“For many of us, the waters of our daily life are anything but calm because we don’t create conscious space for intentional breathing or silence as part of our daily experience. . . . When we pause and breathe consciously, we open the portal to the Presence and enter a sacred silence where the waters are always calm.”
— Excerpt from “The Art of Uncertainty: How to Live in the Mystery of Life and Love It”
In Native American tradition, visiting a power spot is a sacred ritual. It is a special place in nature that holds all consciousness – a place of stillness and silence. A power spot can also be found deep within us all. The session started off with a twenty minute mind-body-spirit centering technique; where each participant closed their eyes and solely focused on their breathing, paying attention to incoming thoughts and images. In our power spots we are able to connect with a deeper sense of self and allow our bodies to heal.
After the moment of meditation, we shared the feeling of the experience in words. Our facilitator, Lisa, then proceeded to introduce us to the “Heart Chart”. The “Heart Chart” is a 21-day chart in the shape of a heart in which participants can fill each day as they complete another day of lifestyle improvement. For the purpose of the Royal Flush, participants will get to “fill” a day in when they complete a day and fully stick to the food program. With Valentine’s day right around the corner, it was the perfect way to introduce habit change/formation and create an emphasis on the importance of making a commitment to self-improvement. It was brought to the group’s attention that by changing a habit every 21 days, an individual can change 56 habits in 3 years!
Many times, sticking to a gluten-free food program 100% of the time can be challenging and thus many can “cheat”. Lisa encouraged each and every one of the participants to try their best, to complete the heart. Cheats happen, it’s okay. Once a cheat occurs, one has to recognize it, be compassionate with oneself and say something along the lines of, “You strayed off the diet plan. This does not mean you have failed. You’ll be right on track within the hour. Let’s keep moving.” As was mentioned, making a habit change takes 21 days. Not only does it take 21 days, but it also requires some self-discipline and self-understanding.
