The Power of Saying "Yes" guest post by Terry Drew Karanen

Have you ever wanted something – REALLY wanted something! – but, when it was placed before you there was a moment of hesitation before you accepted it? It’s happened to me. It seems that many of us have a problem saying “yes.” We can be so focused on needing something in our lives that when it (whatever “it” is) appears we find ourselves questioning the arrival. The packaging (or the form in which our good comes to us) may not look like what we expected. It may come quicker than we thought possible. We might even avoid accepting our good because we feel unworthy. So let’s look at some of the reasons that stops us from saying “yes” to life and how to be more receptive to our good.

• Packaging – Wow…that’s a big one in my history. The example I use is the man who asks for help and it comes from the most unexpected source – the mother-in-law he can’t stand! My personal favorite was perfect, Divine Right guidance that came from an ex-lover who owed me money. Accept THAT one! It wasn’t easy, since he had no intention of repaying me, but by gritting my teeth I got the answer I needed to return to “yes,” meaning peace of mind.

• Immediate demonstration – I love this one and, again, I must tell a story on myself about it. I had been dating the man who is now my partner for a little over a year. We had “that talk” and decided we wanted to make a go of it (guess it worked as that was nearly 10 years ago). That meant I had to move, so I put in a transfer with my company at the time, expecting it to take about a year. Instead, I got my transfer in less than a month. We panicked. I panicked! Should I say “no” to the transfer? A wise friend said, “Let me get this straight. You asked God to provide for you. God did, and now you are going to thumb your nose at the Universe because it happened quicker than your little mind thought possible. Is that about it?” I took the transfer.

• Unworthiness – Here’s where self-doubt comes into play. We may, for whatever reason – the perfect daily guide, a friend’s encouragement, etc – decide, “Darn it! I’m going to DO this!” whatever “this” is. We pray, we meditate, we make plans and create a goal list and VOILÁ! The object of our desire is before us. The logical thing to do is open our arms wide, embrace the gift and give thanks. But we don’t always do that, do we? Sometimes it’s packaging or timing, but often it can be that now that the object of our desire is before us we start to feel shame, unworthiness or guilt.

Let’s not forget the role that wisdom plays in the power of “yes.” There are some people who tell us to say “Yes!” to everything. I’m not opposed to accepting my good, in fact I welcome it. But let’s understand that if someone suggests you walk out in front of a bus with him, or accept a poisonous snake as a gift, we acknowledge that what we really mean to say “Yes!” to everything that is for our highest good. It’s the process of implied wisdom, using our past experiences in life for a beneficial present and future.

Here’s another way of looking at this. We have enough Easter candy in the house right now to start our own dollar store. If I say “Yes!” to my ever-present chocolate cravings every time I pass by the kitchen counter I’ll soon not fit between the counter and the frig. As my chiropractor (a bodybuilder) pointed out to me recently, I can’t be tempted if it’s not there. Well, there is THAT! But, for now, the candy IS there. I get to decide (on a most frequent schedule) to say “yes” or “no” to yet another piece of chocolate. Based on the way my suit felt yesterday when I wore it I’m choosing to say “no” more often. What “candy of instant gratification” is calling to you right now?

Here’s a suggestion for you to play with over the next week based on the three points outlined above. First, be sure that you really want something before you ask for it and be willing to accept it without deciding exactly how it’s supposed to show up. Second, open the space to accept your good a whole lot quicker than you might be able to imagine. And, third, receive your good with grace and appreciation, knowing that if it’s presented to you that it’s yours to claim! Care to give that a try?

:

Special thanks to:  Terry Drew Karanen, LSW, MSW, DD,TDKM, LLC

Email:terry@terrydrewkaranen.com
      717.884.8592 (Mobile/Text)
      Twitter: @TerryDKaranen-receive daily "Tweetments"! 

You might also enjoy: 
 Freedom and Forgiveness Hawaiian ho'o pono pono
 Deep Relaxation and Hawaiian Massage
 Divergent Diet

Deep Relaxation and Hawaiian Massage

You are standing on a beach…..behind you birds in the coconut palms are singing. The warm water of the wide blue ocean laps at your toes as the trade winds riffle your hair…. Sound Good???

These are the natural rhythms of  Hawaii and they are also the rhythms of  Hawaiian massage- a unique healing tradition that provides deep relaxation with renewed energy and revitalization.  Sometimes it is called Lomi or even Lomi Lomi-the Hawaiian word Lomi means “to massage”.

In the old days Hawaiian families practiced their own style of massage and kept their techniques secret-passing the tradition on from one generation to the next.  In the ancient temples the priests and healers  used massage as a powerful healing technique. 

Those who practice the Sacred Temple style of  Hawaiian  massage refer to their work as an offering of love-freely given .  The person on the massage table is receiving a sacred gift. The client should feel the prayer in the heart of the person working on them as they receive their massage.  The work is done with long flowing strokes which are so deeply relaxing that the knots of tension and stress unwinds. The massage table is prepared as if it is an altar and the practitioner considers their healing work to be a prayer in motion.

The massage strokes are done in a figure eight  movement  which create an energy field of deep soothing relaxation.  Healing occurs on the physical, emotional and mental levels because the profound relaxation allows the cellular memories of tension, stress and even old beliefs to gently dissolve.  This produces a release of stress and new energy is brought forth with a cleansing  sense of full restoration and healing.

Each session is unique because the practitioner intuits from the client what it is that their body needs for the healing to occur.  The work may be slow with a light touch and then alternate with rapid strokes which can energize and restore vitality.  Or a light touch may be alternated with rapid energizing movement all of which feels like  the waves of the ocean. Your entire body and being find it easy to let go.  As the blood and lymphatic fluids in the body are re-circulated with the massage strokes a gentle cleansing effect occurs.

Hawaiian massage is more than hand and forearm strokes. The practitioner also has footwork or dance type movements that they do with their body to harmonizes their breath with the body work  which keeps their  energy flowing smoothly. 

The ancient Hawaiians believed that all people seek harmony and love and that harmony, love and forgiveness were the actual qualities of the Hawaiian Gods.  Hawaiian massage is truly transformational and helps to relieve old beliefs and judgements about one’s self and others that can lock up the body’s energy if they are not forgotten and buried under knots of tension and stress.

There are many translations for the word “aloha” it’s deeper meaning refers to a sharing of life’s energy in the present moment with full acceptance and love.  This healing work has a lot of Aloha-the heart, hands and soul of the practitioner in their expanded state of awareness help the person receiving the massage to reconnect with their source and recognize their own  magnificence.