Insight timer | Marian Buck Murray

Many of us are going through some heavy challenges right now. A number of my friends and clients are either at a crossroads, or feeling incredibly stuck, and unable to move forward.

It’s during these trying times that we yearn to know what’s next. We feel frustrated that we don’t know what ‘next’ is, or how to get there. Often we get so mired in what might happen in the future, that we immerse ourselves in piles of worry and confusion. Needless to say, it can be a very uncomfortable place to be.

What’s important to realize is that when we can’t see ahead, it’s time to look right in front of us. Not backwards, or forwards. Rather, right here in the present moment. It’s here, in this moment, where we’re able to course correct and clarify our vision.

Sounds good, but how do we do that? We start, simply, by tuning in to ourselves. We notice what’s going on within — our emotions, our needs, our desires. By making this internal connection, we’re able to determine what we need in order to move forward. This is the first crucial step.

We equip ourselves for the challenge ahead by asking: ‘how can I help myself right now?’ — and by committing to the answers we find.

This might mean getting more sleep. Or eating a healthier diet. Or meditating more often. Or releasing pent-up emotions. It might mean reaching out to a trusted friend or healing professional. Perhaps it’s finally reading that book we’ve been meaning to read. It could mean anything. Only you will know what’s most meaningful for you right now.

Any time we move forward, we need to let go of something in order to lighten our load. For example, letting go of what we think will happen or what we think must happen. In addition, letting go of resentments, grudges, and pent-up emotions will serve us enormously. By letting go of what clouds our vision, our vision begins to clear. Seeing more clearly eases our way forward.

If you’re feeling stuck right now, pause, and tune in. Listen to your inner wisdom. Take action to care for your needs. Get clear on what’s most important to you. Determine what you need to let go, and begin the process. Once you begin to clarify your vision, it will become easier to take the steps towards transformation.

Some Useful Tools to Help You Get Unstuck:

Meditation. There are many ways to meditate. Find what’s best for you. If you don’t know how, there are many helpful books and teachers on the topic. Insight Timer is an app which offers a vast array of guided meditations and meditation music, along with a timer for silent meditations. Regular meditation will help you access your wise inner guidance.

EFT Tapping. EFT tapping is a wonderful tool to help you release the emotions and beliefs which are clouding your vision. In addition, tapping helps to reduce cortisol, making your brain more efficient. Efficient brain function, and a calm nervous system will do wonders to assist you in finding solutions to face any challenge. To learn more about EFT Tapping, contact me.

Heart Breath. The Heart Breath meditation will help you drop out of a depleting, defeating, mind loop. By calming your heart, you will help calm your mind, and open up to new possibilities and solutions. For a free download of my guided Heart Breath Meditation, enter your email in the Heart Breath box to the right of this post. Or, find me on Insight Timer, where I’ve posted a number of meditations, including the Heart Breath.

My best wishes for your road ahead.

Peace,

Marian

Centering, it’s what we need more of right now. The holiday season is full of distractions, pulling us here, pulling us there. Top it off with a contentious election season, and the seemingly non-stop series of tumultuous events — it can feel nearly impossible to stay centered, calm, and relaxed.

Getting pushed off center is like losing our power connection. Every time we get pulled away, thinking thoughts of how things should or shouldn’t be, we lose power.

Our minds sometimes have us convinced that we need to be worried, concerned, or somehow attentive to all that’s going on. The emails, the tasks, the phone calls, the news, the problems, all grabbing at our attention. If we’re not careful, these distractions will continually force us off center.

Problem is, when we’re off center, we’re out of sync with our intuition, and our connection to all that is. We may think we’re doing something important by worrying, or obsessing, but if we’re pulled out of the present moment, we’re off center. When we’re off center, we’re weakened, and we limit our access to fresh ideas, solutions, and insights.

Getting back to center means letting go of distracting thoughts and concerns, so we can settle into our intuitive, powerful strength. It means dropping from a busy beta brain wave state, into a slower, more relaxing alpha brain wave state. This alpha brain wave state is where we find access to new insights, intuition, and deeper connection with the universal field. This alpha state is what helps our brains work more effectively, allowing us to function more powerfully.

Here’s how to get back to center

Meditate. I know. I talk about meditation all the time. I talk about it because it truly is that powerful. Sitting quietly for even 5-10 minutes in the morning, and/or at different times throughout the day, does wonders to center the mind. Don’t worry if you can’t ‘get rid’ of distracting thoughts. Allowing yourself to observe the distracting thoughts, as opposed to engaging with them, will help you come back to center. As you get more practiced with meditation, it will help you deepen your sense of inner peace and connection.

Use the Heart Breath. The heart breath is a very powerful way to drop out of a busy mind, into the peace and calm of your heart. The heart’s electromagnetic field is far more powerful than that of the brain. By breathing slowly and deeply, while imagining that you’re breathing through your heart, you will help yourself become centered in your body. This heart breath will increase the power of your heart’s electromagnetic field. This expanded heart field will entrain your brain, bringing it from the beta brain wave state, to a more relaxed alpha or deeper. For a video to learn more about the Heart Breath, click here.

Use Insight Timer — Insight timer is one of my absolute favorite apps. It’s free, and it offers thousands of free meditations. Find the meditations, music, and sounds that work best for you. Check out the binaural beats, which will work with your brain to help it come to a more relaxed, centered place.

Take a Magnesium Salt Bath — Step out of the fray, into the soothing comfort of a nice, hot, bath. Magnesium will help you relax. Water will help you feel more centered.

Take a Walk in Nature — Being fully present in Nature, without the distraction of phones and computers, is one of the best ways to come back to center. Help yourself stay centered by doing a walking meditation, observing and expressing gratitude for Nature’s gifts along your way.

Practice Yoga — Yoga will help you feel more aligned, grounded, and centered.

Use EFT Tapping — Tapping is one of the most effective ways to bring yourself back to center. Just by tapping on your karate chop, you begin to bring yourself back into your body. By continuing with the points, you help reduce the cortisol that keeps you on edge. Often, you don’t even need to use words while tapping. You can simply tap through the points, breathing deeply, and allow yourself to come back to center. Click here for more info.

Come back to your center, it’s where you’ll find your beautiful Self.

In Love and Courage,

Marian

Getting Unstuck, When You Don’t Know Where To Start

Coming Back to Center