Adele Brookman, M.S., LMFT » Replenishing Tips

Replenishing Exercise: Inner Reflections for Fall – Equinox and Beyond

abadmin — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 03:09:16 +0000

The period around each equinox is a good time to think about balance. It’s a time to relish our busy times balanced with rest so we have energy to move forward into the new season. Thankfully there are bursts of brilliant color as the light lessens. Some people may experience feelings of loss and grief as daylight lessens. If you do, it’s very important to balance that with letting yourself feel enjoyment and gratitude for the bright blooms and tasty, healthy harvest of the plants that you or others have been watering all these months – literally and figuratively. For some it can mean reaping the benefits of that project you’ve been working on manifesting abundance, just as the plants that have been cultivated have come to fruition. It could also be about the inner work of whatever is your personal emotional task showing signs of progress. If this none of these examples are the case for you this Autumn, then this can be the time to actively imagine what you do want to manifest next equinox, but more importantly, to actively appreciate whatever you do have or have brought forth in your life – internally or externally, no matter how big or small.

So take some time now to reflect, reassess where and how you’ve been using and putting your energy. Where and how have you been using your time? The more time you are putting aside presently to do this exercise, the more you can now go into more detail. Ask yourself, “ What do I want to shift and change?” just as the energy of this change-of-season period shifts and changes. Incorporate all your senses – noticing what you see, hear, feel, taste, touch. Remember to appreciate all you already do have to bring to this endeavor. Be sure to include a healthy balance of times of stillness and silence with your times of activity and movement as you prepare for the cozy darkness of winter and the lightness of spring that will follow.

If you want, you can further embellish this exercise by externalizing it onto paper or your computer. You might want to journal what you experience, or create a visual symbol of what you most want to be mindful of. This can be elaborate or just a doodle. You could make a collage of mindfulness. If you are inclined, create a song or a dance. Or a simple movement, posture, or touch. Have a good time doing whatever feels best and makes most sense to you.

Remember to Breathe

Adele — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 07:08:15 +0000

Here’s a mini-Replenisher you can do any time, anywhere, in any position — sitting at a desk, standing in line — and no one else will even know you’re doing it!

During the course of a busy day, take a few minutes to go on “purposeful pilot.” Stop. Look inside with your mind’s eye. Listen to yourself. Pay attention to how you feel at that very moment. Notice your breath. In fact, notice if you are breathing. So often when either zooming around on automatic pilot, or “vegging out” and ruminating on frustrations, we hold our breath without even realizing it. Or we hyperventilate, leading to runaway thoughts and bodily tensions we aren’t even aware of until we stop and pay attention to ourselves.

Attend to your breath. Notice its tempo, exhale, and allow it to slow down. Notice where your breath is going in your torso, and gently guide it lower down, till you are having low, slow, deep breaths into your diaphragm or abdomen. Imagine each in-breath is breathing in relaxation and encouragement, and each exhalation is breathing out tension and discouragement.

Conclude with noticing the positive effect this has on your body and your mental outlook.

Vernal Equinox Expressive Arts Activity: Preparing Your Soil for New Growth

Adele — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 07:05:06 +0000

Here’s a rewarding activity from my group around the time of the vernal equinox. It focuses our attention on the polarities and balances of our lives. Most importantly, it awakens possibilities for new growth. So it’s valuable to do it at any point during spring or summer planting season (Well, I guess that could be during any season here in California where we’re lucky enough to grow gardens all year long!) I call it:

Preparing Your Soil for New Growth

Cut out pictures and words from magazines or draw your own pictures/write your own words that depict/express the “garbage,” or things you’d like to eliminate from your life — inner or outer.
Put them in a box or a bag. This represents your compost bin.
Put this compost container into a bigger bag or box (or any kind of container will do).
Then, again find and cut out words and pictures or do drawings which express things that are good and rich about you which you want to keep and desire to develop further. These, together with your “compost,” form the nutrients which will fertilize your inner soil for new growth.
Lastly, for the outside of your larger box or bag, cut out pictures, words, drawings, of all that you wish to grow, bring to fruition, emotionally and externally in your life.

Put your creation in a prominent place where you can admire it often and reinforce your intention for positive new growth.