Latest / Lately with Lexi / 1. Balance & Renewal

Transcript

1. Balance & Renewal · Lately with Lexi

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  Welcome to the Through the Veil podcast where we explore the
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  weekly themes that I'm
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  SPEAKER_00: teaching in my yoga classes and workshops.
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  This week's theme is all about balance and renewal and it's
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  inspired by the
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  upcoming fall equinox and the solar eclipse that happened to be
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  on the same day.
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  SPEAKER_00: This is fairly rare.
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  SPEAKER_00: The last time these two events happened
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  SPEAKER_00: was back in 2015, and the next time will not be until 2034.
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  SPEAKER_00: So the equinox is on September 21st,
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  and this is one of two points throughout the year when day and
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  night are equal.
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  And this symbolizes and reminds us of the balance between the
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  light and dark within
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  SPEAKER_00: ourselves and also within the collective around us.
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  SPEAKER_00: Then we have the solar eclipse,
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  SPEAKER_00: which adds this layer of mystery and transformation,
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  SPEAKER_00: which really symbolizes this,
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  SPEAKER_00: again,
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  SPEAKER_00: temporary darkness that is clearing the way for new light to emerge.
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  And then in yogic philosophy,
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  if you think about balance,
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  it's really central to yoga.
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  SPEAKER_00: Yoga means union or to yoke.
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  And so you can think about this in your life when it comes to
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  balancing your own
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  SPEAKER_00: masculine and feminine characteristics.
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  SPEAKER_00: The sun and moon energy,
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  SPEAKER_00: our light and shadow again,
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  SPEAKER_00: the unconscious and the conscious,
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  SPEAKER_00: and also the self and the oneness that unites us all.
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  SPEAKER_00: And these cosmic events ultimately invite us to pause.
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  They're inviting us to pause so that we can honor this cycle of
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  nature and to also
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  step into alignment with the deeper flow of consciousness and
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  whatever the best
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  next step is for ourselves and in our life that's of greater
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  service to the whole
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  SPEAKER_00: and to the collective.
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  SPEAKER_00: And
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  SPEAKER_00: And then across different cultures,
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  SPEAKER_00: people understand the equinox and eclipses as far more than just solely
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  SPEAKER_00: astronomical events.
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  SPEAKER_00: They were seen as doorways, as these almost sacred thresholds.
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  And whether if you look at like the Celts and the Druids who
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  may offer apples to
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  SPEAKER_00: the land or Vedic practitioners and
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  SPEAKER_00: the yogic philosophers that would fast in silence,
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  these rituals all remind us that cultivating harmony between
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  the light and shadow
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  SPEAKER_00: aspects of ourselves are really a universal human experience.
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  SPEAKER_00: We all experience these parts of us.
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  And this time is an opportunity for us to be curious and to be
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  more introspective
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  SPEAKER_00: and contemplative of these different sides of ourselves.
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  And across cultures,
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  people have honored these thresholds in a lot of different
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  ways.
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  So in Celtic and Druid traditions,
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  the equinox is known as Mabon,
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  a harvest festival.
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  And this is a time to give thanks to any seeds that you might
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  have planted in the
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  SPEAKER_00: spring,
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  SPEAKER_00: literal or if you think more metaphorically.
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  SPEAKER_00: And also to acknowledge the abundance that you are now harvesting.
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  SPEAKER_00: Also, this is when we're preparing for the darker months ahead.
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  SPEAKER_00: So apples,
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  SPEAKER_00: grains,
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  SPEAKER_00: wine,
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  these things were all offered as symbols of balance and to
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  express gratitude.
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  SPEAKER_00: And then in Greece,
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  the equinox was tied to the stories of Persephone and her
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  descent into the
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  SPEAKER_00: underworld.
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  SPEAKER_00: So this symbolizes the practice,
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  SPEAKER_00: the concept,
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  SPEAKER_00: the ideas behind death,
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  SPEAKER_00: rebirth,
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  SPEAKER_00: and also this embrace of the shadow.
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  And then we have the Mayans who actually aligned their sacred
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  pyramids to the equinox sun.
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  SPEAKER_00: And this created the image of a serpent descending,
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  SPEAKER_00: which is symbolic and a reminder of cosmic order and also transformation.
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  And then with the solar eclipse in Vedic tradition,
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  eclipses are powerful moments of fasting and
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  and to meditate,
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  and to cleanse,
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  both emotionally,
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  physically,
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  spiritually.
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  SPEAKER_00: And these are times when karmic impressions can be released.
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  SPEAKER_00: So it's a great time to go inward.
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  And then there's a Norse myth that saw the eclipse as the wolf
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  swallowing the sun,
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  SPEAKER_00: reminding us that even darkness has its place in the cosmic cycle.
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  SPEAKER_00: And it's not something to
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  SPEAKER_00: And also in many different Native American tribes,
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  SPEAKER_00: they honored the eclipse in silence or prayer,
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  SPEAKER_00: recognizing this as a sacred pause,
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  SPEAKER_00: a moment when the world is offering us the opportunity to reset.
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  So you can see there's a lot of common threads through these
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  different cultures.
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  SPEAKER_00: And as you consider these different stories,
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  SPEAKER_00: ask yourself,
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  where in my life am I being invited to honor both the light and
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  darkness within me?
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  SPEAKER_00: What can these dualistic parts of myself teach me?
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  SPEAKER_00: What can I acknowledge in my life that I'm grateful for?
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  SPEAKER_00: What are those seeds that you planted back in the spring?
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  SPEAKER_00: And also what is ready to be harvested and what is ready to be released?
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  SPEAKER_00: So you can think about this as if you were a gardener, right?
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  SPEAKER_00: So a gardener when they are preparing soil.
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  SPEAKER_00: First, you're going to gather what's grown in your garden.
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  SPEAKER_00: Then you're going to clear away any remaining weeds and
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  SPEAKER_00: Then you're going to let the earth rest before the next planting.
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  So this is really symbolic of what we're navigating right now
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  through the equinox
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  SPEAKER_00: and the eclipse.
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  So think about the equinox as bringing balance and harvest and
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  the eclipse as
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  SPEAKER_00: bringing this deeper reset and transformation.
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  SPEAKER_00: And together, they're a cosmic clearing before a new season.
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  And I want to share a couple ways that you can really bring the
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  energy of this week
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  SPEAKER_00: into your own spiritual practice.
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  So I'll share a ritual,
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  a couple yogic suggestions,
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  breath work,
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  meditation.
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  SPEAKER_00: So to start,
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  SPEAKER_00: place seasonal offerings like apples,
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  SPEAKER_00: grains,
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  SPEAKER_00: any autumn flowers on your altar if you have one.
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  SPEAKER_00: or on your kitchen table.
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  So this is just a simple gesture of gratitude and acknowledging
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  the abundance that
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  SPEAKER_00: we're harvesting during this time.
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  SPEAKER_00: And then when it comes to your yoga practice,
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  we want to think about this in terms of balancing the sun and
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  moon energy.
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  SPEAKER_00: And we can do this by pairing different energizing,
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  SPEAKER_00: you know,
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  SPEAKER_00: solar postures,
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  SPEAKER_00: think sun salutations,
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  SPEAKER_00: warrior two,
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  SPEAKER_00: with more calming lunar practices or yoga poses.
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  SPEAKER_00: So think forward folds,
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  SPEAKER_00: moon salutations,
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  SPEAKER_00: or restorative postures,
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  SPEAKER_00: maybe lying down on your back.
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  When it comes to breath work,
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  you can do nadi shodhana or opposite nostril breathing.
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  SPEAKER_00: And this helps to really balance out the hemispheres of the brain.
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  SPEAKER_00: And then when you think about meditation during or near the eclipse...
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  SPEAKER_00: Sit in silence, right?
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  SPEAKER_00: Typically,
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  this isn't the time that it's recommended to manifest or dream
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  or put your visions
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  SPEAKER_00: out there.
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  SPEAKER_00: This is really a time to go inward and be reflective and to be still.
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  SPEAKER_00: And during your meditation throughout this week,
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  SPEAKER_00: just notice your thoughts,
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  SPEAKER_00: notice your emotions.
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  SPEAKER_00: They may be a little more heightened than usual.
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  SPEAKER_00: That's normal.
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  Just practice being the observer of those thoughts,
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  of those feelings,
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  of those emotions.
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  And then I like to take this a step deeper where as you are
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  noticing these thoughts
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  SPEAKER_00: arise,
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  SPEAKER_00: these feelings arise,
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  SPEAKER_00: start to imagine them just dissolving and composting back into the earth.
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  SPEAKER_00: So what this does,
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  it's a really beautiful release visualization technique that
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  can make space for new
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  SPEAKER_00: beginnings.
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  SPEAKER_00: And then lastly, a few journal prompts for the week.
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  SPEAKER_00: Journal around what patterns or illusions are you ready to dissolve?
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  SPEAKER_00: What balance do you want to embody in this next season?
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  SPEAKER_00: And remember,
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  SPEAKER_00: the fall equinox and the solar eclipses,
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  SPEAKER_00: they are invitations for us to pause and realign.
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  SPEAKER_00: So just as day and night balance,
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  SPEAKER_00: just as the sun is momentarily veiled,
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  we are reminded that balance and renewal come through embracing
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  both shadow and
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  SPEAKER_00: light.
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  SPEAKER_00: It's very poetic.
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  SPEAKER_00: And as you're moving throughout this week,
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  SPEAKER_00: just notice where can you honor balance in your day-to-day choices.
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  Where can you let the darkness be a teacher instead of
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  something that you resist,
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  SPEAKER_00: suppress,
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  SPEAKER_00: or ignore?
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  SPEAKER_00: So in closing, this week brings us a lot to celebrate.
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  SPEAKER_00: So let yourself be joyful,
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  SPEAKER_00: be compassionate,
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  SPEAKER_00: go easy on yourself,
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  SPEAKER_00: go easy on others,
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  SPEAKER_00: spend time in solitude.
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  And I just want to thank you for tuning in and listening to
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  Through the Veil.
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  Make sure you subscribe on Substack if you want to go even
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  deeper and to also be
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  SPEAKER_00: the first to know about my next workshop or retreat.
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  You can always email me with questions or reach out if you want
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  to book an energy
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  SPEAKER_00: healing session or intuitive reading.
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  SPEAKER_00: And remember, now is your sacred moment.
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  Together,
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  we are ushering in a more harmonious world that we took a body
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  to create.
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  SPEAKER_00: This is why we're here.
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  SPEAKER_00: Om Shanti.
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  SPEAKER_00: Namaste.