Awaken, Ignite & Feel Your Power

Hello!

I hope that your Monday is off to a fantastic start and that you had a wonderful weekend!

Okay, before I go any further, I would like to celebrate that we are a community of over 10,000 incredible souls! WOW!!!

I had a dance party to celebrate reaching this milestone.

Getting visibility on YouTube is incredibly challenging, with over 2,500 new videos being uploaded to YouTube every minute.

That’s a lot of content!

I also find myself in an industry that is very saturated.

On one hand, it’s wonderful because it provides us with more options to explore in relation to health and wellness. On the other hand, it’s challenging for content creators in this industry to gain visibility on YouTube.

Despite this, I held onto the belief that I would eventually break through and connect with a lovely community of individuals like you.

I’m so grateful that I didn’t give up hope along the way.

I didn’t allow my fears or that loud, critical inner voice stop me.

Self-doubt and imposter syndrome tried to grab my attention numerous times. I chose to breathe through it, reminding myself that I am enough.

I didn’t let setbacks hold me back or stop me from taking action. Instead, I viewed them as opportunities to learn, grow, and try again.

I stayed true to my mission, values, and beliefs throughout this entire journey.

I reminded myself every single day that even if I help one person, then I have made an impact and a difference in this world.

If I help more people, even better.

All this to say, I’m grateful that I didn’t give up on this dream despite the many obstacles and challenges I encountered along the way.

Thank you for choosing to go on this journey with me, and with so many others across the globe.

I am grateful we’ve connected, and I hope that our yoga practices continue to serve you well.

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The solar plexus, our third chakra point, is located just above the belly button and near the base of the sternum.

This chakra point is connected to our sense of self-worth.

We can feel strong sensations in this area due to the nerves innervating the tissues.

Thoughts, feelings, and emotions can influence how you feel about yourself, others, and the world around you.

This can be felt in the solar plexus.

I’ll provide two personal examples.

When I’m in situations where I feel I can’t contribute to a group discussion because I believe that I don’t know enough about the topic being discussed, I feel it in my solar plexus.

It’s an unpleasant, uneasy sensation that sometimes makes me feel nauseous.

Why?

Because the thought is, “I have nothing of value to say.”

This makes me feel less than, inadequate, or as if I don’t belong.

The emotions can be sadness, fear and shame.

The sensation in my solar plexus is linked to my thoughts, creating emotions that influence my beliefs and impact my self-worth.

The opposite is also true.

When I’m in plank pose, I say the following affirmation, “I am powerful and strong.”

I can feel these words resonate in my solar plexus even after transitioning out of the pose.

I stimulated that area through movement, breathwork, and an affirmation.

Upon completing my yoga practice, I feel determined, motivated, confident and powerful.

I sense this inner fire or light shining from within, inviting me to step into my personal power.

I feel motivated to create and to serve others.

Our body communicates with us in fascinating ways.

As I wrote that last sentence, the sound of thunder filled my ears (it was quite loud), leading to a sensation of fear which I felt in my solar plexus and my feet. It was my body’s way of saying, “Run away from that loud noise.”

Whenever I experience an interesting sensation in my body, I slow down to notice what’s happening.

I reflect upon what the sensation feels like and whether it is connected to a thought, feeling, emotion, memory, story, or belief. I then consider whether my self-worth is being impacted and, if so, why that might be the case.

This journey of self-inquiry can be enlightening, revealing new insights.

So, you may have guessed it by now.

Today’s practice will awaken, ignite, and bring about balance to your solar plexus.

I invite you to wear yellow or bring a yellow object to your space to help activate this third chakra point.

Another option is to picture a radiant yellow ball of light, like the sun or a glowing jewel, energizing the center or the core of your body, illuminating you from within.

This morning yoga practice includes yoga postures, movements, breathwork, and affirmations that can bring about balance to the solar plexus, awakening this core part of your being.

This practice is steeped in somatic principles. You are encouraged to allow your sensations to guide and inform your practice. If a sensation is telling you to back away from the edge of sensation (in other words, reduce your range of motion), kindly listen to this sensation. This practice is all about listening, honoring and respecting your body’s inner wisdom. You are encouraged to approach your practice with curiosity and an openness to explore, listen, learn and play.

Awaken, ignite and feel your inner power with this morning chakra yoga practice. Click on the picture or the button below, and I’ll meet you there!

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this letter.

I appreciate you!

I hope that you have a lovely rest of your day.

Take care,

~Rachel