"Take care of your body with steadfast fidelity. The soul must see through those eyes alone, and if they are dim, the whole world is clouded." -- Goethe
On the occasion of my 44th trip around the sun, I was prepping to teach in Berlin in a 2nd floor dance studio. Surrounded by lush, old, green trees, I gazed for a few moments at nature and my lesson plan went right out the window. Situated in the depths of those tall trees, the words "find the frequency of home" landed in my mind, and that was what we explored.
The frequency of home is what we feel when we are deeply at home within ourselves. When we find ourselves in good alignment and we feel our consciousness right in the center of ourselves, that's home. I find that when I'm getting bodywork, or Reiki, or just sitting quietly (especially on an airplane), I arrive in that place within where all is serene, and my mind is clear. Home.
We often feel this sensation when we're in nature -- she puts us into an attentive state of ease. In that "home" state, even in the presence of confusion or distress, we can intuit the traces of a path forward. We can relax into a vision that opens us, guides us, invites us to our highest potential. Often when in Nature, my eyes close at the sheer immensity of it, and everything goes quiet. Gentler. Author John O'Donohue calls spirituality "the art of homecoming."
To feel at home in your body at any age, finding your home frequency is top priority, day-to-day. We must be home in order to receive guidance, vision, wisdom from our highest selves. Because when we aren't feeling at home within ourselves, we fall into old patterns of reactivity, instead of responding thoughtfully to challenge or chaos. When we're at home, we have the capacity to see the value of new ideas, and move away from our unconscious tendencies to see differently, and with more clarity.
Practically speaking, we can tune into our "home frequency" when we engage with a few simple practices.
*Practice yoga. A good yoga practice keeps the body steady, fluids flowing and vision rising. There's s definite sensation of being more in the center of any circumstance, and less extreme in any direction, which has a quieting effect. Thoughtful practice makes us feel younger, and it brings us home as soon as we begin.
*Connect with old and new friends. This is more important than we realize. We need quality reflection and feedback, which sets up the conditions for awareness and kindness. Cultivating friendship also helps us feel as though we are giving and receiving, and both require practice. Try one act of giving, and one act of receiving per day; this helps us feel connected to our highest possibilities.
*Meditate. Five minutes, 20 minutes. Any length of time is fine to begin; that time grants your body the freedom to release stored stress, soften your stance, enhance your patience, and remember your inherent interconnectedness. Practicing surrendering to a (sometimes restless) state of pausing and listening puts us into a sweeter frame of mind. Consistent meditation helps us feel at home in ourselves more of the time, and helps us respond to any question or moment with more presence.
*Apologize. I write about this a lot, because I always feel better when I apologize. Whether it's a client or my son, it's deeply clarifying and healing to own my part. A good apology brings us back home to our hearts, and makes us available for love and listening again.
*Take risks. Explore different contexts, classes, teachers, environments - you never know what you might discover. The most unlikely contexts bring us closer to trust and connection within ourselves.
*Cook your food. Even for those of us who are super busy, cook one or two meals per week. Cooking our food is one of the simplest and most healing acts. Even if you weren't raised in a cooking household, you can grab a recipe online for something you fancy, and play. Rome wasn't built in a day, so have fun and be easy on yourself. When we put love in our food, we feel nourished and connected to ourselves and to our surroundings.
*Read a good book. Penney Peirce's book Frequency offers us explanations and experiential practices for raising our resonance. Oneness a book received and transcribed by Rasha, reminds us of our role and place in this very connected reality we share. Study and practice choosing expansiveness and dimensionality over smallness and isolation.
*Do small things for yourself. Treat yourself to a bath, a diffuser and your favorite healing essential oil, a walk during sunrise or sunset. Take yourself to see a movie, or art. Slow the day down. Doing small things for ourselves reminds us of our worth and connectedness.
The frequency of home is mostly about simple listening, love and respect, and it's a repeated choice. Practice landing and situating yourself in that frequency; your body will thank you.