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You Already Have The Answers You Seek!

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The truth is within. It’s not in opinions. You can’t find it through someone else’s filter, nor will you find it through your own fears. Creating time to BE with your Creator is essential to finding the answers you seek. Only you know what they are, and first, you must become still enough to hear.

🙏🏽☺️

I am navigating my own feelings around big transitions during my life right now. Sometimes I look back on what I’ve accomplished over the last ten years despite the challenges of the emotional heart that I have faced, and say to myself, “Good God, woman, look at you. I am so proud of you. You are STRONG & courageous. You must really TRUST your Creator.” Our life Path is not linear. I believe God is a Thee Wild Artist & if we choose to listen and trust God’s guidance, we will be taken on a fun, miraculous, delicious, delightful, not always easy, but worth it ADVENTURE.

🦋You are a masterpiece. Your life is an exquisite & unique expression of your DIVINE PURPOSE. It takes a lot of guts to do what you do and be what you came here to BE. Be proud of yourself. You, even in your lowest moments, are perfect & loved beyond what you could possibly even imagine👌
You got to where you are because of every moment that led to who you are right now.
“It couldn’t have happened any other way,” Joe Zumbo

🙏🏽🦋
Cheers to new chapters. Are you entering a new chapter in your life right now? What are some emotions you are experiencing around this? I would love to be your guide during this transition. DM me for more info on Integrative Lifestyle Coaching 🥰🙏🏽💫

 

Love,

 

Alana, Founder of Explorations of Self

You’re Going in the Right Direction, Full Moon in Aries

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Journal Prompts for Oct, 13, 2019, Full Moon in Aries

 

What if you knew that you were and you ARE going in the right direction?

What if you stopped questioning your intuition and stayed the course.

Where would you end up in a year if you took more risks and followed your heart?

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As we approach this Full Moon on Sunday, we burst forth as a shimmering and colorful butterfly after years of some serious growth as a caterpillar and chrysalis. We delight at this new embodiment and yet, we are getting to know ourselves again. This can feel emotional. It’s totally expected. 

Some grieving can take place in the LIGHT of the person we once were, especially because this newer version of ourselves can resemble our old-self at times. We must stay compassionate for ourselves and others, because this loss can sometimes involve other people, places, and things. When we change, others might not change in the same direction. That’s ok. It’s up to us to decide to follow the Universe’s call for us to step into full alignment with our PURPOSE here on Earth, and trust that everyone else is following their own PURPOSE as well.

When we take extra special care to follow our heart, despite what others say, we continue honor our Spirit. No one else knows what’s best for you, so it is VERY IMPORTANT that you get clear on what is. Being a yogi takes you on an inner Exploration. Whether that was your intention or not when you first brought your hands to heart center in that yoga studio. You were brought there for a reason beyond getting physically healthy. Yoga touched you deep down inside. It did so for reasons beyond explanation. You keep returning to your mat, for a reason. Listen to your Inner guidance…

It’s important to sit in prayer and meditation every morning this weekend to listen closely to our Creator for what that is. No one else can tell you, but the Creator.

My devotional morning practice has led me to yoga, love, travel, building a business based on my passions, the birth of my daughter, leading retreats all over the world (For 8 years!!!), amazing people, wonderful relationships, and continues to do so now as I am leaping again with a big home relocation to somewhere sunny where you can come to my home town and have an amazing Yoga & Surf Beach Retreat year round. (Details coming soon!)

..

A devotional prayer (Adapted from author, Tosha Silverman) can be something like this,

“Divine beloved, make me an open conduit for your PURPOSE today. Allow me to receive and give with complete ease and abundance. Allow me to know my own value, beauty, and worthiness without question. Let everything that needs to go, go. Let everything that needs to come, come. I am utterly your own. You are me, I am You, we are ONE. All is well.”

A meditation practice can be as short as 5 minutes (Or less!) Ideally we work upwards from 5, but I promise you, a few deep breaths in PRESENCE with the intention to listen to the Creator’s Guidance for YOU is enough. Establishing the discipline to make this your morning routine opens you up to Inner Grace to help give you a North Star throughout your day. Meditation master, Thit Naht Han talks about how just 3 conscious breaths can connect you to this all Persuasive Inner Wisdom. 3 breaths! That’s it. I am amazed by this. I’ve tested it out. It’s very true. Give it a try, let me know what you think.

Try this short daily, morning prayer , meditation, and journal ritual for 30 days in addition to your yoga practice (If you don’t already.) If it feels better for you to talk to Nature instead of the Universe, that works, too! Just keep an open mind and heart. I want this for you. You are amazing, and worth all of the Joy and Happiness in the Universe.

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Much love,

Alana

 

I offer 1 on 1 Spiritual Lifestyle Coaching <<<< to help you evolve to your next Level. 

I believe in you. 

A Leap of Faith, New Moon in Taurus

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A Leap of Faith, New Moon in Taurus
My dear friends,
 
It’s been awhile since I wrote you. I have been going through a lot of change this year and writing has taken a bit of a back burner. I am returning with my pen in hand (Or keyboard) to create monthly newsletters for you to contemplate, be inspired by, share with your loved ones, and enjoy. If you are not signed up for my newsletter yet, you can sign up now at explorationofself.com when the prompt comes up.
 
My daughter turns 3 this Saturday which happens to not only be, “May the 4th be with you,” (Putting my nerdy glasses on ?…) but also the New Moon in Taurus. What a special New Moon this is!!! She has been the biggest inspiration I have had to roll out my dreams and push myself beyond my comfort zone to insure that they come to fruition. Our children deserve to see us at our best, rocking it, changing the world for the better, and taking them along with us to experience all of the beauty that this life has to offer in great support to them because they will BE THE CHANGE that we wish to see in the world. She’s such a LIGHT. It’s incredible to watch her shine everyday… she embodies JOY. The children that are being born these days are just pure heart <3 . I know that their God given GRACE on this planet will be akin to angels walking on this Earth. They are reminding us of what WE ARE. Have you forgotten your inner GRACE? Let these beautiful examples remind you that YOU, too, are an angel walking on this Earth. The world greatly needs you to to know how loved and appreciated you are. It takes great courage to walk in your GRACE, and not succumb fear, but you got this.
 
This Sun conjunct Moon is giving us a lot of energy towards creating and setting our desires in full force motion. You may find yourself reflecting on old belief systems, habits, and patterns as you step into a new, more free YOU. Now is your time to shine.

New moon ritual:

1. Take some time to meditate and reflect.

2. Draw a line down the center of a page. On the left write OLD, and on the right, write NOW.

3. Write down negative belief systems that you have about yourself in the OLD column.

4. Write down the opposite of that belief system in the NOW column. (For instance, if you write, “I feel like I am no good in the OLD column, in the NOW column you could write, “I am SO amazing in every way.”

5. Cross out the OLD.

6. Go to a mirror and look at yourself lovingly and recite your NOW column in 1st person. Be sure to say, “I am,” before every NOW belief system.

7. Do this for 28 days in a row and watch your inner and outer world start to shift in a BIG way.

8. Have faith. Most of the time, having faith means believing in what we can’t see, and trusting that the Universe has us. Keep your biggest, heart felt dream, and allow the Universe to take care of the timing and details.

 

Author: Alana Roach, Founder of Explorations of Self

A Full Moon For Empaths

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Can you feel it? The Super Full Moon in Virgo is upon us. Virgo happens to be my Moon’s sign. Your Moon sign is just as important as your Sun sign (You know, the one you read about in horoscopes & such.) The Moon sign is your emotional profile and guidance system. Find out your moon sign here.

What is an Empath? An Empath is someone who is energetically sensitive to their surroundings be it a person, place, or thing. What is a Super Moon? Super Moons are Full Moons that are at their closest points to our Earth. This is why they appear to be larger. What these means for Empaths: More exposure to the energies that come with the Super Moon.

This Super Moon happens to fall in the sign of Virgo. Virgos are Earth signs which relate to the physical side of life. They are extremely organized and detail oriented. Do not be surprised by your insatiable desire to clean and get things in order today. Virgo energy also has the deep rooted need to grow and improve their circumstances and surroundings. Virgo energy is service. You may find yourself wanting to help another today. Whatever your vessel, do something for someone else today without expecting anything in return. Regardless of what sign you are, the Full Moon’s sign effects you. Being conscious of this will help you better navigate these energies so that you can maintain more balance in your inner and outer worlds.

This Super Moon also brings with it great opportunity for love, success, and change. Stay positive and focused on what you deeply desire. Full Moon energy has a tendency to coax the waters in our own body (Just like the ocean) and when that happens we can often feel agitated, tired, and fatigued. Take a deep breath when this happens and know that this too shall pass. Also remind yourself that because everyone is influenced by the moon energies, there are a lot of emotional people out there today. Since we are Quantum energy bodies, we feel it all. Most of what you are feeling is most like not your own. Ask yourself today, “Is this mine or someone else’s?” If it is someone else’s use energy clearing tools like washing your hands, saging, and grounding visualizations to keep yourself as clear as possible If it’s yours, try journaling, doing yoga, going for a walk in nature, and other mindfulness practices.

How do you stay grounded during Full Moon’s as an Empath?

Author: Alana Roach, Founder of Explorations Of Self, LLC

Harness Your Inner Strength, Truth, & Sensitivities with This Full Moon in Taurus Ritual!

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This full moon’s theme:

Gravitate towards the things, people, and places in life that make you feel good, nourished, happy, & supported.
Shed the things, people, and places in your life that do the opposite.

For me, one of the places that offers nourishment and respite is nature. During today’s full moon in Taurus, the Earth element is beckoning to us to harness our inner STRENGTH, truth, and sensitivities.

 

Your full moon ritual today:

Alana Roach, Found of Explorations of Self Photo by: James Trudeau

Get outside. Even if it’s for a few minutes. Ground yourself in the beauty of nature, and as you do, journal on what lights you up inside! Ask yourself, “What makes me feel good, nourished, happy, supported?”

Write your heart out, don’t stop until you’re really done.

This is your full moon ritual. Tonight, go back outside with your piece of paper, and burn it under the full moon light with a silent prayer of, “Thank you,” to the Universe as you watch the smoke carry your full moon intentions away, reflect on the aspects of your ego that you would like to release… let them go with the smoke as well.

When you free yourself of the past, the present moment is an opportunity to lean into your best self more than you ever have before.

Remember, anything is possible, and you are a co-creator with the Great Spirit that made the stars, sky, Earth, cosmos.

Belief is everything.

Re-direct your intentions to the positive, always, always, always.

Much love,


Founder of Explorations of Self

This Is A Call To Your Spirit

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Every single morning, when I wake… I pray & meditate.

I ask God/Goddess how I can serve.

My prayer stems from the Buddhist monks, who say something like this, before they chant:

Great Spirit, may I be a flute for your Divine whim.

That expression comes through all of us when we ask for it. It takes many forms. This morning it has taken form in smiling at my daughter this morning when she woke me up at 5:30am, making her breakfast with love in my heart, bringing my boyfriend coffee in bed, cleaning our kitchen, and then sitting down to write this gift for you.

If you’re reading this, then:

This is a call to your inner spirit.

Wake up.

Let your spirit glide and hold space for other’s to do the same.

Realize your potential as swiftly as possible.

Don’t hesitate another moment.

Love unencumbered.

Forgive often.

Bless everyone.

Create a safe haven for your friends and family to come to.

Create a nurturing environment for yourself.

Self care first.

Be an emblem of hope for your community at large.

Help at least one person today.

Give more than you seek to receive.

Receive with open arms, you’re worth it.

Smile when you wake in the morning.

Count your blessings next.

Don’t give up on yourself.

Realize your passions, and you’ve realized your purpose.

Go live your Purpose.

There’s only 1 you.

The world needs your best self.

The world needs your vulnerability & your truth.

Thank you for you,

 

 

 

Alana Roach
Founder of Explorations of Self, LLC. 

11 Ways To Fill Your Home With Hygge.

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I was inspired by the Danish term for simplistic, cozy living after a friend sent me an article on it a few years ago. Hyggehouse.com describes it like this.

“Hygge (pronounced hue-guh not hoo-gah) is a Danish word used when acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cozy, charming or special.”

Hygge is practiced in the homes and hearts of the Danish, and in the home and heart of a lot of inspired families around the world, including ours, due to it’s exposure through countless articles and books on the subject circulating throughout the internet.

Hygge is that feeling you get on a rainy Sunday. The feeling that makes you just want to curl up in bed and read a good book with some favorite snacks in arms reach. I LOVE cozy living and practice it daily.

Here are 11 ways I practice Hygge at home whether I am literally at home or in a retreat center somewhere in the world.

  1. Warm cocoa or tea.
  2. Cozy blankets.
  3. Candles.
  4. Good smells.
  5. Baths.
  6. Board games.
  7. Books.
  8. Journaling.
  9. Togetherness.
  10. Decorating with plants and good lighting.
  11. Unplugging from the internet and other electronics.

How you practice Hygge?

Author:

Alana Roach

Owner & Director of the Explorations of Self Travel Community

You Can Thrive.

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There was a time in my life when I would have given anything to escape. You know what I mean. When you experience something so devastating that all you want to do is get out. You start to question things and numb out until one day you can’t do it anymore. You reach a breaking point and there are two choices.

 

1.You can thrive

 

2. You can wilt. 

Choosing to thrive takes guts. To thrive is to be ALIVE and show up no matter what. You won’t make a wrong choice when you CHOOSE to face the truth in the right here and the right now. You can not lose here.

Living is FULL of emotion. Full of ups and downs, twists and turns. Don’t live in the why. Live in the how.

How can you do it?

How can you succeed?

How can you LOVE.

How.

How.

How.

Rest assured that this will take time. Your journey was meant to be long and full, dear ones. You are sitting on the precipice of something exquisite and no one can do it but you.

You are so full of potential. So ridiculously SMART. So wise in your animal skin. Awaken to that Truth.

Choose to help another by living fully in this lifetime. Express your unique paint brush and sound unlike anyone else who has come before you.

I dare you.

I dare you to step up and step IN to your POWER. 

With love and so much light and respect for your incredibly journey on this Earth,

I thank you so much for being you.

Sincerely,

Alana Roach

Owner & Director of the Explorations of Self Travel Community

A Yoga & Meditation Practice to Balance Your Throat Chakra during Mercury in Retrograde

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Hello EOS Community,

This month’s pose is, “Plow Pose,” aka “Halasana,” (In Sanskrit, India’s sacred language of yoga) accompanied with the fifth of the 7 main energy centers in our body called the, “Throat Chakra,” or ,”Vishuddha,”in Sanskrit which translates to, “Especially pure.”

This blue, 16 petaled lotus of the throat chakra is located in your throat.

This energy center governs our ability to speak our inner truth through accepting our authenticity . When balanced, not only will you be able to express yourself with confidence and compassion, but you will also be a great listener.. You will have a sense of personal integrity and honor. Maintaining a regular chakra balancing practice is necessary to cultivate the dance between communicating and listening, which is ESSENTIAL during this month’s Mercury in Retrograde.

Halasana pose helps to nourish our throat chakra by activating our glandular system & directing the life force energy of prana to this center for activation.  If this is your first time in Halasana, or you have a tight back,  grab a chair to place behind your head for the feet to rest on, please do so now. You can also grab a block or a folded up blanket to place under your hips for support in this posture.

Let’s begin.

1. Lie down on your mat after doing some gentle warm ups.

2. Breath in, and draw your knees in towards your chest, holding your knees with your hands, while gently guiding your shoulders and head towards the earth.

3. Allow your entire back body to feel as though it were melting into the earth.

4. On an exhale, allow your feet to draw up towards the sky, keeping your head and shoulders rooted on the earth while breathing deeply, start to lift your lower back off of the earth, either placing a blanket or block underneath of your tailbone or walking your hands towards your mid back, fingers facing upwards. Shimmy your shoulders underneath of your chest a little more, while walking your hands as close to your shoulder blades as possible. Keeping your gaze at your toes or the sky directly above your head, start to breath deeply in and out through your nose while slight constricting the throat.

5. Visualize your throat chakra in the center of your throat as a swirling 16 petaled blue lotus flower. Every breath in you see your flower grow brighter and brighter, and with every exhale you see it spin faster and faster. As it spins, you may notice old energy leaving this energy center as dark and oily drainage. This is completely natural and to be expected during this meditation. Breathe slowly and rhythmically.  Syncing your breath with your visualization will enhance this sadhana or spiritual practice.

6. Stay with the visualization for 15-20 breaths, and then slowly release your hands to use them as breakers while you unwind your spine vertebrae by vertebrae back down to the Earth. Stay in Savasana or Corpse Pose for a few minutes to allow this posture to marinate.

7. Feeling grateful for this time that you have taken to connect with yourself, smile softly, and blink your eyes, slowly coming back into the room to continue on with your day, a little more centered, calm, and happy.

Stay tuned to our weekly emails over the next 3 weeks to journey through yoga asana and the remaining 3 chakras!

Namaste,

Alana

Owner & Director of the Explorations of Self Travel Community

A Heart Centered Yoga Practice

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Hello EOS Community,

This week’s pose is, “Supine Bound Angle Pose,” aka “Supta Buddha Konasana,” (In Sanskrit, India’s sacred language of yoga) accompanied with the fourth of the 7 main energy centers in our body called the, “Heart Chakra,” or ,”Anahata,”in Sanskrit which translates to, “Unhurt, unstruck, & unbeaten.”

 

This green, 12 petaled lotus heart chakra is located in your chest.

This energy center governs our ability to give and receive love freely. When balanced you feel a sense of compassion for all living beings including a deep reverence for mother earth and father sky. You will have a sense of the interconnectedness between all. When others are in the presence of someone with a balanced heart chakra, they feel accepted and embraced by this benevolent force. An open heart is inspiring and not to be underestimated. When this center is out of balance, you can feel unworthy of love, untrusting, pessimistic, and reclusive. Maintaining a regular heart chakra balancing practice is necessary to feel at peace in your heart and to attract that peace into your life on an ongoing basis.

Supine Bound Angle Pose is a restorative pose. If you would like to grab a bolster or rolled up blanket to place under your spine for more itensity, please do so now. If you have tight hips, you can grab two pillows or folded up blankets that will be used underneath of your thighs and knees once we are in the full position.

Let’s begin.

1. Come
on to your mat with your back facing the mat or floor (If you are using the bolster or rolled up blanket, sit up first, slide on end of the prop to your lower back, and slowly recline your spine back down onto it, grabbing an extra pillow for underneath your head if you feel the support is needed.)

2. Breath in, and bend your knees and slide your heels in towards your sits bones.

3. Allow your entire back body to feel as though it were melting into the earth.

4. On an exhale, allow your knees to fall to either side (If you are using pillows for thigh and knee support, you can gently find the support now.) Allow you hands to rest on either side of your body, palms facing up. Close your eyes, and breath slowly.

5. Visualize your heart chakra in the center of your chest as a swirling 12 petaled green lotus flower. Every breath in you see your flower grow brighter and brighter, and with every exhale you see it spin faster and faster. As it spins, you may notice old energy leaving this energy center as dark and oily drainage. This is completely natural and to be expected during this meditation. Breathe slowly and rhythmically. Inhale through the nose slowly, and exhaling through the mouth while creating an, “O,” shape with the mouth as you exhale slowly. Syncing your breath with your visualization will enhance this sadhana or spiritual practice.

6. Stay with the visualization for about 10-20 breaths, and then slow release your chest, shoulders, neck & head back onto the mat.

7. Feeling grateful for this time that you have taken to connect with yourself, smile softly, and blink your eyes, slowly coming back into the room to continue on with your day, a little more centered, calm, and happy.

About the author: Alana Diosa Roach 

Yoga Instructor, Integrative Nutrition Coach, Reiki & Shamanic Energy Worker, Intuitive, Meditation Teacher


Alana Diosa is a world renowned Yoga and Wellness Teacher. She has been teaching her dynamic, breath centered style of yoga since 2011. Alana holds 2,000 hours of Yoga Alliance Certified teaching experience, including leadership of teacher trainings for upcoming yogis and yoginis, years of INTENSIVE Integrative Breath Work Trainings + is a graduate of the Institute of Integrative Health in NY, holding a certification as an Integrative Nutrition Coach. She harnesses an apt understanding and application of energy work both intimately and remotely as a certified Usui Reiki Practitioner, Ascension Clairvoyance, & Shamanic PLR Chord Cutting.