#awegustchallenge

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#AWEgustChallenge DAY 24: “Wisdom begins in wonder.” -Socrates How do I bring in wonder? I love contemplation and decided to do so from this place. I tried it around the shadow side of life vs the light. So in the not so comfortable places and times, the new , emotional and challenging situations and people. It is an awesome practice. Think about it, a friend forgets about plans, coming from a place of wonder I can contemplate vs condemn. Your cut-off in traffic, and instead wonder what's happened in their day to create their crazy driving pattern. You try something new and 'fail' ( i dont beleive thier is such as thing . I take it on as an opportunity to learn).I found wonder in the 'negative' it helped me to see multiple perspectives beyond the ones I would habitually go to. And in turn created a sense of peace. Peace can come from wonderment. And Joy. :) The wonders of life, large and small - the redwoods, the petals on a flower, the grand vistas, the drops of dew on grass, the rainbows, the wind, the glaciers, the clouds, the sunsets, the sun’s sparkle on water - teach us to dream about what’s possible. We could never conceive of a miracle if one had never happened. Let nature’s miracle evoke wonderment in your heart today. Notice what wisdom may come through this wonderment… (at Sundre, Alberta)

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#AWEgustChallenge DAY 22: “The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.” - Joseph Campbell The biggest fear I have is public speaking. Being in front of a crowd. No matter the topic or how well versed I am, it literally scares the shit out of me. Without fail. Every. Effing. Time. I had the opportunity to do just that this week. to teach something I know very well. The fear I felt was huge , overwhelming and ridiculously disproportionate to the situation at hand ( I'm begining to think it's a past life thing). I had a whole range of things come up, including the thought that maybe I can just be 'sick' and not do it . It was intense. You might be familiar? heart palpitations, dry mouth, sweaty palms, shallow breathing, a shakiness that seems to come from the depth of my soul, blanking on key things I know better than the alphabet. And I didn't die. Its interesting, as a contrast I jumped out of a plane for the first time . And had no fear. Nothing. If I were to describe it as anything it would be relaxing. Like I was always meant to be there. It was bizarre. I kept waiting for the moment when the rush would hit. I am someone who has done more that a few adrenaline activities in my life, para gliding, hang gliding, bungee jumping, cliff diving, whitewater rafting and the list goes on. Its neat if I think about it, because I didn't have fear around those activities, it was always excitement. So what's the difference between fear and excitement? Perspective . For me its the opportunity to grow. A choice. I believe fear is an indicator of power, that there is an adventure or journey , where you have no way of predicting or measuring the full outcome. Maybe the fear is an indicator or a pre-confirmation, that you will transform or change. And that my friends is one hell of an interesting unknown... scary. What do you treasure? What’s holding you back from it? Take at least one step toward entering the cave you fear today...a more meaningful and happier life awaits you when your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. REMEMBER: Life shrinks or expands in direct proportion to your courage! (at Calgary, Alberta)

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#AWEgustChallenge DAY 20: "The goal of life is to make your heartbeat match the beat of the universe, to match your nature with Nature." - Joseph Campbell I "land" in nature while disconnected from technology in a way I cannot find anywhere else. A fire and a night sleeping on the ground are a reset button for me. Nature is 'my nature'. The place where I feel most at peace, in ease, and in alignment. And on an over sharing, humourous note I love the view while urinating. Seriously, walls and stalls... they just don't do it for me :) Adopt the pace of nature. Go outside today. Look around you and realize the earth is breathing with you. Every form of nature is echoed in us. We evolved in nature, and research shows that natural settings- the beach, the woods, the mountains -- are restorative. Smell the wild air, listen and let the silence take you to the core of life...you are not separate from the whole. You are one with the sun, the earth, the stars. You don't have a life, you are life. (at Alberta)

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#AWEgustChallenge DAY 17: How intensely do you want to exist? "Watch the waves in the ocean. The higher the wave goes, the deeper is the wake that follows it. One moment you are the wave, another moment you are the hollow wake that follows. Enjoy both--don’t get addicted to one. Don’t say: I would always like to be on the peak. It is not possible. Simply see the fact: it is not possible. It has never happened and it will never happen. It is simply impossible--not in the nature of things. Then what to do? Enjoy the peak while it lasts and then enjoy the valley when it comes. What is wrong with the valley? What is wrong with being low? It is a relaxation. A peak is an excitement, and nobody can exist continuously in an excitement." ~Osho So a confession, today was a valley kind of day. With varying moments that peaked softly . It turns out, I needed a reminder to create valleys of relaxation. That I needed a nudge to honour the natural ebb and flow. That if I don't, life has a way of making it happen anyway. Today my body spoke a need for intense self care . How it speaks to me is through pain, and in this case showed up screaming at 5 am as a migraine, which incidentally I haven't had in years. A long time ago I discovered it is my souls way of communictaing through my body. Usually telling me to slow the eff down, or that I'm not having enough playtime or balance. And my soul , it's got a sense of humour in that it will give me warnings. And when its tired of bumping against my beautiful stubbornness, it will, like a wise grandmother, shake her head and then serve me a piece of humble pie . In the form of brain fog, scent, visual sensitivity and pain. Which incidentally creates an opportunity to be completely radically present. Because there is no other choice. The story peaks, after cancelling my day I had a essential oil bath, did some cupping and then decided if I was going be non functioning, I might as well be that way with some fresh air, so found a little spot in nature by a steam to nap, reconnect and chill the eff out. And you know what? it helped. #love for the valley. Explore and honor both the #peaks and #valleys of your day today. (at Calgary, Alberta)

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#AWEgustChallenge DAY 16: Can you watch a sunset or sunrise without feeling the AWE of it in your heart? “There is a sunrise and a sunset every day and you can choose to be there for it. You can put yourself in the way of beauty.” ~Cheryl Strayed Today, do something with the intent of “putting yourself in the way of beauty.” (at Edmonton, Alberta)

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#AWEgustChallenge DAY 14: "I hope there are days where you fall in love with being alive. I hope a part of your heart lives there forever." I sincerely love my life! And these epic gals for being silly with me! When I feel most alive, most fiercely in love with my life is when I'm fully, completely, intimately present . What deepens your love for being alive? You can’t do anything about the length of your life, but you can do something about it’s width and depth. Delve into the fierce heat of living today: “The most appropriate response to the world is to realize, with AWE, the ferocious mystery of being alive in it.” - Carl Safina (at Calgary, Alberta)

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#AWEgustChallenge DAY 13: “Witness and stand back from nature, that is the first step to the soul's freedom.” - Sri Aurubindo I love #nature and the sound of water is my lullaby, muse and inspiration. Take an AWEventure into nature today. Find your freedom. And breathe there. Drink there. Love there. “If you ever find yourself empty from something you cannot know or name, find a stretch of ocean, a field, or a mountainside, or even clouds or trees. Because there are 1000 simple ways to fill your tired soul so you can remember how to be, how to see, and most importantly, how to breathe.” - Victoria Erickson (at Lake Louise, Alberta)

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#AWEgustChallenge DAY 12: “Over-planning kills magic.” -Danielle LaPorte By being open to spontaneous gifts I had the opportunity to attend a fantatic concious event, connect with an amazing community and meet with this inspiring man @davidwolfe Leave some space for the unimaginable to flow into your experience today. Stop trying to plan your life and let life live through you...live as the river flows, carried by the surprise of it’s own unfolding! Remember, SURRENDER is not about letting go of action, it's about letting go of outcome. For the next 24 hours, as you move through your day, open your heart to uncertain outcomes…we can’t wait to hear what magic awaits you! Thank you @lightcellar for putting on such an amazing event #yyc #thisismycommunity #yycliving #yycnow @projecthappiness_org (at Canadian Olympic Park Calgary AB)