STWDM1- Finding the Lightness in Your Life

Day 1 Message: “Lightness and weightiness… are both choices in life.” ― Erik Pevernagie

Together we will understand that “shedding the weight” is not only an issue for our bodies, but that we are also weighed down with emotional, mental, and spiritual burdens. Today we discover that we don’t have to struggle to shed our burdens – all we need to do is expand our awareness. In that awareness we find the inner fulfillment that is our true self. This state of expanded awareness is the lightness in your life, and allows you to effortlessly let go of heaviness that doesn’t serve you.

O: When you hear the words, shedding the weight, you likely think about weight loss and cutting back on the food you eat. What I know for sure is that weight takes on all kinds of meanings in our lives and in this meditation experience, shedding the weight – mind, body and spirit. Through meditation we begin to open up and recognize what we’re really hungry for, and in that mindfulness we unleash the energy of lightness. We begin to replace our hunger with fulfillment

D: To be truly effective in addressing weight and it’s connection to self-image and happiness, success lies in taking a broad view. Eating is no longer simple. Food is nourishment and yet eating has come to stand for many other things including our level of fulfillment and general well-being. Many kinds of burdens pull us out of our natural state of balance and contentment. Heaviness is more than physical. It’s a theme that can permeate any aspect of a person’s life – heavy moods, heavy stress and heavy work load. Whenever you feel burdened, there is weight to be shed in mind, body or spirit. None of these burdens are necessary. They are created by unhealthy choices and a buildup of toxicity. Emotions and relationships and can be as toxic as the wrong food. This is common knowledge for many and yet, finding a way for shedding the weight frustrates millions of people. Whatever burden you are carrying in your own awareness, there is a way to shed the weight. There are many doors for starting the journey. Excessive weight gain and a poor body image don’t have to be a constant source of anxiety. There are actually doorways to the best journey of your life.

Looking at eating as one dimensional, ignoring it’s personal and emotional dimensions doesn’t work. We see this all around us in society. Only 2% of dieters take off at least 5 pounds and keep it off for five years. There must be a better way. The key is expanded awareness. When you discover, with the help of daily meditation, what you are really hungry for, you will hold the key to shedding your burdens and ending your frustrations. No struggle is involved. If struggling worked, the battle to be who we want to be would have ended long ago. Why do we keep fighting with ourselves when this tactic never worked in the first place? When you give yourself what you really want and need, overeating ceases to be a problem. Instead of fighting against a habit that always fights back, let’s begin a journey of transformation that lasts for a lifetime. Fulfillment is the goal, not filling your stomach.

Journal Ideas: 1. Consider the ways you feel weighed down in your life. Write a list of the burdens in your mind, body, and spirit that you wish to lighten in these three weeks. 2. Write down three things you can do to find lightness in your life. For example, these could be listening to music, taking a walk, or playing with your children. 3. Reflect on what nourishes your inner self, and then describe two things you can do today that nourish your spirit.