Awakening to Wholeness

Last night,after a long frustrating tiring day...and a few pep talks..I went to a Meetup Group meeting at the Self Discovery Center off Ponce De Leon in Atlanta.

It is a house owned by the Hare Krishna Temple (which is next door) but it is not just a tool to promote them. As a matter of fact, the only time it was mentioned was when we were told what the Center was, and Andrew our host explained a ceremony that was going on while we were cooking the dinner. The Hare Krishna only ask that the Center be used to promote well being and self discovery. :)

I got there early, partly because I had left early in case I got lost, and also because I wanted to explore the palce a bit and meet the others who were attending.

It was so worth going. :)

I met Andrew in the kitchen -preparing the vegetarian dinner we were to eat- the meeting was a dinner and then a presentation- it is going to be a weekly thing, with various topics from yoga and meditation to food to self help. He showed me where to take my shoes off, and I offered to help in the kitchen, which he gladly accepted because his helper was late.So I got busy washing the mixed greens and romaine for the huge salad he was making, then I chopped some peppers, washed some sprouts alfalfa and some sort of bean sprout-forgot to ask. I used a food processor for the first time and grated some carrots, then I mixed it all together. It was fun, and I learned a couple things, as well as just being around others.

The entree was delicious...it was tempeh and potatoes, in a sauce made from grated ginger and coconut,pureed lentils, with greens beans and cilantro. It was great except for the cilantro. I just dont care for it...lol. I will eat it, but it just isnt on my fave tastes list.

We also had brown rice, and the salad, which had a dressing made from pureed avocados, olive oil,lemon juice...oh, and sour cream.

There was some red tea made from hibiscus flowers, with lemon juice and a couple other flavors I cant recall. It was delicious too.

Along with all the good healthy food, there was the fellowship.Everyone helped clean up, everyone carried a chair to the big room for the meeting, it was just great to be around warm and friendly people.

The presentation was on "Awakening to Wholeness" and healing emotional blocks. Basically it was sitting down with your emotions...feeling them fully, not judging, not being afraid of them..but allowing them to speak...and then questioning them...and countering them with the opposite feeling.

He started out with everyone looking at a numbered listy of emotional states and ranking ourselves...4 being so-so, numb, not up nor down. 1 was the lowest-damage control, thinki8ng of harming yourself or others. 2 was very uncomfortable and seriously frustrated,3 was somewhat uncomfortable and frustrated, 5 was fairly positive and resourceful, 6 was joyful, peaceful,grateful,confident and whole, and 7 was "peak experience" which I guess means blissful and very happy.

Then he aksed for a volunteer to do an exercise.Not physical, but mental.

I did not volunteer to be the demo...I was feeling very out of sorts...and was afraid if I did something would happen that would embarrass me and the others and Id never go back.

There was a brave lady who did volunteer...and while I wont go thru what she said, I will say what the exercise was.

He had her sit and breathe a moment...then asked her to say "I am angry that:" and state whatever she was angry about.And keep saying it ,louder, fully expressing it..even cussing at one point.

After a minute or 2 he moved on to"I am sad that" and having her again fully express that sadness.After going thru it fully, he moved on to "I am afraid that"...again...feeling it fully, saying it loudly....expressing it..and feeling it diminish.

Then "I regret or feel guilty that" feeling it, expressing it fully, talking it thru till it was diminished.

Then he had her go over something shed said she was angry about...and asked her what she thought was underlying it...what sort of underlying belief or expectation was causing her to be angry about this thing.

Then he asked if that belief was true,and if *everyone*in the world would agree that it was true.Then he asked her how she felt when believing this belief. And then How she reacted when she believed this belief.

Then..and this was an awesome thing...he asked...if it was impossible to have that thought or belief, how would she be?
(Think about it..if it was impossible to have that negative thought that you are the most worthless person in the world...how would you be? WOW )

Then he asked her to create 3 scenarios where the opposite of her belief was true.


No one else volunteered, but we did all do the exercise at the same time, aprtly anyways, silently with eyes closed, as the presenter guided us.

It was quite powerful...and I would recommend doing it the first time either as a group...or with 1 or 2 close friends and people who have experience with this.

Feeling your feelings is quite scary at first, especially if the ones you feel the most are anger and fear.

But by working through them...feeling them..lettying them speak...they then become less powerful.

The next dinner and meeting is about using food to raise consciousness. It sounds interesting, and well..I cant wait to eat another great meal and be around these people. I think this is gonna be a great place for me to find some help on my journey.

Namaste and hugggsss to all.

Going to bed now..busy day tomorrow!