, or my thighs are burning,” why not change your perspective to, “I’m alive, I’m healthy, I have two legs that work,” Mary said. It was as if Mary was speaking directly to me. Her words were exactly what I needed to hear.
I have always believed that God speaks to us through others and find it of no coincidence that just one day prior, my midwife was speaking to me about perspective around my labor, and then, the very next day, I find myself in Mary’s class where she too is speaking about perspective. It reaffirmed what I already know deep down inside to be true, and that’s that perspective is something we all have the ability to shift at any time. Even when it comes to the most intense experiences in life, such as labor.
I left class that morning feeling liberated, empowered, and confident in my ability to have a beautiful labor experience. Between my midwife’s words and Mary’s words, seemingly back-to-back, I knew exactly what I needed to do…change my perspective!
After-all, it inevitably comes down to the choice I make around the experience of labor. I can choose fear, dread, and resistance, and thus have a “scary” and “painful” experience. Or, I can choose excitement, surrender, and ease, and have an “empowering” experience. I choose excitement. I choose surrender. I choose ease. I choose empowerment. I choose beauty, as bringing forward life is. I choose to drop my fear around the preconceived notions and fear mentality that society and our culture has placed so heavily on women and their ability to birth their babies without medication…knowing that my body is capable and knows what to do in this process; having already done so twice.
How about you? Where in your life is your perspective holding you back and hindering you, rather than catapulting you forward into abundant possibilities? Are the words you tell yourself limiting and dis-empowering you, or giving you empowerment and access to your greatest self?
Each of us has the opportunity to be our greatest self, in all situations and circumstances in life. What do you choose?
Love & Light,
Marina
About the Image:
Marina Mukandala, is featured in this newsletter issue in corpse pose (Savasana). The benefits of Savasana are as follows:

• Helps to reduce nervous and muscular tension
• Helps to lower blood pressure and reduce heart
• Lengthens and helps to realign the spine
• Calms the mind and relieves stress
• Strengthens the arms and shoulders