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 Natural Awakenings Lancaster-Berks

Letter From the Publishers, January 2017

Kendra Campbell & Jacqueline Mast

Turning points can become tipping points if not met with a solid, calm return to center.   

Resting requires a place to land and enough peace to enter the quiet, where letting go is a natural state. A timely new year respite is not just for the weary, but also for those who believe in the strength and fortitude that comes from pausing to regroup and prepare for the uncharted territory of 2017. Knowing how bright new light can be, we welcome the serenity of closed eyes and healthy boundaries for finding spaces of deep release.  

 

January’s issue illuminates the value of taking care of ourselves and each other in sustainable ways. Creating a personal sanctuary with breath awareness is a practice that offers direct access to the body’s intelligence by engaging the mind and stimulating our most basic and profoundly important life-giving exchange. Simply put, inspire—derived from the Latin spiritus, which means “breath”—is the act of engaging and taking in the vigor of life. Quite divinely, it is always followed by releasing or letting go. 

 

Physiologically, deep breathing activates the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system, the vagus, which works directly to slow the heart rate, lower blood pressure, relax muscles, and calm the mind. Energetically, according to yogic philosophy, the breath is coordinated with conscious intentions that activate and distribute the life force, or prana, throughout the body for balance and healing.  

 

Renewal involves shifting perspective to access a slower, deeper point of stillness and to ultimately align with our essential soul nature. Settling into the moment fortifies the senses with an intimate experience of the present and awakens a self-awareness of freedom that is unbounded by time and space. Shedding extraneous, binding distractions helps us uncover the guiding brilliance within and focus on the reality we truly desire for ourselves and our global family. Solitude is the precursor to a poise and grace that strengthens our coming together in creative and meaningful ways, embodying the peace and wholeness we want to see. 

 

~Jacqueline 

 

Meditation groups abound, mindfulness is proliferating in the workplace, and socially conscious groups are forming and meeting every day. Positive change comes at the expense of time and energy for us all—a worthy exchange for a deeper understanding of personal needs and learning how and where to serve. We wish you all the rejuvenation and inspiration born of a kind and peaceful revolution. 

 

~Jacqueline & Kendra