How You Can Find Your Center in The Chaos of Daily Life
By Natalie Doel
One of the goals of Spirit Coaching is to facilitate the experience of joy and freedom on the path of spiritual growth. It feels so good to touch that place on a coaching call, to watch fear and doubt dissolve like salt in the clear water of truth. In that moment, we know ourselves as limitless creators and recognize that there is nothing we cannot be, do, or have: we are completely at choice. But what do we do when we wake up the next morning and we’re right back in the dumps again? In my years as a practitioner and facilitator of the 40+ tools that make up the Spirit Coach® Method, one tool has proven to be especially helpful at those moments when we are deep in reaction and feel powerless to return to choice. It is called Emotional Body Training, its simplicity belies its transformative power. It consists of focusing awareness on each of the five senses (smell, taste, touch, sound, sight) in succession, first slowly, then faster until we are able to determine which sense is hardest for us to focus on - this is our ‘weakest’ sense. Once we have identified our weakest sense (in my case, smell), we have a fast, effective way to pull ourselves out of reaction and return to our center: just by bringing all our awareness to that sense.
Here’s a clear outline of this tool and other tools in action that unfurled in my own life just this morning:
1. Woke up too late to practice before my young son woke up and needed me. Prayed to Creator to help me hold it together until I’m able to practice later. Took my son to preschool, praying and craving coffee and sugar. Went to the gas station and managed not to indulge either craving, while deflecting all kinds of negative energy being thrown at me in response to my own inner vortex of negativity.
2. Managed to fill up, go home, and plop down in my meditation chair. (Side note: as Jenai points out in “10 Tips to Meditate Better” http://www.spiritcoachtraining.com/spirit-coaching-quick-tips/10-tips-to-meditate-better/), I can’t tell you how helpful it is to always meditate in the same place. I get so much relief and awareness just from sitting in that chair, no matter how reactive I am. It’s like the safety zone in the Capture the Flag game that is my life.
3. I watch myself look for distractions (oh, that book I’ve been meaning to read! I really should re-organize that shelf! Etc…) Breathe, and pick up paper and pen to do Let Go & Know List List (http://www.spiritcoachtraining.com/spirit-coach-tools-to-transform-your-life/be-free-of-negativity-how-to-release-negative-thoughts-feelings/). Fill up a whole page with rantings, ask for Creator’s help in releasing it all, and shred it.
4. Rarely, after this step do I still feel too out of sorts to meditate. Today was one of those days, so I wrote on my paper, “Dear Guidance, please help…” Just in asking, my awareness immediately expanded, and I remembered Emotional Body Training. Then I noticed the smell of last night’s broccoli still lingering (really??), and felt my grounding return and my space just settle.
5. After less than a minute of focusing on smell, guidance came through crystal-clear again: “Write a Gratitude List” (http://www.spiritcoachtraining.com/spirit-coach-tools-to-transform-your-life/the-gratitude-list-with-a-twist/). I filled an entire page with things I’m grateful for about myself, and received some valuable insights into my current steps and well as a major boost in vibration.
6. Finally, this process was so effective that I was guided to write this article today instead of taking time for a longer meditation. May it serve your highest good as it did mine.
Being a coach and writer has taught me that sometimes, the best strategy for getting out of my own way is to ask how I can serve others. When I did so this morning, guidance responded that sharing my experience today would be an aligned way to enjoy myself while illuminating the path for others. I’m grateful for the opportunity to learn that my highest service comes not from ‘being perfect’, but from deep self-care and integrity. Thank you for co-creating this experience with me!
