Synopsis

The journey to true healing requires that we take the most challenging path there is: The path within.

It is tempting to hope that someone will do the hard work of your life for you, but no one else can. Inside takes your hand and helps you find your way.

The book's strong yet gentle counsel will help you construct a self-care practice to bring well-being to your life. With this foundation in place, you will be able to move beyond the cycle of fear, anxiety, and blame.

Drawing on ancient wisdom and modern practicality, the book offers a selection of soul-nourishing exercises to awaken your ability to make lasting change. From this new place of self-awareness and self-healing, you will learn to listen deeply-not to the noise of your surroundings, but to the ever-present peace that lives inside you. With a clear path you will be free to grow and realize the unlimited potential of self-healing.

Outline

Foreword 

Author’s note 

Introduction 

PART ONE THE HEALING JOURNEY: IT STARTS WITH SELF-CARE

• Opening Yourself Up to Self-Healing 
• Starting with Self-Care 
• You Are the Expert on You 
• Finding a New Relationship with Pain 
• Connecting to Your Energetic Self 
• Thank the Discomfort and Start Fresh 
• Practice: Grounding 
• Embark on a Journaling Practice 
• Practice: Journaling 
• Practice: Creating a Vision Board 

2 WAKING UP TO MYSELF

• Illumination
• Building Life on a Foundation of Pain
• Reawakening My Inner Child
• Understanding Suffering Gifts
• Listening to My Body
• Releasing Blame, Accepting Responsibility 
• Taking Ownership of My Life 
• Practice: Safe Haven 
• Practice: What Makes You Feel Joyful?
• Practice: Validation 
• The Inner Child Returns Home 
• Awareness of Old, Worn-Out Habits
• How Challenge Made Me Stronger

3 TRAUMA COMES IN ALL SHAPES AND FORMS 

• Distinguishing between Hard Trauma and Soft Trauma
• Identifying Trauma in Your Life 
• Practice: Unwinding Your Body 
• Seeking Help in the Wrong Places 
• Getting Stuck in the Survival Mind-Set 
• Cycling through Trauma Again and Again 
• Practice: Finding Your Relationship to Trauma 
• Disconnecting from the Body, Mind, and Spirit When Trauma Hits 
• Discovering a New Way of Being After Anxiety
• Learning that It’s Never Too Late to Heal
• Finding Forgiveness 
• Healing through Trauma Is a Heroic Act 

4 PUTTING A PLAN FOR SELF-HEALING IN PLACE

• Preparing the Way for Self-Healing 
• Finding the Teacher Within
• Becoming a Devoted Listener 
• Creating a Place of Rest Inside Yourself
• Practice: Finding a Safe Place Within 
• Your Healing Journey Has No Timetable 
• Reconnecting When Life Takes You Off Course 
• Tuning in to Our Energy through the Chakras 
• Practice: Laying Your Energetic Foundation 
• Building a Foundation Strong Enough to Handle Change 
• Conquering Instant Gratification 
• Learning Patience 
• Asking for Help 
• Thinking about Therapy 
• Finding a Broader Sense of Self 
• Self-Care Is Not Self-Indulgence
• Start Small, Go Easy
• Understanding that There Is No Failure

5 GROWING YOUR BEGINNER’S MIND

• What Is a Beginner’s Mind?
• Embracing Yourself as a Beginner 
• Feeling Your Tenderfeet 
• Practice: Tenderfoot Journaling
• Nurturing Yourself as a Child 
• Being Kind to Yourself 
• Bringing Awareness into Your Life 
• Practice: Self-Kindness 
• Noticing Friendships Built on Wounds
• The Honeymoon Period 
• Preserving Your Energy
• Practice: Morning Reflection
• Becoming Vulnerable, Opening Up 
• Listening to Your Heart 

6 CULTIVATING THE WITNESS IN YOU

• The Storm and the Observer
• Detecting the Storm Inside Us
• Becoming the Observer 
• Practice: Seeing Life through the Observer Lens 
• Who Are You When Nobody’s Watching?
• Understanding the Law of Karma
• Finding the Common Denominator
• Stepping Away from Blame
• Owning It All
• Practice: Stop, Look, and Listen
• Guiding the Ego with the Observer 
• Nurturing the Observer with Self-Care
• Moving Ahead 

7 MAKING SPACE FOR THE SACRED

• Letting the Sacred In
• Your Sacred Space and Daily Rituals
• My Sacred Space 
• Practice: Create Your Sacred Space 
• Peeling Back the Onion 

PART TWO CONNECTING THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF HUMAN LIFE: BODY, MIND, HEART, AND SPIRIT

• Practice: Meeting the Four Elements: Body, Mind, Heart, and Spirit  
• Practice: Taking a Personal Inventory  

• The Body Is Life’s Vehicle 
• Learning to Breathe to Heal the Body 
• The Healing Breath  
• The Long Deep Breath  
• Body Practice #1: The Long Deep Breath  
• Body Practice #2: Alternate Nostril Breathing 
• Body Practice #3: Breath of Fire
• How Yoga Became a Messenger for Healing 
• Bringing Yoga into Your Life 
• Body Practice #4: Yoga for Posture (Starting Pose)  
• Body Practice #5: Yoga for Opening (Cat/Cow)  
• Body Practice #6: Yoga for Balance (Marching) 
• Body Practice #7: Yoga for Cleansing (Twisting) 

9 THE MIND 

• Finding the Middle Road of Mindfulness  
• Shining Light on Your Mind  
• Making Meditation Work for You 
• Claiming Your Power through Meditation 
• Mind Practice #1: The Introductory Meditation  
• Trusting the Brevity and Consistency of the Basic Practice 
• Looking for Dedication, Not Perfection 
• Committing to Yourself with Discipline and Devotion  
• Training a Stronger Mind  
• The Four Gifts of Meditation 
• Renewing the Mind with Healing Sleep  
• Mind Practice #2: Single Nostril Breathing (Relaxation/Energizing)  
• Mind Practice #3: A Beautiful Place to Rest  
• Mind Practice #4: Restful Transitions  
• Mind Practice #5: Awareness in Waking Up 
• Appreciating the Gifts of a Balanced Mind  
• Working with Mantras 
• Mind Practice #6: Protective Mantras  

10 THE HEART  

• Facing Vulnerability  
• Trusting the Energy of the Heart  
• Feeling the Effects of Love on the Four Elements 
• Heart Practice #1: What Does Your Heart Say?  
• Heart Practice #2: Self-Soothing  
• Heart Practice #3: Look in the Mirror  
• Heart Practice #4: Write a Letter to Your Future Self  
• Becoming a Warrior of Love 
• Heart Practice #5: Warrior of Love  
• Heart Practice #6: Tapping into the Present Moment 
• Recognizing the Threats to Love  
• Threat to Love #1: Judgment 
• Threat to Love #2: Jealousy  
• Threat to Love #3: Loneliness  
• Threat to Love #4: Shame 
• Empowering the Protectors of Love 
• Protector of Love #1: Perfect Imperfection  
• Protector of Love #2: Truth  
• Protector of Love #3: Gratitude  
• Protector of Love #4: Bravery  
• Protector of Love #5: Mutually Loving Relationships
• Trusting Your Heart 

11 THE SPIRIT 

• Disconnecting from the Spirit  
• Spirit Practice #1: The Sensitivity Scale  
• Listening to the Whispers and Warnings of the Spirit  
• Following the Spirit’s Guidance  
• Spirit Practice #2: One Happy Thing 
• Connecting the Spirit with Body, Mind, and Heart 
• Spirit and the Body  
• Spirit and the Mind 
• Spirit and the Heart  
• Self-Care and the Spirit 
• Spirit Practice #3: Spiritual Savings Account  
• Finding Spontaneous Inspiration 
• Fueling the Spirit with Faith 

Conclusion: Sitting at the Feet of Your Life

Life of Practices

Acknowledgements

Index

Promotion