I’ve been moving home this week which has thrown me into that ‘archaic’ state often referred to as ‘offline’. I’ve never felt better – despite the challenges of the move my energy levels are up and I reckon it’s got more than a little to do with unplugging. Ann Napier, the founding editor of Cygnus Books, wrote a thought provoking article, last year, about what a difference unplugging from wi-fi can make. But you know what else is great about unplugging? The simple pleasures we find ourselves adopting … maybe to compensate for the lack of online socialising (at least that’s the case for me!).
Talking to myself
It’s funny, during this move I’ve caught myself talking to myself even more than usual – reminiscing aloud about the sentimental meaning to my belongings as I put them into boxes and then exclaiming, to nobody in particular, about how heavy things are as I stagger about like Captain Jack Sparrow with a barrel of rum.
Why do you think we talk to ourselves? Is it to affirm our thoughts or is it more to do with the energy from where those thoughts are born – are we simply letting it flow through voice?
Spoken from the heart
There is a lot to be said about the healing power achieved with our own voices. Chanting, singing, mantras and prayers – almost every world culture has some spiritual practice involving the power of voice. The sound ‘aum’ (also spelled ‘om’ or ‘ohm’) used in meditation, yoga or to begin and end vedic mantras, is believed in Hinduism to be the vibration of the Divine, manifested in voice. And Tuvan throat singers connect with the all encompassing spirit of nature to reflect the environment around (and within) them. Voice is the expression of our inherent connection to loving creation, something worthy of our time and attention.
Release the Voice Within
When you say your very next words out loud, try these steps:
- Consciously centre yourself, clearing your mind of doubts or self sabotaging expectations of other peoples’ expectations of you
- Visualise a blue light intensely glowing from your throat
- Concentrate on steady, deep breathing for a little while
- After a deep breath in, speak slowly on the out-breath, imagining that blue light flowing freely from your lips with your words
- Don’t force your words, let them come at their own pace, pitch and volume. Many of us hurry what we’re saying, again in anticipation of other peoples’ expectations – we worry that we’re taking too long to get our point across and so we blurt words out a quick as possible, often missing the opportunity to articulate what is truly in our heart.
I find it really helps to practice this from time to time – it’s like tuning a piano. I take the time out to myself and don’t get caught up on the words I’m saying – sometimes it can sound like I’m speaking in tongues and when that happens the energy that vibrates through me feels immense and yet perfectly natural.
The Alchemy of Voice is a fascinating read about how your voice is your identity in sound, with exercises that help in achieving harmony and building confidence.
What will the neighbours say?!
For me self consciousness can mean something completely different to embarrassment. It is quite literally an awareness of the divine truth of who I am and the fear of how it would make others feel or react if I was to disclose my Self in it’s limitless form. Can you relate with this? This self sacrificing politeness is a bizarre thing to place between ones Self and liberation, maybe it’s time to kick this particular etiquette into touch. I’ve quoted Marianne Williamson’s famous words a few times now, and I’ll bring it round again as many times as I need to because I believe that the message is paramount to our societal spiritual development:
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
To listen to Marianne Williamson’s full quote, follow this link or you can read the book, Return to Love, available from Cygnus Books
With that said, I’m going to defy my concern about the thin walls between me and my new next-door-neighbours … I’m going to enjoy some yoga and I’m going to ohm loud and ohm proud!
One love,
Louisa and the Cygnus Team