Story Road

Taking Healthy Breaks

debra — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:46:51 +0000

Many of us feel fatigued when our personal and professional responsibilities seem never-ending and overwhelming. Sometimes, we even deny ourselves sleep, rest, and personal care in order to take care of all of them. Frequently, our many obligations compel us to forge ahead, ignoring the body’s need to slow down, relax, and restore itself. This often leads to a feeling of compassion fatigue where our energies are drained from the “care taking” of others.

Taking sufficient breaks gives our bodies an opportunity to let go of tension, fatigue and repair itself. When we allow ourselves to rest and restore, while letting go of our thoughts and duties, we find that we feel healthier and more at peace. While our many obligations may compel us to battle ahead, our health and well-being depends on our willingness to listen to our body’s cues to slow down, relax and take breaks. Even taking short breaks in between tasks and spending time in solitude or engaging in an activity that we enjoy can help release any tension we may experience because of our busy schedule.

Building regular breaks into our day is the key to enjoying a healthy and happy life. These breaks can be as simple as closing our eyes and deeply breathing before we get out of the car or at at stop light or telling our family that we need several minutes to decompress when we walk in the door. Sometimes a moment to listen to music or meditate can be just what we need to let go and release anything we are holding onto from our day.

Consider making today the start of a new healthy habit of taking frequent short breaks throughout the day and extended ones to give yourself a chance to unwind, decompress, and just be.

The Pelican: A Metaphor of Transformation

debra — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 18:21:09 +0000

In Cleveland, Ohio pelicans are rarely seen. Yet, I have been in awe of one particular pelican that took up residence at a lake near my home in Cleveland Heights. As long as I have lived here, this has been the first pelican to visit the Shaker Lakes. Moreover, for a pelican to come this far inland is quite remarkable. Each day since it arrived, I find myself walking through the woods around the lake and pausing, captivated by its elegance, strength and grace.

The pelican’s sudden appearance is an inspiration, a sign of courage and trust in its journey and in my own. I watch it glide through the water effortlessly even though it carries a massive weight. Although unfamiliar to its environment, it has already found a flow and space for itself among the waterfowl already present on the lake.

I observe how the pelican spreads its wings and stretches all the time. It pays little attention to the fact that it’s the only bird like itself on the lake. It moves in a natural and fluid movement without asking permission to swim that far and that fast. In its short-lived time on the lake, the pelican expresses itself no matter where it happens to be.

There is much that I can transform in my own life as I observe the wondrous journey of the pelican. I see the trust it has in changing course instead of flying directly south on the same path as always. It has shifted course, changed direction and has broken the typical pattern it has followed for years. Like the pelican, I see that I too can shift course, change direction and break with patterns. I can stretch in the direction I feel inspired without always stopping to check for approval. I can create my own slipstream that opens me to embrace all that is in my wake and propels me forward to follow my heart.

The pelican may stay for a few weeks, a month or a year-time doesn’t matter in this particular moment of its life. To the pelican, it’s just a tiny stopover, a momentary pause to enjoy the scenery and then let go and move on. I too, can live every moment of my life as a stopover, a juncture, an intersection on my soul’s journey that I enjoy for the moment and let go of into the next.

Trusting the Flow of Energy

debra — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 18:29:31 +0000

Sometimes we can feel frustrated or disappointed when situations don’t necessarily go the way we think they should. This may lead us to become more methodical, rigid or even inflexible. Rather than trying to control the situation through sheer force of will, we can choose to trust and align ourselves with the flow of energy that we direct through our hearts. Like surfing, if we simply tune in to each experience, breathe deeply, and allow ourselves to flow rather than resist, we will be able to move smoothly through any wave without falling off of our board.

By attuning to the flow of divine energy in our lives, we can let go of our need to control every detail and situation. Instead, we can trust ourselves and our connection to our source and flow easily with the natural rhythms of our lives. While we may not be able to control other people or the circumstances, we can choose how we perceive and experience them. When we unequivocally trust ourselves to draw on this energy source, we see that we cocreate our own reality. Trusting our connection to this source of creation, ignites our intentions, which in turn opens us to see more possibilities. Then, we can make more discerning choices that will benefit us in the future.

It is important to acknowledge the divine order that exists in everything around us and within us. When we align ourselves with this natural flow, we can release our perceived control and move effortlessly through our daily experiences. As a result, our feelings of tension ease and we can fully engage in each moment with a deeper level of enjoyment. As we release our need for control and align with the flow of energy of the universe today, we can create an easier way of living that will enhance our every experience.

Opening to Deeper Levels of Intimacy

debra — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:22:02 +0000

Most of us desire deeper, levels of intimacy with ourselves and our loved ones. Such meaningful relationships and intimate interactions begin with feeling “safe” enough to to freely and openly share our fears and insecurities. Opening up to another person and allowing ourselves to be vulnerable helps us establish the intimate connection we desire.

We can let down our guard and the barriers that surround our hearts by establishing absolute trust in ourselves and our connection with source. This creates a foundation for an intimate relationship with another. Trust fosters full self-expression uninhibited by insecurity and opens us to heart to heart communication. Creating an environment of trust with another requires accepting ourselves for who we are, the other person for who they are, and the relationship for what it is in the present. When we let go of being possessive or insecure, we support an atmosphere where it is safe to bear our souls.

In the new movie, “Avatar,” the indigenous people open to a soulful connection to one another by looking deeply into each other’s eyes and expressing, ” I see you.” There are people in your life who want to see you, the true being-not the patterns, roles, or identities you play out everyday. Open your heart and be brave enough to reveal yourself. Then, reciprocate and really see them, too

Sharing our innermost thoughts and feelings with another allows us to forge intimate and meaningful relationships. When we reveal our true being to another, any chasm that separates us is bridged by such intimacy. This can be uncomfortable at first, but it is emotionally fulfilling to relate to others in such an intimate way. Revealing our true selves brings us closer together and our intimate connection gives us a common ground upon which to spiritually grow in relationship.

Book Launch at Joseph-Beth Books February 11, 2010 at 7:00pm

debra — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 14:29:23 +0000

Award-winning Author Speaks of Soul-Hearted Partnerships–

Intimacy that Promotes Spiritual Development

(Santa Fe, NM, January 4, 2010) – While romance is the sole focus of Valentine’s Day, Debra Reble’s Soul-Hearted Partnership: Creating the Ultimate Experience of Love, Passion, and Intimacy debuts in February to celebrate enriching relationships that promote spiritual well-being as well as passion.

The book launch at 7 pm on February 11 at Joseph-Beth Booksellers (Legacy Village, Lyndhurst, OH) presents Dr. Reble, a Cleveland-based psychologist, in a discussion of ways to create the ultimate experience of togetherness, using theories and evidence based on years in private practice and the pursuit of spiritual growth.

“It is always possible to cultivate a fulfilling life with amazing relationships,” Dr. Reble says, “because the power to do so resides within us rather than in external situations and other people. First, you have to transform yourself and sustain a healthy partnership with yourself.”

Grace Cavalieri, critic, writer, and public radio host, reviewed Soul-Hearted Partnership for The Monserrat Review: “This is a book that contains factual information, practical exercises, and a sensible tool kit for maintaining heart-connected relationships. This is work of enlightenment in an age of evolved knowledge, a writing that could not have occurred during a former time, certainly not in our parents’ era. It is the product of new information about soul and spirit coupled with uninflected data and scientific understandings.”

Soul-Hearted Partnership is a Finalist in the 2009 National Best Books awards by USABookNews.com, the premiere online magazine and review website for mainstream and independent publishing houses. It was also named one of the “Best Books for Winter Reading, 2009-2010” by The Monserrat Review.

Details: “Soul-Hearted Partners–More than Soul Mates”

Debra L. Reble, Ph.D. (www.soulheartedpartnership.com)

Book Launch – February 11, 2010 at 7:00 pm,

Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Legacy Village,

24519 Cedar Road, Lyndhurst OH 44124

Tel. 216-691-7000

Clearing Unresolved Grievances

debra — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:57:48 +0000

What I love about inviting in a new year is that it gives us a natural place to begin anew. As the clock ticked down to 2010, many of us paused, reflected, and made new resolutions for the coming year. This is beneficial, yet, for our intentions to manifest, we have to clear our lives of any unresolved grievances that impede the flow of our energies. This healthy clearing process is an essential element of our spiritual and personal transformation.

As my husband and I celebrated the new year, we reflected on past grievances and how their resolution had transformed us as individuals and as a couple. We thought of an old “Seinfeld” rerun where they celebrate the holiday, “Festivus” which encourages the airing of grievances. We have discovered how important it is not to wait until the end of a year or “Festivus” to clear what stands in the way of deepening our relationship. Also, clearing unresolved grievances does not constitute a free for all to blame, attack, or criticize another. Rather, it is a loving exchange of honest and open feedback. When given in the moment, it keeps us from harboring resentment and supports physical, emotional, and spiritual intimacy.

This clearing process is like skin sloughing off dead cells that accumulate and block the growth of new cells. Similarly, as we let go of any unresolved grievances, we release resentment and open to spiritual growth. When we recognize and release issues as they surface, we can direct our creative energies toward shaping a more fulfilling life.

Inviting in Blessings for 2010

debra — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:47:26 +0000

As we release 2009 and invite in 2010, we continue to experience tremendous shift on a global and individual level. How we perceive these significant changes in the economic, financial, environmental, and political landscape will determine our future as inhabitants of planet earth. So, instead of reacting from fear, anger, and/or resistance, we can respond with open hearts and unequivocal trust that what is happening at this time is about our personal and global transformation.

The energetic shift that we have been experiencing from the inside out is one we also observe from the outside in. Like the phoenix rising from the ashes, financial, political, social, and environmental structures are dissolving so that any negative energy can surface and be released and new healthier forms can emerge. We can start from the inside out, inviting in blessings, making positive choices and letting our light expand out into the world.

Avoid letting the predictable fear of what is happening in these tumultuous times immobilize you. Pay attention, love unconditionally and utilize this powerful flow of light energy to clear your life of anything that is no longer appropriate to your being by making clear choices. Give yourself the freedom to follow your heart and allow light energy to move through you without trying to control or force anything to happen. By doing so, you will find this to be a more positive and productive way of operating in your life in 2010.

When we acknowledge lightness as our true state of being, we can let go of fear, open to love and transcend any circumstance no matter how difficult it seems at the time. Directing the flow of energy in this way will create amazing shifts to happen in 2010. This aligns with our soul journey and empowers us to be a force of light, well-being and all that is good.

Reflecting on Your Intentions

debra — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 11:45:27 +0000

Here it is, the winter solstice and a time for reflection and celebration. In many Native American cultures, tribes and families would gather to start up a new year at the solstice and have a special celebration where they would make a request to the Great Spirit to eliminate certain things that they no longer wanted in their lives. As a way of representing this, they would craft six arrows: three to represent the things they did not want and three for the things they did want. They called them “death” arrows and “life” arrows because they held respectfully, the things they wanted to be out of their lives and those they wanted to bring life to.

One by one, they would each step into the ceremonial circle from the north, put arrows in the ground and say certain prayers, concentrating on that which they were willing to give up. Then they would go to the higher ground, and make the request to the Great Spirit for what they wanted to bring into their lives. They would leave the arrows standing for the Great Spirit throughout the year. During the sacred ceremony, what you requested to be taken out of your life would be removed, and what you wanted to come, came in. The Native Americans had unswerving faith that what they asked for would be granted through their intentions.

So tonight, take the time to reflect on the things you want to let go of this year and the things you want to bring into your life. Sit quietly, open your heart and let the flow of energy move through you as you meditate on your intentions. If you feel inclined, write them down and put them in a special place to review at a later time. Remember, it is trust in yourself and your source that will manifest an abundance of all that is good, loving, and joyful in your life.

Breaking Free of Our Comfort Zones

debra — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:54:58 +0000

My daughter, Alex gave her senior speech this week on non-attachment and letting go. In her message to her classmates, faculty, and family, she told this story. In 1992, a Chinese freighter mistakenly dropped a crate of 30,000 rubber duckies into the Pacific Ocean. Three months later, many of these “friendly floatees” were discovered on the coasts of Indonesia, Australia, and South America. Some daring ducks headed toward Alaska by crossing the Bering Strait and even sailed through the Arctic Ocean, finally landing on the coast of England.

Due to the accidental release of the rubber duckies, scientists were able to better understand ocean currents and wave patterns. Through this research, the ducks have introduced new opportunities to study more about the behavior of our oceans. These ducks not only contributed to oceanography research, but they also represent the idea of letting go of our comfort zone and trusting the rhythm of life to carry us to many other locations around the world. Our passionate intentions will shape our own lives and the world once they are given a chance to float on their own accord.

All of us encounter the emotional pull everyday to remain in our “comfort zone” and hold on to our protective shell of the past. This comfort zone can be addictive and paralyze us within its rigid boundaries. If we don’t break free and let go of what keeps us stuck, we will be cemented in the quicksands of our past patterns and unable to move forward, welcoming the opportunities that our present-future holds. Letting go open us to birthing new chapters in our lives and ultimately, personal transformation.

So here we go. One foot after the other. One deep breath at a time. One threshold after another to cross. Be one of those brave rubber duckies riding the currents into a purposeful future.

Letting Go as the Pathway to Creating Intention

debra — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:13:21 +0000

I just spent the last several days with my dearest friend, Debbie at Sunset Beach in NC. On Saturday, as we took a long stroll on the beach, we both had the intent to find some unusual shells. She wanted ones she could place in a “healing” fishing net she was making to represent everything that she had let go of this year. I, on the other hand, desired a sand dollar to grace my path, signaling abundance.

Combing the beach for special shells, we had to sort through and pass up a myriad of broken sand dollars and typical shells before making a final choice. When we came across a particular shell, we picked it up, examined it, and decided if it resonated with us. Similarly, we have to sort through numerous choices every day to select those that align with our heart’s desires and then let go of the rest.

As we continued this sorting process, opened our hearts and let go of having to take any home, we came across a swath of beautiful shells and even an intact sand dollar that were rare for this beach. Excited, I gingerly placed the delicate sand dollar in my pocket to protect it.

We celebrated our rare finds with a few yoga sun salutations on the beach. Caught up in the blissful moment, I forgot about the precious sand dollar in my pocket. A few downward dog poses later, I discovered it shattered in many pieces. So, I blessed and released the sand dollar along with everything else that wasn’t meant to be at this time.

When we turned around to walk back, we separated and took divergent paths along the beach. Just about halfway back, Deb walked toward the dunes and simultaneously, I moved toward the rising surf. Drawn to something we both felt, we both turned around at the same time and called to each other. As we looked at one another, we were both holding up a beautiful sand dollar.