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Hibernation Time

It’s officially winter in the Southern hemisphere, just the time that some creatures go into hibernation for the colder months. How wonderful would that be, bed down somewhere warm and safe for a few months and miss the bleak, cold winter weather. No, I’d be afraid of missing something!

I do feel like winter is a time to hibernate in a different way. Especially for me, summer is spent outside being very social. There is a constant stream of people coming & going through my back yard all summer long. Winter rolls around & we naturally want to be indoors, the days are shorter so it’s easy to be inside when there is no late evening sun to bask in. It’s a great time to take some peace & stillness for myself.

On an energetic level too I am feeling more of a pull to retreat. I went through a huge what I call ‘spiritual hibernation’ at the start of the year. I needed to be alone in my own space, my own thoughts & not have to ‘deal’ with anything outside of my box. I locked myself away; I even had a tech detox, no social media or emailing. People actually noticed my absence that made me think I must have been very active online. It’s good to pull back, especially if the activity is more of a time waste. I needed time alone to prepare for the months ahead. This hibernation was invaluable, it did the trick and I came out the other side raring to go.

I spoke about the changes the month of May brought for me in this earlier post. These changes have been awesome but it’s time to hibernate again. The main reason being is my vibration has shifted again. After completing my second twelve-week program with my mentor I need time to absorb the lessons I’ve learned. I really need to live them and embed them into my life. To do this I need quiet time to think, meditate and practice. A break away from the ‘outside’ world will help. Subtly retracting just for a while. Most people probably won’t even notice I’ve gone 😉

It’s important I adjust to this vibrational change first before being around other people. I know this might sound totally woo hoo to some, just roll with me here. When I’ve gone through these shifts in the past without fully realizing what was happening I get very whacked out. I can’t cope well in challenging situations or with demanding, over bearing people.  Big groups of people kill me. Even some close friends become too much to handle. Usually I’m there for them & happy to be their download person but at these times I just can’t offer my energy.

The warning signs started flashing last week. For me I get very tired whilst my head is spinning at the rate of knots, I just want to sleep (hibernate!), I physically ache, my head throbs like a migraine but not, Bikram yoga becomes too intense and yang for me, I crave slower, gentle exercise & lots of stillness in meditation. An added ‘fun’ part of a shift is I set shop alarms off going into the shop. Even when I have no bag or anything on my apart from me, off go the alarms. Time to get my head down & step back.

Winter is the perfect time for this. The pace is slower & it’s nice to be inside in the warm to process these changes. My numerology is year 6 for 2013, all about family & being at home. Explains why I have an even stronger pull to step out of the public realm. Hibernation gives me that valuable self-love time as I do not commit or arrange any social engagements. I look after myself, nurture and nourish. That way I reemerge happy, healthy & rejuvenated. Fully in balance with my vibrational change so I don’t crack up or accidently go nuts on someone else.

Do you find yourself hibernating over the winter months? Don’t be afraid too, it’s great to have a little time out & nest for a while.

Love Seren xx

 

Here’s what I’m loving right now

Apart from the usual loves in life; family, partner, pets, friends, yoga, vegetables etc. Here are some alternative love’s I am loving right now.

Seren Love Stuff

This fab vegetarian recipe book that was gifted to me recently. It’s an oldie but a goodie. The advantage of a book twenty years old there are no super fancy hard to find ingredients that take out of the way trips to random health food stores. It’s all about vegetables, plain & simply tasty. Cooking like Granny did (without the meat). LOVE!

Seren Love Stuff2

Fresh flowers. Lot’s of discounted gems to be had right after Mother’s Day last month. There is nothing more cheerful than a vase of flowers close by. Lily’s are my favourite right now as they smell divine. LOVE!

Seren Love Stuff3

Furry hot water bottle. It’s  freaking freezing in Perth & rather than use an energy zapping heater in the office I’ve opted for this puppy. Keeps me toasty when I’m feeling a little neshLOVE!

Seren Love Stuff4

Indah Organics perfume balm in Dewi. Since ditching the toxin packed commercial fragrance I’ve found these pots of scented loveliness. Jasmine & Neroli mixed into organic coconut oil. Very delicious. LOVE!

Seren Love Stuff5

Organic lemon & ginger tea. Yes it’s much better to use fresh lemon & ginger but at the office the Nerada bags hit the spot. Herbal tea is great for hydration in the winter months. Warming yourself up from the inside out. LOVE!

Seren Love Stuff peachy

Organic Pandora’s box of joy from Peachy Clean. A website full of amazing products shipped super quick to your door. I love the attention to detail with the elegant packaging materials too. Check out our interview with Haley all about holistic skin care. LOVE! 

What are you loving right now? Share below in the comments.

Love Seren xx

The Solar Plexus

Most of you will have heard of the Chakra system of the energetic body. Here’s a quick 101 for those who are not familiar. In metaphysics it is believed our life force energy or Prana is held in different centres of the body called Chakras. Chakra in Sanskrit means ‘wheel’ or ‘turning’ as each Chakra is constantly spinning. There are twelve major chakras in total, with another seven to twenty one from the legs down. The middle seven are the most commonly known and worked with. There is a wealth of information all about chakras to be found on the net if you are unsure.

In this post I am focusing on just the third chakra the Solar Plexus or Manipura in Sanskrit. The colour of the Solar Plexus is yellow and its element is fire, this brings a strong association with the Sun our most powerful energy source. Located just above the navel it is the energy hub from which other energy centres draw from.

The reason I am highlighting this Chakra today is from a personal journey I have taken with it. Up until a year ago my life was governed by my crippling self-doubt. I needed to justify everything I did to prove it was worthwhile & to prove myself worthy. Instead of just rolling with it & owning my truth, I doubted and had to back up everything I did. My self-doubt stems from a Soul based desire to be perfect. Not just in this life, from many before. I keep coming back to ‘out do’ myself each time.  Nothing wrong with that, we are here to grow & expand after all but the self-doubt was stifling my progress.

How does the Solar Plexus fit in? As the Solar Plexus is located around the stomach region trapped emotions such as anger, frustration, doubt, low self-esteem & worry can affect the organs in this area. For me I didn’t suffer terribly from digestive disorders but I certainly was very uncomfortable. By the end of the workday my stomach would be so bloated and gassy I looked like I was pregnant. I would dwell for days, even years on past hurts. All those emotions were building up inside me and manifesting in physical form around my middle. Slowly my stomach would swell to beach ball size with every emotion I held. Have you noticed when you are stressed or have a fright you instantly go to cover your stomach area with your hands? This area is precious & we strive to protect it.

My turning point happened when I got onto my Spiritual path nearly a year ago now. I needed sitting down for a good talking too directly from my Soul. That is just what I got. The work I did with my Soul Mentor was invaluable. I put in the effort and I got the results. Now I am following my Soul’s guidance to be on the right path for me the crippling self-doubt is under control to near non-existence. By leading from Soul there is no need to question, as I trust her guidance is spot on for me.

Now I have released my trapped emotions and negative thinking patterns my Solar Plexus is very happy & balanced. The result is no more bloating or cramping. I have literally lost kilos from around my waist & stomach. The layers of extra padding that grew to protect my precious energy hub is no longer needed or serving me so it has gone. It is amazing how that invisible energy and emotions can impact you physically. Change that negative way of thinking and wow you can change your life for the better. I am living evidence if you need it.

To keep my Solar Plexus balanced I must not hold on or get attached to situations or the emotions I mentioned above. Learning to let things go & wash through me has been tough. Now I acknowledge a situation has happened, I find the lesson in it & let it go. If I physically feel unbalanced I simply lay my palms over my Solar Plexus or have my left hand on my heart and my right on my stomach. This draws a connection between the two & keeps the energy flowing. A visual affirmation for me is I wear the Solar Plexus symbol on a wrist bracelet. Just to remind me where my energy power centre is if at any point that doubt creeps up on me.

Have a wonderful day everyone.

Love Seren xx

Click on image to enlarge
 ©Seren Holistic Lifestyles Blog 2013
 (please share the love with full credit thanks)

Click on image to enlarge

©Seren Holistic Lifestyles Blog 2013

(please share the love with full credit thanks)

Healthful Pursuit – Dessert Freedom Recipe guide

Happy dessert Thursday! It’s become quite a thing now at Seren to have a foodie Thursday. My latest find in the Raw food realm is holistic nutritionist Leanne Vogel and her website Healthful Pursuit. What drew me to Leanne’s recipes was the use of natural sweeteners from fruit, no evil white stuff. Leanne’s recipes cater for allergies and sensitivities too so everyone can enjoy. There are plenty of nut free treats to try.

Recently Leanne released her first recipe book ‘Dessert Freedom’ all about guilt free desserts. Everything in the book is grain free and vegan. There aren’t huge ingredients lists and I’ve found I can source or replace with an alternative all the ingredients included. It bugs me when recipes contain weird and wonderful ingredients you have no chance of finding without difficulty. Added bonus there is no refined sugar or soy, just straightforward & natural produce.

The first recipe I tried from Dessert Freedom is the Strawberry Chia Squares. Divine on a plate! Best thing about the nut based desserts you only need a tiny piece to be satisfied. I’ve put half in the freezer for a later date.  To get the recipe please support Leanne’s work and purchase her e-book yourself for just $14.95. If you’re a fan of beautiful photography it’s worth getting just to look at the pictures!

Love Seren xx

Seren Blog Raw Strawberry Chia

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