Keys to Freedom: What Have You Been Locking Down?

What would it take for you to have total freedom in your life? And by the way this isn't a question to be answered with your head, in fact, you already know the answer......... you already are the answer......

"Freedom" is a concept we tend to put outside of ourselves and then we begin to "chase after it". We can become the eternal seekers, finding openings and tastes, here and there, but never really landing the "big catch" because.....if we did.....what would then happen? YIKES. LOCKDOWN. 

Many of us have become so entrained by our reality, circumstances, situations, relationships, career that we've forgotten the plethora of other possibilities that exist, we live in "lockdown" mode. We're shackled by our points of views, conclusions, judgements, should's, have's, need to's, ought to's.....and that's just the way it is. Does it have to be? Who's point of view have you taken on and made as your own? (Again, just ask the question, you don't have to look for/come up with an answer). 

The really interesting thing is that we already have the KEYS. We have the ability to unlock anything we've created and set up. No one on the outside of us has what we are all searching for. 

This month will be an especially interesting one to observe how lockdown happens. In the Nine Star Ki tradition, the guiding element is metal. Metal is related to our mental faculties, ability to process, analyze, and evaluate information. Our minds are extremely powerful tools and the ability held within them, greatly untapped. The mind is a masterful concept and one that requires respect and observation. We can talk ourselves into and out of anything. If we believe all the BS that our minds tell us, the view we take of our reality can become mighty skewed......but it won't look that way and it might not even feel that way, if we choose to believe our thoughts. 

There's not a way to "master" or control the mind. It simply is a tool that can be aligned with. It takes practice and patience. I need my mind for certain tasks but I've found lately it sometimes just needs something to do. It easily conjures up images of fear, worry, sadness, rejection and any other "stories" that will generate feelings and responses. It gets bored so this is often my "go to" way of creating drama because somewhere I got the idea that I needed to be in worry mode. When I'm in worry mode, my senses are awake and I feel alive. 

It's taken a LONG time to realize and catch myself in the act, so one of the KEYS for unlocking that space has been to treat my mind like a helper. When I notice that I'm going into that place of "I wonder what so and so is doing right now? Or I wonder if I'll hear from.......? Did I do something wrong here?......." I stop my mind and ask if it would be willing to solve a different problem, something like, "What would it take for you to go balance my checkbook? Or Maybe you'd like to go design a website?" And I send it packing........

Does that sound a little weird, a little strange? I'm ok to sound that way. For those who deal with "monkey mind" please just see if that resonates. If it does, check it out and play with it a bit. Adjust, expand, edit and see what would work for you.

My "happy place" includes infinite space where my mind is not engaged and running all the time. This often opens when I'm engaged in experiences that I really enjoy. I have a practice that I do before I go to sleep to "soften" my mind and on the nights I don't do it, I 'm usually awake at 4 am. 

I share this because there is a propensity within this type of month where the mind can really wreak havoc on the body/being. Of course your body/being is designed to handle anything, though your overall state may feel agitated, frustrated, uptight, tense and unable to fully relax.

 Here are a couple of KEYS to unlock those locked down states:

*Breathe---most simple and effective way of expanding awareness and coming back to center. This month's edition of Taproot Magazine has an excellent article, The Medicine of Breath. Taproot Magazine  

*Move/Walk--one of the easiest ways to get out of your head and into present moment (and it's free, mobile, you don't need a membership, you set the time limit!) 

*Commune with your Body--Sounds simple, and yet, oh so many people forget to talk to and ask their body what IT would like. Our bodies are what experience what we "do", the vehicles to get us where we want to go. What your body says, may be very different from what your mind needs/wants/already knows. Listen and see.

*Question--I've been working with and asking a lot of questions recently. Instead of trying to figure it out, asking a question creates a space where more possibilities can be presented. A number of solutions and new ways of seeing old situations have come in since I've started doing this. It's really freeing in that I don't have to have an answer, I ask, open and then let it go. The ideas start flowing in. It's definitely offered expansion in the way that I can see situations from many different perspectives and opportunities. In the past, I've gotten pretty locked into how I wanted things to be, how I wanted situations and relationships to turn out and when those didn't happen, I went into DEEP lockdown states of depression, sadness, loss, rejection, retreat. 

I've experienced all of those emotions/feelings/reactions because I forgot to expand and ask, what else would be possible?  This may be the most important KEY, on you'll want to start using. Just ask "What else is possible here?" That's it. Your job is done. Relax. Go play. Find something for your mind to....and when you least expect BOOM! Not one or two but many avenues will appear. (How awesome is that?!?!)

We will all have the invitations to work with, experience, play and stretch our minds this month, due to the influence of the metal element. Metal makes for excellent energies to organize and work with financial aspects, so this will be a supportive time to do taxes and book work. That said, it can also feel tight and constricting so make sure to give yourself plenty of space. Perhaps working in shorter increments and less "marathon" thinking?! Segment large projects into smaller tasks and take note of day to day progress. Avoid force or pushing. 

Work when you feel energized, and do what you can to alleviate pressure and deadlines. Ask for support and assistance when needed. Reward yourself by taking a walk/hike outside. Spending equal or great time involved in fulfilling activities/experiences. Notice the tendency to be in "work mode" and if it isn't conducive to other activities, be sure to communicate with your mind that you'd really like to relax! Minds will be activated and engaged this month and that can lead to a lot of intensity and pressure. Diffuse by tuning in and listening to what your body also needs. The mind has a tendency to forget it's attached to the rest of you!

So, hopefully you can take a few of these KEYS (or make your own!) and see what kind of fun, new ways of being in the world you can unlock? What kind of fun are you willing to be for yourself? What kind of fun would you be willing to have with your mind? What happens when you switch from being locked down to unlocked and unleashed?! I'll be interested to hear about your adventures if you choose to comment below.