May 2025 Week 3

“Learn to release old Toxins-
Just as splinters can get embedded in our body, old emotions and beliefs can act like toxins and become embedded in us, too. We may have picked up residue along the way - beliefs we didn’t consciously choose, feelings we weren’t safe enough to feel, toxins from the world around us.
Now is a time of cleansing. Now is the time to heal your body and emotions, your mind and soul.
What beliefs and emotions do you need to heal? Look around at your life right now. What are you thinking? What are you talking about? What issues are cropping up in your life? Who are you talking about? What are you remembering? Who has come back into your life? What hurts? Is that feeling familiar? When have you felt it before? Once you have identified what you are thinking and feeling, release it. Let the energy go. Let is leave your body. You can chatter all you want about what’s going on with you, but that doesn’t release the energy from your system anymore than talking about a splinter takes it out. Sometimes the process will sting just a bit when you pull out the splinter. But don’t worry. It won’t hurt for long. And soon you’ll feel better than you’ve felt in a long while.
Often the process of releasing old toxins can be as gentle and natural as the way a flower or tree grows with sunshine and rain, a bit of fertile soil, and a little pruning and weeding.
Growth can be gentle now.
Growth can be fun.
Breathe in new air.
Breathe in new energy.
Exhale the past., its feelings, beliefs, and toxins.
Let it go.
Let yourself be transformed.” Melody Beattie

Once you have identified what you are thinking and feeling, release it……geez she makes it sound so easy!! However, yes, the first step to changing is identifying what needs to be changed but the release is so darn hard. Today in class and on this last day of the cleanse we spoke of our need to determine our personal “how” - what practices work for you? What fosters letting go, acceptance, trust? The gift is on the other side of that letting go is the freedom of not being weighted down and the intention of becoming the happiest version of ourselves. In meditation Monday we visualized this happier, unburdened lighter self - let that image and feeling be your Agni or your fire of transformation.

Ask yourself:
What do you want to release?
What is your “how”, your tools?
What does it look like and how do you feel on the other side?

Such great stuff!!