What are you nourishing this November ?
I wonder if you are familiar with the native american life story of ‘ The Two Wolves’ ?
A Cherokee is teaching his grandchildren about life:
“A fight is going on inside me. It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves.
One represents : fear, evil, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.
The other stands for: joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith.
This same fight is going on inside you – and inside every other person, too.”
The grandchildren thought about this for a while and then one child asked his grandfather:
“Which wolf will win?”
The old Cherokee simply smiled and replied:
“The one that you feed.”
This version of the parable is taken from one of my yoga teacher’s books: Norman Blair’s “Brightening Our Inner Skies”: Yin and Yoga.
I quote it often in Yin Yoga classes as it serves as a reminder of the power we have over our experiences and emotions.
Notice what you are nourishing your mind, body and spirit with today ?
Which wolf are you ? / Which will you choose to ‘Nourish’ ?
What ways do you intend to Nourish your body, mind and spirit today and throughout the rest of November ?
Are you showing symptoms of stress at this time ? (Perhaps an indication that you need to focus on Nourishing ‘you’ / Self-care ?)
Emotional symptoms:
- Easily agitated, frustrated, and moody
- Overwhelmed
- Feeling ‘lacking’ or bad about yourself, low self-esteem, lonely, worthless, depressed.
- Difficulty relaxing and quieting your mind
- Avoiding others
Cognitive symptoms:
- Constant worrying, racing thoughts, forgetfulness and disorganization
- Poor judgment and inability to focus
- Pessimism or seeing only negative
Physical symptoms:
- Weakened immunity: frequent colds and infections
- Stomach / gut issues
- Aches, pains and muscle tension
- Jaw clenching and teeth grinding
- Chest pain and rapid heartbeat
- Nervousness, shaking, ringing in the ears, cold or sweaty hands and feet
- Difficulty swallowing and dry mouth
Behavioral symptoms:
- Procrastinating and avoiding responsibilities
- Nervous behaviors, eg fidgeting, pacing nail biting
- Increased use of alcohol, drugs, or cigarettes
- Appetite changes (not eating or eating too much)
Like to explore cultivating calm and resilience during times of change / uncertainty ?
Recieve my 9 Nourishing November Nuggets towards a calmer, more resilient ‘you ‘ in your inbox:
Or explore more with us at the Nourishing November Workshop on 29/11/2020 sign up now.
Racheleyoga 