Hello and welcome, I’m Shauna Hoffman. I am so excited to be back with a New season of A Journey to Awareness Podcast.

When I finished the last series of podcasts, I found myself searching for what I wanted to talk about, and share with you, and even experience for myself differently than before, in the last year and a half I have had so many experiences that have shown me something that I would like to call….the rhythm of my life. So I decided to call this season’s podcasts just that. The Rhythm of our Lives. We are going to explore all the things that change our rhythms. Like friendships, breakups, moves, new jobs, losses, births and of course family. So I hope you come with me as we explore the ever changing song that is you.

SHOWNOTES:

I have spent the last year on my own journey to awareness.  World travels, new opportunities, new people in my life, the loss of my father, betrayal and deep love.

I have had one new learning after another! Then I started to feel it all in my body…in my soul.

Like a song.

I realized that there are times in my life my rhythm was very fast, often staccato just like a song. If I took a moment and checked in with my body I could feel it. I could feel a beat. And then something would happen and it would change. I found that I was experiencing life like a song! So I looked back at the last year and a half and I thought. OK maybe it wasn’t one song, maybe it was a full album! Have you ever noticed that when artists go through a break up, they produce an entirely different kind of music then when they are madly in love? And why is it that music tells our stories in so many ways?

I started to think about that and all of a sudden I got this epiphany that my entire life is actually an album of one  song after another. I was music! Each time in my life had a  different rhythm, different lyrics, sometimes the music coming from inside me felt louder and brassier, other times I could feel my body, my mind and my spirit in a soft flow.

When I think of the rhythm and music that is me, there were times, when I felt like a fast dance song, that kept building and building and building into an incredible frenzy! Those times happened a lot when I was young. Heart pumping love affairs, new jobs that made me a nervous wreck with anticipation, excitement and very often fear.

And then there were other times where I found myself living the life of a jazz song, easy and smooth and melodic, sometimes sleepy and relaxing. This is the grace and joy of getting older. We know how to sit and listen to our own rhythm versus being guided by things outside of us. Or if they are outside of us we have created a life where our journey has taught us the tools to not become a frenzied mess.

And then there were those times where my life was experiencing adventure, travel, new cultures, the unknown. On my travels i would keep my heart and eyes wide open and i kept a consciousness and a willingness to change my rhythm as I traveled.  A spontaneity. I found that my rhythm was in tune with whatever culture I was in. Island ease on a South Pacific beach, or classical as my body felt like the melody of a Bach song roaming the streets of Europe.

In the last year I have traveled to the Caribbean and felt the sun and sand melt away the everyday rhythms I usually feel in my body. Then I went on a spiritual retreat to Teotihuacan with my soul sister and studied ancient Toltec philosophy while walking the pyramids and challenging my thinking, my beliefs, my identity.

I love this quote by Toltec Master Don Miguel Ruiz because it was so much my experience on that trip in his Toltec world.

Life is like dancing. If we have a big floor, many people will dance.  Some will get angry when the rhythm changes. But life is changing all the time.

On this trip, in the world of the Toltecs, when my awareness was being challenged, my current thoughts, beliefs and my reality, I found myself feeling the rhythm of drums beating heavy in my body, yet none were there.  It was if my current thoughts, beliefs and my reality were being beaten like a drum out of me. The next moment when I came to some sense of peace around my new awareness the beating stopped. And soon a beautiful gentle rhythm took over in my body and my soul.  One that actually felt the most genuine and peaceful I had ever experienced.

Then on this life changing trip we ended the week with a fire walk.  And my rhythm went from gentle peace to wild staccato to the most expanding feeling I have ever known. Like my body was a jazz band walking the streets of New Orleans.

So I began to wonder is it a rhythm-like feeling within my body or a vibration? It wasn’t as if this new epiphany was writing songs in my head. It wasn’t about lyrics. It was about an energy that I could feel vibrate through my whole body. Sometimes it was a peaceful energy. Sometimes it was an exciting energy. And then I began to wonder which comes first? Is this vibration and energy that my body is feeling what is creating within me a desire to go on an adventure? Or is it the thought process of going on an adventure that’s creating this incredibly different energy and vibration in my body? Most importantly if I listen closely what are my rhythms telling me?

Then after much contemplation I wondered does it really even matter?

When I talk about a journey to awareness, one of the tools to awareness is knowing what you’re feeling, thinking, believing in the moment. So I thought to myself that my own journey to awareness today, just today, was going to be trying to tune into my rhythm.

So if you are willing, I want you to take a minute and see if you can feel your rhythm. Feel the energy moving through you. Close your eyes and take a nice big exhale now take another breath in and exhale. Now see if you can feel your rhythm.

Is your heart beating fast?

Is your mind able to quiet itself?

What does your body feel like? I will throw some rhythms  out and see if any feel like you.

Breathe in.  Out.

Is your life and rhythm right now a heavy rock song?

A rap song?

R and B perhaps?

Is it the Caribbean island beat of a reggae song?

Is it the gentleness of a Hawaiian or South Pacific rhythm?

Is it the easy going vibe of 70s yacht rock?

Is it in a classical rhythm and mood?

Is it a smooth jazz song?

Is it the simplicity of a country song?

Is it the ease of a rat pack song?

Take a moment as I get quiet and I want you to feel the rhythm of your body right now.

Great, open your eyes.

If you like to journal, take a few moments today and reflect on your life. Reflect on the different times and experiences and how your rhythm changed. Then I want you to ask yourself a very profound question. Is it time to reset your rhythm because your energy is stuck on one from your past?

For instance, during times of loss our rhythm and vibration is so very heavy. Often people who have a hard time healing from the loss carry that rhythm in their souls for a very long time. Often their life changes and lifts them into new experiences yet they cannot shake the heavy sad rhythm. Or, for some, they find a comfort in returning to the heavy sad beat, almost fearful to let go of it.

Other times someone may be trying to stay in an upbeat rhythm when their life is asking them to slow down that beat. Honor the change and sit with it a while.

It’s as if in both of these situations your mind, your thoughts, are causing this massive glitch by trying to be both rhythms at once.

This is when self awareness comes in. Is it time to let go of one rhythm so you can find peace, or healing, or joy?

Is it time to change the radio channel in your soul?

I love this quote by Edward Hirsch because it helps us realize that we can actually let our rhythms guide us out of what we think is where we are supposed to be.

“Rhythm is sound in motion. It is related to the pulse, the heartbeat, the way we breathe. It rises and falls. It takes us into ourselves; it takes us out of ourselves.”

It takes us out of ourselves. We each have the power with true self awareness to listen to the beat of our souls.  And with that same self awareness we have the power to change it!

Beautiful souls, welcome back to A Journey to Awareness. And as I welcome you back I also welcome myself back!

Please be kind to yourselves. Drink lots of water, surround yourself with loving beings and listen to amazing music that touches your soul! Thank you for letting me into your lives this week and I look forward to welcoming you back again, next time.