The Intentional Invitation
A reminder that happiness is a choice we make every day through the spaces we create for joy in our daily routines. This post sets the stage for our deeper dive into healing in the upcoming series.
As I stand on the verge of beginning a significant exploration—a 12-part journey from the depths of trauma to the peaks of healing—I invite you to first pause and breathe in the essence of this moment. This post, while lighter in its touch, serves a crucial purpose. It's a reminder of the foundational role that self-care practices play in our healing journey. It's about finding joy, intentionality, and tranquility amidst our everyday lives, setting the stage for the deeper work to come.
Albert Einstein once remarked that we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them. This wisdom underscores our journey ahead. Healing from our patterns, recognizing the extraordinary in the ordinary, and shifting our consciousness—are not just steps but leaps towards transformation. This series is not merely about confronting trauma; it's about redefining our relationship with ourselves and the world around us through healing.
As we delve into the complexities of trauma and the pathways to healing, remember that incorporating self-care practices is not an act of indulgence but a critical component of our healing toolkit. It's these moments of connection, whether through a sunrise yoga session or the intentional silence before the dawn, that recalibrate our inner compass towards healing and wholeness.
This post is but the gentle first note of a symphony, the quiet before the dawn of our collective journey. As we progress, each piece will build upon the last, weaving a narrative that moves from darkness to light, from trauma to healing. I extend an invitation to you, not just to read and reflect, but to engage actively with the practices and insights shared.
To embark on this journey is to commit to a shift in consciousness, to adopt a new lens through which to view our lives and our challenges. And as we navigate this path together, remember that I am here to guide and support you. For those who feel called to dive deeper, to explore the magical realism of the everyday as a gateway to healing, I welcome you to book a free discovery call with me. Together, we will explore the enchanting intersections of our multi-layered existence and discover how we can shift our consciousness, one intentional step at a time.
In the spirit of healing, let us begin.
Happiness and sadness are forever chasing each other, yet rarely seen in the same space. In the mad hustle of city life, sadness often finds a way to slip in through the side door, uninvited. With packed schedules and piles of tasks to carry out, it’s easy to let the music of joy fade into the background, turning days into a monotone of duties and responsibilities. But what about happiness? Unlike its counterpart, joy seems to need an invitation. It waits patiently for us to notice it, to reach out and pull it into our day with intention.
In many shamanic societies, if you came to a medicine person complaining of being disheartened, dispirited, or depressed, they would ask one of four questions: "When did you stop dancing? When did you stop singing? When did you stop being enchanted by stories? When did you stop being comforted by the sweet territory of silence?
~ Gabrielle Roth
There’s a poignant truth captured in the lyrics of a carnaval bossa nova song from Brazil, "Tristeza não tem fim, felicidade sim." Its lyrics convey that sadness is a never-ending road, while happiness—like the exuberant days of Carnaval—has its end, prompting us to cherish it all the more deeply.
The Hacaritama Tradition in Colombia reminds us that while sadness might stroll in unannounced, happiness needs to be specifically welcomed with open arms, even through an intentional celebration or festival. Joy is more than just a fleeting emotion—it's a state of being that flourishes under the light of our attention.
Cultivating an Ecology of Practices for Happiness
The concept of an "ecology of practices" is about creating a diverse and nurturing environment for our well-being. It's about recognizing that our lives, especially in the concrete jungles we call home, need a rich variety of moments that bring us joy, peace, and connection. Here are some of the ways I add intentional moments of joy into my day:
Drum circles represent connection, rhythm, and shared joy for me. Joining a drum circle means tuning into the group's energy and finding my place within the beat. There’s a point where I start flowing, channeling my own rhythm, speeding up the pace, bringing my emotion and energy and personality to the circle as I enter into a flow state. My beats become perfectly spaced as the energy rises and opens the heart. Where did this knowledge come from? It’s not a technical learning, I took no courses. The drumbeat was always in me, a tribal call to adventure that had been passed down through the generations. I reconnect with a more ancient part of me, which also rejuvenates me.
As I found joy in drum circles, what simple joys await your discovery?
When I practice Aquarian Sadhana with my yoga colleagues before dawn, it uplifts me throughout the day and even the week. The intentional practice taps into the ambrosial hours, when the rest of the city is floating in dream consciousness. It’s a propicious time for meditation and intention setting, and an example to how starting our day with intention can cast a glow of happiness on the days that follow.
What moments in your daily life hold the potential for transformation if approached with intention and mindfulness, and how might altering your morning routine change your overall experience of happiness?
There was this one day when I followed the recommendation of my friends to watch John Wick, a movie steeped in violent action and intensity. After the first ten minutes, an inner voice prompted me to walk out of the movie, and by a stroke of luck, Aladdin was just about to start in the next theatre. This moment was a reminder that sometimes, happiness is about spontaneously letting the inner child choose the adventure.
In what ways have you silenced or ignored your inner child's voice in decision-making, and how might embracing spontaneity and curiosity lead to unexpected sources of joy in your life?
Dance, Sing, Story-tell, and Embrace Silence
Gabrielle Roth asks us when we stopped dancing, singing, being enchanted by stories, and finding comfort in silence. These are not just whimsical activities; they are vital practices that invite happiness. Dancing frees the body, singing liberates the voice, stories enchant the mind, and silence soothes the soul. Each practice is essential for a balanced, joyful life. Even simple practices like keeping a gratitude journal or taking mindful walks where we truly observe and appreciate our surroundings can transform our perception, helping us see the world in brighter colors. Woven into the everyday, they become our lifelines to happiness.
By inviting play, dance, music, storytelling, silence, mindfulness, and gratitude into our lives, we build resilience against the grey hues of daily stress. This ecology of practices is not a rigid framework but a fluid, evolving garden that grows with us. It adapts to the seasons of our lives, offering solace, joy, and connection through its ever-changing beauty.
When was the last time you truly invited happiness into your day?
“We thought of life by analogy with a journey, a pilgrimage, which had a serious purpose at the end, and the thing was to get to that end, success or whatever it is, maybe heaven after you’re dead. But we missed the point the whole way along. It was a musical thing and you were supposed to sing or to dance while the music was being played.”
― Alan Watts
To take the first step on the series, start here:
Unfortunately, we are so preconditioned that we forget who we truly are and miss the opportunity to laugh and invite our inner child to play. Thank you for reminding us how important it is to play and laugh.