A guided visualization to ground and regulate

In early 2001 when I was backpacking through Southeast Asia I began getting interested in meditation and yoga.  In between Sang Thip Whisky Buckets and Tuk-tuk rides I was expanding my knowledge of Buddhism.  Seriously, the picture  is of myself and a good old friend giving our offering and taking a moment to be still. 

I was taken with the Eastern wisdom traditions.  I started to soak up more and more of the Buddhist traditions on my travels and felt a sense that I had found a container I could sustainably practice for greater self-acceptance, compassion, and peace of mind.
 

When I returned from that three-month adventure, I started practicing yoga with a retired engineer who had completely transformed his life to follow the yogic way.  I would unroll my mat with him once a week in a church at the corner of Bloor and Huron in downtown Toronto. 
 

While I laid in Savasana at the end of the practice and did tension and relaxation in my body I felt transported.  I felt like I had found my way home to myself, I was in my body and deeply connected to my inner Self.  This energy I found would follow me throughout my week till I unrolled my mat once more.
 

Of course, I wanted more.  So, I continued to practice and devour books on metaphysics like The Eye of the I and Power Vs. Force both by David Hawkins and studied other teachers like Deepak Chopra and was really laying down roots in a practice that was transforming my perspective of the world and what was possible for me.
 

In 2003, an interesting thing happened.  My Mother had shared a book with me, she said this book out of 10 jumped out to her and told her this was for Josie. 
 

It was Thick Nhat Hans book Peace is Every Step, The Path of Mindfulness in everyday Life.  I was so drawn to this teacher, his simple wisdom, humor, and sensibility had me captivated and I decided that I needed to go to Plum Village his Buddhist monastery in France. 
 

That was my first time being in an Ashram setting and I was luckily between programing, so I was one of the few students there with all the nuns and monks, it was an extraordinary time of learning, chanting, visualization, and self-reflection. 
 

When I returned, I was seriously contemplating my purpose and asking the big life questions:
 

Who am I?
Why am I here? 
What is my one precious life for?
 

I decided to study yoga even further and spent my first month at an International Sivananda Vedanta Ashram in Grassy Valley California.  This month is rigorous, up at 5am, doing pranayama (yogic breathwork), meditation, chanting, yoga, then studying the wisdom of the ancient yogic text the Bhagavat Gita. 
 

What followed was an unrelenting passion for living true to myself.  I became a vegetarian, got rid of my cell phone, and didn’t have a TV for years in my 20’s.
 

I went further to leave my corporate job and pursue my dream of becoming a Certified Life Coach and combined with my yoga certification started Soul Leap.  At 26 I was living my dream of teaching, Coaching, and running international Women’s personal empowerment retreats!
 

I owe much of my early success to my strong connection to my intuition and the fierceness I held to my values.  My inner voice was so loud and clear because of my study and practice of visualization and meditation.  My life was unfolding in this way because of my ability to mindfully listen to what was and was not meant for me.  I had a direct line to my inner self and was able to navigate through the uncertainty of being a solopreneur with emotional regulation tools.  I know everything out there is on emotional regulation today and that’s because it works.
 

So why not give it a try?  Let my voice guide you into your center point.  Even if you are new to visualization and mediation I can guarantee if you try this you will feel calmer, more centered and connected by the end of the 17minutes.  I tried to keep it to 10 but that’s not what wanted to pour out for this offering. 
 

I give it to you with love.  Feel free to share it with anyone you think could benefit from being guided back home to themselves.  And of course, I would love to know how it impacted you so do tell.
 

Peace and warm wishes for health and prosperity in 2024,
 

Josie xo