Day 2 - Miraval

The best thing I did today was the activity I was fearing the most called Swing and a Prayer. Five brave women and I sat in a circle with our instructor named Lewis Beach (isn't that a great name? I think I'll use that as a character name in my next book!). He asked us to think about something we wanted to release. I told him I had a slight fear of heights that I wanted to overcome. He told me that I didn't have a fear of heights, but a fear of being exposed and vulnerable. We don't need to conquer our fears; we just need to learn how to handle them.

Then as each one of us took our turns, we were tightened into harnesses, climbed up a 10-foot ladder, hooked on to a cable, then pulled up to 35 feet in the air while dangling. Lewis encouraged us to hang out up there, take in the scenery, think about our goals and what we wanted to release. Then when we were ready, we let go and swooshed through the air. It was both terrifying and exhilarating.

Afterward, we sat in a circle again and discussed what we were feeling. Two important points that Lewis wanted us to learn from the experience: Whatever we were releasing was still going to creep back into our lives again at times. And when that happens, he wants us to think of that one moment, right before we let go, right before we swooshed through the air, and how empowered we felt. He also pointed out that even though we each had our own private moment to release during our turns, we weren't alone. The entire activity was a team exercise. When we need to release, we are never alone. We have our family, our friends, our journal, our pets. All there to help us get through our adversities.

Click on the link below to see me swing through the air! :-0

I also took an aerial yoga class. Picture a small silk hammock just big enough to sit in, hanging from the ceiling. We did all the traditional yoga poses using the silk. Now I want one in my home!

I went to another session with Tejpal (she was the one who taught us how to use our intuition yesterday). This session was about finding our life mission by discovering what brings joy to our lives. Of course, writing entered my mind. But that doesn't always bring me joy - sometimes it brings frustration. However, during a meditation at the end of the class I actually thought of an interesting character to add to my next novel.

Finally, I finished my long enlightening day by attending a session called Calm The Mind, Open the Heart where we used Tibetan singing bowls to calm our minds, center our hearts and reconnect our bodies to its wisdom of self-healing :-)

I'm exhausted. Hugs and kisses from Tucson!

http://youtu.be/zURjov7BT6A