Alana Sheeren, words + energy

Mantra Mon(wednes)day: Don’t Stop Believing

By

Don't stop believing

Is the song stuck in your head yet? It’s on repeat in mine. You’re welcome.

Dreams really do come true.

They don’t always look exactly the way we imagine (sometimes they do). We often can’t predict the timeline. But when you ask for what’s in line with your heart, your soul, and your best self, magic happens.

Two years ago I made a wish. After finishing the 50 Transformation Talk interviews I said out loud to several people (and quietly to the universe) I wish someone would hire me to interview people. But I didn’t know how to make that happen so I moved on with other aspects of my business and let it go.

At the end of June I got an email from a company looking for a podcast host. When I first read it, I didn’t believe it was real. Then I Googled the owner of the company and realized just how real it was.

My first podcast went live Monday. I’m in the midst of a new learning curve and it’s pushing the edges of my comfort zone. It’s exciting and incredibly vulnerable.

And I keep saying thank you.

Because even though in my day to day life I forgot about this particular wish, it was there in my heart and the back of my mind.

You don’t always need a vision board. You don’t need to visualize your dream coming true every day (though you can if you want). You don’t need to act as if or project yourself five years into the future or follow the “rules” of manifestation. None of those are bad – in fact they can be useful and fun if done with great joy. They’re just not absolutely necessary.

Make the choice to live with integrity. Do your best to know, accept and like yourself. Step away from drama. Have fun as often as possible. Practice believing in your own worthiness and potential. Ask for what you want then enjoy what you have.

This week when doubt creeps in, when you’re tired and the judgmental voice in your head gets louder because your defenses are down, when you wonder if you really are enough, break out some Journey (or whatever makes you feel good), have a dance party and see if you can find that place of belief, even for a moment, that everything really is going to be okay.


P.S. You can listen to the podcast here. Eventually it will be available on iTunes – I will be sure to let you know.

Mantra Wednesday: Have fun

By

Make room for fun

In yoga last week we were crouched down in crow pose, our arms stretched out in front of us, doing breath of fire and staring off into infinity. My beautiful teacher invited us to picture the light from our hearts breaking apart any barriers to living our purpose. In the middle of picturing my heart chakra busting things up like a Star Wars movie I felt a huge grin bubble up to my lips.

Oh! I remembered. I get to have fun doing this!

Kundalini yoga can be really hard work. As can the dedication to personal and spiritual growth. You get to hang out with your shadow, stare into the not-so-niceness of your ego, dig in the trenches of emotion. Starting and growing a business isn’t for the feint of heart either.

I tend to be more serious than I need to be anyway so I welcome a reminder to lighten up.

Working with my clients is fun (SO fun!). Figuring out marketing strategy (because it’s not my strength) makes me want to crawl under the covers. Reading or playing with my daughter? Fun. Getting her ready for bed when I’m exhausted too? Not so much. Life is like that.

So the mantra this week – the reminder and the invitation – is to bring fun into the places where it doesn’t naturally exist. And to add more fun to your to-do list.

In the world of the 9 Star Ki, a system of Chinese astrology I use with my long-term clients, one of the ways to diagnose the health of someone’s Fire element is to ask them “What do you do for fun?”

So what do YOU do for fun?

Leave your answer in the comments for inspiration, or share your struggle if you’re temporarily fun-challenged. We’re all in this together.

Here’s to making room for it all.

Mantra Wednesday: Peace

By

Let peace reign

This week the word “peace” has been ringing in my brain, like a tuning fork that’s trying to pull me to its pitch.

Peace.

If you look it up on dictionary.com you’ll find 10 different definitions for peace as a noun. Personally I like #3, #6 and #7. A state of mutual harmony between people. Freedom of the mind from an annoyance, distraction, anxiety or obsession. A state of tranquility or serenity.

I’m not terribly interested in living a life of constant tranquility or serenity. I like the ups and downs of being human. But it sure is nice to know I have access to it when I need it.

I find as I choose peace more often the ups are easier to enjoy and the downs aren’t as big or dramatic. And to be able to free my mind more quickly from annoyances, anxiety or obsessions? That means a happier me (and that impacts everyone close to me).

Peace keeps me from leaning on my horn when I want the person ahead of me to turn left already.

Peace helps me breathe deeply when the daily frustrations mount.

Peace reminds me to speak kindly when what I really want to do is snap (and helps me calm down and forgive myself when I’ve already spoken angrily).

And as the word reverberates through me, this song comes with it. So I’m sharing it with you. It’s one of my favorites. And around minute 4, she sings the Prayer of St. Francis, which is one I repeat often. It makes my heart widen every time.

How will you choose peace this week?

https://youtu.be/6d6jg7jGBlQ

Oracle Sunday: Speak Your Truth

By

I’ve been pulling a weekly oracle card for my news(love)letter list since January. I decided to bring it to the blog, at least for a little while. I’m playing with which structures feel best to me – and to you. So if you have feedback on this change, please share. And if you’d like to sign up for the weekly email from my heart to yours, you can do that right here. —>

This week’s card:

From the Energy Oracle Cards deck by Sandra Anne Taylor
From the Energy Oracle Cards deck by Sandra Anne Taylor

The fifth chakra is located at the throat so this card is all about self-expression.

Are you allowing your voice to be heard or are you standing back out of fear of confrontation?

Are you expressing yourself fully or are you keeping your voice stifled and small?

Your “voice” is the one you speak with and it’s also any other way you express yourself in the world.

Whether your voice goes out via a keyboard and the interwebs or in face to face conversation, it’s important to ask yourself: Am I speaking my truth?

If not, now is the time to start. (Gently, perhaps awkwardly, and with kindness).

Remember this means speaking truthfully to yourself too.

Archangel Gabriel (often represented as a female) is a messenger angel who helps those who wish to communicate clearly, particularly if it’s in a way that benefits others (i.e. the arts or anything related to social justice).

If you are comfortable calling on angelic support, ask Archangel Gabriel to clear any blocks to your communication and support you in speaking truthfully, passionately and in your own unique way.

You can also find a mantra or affirmation that feels good to you, such as “I speak my truth with kindness and grace,” or “My voice has value and is worthy of being heard.”

Choose a phrase that makes you feel good, not one that has you cringing and feeling like you’re mentally making excuses for yourself even as you say it. Baby steps are better than no steps at all.

A visualization for you:

If you’d like, take a few moments right now to breathe deeply, closing your eyes and imagining a swirling blue light at your throat. Notice what shade of blue it is, and if there are any areas that feel darker, lighter, stuck or sluggish. You can simply make a mental note of these, or you can imagine you have a magical spray bottle of healing light that you mentally spray onto your chakra to help dissolve the blockages, like you’re cleaning a window or a mirror.

Now imagine that light from your throat traveling out into the world and touching all those who are ready to hear and be moved by your voice. You can see these people in detail or simply as other points of light. When the light has traveled as far as feels comfortable to you today, call it back into your throat chakra and see it swirling there again. When you are ready, gently move your body and open your eyes. Use this visualization as often as feels good to you and feel free to adapt it to make it your own.

Notice how you use your voice this week and what, if anything, shifts as you place a gentle awareness on it. 

Card copyrights belong to their respective authors, artists, and publishers, and are used for example purposes. I encourage you to purchase the deck(s) that speak to you and get to know them on your own.

**** Mantra Monday is moving to Wednesday, even though it doesn’t have the same snazzy ring to it. See you then!

This site is secure