You are AWARENESS - How to Raise Your Vibration

Don't let life pass you by. Drink it in, explore, invite, excite, love and laugh! In order to get the most out of every waking (and sleeping) hour try some simple techniques to raise your vibration. You are AWARENESS. JUST BE In your busy day, take 2-3 minutes and embrace "just being" as this will change your outlook toward your life. Even if as you are reading this post, you feel very fulfilled, happy and balanced. There is always room for further enlightenment. When you allow yourself the time and space to say "I am" it is providing the much needed love to yourself, which in turn will raise your frequency, energy, vibration. During this 2-3 minute interlude, notice the space around your body and then on the in breath notice "I am..." and then on the out breath let go of absolutely everything. Just let it be and allow yourself to tune in to the intense beauty of loving yourself. Allow yourself to just sit and breath trying to make your breath longer, fuller and more relaxed and you will automatically raise your vibration because a calm vibration is a high vibration. By taking the time to give yourself love, energy and space, it will in turn attract beautiful things into your life. FIND THE BEAUTY It only takes a few mindful lifestyle choices in order to raise your vibrational levels. It might be as simple as finding something of beauty and just appreciate it. Another easy way to raise vibration is to consider others and stop complaining or gossiping, instead rejoice and speak the truth. Be gentle with people. Often people are going through more difficult situations than we realize. It is important to exude kindness, sympathy and a helping hand. When you help others and share your love, you increase your vibration level. YOU ARE IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF LIFE Realizing that you have more control over your life than you thought can also increase your frequency. When you put your life in your hands, rather than the hands of others, you will feel a sense of freedom, choice and enlightenment. You must embrace the fact that you are the only person who can control your own destiny because you are awareness. Let it be natural to be in a wonderful state of energy, effortless, well-being. The more light that you allow in you, the brighter the world will be. DRINK WATER Another great idea that helps to increase your vibration is to drink energy charged water. This is done by simply, holding your glass with thumb and middle finger (heart mudra) and send the water love, then drink it. A HUG A DAY "A hug is a universal medicine, it is how we handshake from the heart." -Anonymous- Hugging increases vibration and decreases stress. Hugging gives an emotional lift, thus increasing vibration. I can remember reading a quote about hugging a while ago that stuck with me which was "A mother's hug lasts long after she let's go." Visualizing times when you were in the embrace of a loved one is sometimes equally as effective as getting a physical hug. For me personally, when an emotional lift is needed, I go back to my pre-teen days when I would curl up on my mom's lap and feel her warm embrace, while we sat in her favourite chair and just chatted. It is my "happy place." EXERCISE- IT'S MORE THAN HEART SMART We all know the benefits and importance of exercise for a healthy mind and body. Have you ever thought about the fact that exercise increases your vibration? When a person moves, physiologically they increase endorphins, thus happiness. When you move and excite the body, you also connect with the warmth of your own internal flame. Your body is an intelligent vehicle for the mind and spirit. Trust your body and love your body, as it will allow you to look inside, to where the spirit resides. Having true mind, body, spirit connections make us experience a higher reality and allow us to live a more vibrant life, thus increasing our vibration. "Awareness is like the sun, when it shines on things, they are transformed" Thich Nhat Hanh Shine on! Love, Andie

Say POO to winter FLU!

. . I was pumped for the upcoming school ski week and was seriously looking forward to taking in the fresh mountain air. There is nothing like waking up at the base of the mountain, rolling out of bed, strapping on the ski’s and hitting the slopes from dusk until dawn. ............................... ................................ . Day one: I knew something was a miss when I woke up as though I had inhabited someone else’s less salubrious body. With a heavy, hot head, stuffed up nose, blurry vision, I knew that I was going nowhere but back to bed. The flu has no boundaries and will attack anyone in it’s path. I was disappointed, but logically knew that I would be useless on the hill, so I wrapped myself in a plethora of blankets and flaked out. .......................... . ................................... . Sometimes it is important to just rest. This downtime offered me an opportunity to just lay in silence and contemplate how amazing life is. I decided that it was crucial for me to stay positive, despite how I physically felt. I began thinking about techniques I could use to “trick” myself in to feeling healthy again. I started with my breath. A calm vibration is a high vibration. So I used the silence to just sit and relax making my breath longer, fuller and more relaxed. After some time, I started doing mental reps over and over again saying, “I am healthy, I am strong” Positive affirmations are a great way to connect with the warmth of your internal flame. .............................. ..................................... Day two: Still not feeling one hundred percent. No skiing for me today. It has been said that we can either make ourselves miserable or we can make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same. From this self-talk, I started jotting down everything in my life that was wonderful. When we experience gratitude, it is one of the most effective ways to reach or feel your soul. Simply put, gratitude invites goodness into your life. By giving thanks and living your life in great appreciation, you will pave the way for additional abundance. . ............................................ . ............................................ Day three: I am feeling slightly better, so I decide to take advantage of the fresh air and ski for a half day. With low energy and weak muscles, I don’t last very long. I resolve it might be smarter to spend yet another afternoon in the comfort of my hotel room and perhaps practice a bit of yoga. After a few sun salutations, I begin feeling a bit better. I decide to go through a 20-minute yoga routine, only to be surprisingly welcomed on the other end with a feeling of rejuvenation. It is amazing what happens to our body when we are in a relaxed, blissful state. Yoga allows me to practice living each moment with a light and open heart. It connects your body to your soul and raises you Qi. The ancient Taoist wisdom puts great emphasis on Qi, a remarkable life force that stimulates the forms of the world. When related to our health, a balanced and free-flowing qi results in good health, while a stagnant or imbalanced qi leads to dis-ease. . . .............................................. . . I go to bed early that night, and my final thought before I drift off to sleep is “I am better.” .................................. . . . ..................................................... Day four: I wake up raring to go. I have fought the flu and won! I have spent time with myself. Using the stillness to calm and tame my weary mind and heal my physical body. I have concluded that the fact that I got sick was “meant to be” because it was an opportunity for me to slow down and contemplate life. So the next time you “catch a cold” or are “down with the flu”, embrace it and see it as a message to do some soul searching. . . Namaste, Andie

Speak Kindly

"Sometimes, my greatest accomplishment is just keeping my mouth shut." There is something very powerful about this statement. Often times, we are so quick to react, comment, judge and criticize, rather than sitting back and taking in the situation. Before we speak, we really need to think about what we are saying. If we all spent a bit of extra time thinking, before we speak, there would be far less conflicts.

In Don Miguel Ruiz's Four Agreements, Agreement One is Be impeccable with your word - "Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love." What a profound and truly life altering agreement. If we all spoke with thoughtful kindness, we would go about our day feeling abundantly content and at peace. When you don't react to a difficult situation with a feeling of negativity using hurtful words, you will find that no person, place or thing can irritate or annoy you, this creating a more peaceful existence. Only you have the ultimate power to create this peaceful and balanced life for yourself.

Furthermore, if you can surround yourself with positive people, it will be to your benefit because happiness, light and love are contagious.... so spread the love! Be with people who encourage and inspire you rather than drain your of purpose. My father recently turned 70 years old. Happy Birthday Bob-Pa! Bob is a man of few words. I used to think that he didn't speak much because he wasn't thinking about anything. On the contrary, Bob is the type of person who is constantly thinking and silently doing for the better of mankind. He does not need praise or accolades and is genuine in his quiet manner in which he helps others. My mother and I are doers, but we have always had to talk about what we are doing. Analyzing and reiterating each life situation over and over. I find as I am getting older, it is easier to take the eagle eye's view of a situation, rather than instantly reacting...and then when appropriate swoop down and react.

It's Monday, a fresh new week is ahead of us. Take the time to set good intentions and make good choices this week. Speak kindly.

As Deepak Chopra so eloquently states "To make the right choices in life, you have to get in touch with your soul. To do this, you need to experience solitude, which most people are afraid of, because in the silence you hear the truth and know the solutions." Challenge yourself to sit in silence, if only for a few minutes...take time to think, pause, reflect and process before you speak. Smile as today is a new day! Namaste