To say I really needed Oprah & Deepak Chopra’s 21-Day Experience, Desire and Destiny, to get back on track, is a total understatement. We’ve just completed week 1, but I’m already starting to explore their ways to let go and move in a different direction. I can’t wait to feel like myself again, open and ready to live the life I want.
To see them for yourself, read on, and follow my daily Facebook posts here, or come back here for Week 2 and Week 3’s recap!
Who am I?
To get back on track, this meditation experience suggests we start by sitting quietly with ourselves and connecting to our innermost desires by asking ourselves – Who am I? ?
While there is no wrong answer to this question, Deepak says it’s something we should ask ourselves everyday. He says doing so allows us to plant our seeds of desire, while reminding us that they need to be nourished with intention. Merging our desires with intention is the only way we allow our destiny to unfold for us. ?
I can totally see how this works. I know I often find myself distracted by life, allowing life to happen to me vs. making it happen for me. That’s why I can see how asking myself “Who am I”, at the beginning of everyday, will help realign me with what I want out of life.
So, Who are you??
I am a Powerful Creator
Whether we want to accept it or not, we are the creators of everything in our life. Whether we find ourselves living happy fulfilled lives, or feel like life always finds a way to punch us in the gut. It’s all a result of the choices we make. ?
According to day 2 of this meditation, we can cleanse ourselves of our past choices by choosing to be deliberate with them. Deepak says that means not only taking action on items that will bring us happiness and success, but that will also bring happiness and success to everyone affected by our choice. ? He says that’s when we create a karmic abundance for ourselves, because what we give, we receive. ?
That’s a lot to think about for sure. So what new choice will you make today?? I know I have some shifting to do.
EGO
Ugh EGO – how I wish I could quit you. Yet here I am again, believing you when you make me think that I have to do everything myself. But by the same token, making me feel like I’m not complete without the approval of others. Say what? ?
I got this, but I need you? ?
Ugh, no wonder I’ve felt disconnected and stuck. If you’ve felt the same, filled with fear and insecurity, that’s just our EGO rearing its ugly head. Trust me, I know how hard it is to drop the E and let it GO, but I’ve also seen the effect of just letting nature take it’s course. And life just becomes easy. It’s as easy as how our lungs know to breath and our heart knows to beat, without us having to tell them every time. The flow of nature is an amazing thing. And that is what day 3 of this meditation is about.
Basically it serves as a reminder to let go of the fears, insecurities, and limiting beliefs that the EGO wants us to believe about ourselves and our life. Deepak says that when we let go of EGO, and tune into our true self, our intentions and desires are free to align “…with the creative power of the universe.” To help, he encourages us to stop placing our focus on struggle and sacrifice. Instead he suggests we should “…focus our awareness on love, compassion, joy, appreciation and peace…” so that we can begin attracting those qualities in our own life. Like attracts like after all. ?
Man, did I need to hear this one today. I was spiraling and this has brought me back to “Sat Chit Ananda – Existance, consciousness, bliss” ?
How is EGO keeping you from achieving the life you want?
Transformation
Don’t believe your transformation into living the life you want is meant to be effortless and natural? Just look at the journey of the caterpillar. Once they are ready to let go of being a caterpillar, they know they must go within, to allow change to turn them into a beautiful butterfly, ready to deliver seeds of love to every flower they meet.
This is exactly what day 4 of this meditation is all about. It’s about continuing to let go of the belief that everything in life has to be a competition or struggle because there is not enough good, love, money, etc. to go around. When we live from this perspective, Deepak says we “…create such an urgency to be seen, to be the best, to finish first…”, that we lose sight of our true selves and any morals and values we hold. This causes us to separate ourselves from the natural flow of the universe, which is abundant and generous.
If the caterpillar believed it had to compete to be beautiful, it would never take a pause from that struggle to go within and allow nature to take its course, transforming it into the beautiful butterfly it was meant to be. Once we’re able to let go of the limiting thoughts and feelings of isolation and deprivation that our egos operate from, and we’re able to connect to our true selves, we can then appreciate all that we already have and open ourselves up to new possibilities.
The truth is there’s enough for everyone. If something doesn’t work out in your favor, it wasn’t meant for you. However the more we struggle to get that thing back, the more we keep ourselves from receiving something better.
Powerful stuff no?
You Are Worthy
You are worthy of love, belonging, and all that is good. All that is required is to say yes, take a deep breath, and receive, receive, receive. This is exactly what day 5 of this meditation is all about.
What we focus on expands, so when we come from a place of lack or a place of not feeling worthy, that’s what we continue to attract into our lives. Deepak says these thoughts are generally related to “…money and worth.” Oprah adds that it happens when we “…think we’re not smart enough, pretty enough, worthy enough to realize our dreams.” But Deepak reminds us that when we feel lost, bored, or stuck, those are just the thoughts our EGO is trying to use to keep us living a small life. They are not the truth. The truth lies in our true self, which we can only connect to when we let go of these thoughts and begin living a life filled with love, purpose, passion, and intention. Once we return to a love of self and of others, then we can clear the way for the endless blessings the world has to offer. So let go, say yes to this way of life, take a deep breath, and open yourself up to receive, receive, receive. ?
Move in a Different Direction
Oprah is right! When we find ourselves devastated by the loss of a love, a job, a friendship, etc., we tend to focus on the failure and our short comings. However when we let go of those thoughts and connect to the truth of the present moment, we’re able to see that we are not those thoughts and limiting beliefs. Instead we’re able to see that perceived set back for what it was, a clearing for something better.
This is what day 6 of this meditation is about. Deepak says that instead of judging ourselves or others as wrong or unfair, we need to take time to settle our mind through meditation. That allows us to let go of our painful negative thoughts and limiting beliefs, which our EGOs want us to believe define us. Meditation allows us to separate those thoughts from our present experience, which is now free to tap into all the new, infinite possibilities available to us. It is here that we’re able to see the gift(s) given to us at every turn, even the ones that punch is in the gut. We just have to sit still enough to see it.
Cheers to letting go of limiting thoughts, beliefs, and experiences, for better ones!
I am
When we reconnect with our true selves, we not only let go of struggle, resistance and fear, but as Oprah shares, we connect to the power of our inherent worth. This allows us to trust our spirit to guide us to the next right step. That’s what Deepak focuses on in day 7 of this meditation.
So the next time you feel afraid, lost, or unsure, sit in stillness and re-center yourself toward what you truly seek using these 2 powerful words – I am.
I am confident, worthy, loving, lovable, patient, etc. Keep repeating them, as you let go of the ego centered thoughts, and see the life you want unfold.
How are you letting go and allowing life to move you in a different direction?
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