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The Holidays are here! And so the gatherings and social engagements. Whether you have a Martha Stuart or a Grinch approach to the Holidays (or anything in between), this season can take over our calendars, our routines, our finances and our communication. As we are running around wrapping the end of the year at our jobs, schools, finalizing reports and looking into inflexible deadlines while holding into the busiest social time of the year, it can feel like holding with one arm into a door of the Polar Express train- WILD and unpredictable; also our families and friends require more of our attention. We worry about gifts, lists, fixing and rearranging the house, family unresolved issues/stories, dreaded encounters with “that person”, travels, the unexpected cold or flu visiting, keeping up with all the media demonstrations of cuteness of our people and all the other events popping up as you read this, that we want to show up for(half the time, at least), etc.… All these things to-do brings a lot of mind talk, we start being guided by our planning and thinking areas of the brain, more and more through the day so we get in a fight or flight state. Meaning we are less able to listen, be present, be engaged fully with those around us and be heart driven. Yes, you are not alone experiencing the more frequent confrontations and misunderstandings at home. When we fall into a stressful state we experience changes in our body chemistry, things start getting less clear and more foggy. Often we find ourselves falling more into higher doses of caffeine, sugary foods, alcohol, t.v. watching, comfort food, medications, social media time and anything else that give us a “break” and amplify the numbing. Instead we get exactly what we are trying to avoid…more disconnection.
Is easy to only focus in the pain we are able to feel or perceive when in stress and miss the pain across the other person's eyes(if we are even taking time for the eye-to-eye); when we feel hurt or wounded we close our hearts and a communication line is closed outside but also inside our body. Not only is it harder to see and communicate; it is also hard to see the love we are seeking and the love that is already present in our lives. This impairment in our communication has the biggest effect on the communication within ourselves. We become so busy from the outside that we can no longer hear our subtle cues, inner rhythms and heart. We blocked, hold tension and disconnect parts in our bodies without noticing. And we crave even more external comfort!!! It is a cycle that requires close attention and intention. Our nervous system is so overwhelmed that it can’t process the information effectively, release tension and make healthy choices. If you are familiar with the effects of a less than optimal function of your communication system then you are aware of the detrimental effects and how it manifests in our physiology and our lives. Under this stress physiology we experience more dependency on external comforts. There is an increased need of instant gratification, more irritability, insomnia, anxiousness, inadequacy feeling, disengagement, stomach problems, blaming others or situations, skin disorders, low immunity, high muscle tension, high blood pressure, headaches and the list keeps going. If we can’t hear and feel our subtle cues and rhythms, how well can we hear others around??? So how do we get more connected with ourselves and those around us? Here are a few suggestions: 1.) Awareness- each day take time to slow down your mind and allow yourself a pause before an action or words come out of your mouth. Ask yourself, is this coming out with kindness? Am I being driven by an agenda or a picture in my mind of how things need to be? Am I honoring the other person’s imperfections and gifts alike? Are there needs of sleep, hunger, exhaustion or over-stimulation that are guiding my behavior or the person I am talking to? How can I give them the most grace or compassion in this moment? Do I need to ask for some reflection time before engaging in an argument? How can I support them to be the best version of themselves without throwing my expectations of an ideal I made up? All of this we must apply in how we talk to ourselves as well. Our cells do “listen”. 2.) Schedule a time for you- this is different for each person, find what fills your cup and honor this time as sacred. (*Hint: this is often different than the needs of your significant other or family). Time to nurture yourself is not a luxury, but a healthy practice. Maybe getting together with a friend, going to a yoga class, a walk in nature, a massage, journaling, keeping your chiropractic or acupuncture session, sitting down by yourself and drinking a cup of your favorite beverage mindfully or eating a nourishing meal slowly, listening to your favorite music, finding a class or a group to join in a hobby, do something adventurous that reminds you of your wilderness; whatever it is make it as important as you would an important meeting with someone else. Remember to reciprocate and honor the needs (that are often different than yours) of those around you. 3.) Indulge in knowing yourself: Through Movement, Breath, Focus/Presence, Touch. We can fool ourselves through thinking, but there is an innate truth to tapping into our bodies and being present. Breathing, meditation practices and experiences that involve moving our body consciously helps us connect to our bodies, bringing the necessary integration of wisdom. At Waves Chiropractic we combine Somato-respiratory integration exercises with Network Spinal care to potentiate transformation in your nervous system/spine and help you create a sustainable and congruent experience unique to you. 4.) Align yourself and family to the intention of the season and to the family values you treasure and want to see grow for future generations. Find traditions that bring strength to what is congruent with your family, and let go of those that bring more stress than joy to your heart. Also be mindful, if you have a partner, each of you will have different traditions and a clear conversation must happen to honor both families heritages. 5.) Practice gratitude, not only for presents but for presence. No matter your circumstances, there is always more to be grateful for, stay open to be thanked and be thankful. Give with the same intensity you are willing to receive. Presence, a heart-felt letter or kind actions can be the greatest way to gift. Let’s make the memories of the Holidays be about that feeling/experience rather than the material gain of it. Connection, communication and shared love are in season and available to all of us if we let our hearts be Open. P.S. If you want the gift a more efficient nervous system through Network Spinal care this year for yourself and those you love, send us message and let’s work together! Dare to experience the difference of a healthy spine today. Love, Joy & Peace, Dr. Wilmayra
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You may have already started to notice the subtleties…the butterflies, the climate fluctuations (it’s finally raining in Texas!), the intriguing skies, the leaves falling, and the cravings growing inside us. This month of September we celebrate the Autumn Equinox, it takes place on Saturday the 22nd. Around this day, the day and night start sharing equal time. For those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere we will begin to experience longer periods of darkness, a time to go within and to root the intentions that will bloom in the spring. This change presents as an opportunity to get in touch with nature and observe all its rhythms around us and within. Paying close attention to nature we get to appreciate the reflection of the environment in ourselves. We are part of those bigger rhythms, you don’t have to be an “al naturale” human to experience them, they are available to all of us.
Leaving behind the months of summer…where we have been looking for the lightness of the moment. Where we tend to move and travel, where we glow (sweat would be a better description for many of us) with the rays of sun, where we crave water filled fruits and veggies; and constantly try to cool down the inner and outside fires with something light and refreshing. But at this point we feel the heat exhaustion and the need to ground ourselves, to nourish our homes, to re-establish routines, and cultivate the essentials. We are looking to harvest, to be present but un-consciously and innately foreseeing the “colder” and more introspective season of winter. It is in this season we move away from being everywhere, to feeling the earth beneath our feet. Is a time to harvest our gifts and let go all that is incongruent with our true-self or who we want to express. Are you grounded yet? Here are a few ways to know that a grounding practice will be helpful for you:
In times where there is so much noise around us, disconnection from ourselves can easily occur. So what can we do to connect, listen, harvest, and release the old??? Here are a few simple practices to ignite the autumn rhythms and leave behind what doesn’t serve us. 1.) Visualize what Energy state you want to manifest during this period and write a note to yourself to read each morning, to help you revive that Energy state. If the first thing you do in the mornings is get on your phone, set an alarm with that reminder on it. If this is the case #5 is suggested. 2.) Be where your feet are. Find a quiet space (bathroom can be your best option if you have kids, whatever works) and stand up with your eyes closed, or open if balance is an issue. Focus your attention in experiencing your feet in the ground and visualize yourself as an Oak tree. Feel the vibration from your bare feet and concentrate on bringing your breath from your feet up (yes, it is possible, just try it!). When you reach the heart area, fill your heart with gratitude for the present moment and then raise your arms like growing branches as you visualize the gratitude expanding from within you. Experience the power of your breath and being present with yourself. Stay there as long as you wish or at a minimum of three long breaths into the nose, out of the mouth. *Bonus points: if you do this barefoot on the ground/soil/grass; this practice is often referred as earthing. There is lots of research regarding this practice and many people choose to have it as a daily routine. 3.) Do a cleanse, let go of the unhealthy choices you have been reaching to out of convenience or emotional comfort. Instead, choose to nourish your body with nutrient dense food. If this does not come easy, reach out and find someone that can help. In the mean time focus on ‘whole’ foods and avoid anything with packaging as a general rule. Engaging in a cleanse can bring deep insights in ourselves and our relationship with food. Not to mention all the improvements in our chemistry that will not disappoint. 4.) Clear your space of the things that don’t work for you anymore or haven’t worked in the last year. A cluttered space can translate to a cluttered mind. Set up a clothes swap with some friends or neighbors. ***We are hosting an in office clothes swap at the end of this month if you want to join us. 5.) Write a list of the patterns, things, people, or behaviors you want to let go and destroy them symbolically; don’t make it only about letting go, also focus in what new perspectives you would like to cultivate instead. This is a great opportunity to gather some friends and join forces saying goodbye to the old in form of a ritual. 6.) Through the smell… use warming scents in candles, incense, herbs or essential oils. Some of my favorites are: Frankincense, vetiver, ginger, cinnamon, Yatra Natural incense (you can find it at Del Sol Yoga in Austin, TX), sage or palo santo. If you are not familiar with this indulge yourself in getting to know them and choose the one that feels right to you. 7.) Take a cold bath or shower. You will be quickly grounded in your body, guaranteed. 8.) Explore a forgotten body part. It might sound crazy but I have so many clients that present with pain in different areas of their bodies, and most of the time they haven’t mindfully touched the area. Paraphrasing Dr. Donny Epstein: to heal the body you have to feel it first. Pick an area, ex. the neck(scan for bones and muscles), ear lobes, your belly. Give it all your attention and explore it with curiosity, our bodies are full of wisdom! 9.) Slow down your practice, however you move your body, either dancing, lifting weights, running, yoga, etc… choose to slow down your practice and pay attention to your breath and movements. If you are not actively practicing, find a new movement class as Tai-chi, Kundalini, or restorative yoga. Perhaps a tango class? Ease into your practice and increase your presence. 10.) Explore the possibilities of more awareness. From my personal experience I can recommend Network Spinal care and Somato-Respiratory Integration breath work, since they have expanded my mind and body in an exponential way. These are just two ways of many that help expand your connection to yourself and the environment. Ask us if you are curious for MORE. Happy grounding season, HUMMMMMM! Oh yeah, and then there’s the music….that deserves a #11.) MUSIC/SOUND/VIBRATIONS/DRUMS Let’s get loud! HMMMMMMM! Do this sound while having the palm of your hand in your chest. Wishing that as you begin to practice these steps, whatever is not serving you or congruent with your wild-self, falls away like the leaves of the trees this season. Lets bring those changing colors to LIFE! Peace & Joy, Dr. Wilmayra For a while this topic has been buzzing in my mind, calling to speak it out loud. I have been clenching my teeth and in deep dislike, reading and hearing these words: “You are Enough”, “I'm enough” “Feeling that you are not enough”. I often see it used in relation to motherhood but not exclusively. In every cell of my body I feel like screaming: Of course I'm enough! What made you think there is a need to reinforce this to me?! I'm the best mom my son can have and there is no doubt in my being about this, so why the need to keep propagating enoughness as an act of kindness or a goal to pursue? Yes, moms have days where everything seems like too much to handle, that you are breaking down, that you haven’t done anything else with your life except care for your child(children), where you feel guilty for not paying enough attention to your kids, or you have to be away from them, when you feel like going to bed and crying all day and want to be pampered and appreciated and a minute of peace but can’t decompress, etc… of course you are enough! You are human and as any human, you get those moments(sometimes seasons), welcome to being human in the modern day!
As I reflect on this topic; finally sitting down to write, and in my act of making these words disappear, something shifted. I found my disguised Im not enough!!! I might not relate with this when it comes to motherhood but there are so many areas that this was present in my life on a closer look. Since childhood we have been living in society, absorbing and making ours the conversations we hear, what we observe, what is model to us; and to please, fit in, belong or just accept as the norm, we accept concepts as our reality in conscious and unconscious levels. One of the stories I constantly told myself is that many of these things must be truth because they were not told directly to me, they were talked as a societal norm, people seemed to agree, no one came and said: hey, I don’t see it that way or I don’t agree with that. Even though this wasn’t told to me it was about parts I identify as mine—> One of the things that remind me to teach my son that is important to speak up when there is something unfair, unkind or an inflexible point of view said or done in daily live, indifference is so uncool son. Here are a few of the 'I'm not good enough' things I heard constantly, some come from childhood and others are more recent, truly these messages are always around if we want to access them or rise above them: “My body must be gross because my stretch marks or x, y, z.” “People with this body type can’t wear this or that” “Tattoos or piercing don’t look professional” “You don’t need help, you can figure it out yourself because you are smart” “You are not good enough to be the girlfriend of x, y, z” “You are not a good enough of a business person because x, y, z” “people don’t want what you offer, they just want a quick fix and only what is covered by insurance” What are your 'I'm not enough's in life??? All of these examples may be irrelevant to you, we all have our own “Im not enough” or “Im just enough” in different areas of our lives that we have embraced as our story to certain degrees. The questions is: is this serving you today? Are these concepts and strategies efficient to fully experience Life in your own terms? If the answer is no, you might be ready to change those patterns, to breakthrough from the inside out. I invite you to enter the season of T R A N S F O R M, where we say enough of this! I am more than this and I take my POWER back! We claim our power, we say enough to those patterns we have built within ourselves as we get closer to authenticity. We get ready to move to a higher energy state. I recently attended an EpiEnergetics program in which we work at a high-intensity pace to connect with the truest version of ourselves and this is becoming easier and easier as my awareness has expanded. It is empowering to know that we have the ability to tap into ourselves for wisdom, what a beautiful gift! There is a world of relevant information available inside us! And it is nothing less than extraordinary. One of my most powerful tools to tap into my inside resources has been Network Spinal care and breath work(I use Somato-Respiratory Integration). This approach is challenging many times, others effortless, it requires to confront ourselves and our stories; it invites us to discover, transform and awaken our inner rhythms and gifts to the world. So are you ready to T R A N S F O R M? Stand up tall and feel your breath rise towards your elevated chest, breath nose to nose experiencing the energy of this movement, getting stronger with each breath. And say: Eh! No! Ugh!!! of this! This is the message I want to share in this writing. Transformation is a time to purge towards the core of us, time to peel the layers that leave us stagnant. As we acknowledge where we have been stuck, we awaken new possibilities where we can find ourselves as the embodiment of Universal Intelligence. So let your inner constellations shine bright and bold! Allow yourself to deconstruct your social construct and reinvent what you hold as true. Imagine the story you dream of when you connect with your soul. What you wish for the future generations to come? It's time to pay closer attention to: the job, the status quo, family and peer's perceptions, to trying to make your parents proud by meeting their expectations(many times we set these ourselves), the social talk, the pinterest, the images and conversations in all social platforms. This social world is so openly available 24-7, it often fogs our own reality with pictures showing only pieces of other people’s lives. Be mindful not to adopt these social platforms as your reality and just appreciate it as you would a piece of art; open for interpretation or sometimes ignored and used as inspiration occasionally. If you have read this far, please feel certainty that you are meant to exceed the vision for yourself. Dare to say “enough” to the mentality of being just enough. Come and day dream with me that all those “enough”s can be transformed into wholeness and beyond. We can remind each other we are not just enough, we are as whole as the day we entered the world and a bit more extraordinary than that. Women and men, you are whole as you show up in the rawness of the moment, when you connect with your soul and are willing to be seen. We all need reminders that being enough is no longer enough! Let’s strive for more, for Wholeness! And let’s do it together…connect with me @WavesChiropractic 1.) Set a time to get crafty with others. Create Holiday cards, bake cookies or a cake to gift, prepare a personalized gift, make an ornament. Grown-ups and kids alike will be making memories during these activities.
2.) Enjoy a Holiday movie at home, and make it a big deal. Wear something fun like Holiday PJ’s or anything Holiday inspired(even fun socks work), prepare a hot beverage, turn on the fire place (if you have one) and have some special treats. You could keep it simple with a red and white theme(ex. strawberries with coconut whipped cream). 3.) Set a Budget and Stick to it. We have found that using a credit card (that you pay in full each month) with cash back is a good way to save a specific amount according to what you spent that year. This can work for people that don’t get special bonuses over the Holidays. When you have a budget you will make it work. 4.) Switch from individual gifts to secret Santa or a white elephant. When families are growing this can be a helpful practice. Buying individual gifts for a big and growing family can be overly-stressful. Let’s simplify! Keep in mind that the Holidays aren’t the only time for giving, you can find other occasions during the year to send something special to different family members or a note to remind them how much you care. 5.) Practice Gratefulness. Commit to writing down each day what you are grateful for and share some of these things in your conversations with family and friends. You will see how it changes our perspective and lifts our spirits as a collective. 6.) Gifts for Saving. Use the opportunity to teach your kids or yourself about the importance of saving. You can start a savings account for them to instill this important practice for their future. The sooner they start, the more they can make. Don’t you wish you started saving when you were 5???! 7.) Adopt traditions that don’t involve gift giving. Take a Holiday walk and invite friends, family and neighbors. Just picture a candlelit walk with the special people in your life; I bet you just took a breath picturing this. If you want to go for the singing you get extra points. Humans are social creatures, our hearts get full when we connect and have social experiences. Make an effort to be social and explore traditions in your community. There are many ideas to explore that don’t involve gifts. 8.) Visit other towns close by. Find out where there are special Holiday light displays, free concerts, plays and special events near you. This is a fun way to get in the spirit of the season without having to do much planning. Be sure to eat before getting in the car and plan some snacks if you are concerned about expenses. 9.) Encourage experiences over things. Have you ever “needed” something so badly and after getting it, just a few weeks after, you find it is already forgotten or barely used? And now you are “needing” something else? We have all been there. We usually need to get rid of things rather than getting more things. Don’t be attached to a date for gifting material things, waiting for the sales can be rewarding for your pocket. Like the petit prince said: “What is essential is invisible to the eye” 10.) Learn to receive gracefully. Don’t feel obligated to gift back whenever you receive a gift. Sometimes just a sincere thank you is enough. There are other ways to show you appreciate them through the year; in fact it might be the reason they decided to give you something, to say thank you for being who you are or how you make them feel. You are a gem and just like giving, receiving is an act to be cultivated. Find the Joy in you, if you can’t, just stare at the moon for as long as it takes ;-) Peace & Joy, Dr. Wilmayra, DC NSA practitioner, offering a gentle Chiropractic approach to improve the way clients process stress and increase the flexibility of their spine. 1.) Learn to Say No. Allow yourself to free your time from engagements and running around town for things you don’t even want to attend just because you feel obligated. Honesty, especially with yourself goes a long way. Know you are loved even when you don’t say yes to every event. Say no to FOMO (Fear of missing Out)!
2.) Establish traditions that are meaningful to you and dare to break with old ones that don’t bring joy or relate to your family’s intentions. This is a way of cleansing and lifting the spirit. Also be willing to have an exception if is important to your significant other or extended family. Family bonds are important and meaningful to kids so clear communication is key. Meet mid way in a decision that honors both sides. Be aware that your partner is now your family so be mindful when the other person is adopting traditions that don’t relate to them. Take time to reflect as a family what is most important to each of you. What traditions make this time special and are worth spending your energy on? 3.) Be conscious about gifts. Choose experiences, books, plants, musical instruments and gifts that stimulate the spirit and imagination. Be mindful of what goes in the list and set priorities. Be mindful and dare to ask what is needed rather than what we think they need if they are a close family member. Support small businesses or people around you, it is convenient to buy online, it can save time and money but I always have fun interacting with people in markets and small stores. It can be gratifying knowing that the money is helping a family rather than a huge company. When possible choose natural materials and avoid plastic; we must also show kindness to nature. Dare to gift with your heart rather than with your wallet. And remember to always be grateful even when you don’t get what you wanted. Let’s make this season one of true Joy. “The best and most beautiful things in this world cannot be seen or even heard, but must be felt with the heart.”-Helen Keller 4.) Bring a healthy dish to gatherings. Yours might be the least popular one (I don’t mean to say healthy options are not delicious, most often they are) but food is for nourishment and it carries some of our soul. Most likely you will eat more of this healthy plate and less of the unhealthy options, even if it is not to see it wasted. Have the courage to stay true to your values rather than fitting in with the culture. If you choose to prepare something unhealthy make sure you enjoy it and eat it with presence; just leave the guilty feelings behind. Sometimes we can’t control our surroundings but we can make healthier choices at home. Be proud of what you do at home and celebrate healthy choices! It’s all about what we choose to focus on. 5.) Drink plenty of water. At least drink half of your weight in ounces. Many times we eat confusing thirst from hunger. With the consumption of more sugary and salty foods it is even more important to keep our cells hydrated. Dehydration is related to headaches, constipation, muscle fatigue, lack of energy and dry skin to mention a few symptoms. 6.) Engage in healthy and simple routines that you can practice anywhere. Take a walk of 30+ minutes after dinner, plan hikes or active play in your weekend, do a short workout that doesn’t require much equipment or a specific setting. There are infinite resources online if you don’t know where to start. 7.) Substitute more optimal for less optimal choices when it comes to food: Some examples: Kombucha or apple cider over a beer Stout beer over a lager beer(yes, stouts have less calories, more antioxidants and can potentially reduce blood clotting, cheers!) POM juice, unsweetened cranberry or cherry juice over wine Red wine over white wines Sparkling water with lime over soda *When drinking alcoholic beverages, drink 1 glass of water between each drink Drink Cacao powder with your choice of milk or spiced teas like Chai instead of Sugary chocolate milk or store bought pumpkin lattes/peppermint syrups Use coconut milk instead of cheese in casseroles Almond butter & cacao instead of flavored spreads In baking: Use honey, fruits or less processed sugars rather than white sugar Cut at least half the sugar in the recipes Use coconut oil instead of vegetable oils Add raw nuts, raw seeds and unsweetened dry fruit instead of sugary & hydrogenated options Make it from scratch rather than buying ready to use products like frostings or baked goods 8.) Don’t compare yourself. In this media obsessed society we tend to idealize other people's lives and relationships. Remember that what you are looking at is a picture perfect image. Don’t get caught in comparing yourself and your life to others, or their vacations, gifts or even their image. Bring your attention inwards and explore the possibilities of acceptance and improvement within you and your family. You can create a reality that resonates with your values and vision starting today. 9.) Engage in Deep or Meaningful conversations. Sometimes after attending many parties during the Holidays we can feel drained and even disconnected if we stick to the small talk. Make an effort in opening up and getting to know more about your family members and friends that you don’t see so often, ask questions when you authentically care for them. Even vulnerability with strangers can bring more joy and help us connect in the Holidays. 10.) Practice random acts of Kindness: Pay for someone’s coffee, give a stranger a true compliment, share your talents with someone, visit a shelter or nursing home, be more gentle on the road, help a mom carry their groceries to the car, open and hold the door for someone, step out of the ordinary and make a difference; even a smile and acknowledgement go a long way. 10 + 1.) Self-care is not a luxury but a priority. Schedule the care that you have been postponing or give the gift of a healthy experience. When we have health we are able to manage the season and life with more grace and energy. Head to your Chiropractor, massage therapist, acupuncturist, herbalist, trainer, gym, coach, nutritionist, therapist, spiritual guide, etc. The healthy strategies you choose today are the most valuable gifts you can offer to those you love and yourself. “The greatest W E A L T H is H E A L T H” is an understatement. Keep healthy & joyful, Dr. Wilmayra, DC NSA practitioner, offering a gentle Chiropractic approach to improve the way clients process stress and increase the flexibility of their spine. |
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December 2018
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