foreword authoras note introduction PART ONE THE HEALING JOURNEY: IT STARTS WITH SELF-CARE 1 BECOME THE EXPLORER OF YOUR INNER WORLD Opening Yourself Up to Self-Healing Starting with Self-Care You Are the Expert on You Finding a New Relationship with Pain Connecting to Your Energetic Self Thank the Discomfort and Start Fresh Practice: Grounding Embark on a Journaling Practice Practice: Journaling Practice: Creating a Vision Board 2 WAKING UP TO MYSELF Illumination Building Life on a Foundation of Pain Reawakening My Inner Child Understanding Suffering Gifts Listening to My Body Releasing Blame, Accepting Responsibility Taking Ownership of My Life Practice: Safe Haven Practice: What Makes You Feel Joyful? Practice: Validation The Inner Child Returns Home Awareness of Old, Worn-Out Habits How Challenge Made Me Stronger 3 TRAUMA COMES IN ALL SHAPES AND FORMS Distinguishing between Hard Trauma and Soft Trauma Identifying Trauma in Your Life Practice: Unwinding Your Body Seeking Help in the Wrong Places Getting Stuck in the Survival Mind-Set Cycling through Trauma Again and Again Practice: Finding Your Relationship to Trauma Disconnecting from the Body, Mind, and Spirit When Trauma Hits Discovering a New Way of Being After Anxiety Learning that Itas Never Too Late to Heal Finding Forgiveness Healing through Trauma Is a Heroic Act 4 PUTTING A PLAN FOR SELF-HEALING IN PLACE Preparing the Way for Self-Healing Finding the Teacher Within Becoming a Devoted Listener Creating a Place of Rest Inside Yourself Practice: Finding a Safe Place Within Your Healing Journey Has No Timetable Reconnecting When Life Takes You Off Course Tuning in to Our Energy through the Chakras Practice: Laying Your Energetic Foundation Building a Foundation Strong Enough to Handle Change Conquering Instant Gratification Learning Patience Asking for Help Thinking about Therapy Finding a Broader Sense of Self Self-Care Is Not Self-Indulgence Start Small, Go Easy Understanding that There Is No Failure 5 GROWING YOUR BEGINNERaS MIND What Is a Beginneras Mind? Embracing Yourself as a Beginner Feeling Your Tenderfeet Practice: Tenderfoot Journaling Nurturing Yourself as a Child Being Kind to Yourself Bringing Awareness into Your Life Practice: Self-Kindness Noticing Friendships Built on Wounds The Honeymoon Period Preserving Your Energy Practice: Morning Reflection Becoming Vulnerable, Opening Up Listening to Your Heart 6 CULTIVATING THE WITNESS IN YOU The Storm and the Observer Detecting the Storm Inside Us Becoming the Observer Practice: Seeing Life through the Observer Lens Who Are You When Nobodyas Watching? Understanding the Law of Karma Finding the Common Denominator Stepping away from Blame Owning It All Practice: Stop, Look, and Listen Guiding the Ego with the Observer Nurturing the Observer with Self-Care Moving Ahead 7 MAKING SPACE FOR THE SACRED Letting the Sacred In Your Sacred Space and Daily Rituals My Sacred Space Practice: Create Your Sacred Space Peeling Back the Onion PART TWO CONNECTING THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF HUMAN LIFE: BODY, MIND, HEART, AND SPIRIT Practice: Meeting the Four Elements: Body, Mind, Heart, and Spirit Practice: Taking a Personal Inventory 8 THE BODY The Body Is Lifeas Vehicle Learning to Breathe to Heal the Body The Healing Breath The Long Deep Breath Body Practice #1: The Long Deep Breath Body Practice #2: Alternate Nostril Breathing Body Practice #3: Breath of Fire How Yoga Became a Messenger for Healing Bringing Yoga into Your Life Body Practice #4: Yoga for Posture (Starting Pose) Body Practice #5: Yoga for Opening (Cat/Cow) Body Practice #6: Yoga for Balance (Marching) Body Practice #7: Yoga for Cleansing (Twisting) 9 THE MIND Finding the Middle Road of Mindfulness Shining Light on Your Mind Making Meditation Work for You Claiming Your Power through Meditation Mind Practice #1: The Introductory Meditation Trusting the Brevity and Consistency of the Basic Practice Looking for Dedication, Not Perfection Committing to Yourself with Discipline and Devotion Training a Stronger Mind The Four Gifts of Meditation Renewing the Mind with Healing Sleep Mind Practice #2: Single Nostril Breathing (Relaxation/Energizing) Mind Practice #3: A Beautiful Place to Rest Mind Practice #4: Restful Transitions Mind Practice #5: Awareness in Waking Up Appreciating the Gifts of a Balanced Mind Working with Mantras Mind Practice #6: Protective Mantras 10 THE HEART Facing Vulnerability Trusting the Energy of the Heart Feeling the Effects of Love on the Four Elements Heart Practice #1: What Does Your Heart Say? Heart Practice #2: Self-Soothing Heart Practice #3: Look in the Mirror Heart Practice #4: Write a Letter to Your Future Self Becoming a Warrior of Love Heart Practice #5: Warrior of Love Heart Practice #6: Tapping into the Present Moment Recognizing the Threats to Love Threat to Love #1: Judgment Threat to Love #2: Jealousy Threat to Love #3: Loneliness Threat to Love #4: Shame Empowering the Protectors of Love Protector of Love #1: Perfect Imperfection Protector of Love #2: Truth Protector of Love #3: Gratitude Protector of Love #4: Bravery Protector of Love #5: Mutually Loving Relationships Trusting Your Heart 11 THE SPIRIT Disconnecting from the Spirit Spirit Practice #1: The Sensitivity Scale Listening to the Whispers and Warnings of the Spirit Following the Spiritas Guidance Spirit Practice #2: One Happy Thing Connecting the Spirit with Body, Mind, and Heart Spirit and the Body Spirit and the Mind Spirit and the Heart Self-Care and the Spirit Spirit Practice #3: Spiritual Savings Account Finding Spontaneous Inspiration Fueling the Spirit with Faith conclusion: sitting at the feet of your life list of practices acknowledgments index
