Season 1, Ep. 8: Stop Pushing

In this week's dream, we consider a more gentle approach to achieving our deepest desires and life goals. The guided meditation begins around the 6:30 mark. Accompanying Yin Yoga poses: Supported Fish, Starfish or Cactus Arms, Cow Face, Butterfly, and Child's Pose.

Transcript

Welcome to The Weekly Dream,

A repository of guided meditative journeys that aim to uplift,

Inspire,

And relax you.

Our themes revolve around astrology,

Mythology,

The seasons,

And more.

I'm your host,

Brittany Bryan,

And I invite you to sit back,

Get comfortable,

Grab a blanket,

Some tea,

Or a cat or two.

Dream and Drive,

Let's begin.

Hello,

Welcome back to The Weekly Dream.

I'm currently gearing up for a couple of collaborations,

A few events,

One here in Savannah,

Georgia,

And another near my hometown in Tampa,

Florida.

The Florida event revolves around Midsummer and the full moon accompanying Midsummer,

Which is sometimes called Leitha,

And that event will be a collaboration between myself and my very dear friend Nicole Smart,

Who is the founder and principal of Willow Wellness Pathways.

She's a very talented sound healer and Reiki practitioner.

We're aiming to make it a very immersive,

Restorative yoga,

Sound healing,

And dream journey experience,

And this is the third event like this that we've done together,

And I'm really,

Really excited.

So I'll be recording the dream journey at some point and publishing it here,

But if you happen to be in or near Tampa or New Port Ritchie the third week of June,

Look us up,

A Midsummer Night's Sound Healing.

But for now,

Today,

Let's focus on a short,

Sweet message I've been thinking about.

Maybe the message is short and sweet,

I think the dream is a little bit longer.

And I've been thinking about or noticing,

I guess,

This message appearing in a few places,

And it has to do with rethinking the way we pursue our goals.

So typically in the Western world,

If we want to achieve something or attain something,

We tend to tell ourselves,

Because we've been programmed to tell ourselves,

That we need or we have to fight for it.

We have to push and push and push and grasp and claw and struggle and wish with all of our might,

When really,

We don't.

We don't need to do that.

At least,

We don't need to do that all of the time.

I think there's a softer,

More gentle approach that might be used that might just be even more effective.

And I'm not saying we don't need to work or put consistent effort into our goals.

That's not why I'm saying it all.

I'm saying in part that we need to change our mindset.

Yes,

There's work to be done.

And yes,

We should do it.

But this idea of mental and emotional and spiritual strain of longing can really drain us of our energy and be harmful to us.

And what is it really?

What is that feeling of desperation?

I think that sometimes it's really just fear that we won't attain what it is we're trying to achieve.

Or we pursue something with desperation because we tell ourselves that we're lacking.

We're separate from this thing,

Whatever it is,

And we want to attain it or unite with it because we think that it will make us whole or happy.

Sure,

This is valid.

There is nothing wrong with this.

But if you could arrive at your end goal,

Not ragged and battle-weary,

But better-rested,

Self-assured and peaceful,

Would that not be better?

If we can arrive at the object of our desire as an already whole,

Individual,

Perfect being who knows their value,

Would that not be ideal?

So the alternative is this.

We do the work,

We make the to-do list,

Itemize the concrete steps,

And start taking them.

And at the same time,

We make a conscious request to the universe,

And or to ourselves,

Whatever verbiage you're comfortable with,

Inviting newness in.

People like to say manifesting a lot these days,

To the point that it annoys me a little.

But that is at least part of the idea.

Really the word I would rather use is optimism.

What's important is that you become conscious of the idea that you are capable of attracting everything you want and need in your life.

Yes,

We have to do the work.

But we can let go of the anguish and have faith,

I think faith is the other good word,

Knowing that we're taking the steps and that we'll arrive at our destination.

And remind yourself every day that you're on the path.

So three steps,

Or maybe four steps,

List the goal in the tangible steps,

Believe in yourself or the universe,

Let go of the worry,

And then remind yourself that this is a process.

And I'm sorry if this all sounds vague,

But I don't know what your hopes and dreams are.

It also sounds sort of like the premise of the Disney movie Princess and the Frog,

Now that I'm saying it all out loud.

So that's a good resource,

I guess,

Princess and the Frog,

Highly recommend.

And then there are two other resources I want to name here.

One is Brene Brown's podcast,

Unlocking Us,

Particularly the episode that is a two-part conversation with Father Richard Rohr,

Which talks about a lot of things,

But the subject of surrender comes up.

The other is a really beautiful online oracle by Ilana Fairchild.

And I drew cards,

Digital cards,

From one of her featured decks that inspired me.

And also this sort of abstract rant,

Probably I could have read you this card and been done with it,

Which is what I'm going to do now.

So the title is Softly,

Softly,

The Tinder Touch.

We are generally taught that the more force we use,

The more we try to make things happen,

The more we will achieve.

The feminine way is not about force,

Nor is it about driving,

Striving,

Pushing,

Or grasping.

It is about inviting what we wish for to come into the space we have provided for it,

Internally and in our lives.

It is manifestation by invitation rather than by will or force.

Pushing comes from a place of uncertainty about whether or not you will succeed.

You can relax and have more faith in yourself and the universe.

All things come in time,

Rightfully and according to a great loving wisdom.

You shall have your time and shine too.

Rebel against any voice of fear within you or around you that tells you otherwise.

Cultivate an energetic affinity with what you seek,

Rather than the feeling of lacking and needing it.

You have it within you to attract what you seek.

Relax and let it flow into your world at the perfect time and in the perfect way.

And with that,

We'll get into our dream.

Start by getting into a more comfortable position.

Stretch out your legs,

Maybe lie back.

Give some length to the spine so you can practice deep breathing into your belly.

Close your eyes.

Take a deep breath in for one,

Two,

Three,

Four,

And hold,

Two,

Three,

Four,

And release,

Two,

Three,

Four.

And we'll do that one more time.

Take a deep breath in for one,

Two,

Three,

Four,

And hold,

Two,

Three,

Four,

And release,

Two,

Three,

Four.

In this stillness,

I invite you to imagine yourself on a journey.

In fact,

You are in the middle of one.

You know it because you feel in your body that it has been an uphill climb.

You're standing on a trail looking down on a mountain pass.

There are snowy peaks in the distance and jagged rocks dot the valley far below.

You can feel the weariness in your bones.

You have scratches on your legs and arms.

Your head hurts.

It feels like you might have a sunburn on your nose,

And you're just tired and thirsty and a little hungry.

You realize that,

Aside from catching your breath,

The other reason you must be standing still is that you've come to a fork in the path.

One curves to the right and climbs deeply up and around the side of the mountain.

The other path curves to the left.

Your memory is a bit hazy,

And you have no map.

You feel as though you've been climbing upwards,

So it makes sense to continue to do so.

Yet something beckons you down the other road,

And there are fragrant little yellow flowers along that trail,

So you take it.

To your surprise,

After traveling only a couple of minutes,

The path curves and seems to end abruptly,

Leaving you face to face with a wall of rock.

After staring blankly for a moment at the mountain,

You notice a black bird alight on a sapling beside you.

You're so weary that you don't even leap in surprise when the bird says to you,

You need to knock.

What do you mean,

You ask.

There's no door.

There's always a door,

The bird says.

Just knock.

The woods around you are growing dark,

And you hear the distant howling of a pack of wolves pierce the cold mountain air.

You shrug your shoulders and wrap your knuckles against the boulders.

To your relief and surprise,

The outline of a doorway illuminates before your eyes.

In a moment,

A golden doorknob forms,

Protruding from the mountainside,

And you reach out and turn it.

Tell them Lucy sent you,

Chirps the bird,

As you disappear inside the mountain.

Inside,

A dim blue light reveals a set of wide marble stairs leading down.

They're slightly dusty and chipped in places.

You follow a faint sound of music navigating the steps and emerging in a cavernous room that's lit by glowing stalagmites and dozens of torches.

It's a great underground hall.

At the far side,

A tall waterfall stretches from the darkness high above,

Flowing into a clear pool.

The hall seems deserted,

Although the music has grown louder,

Seeming to issue from a side chamber.

You make your way to a long oak table in the center of the room.

It's filled with fish and game meat,

Fresh bread,

Cheese and fruit,

And flasks of beer and wine.

As you move closer,

The music stops and a woman appears before you,

Casting herself between you and the table.

She introduces herself as Gaia,

The steward of this sacred grotto,

And she asks how you got in.

You tell her about the blackbird and she chuckles.

Magic animals are convenient,

But they're supposed to be a sign.

Someone must have stolen it again,

She sighs.

At the side of your confusion,

She explains that this place isn't meant to be a secret entirely.

It should be accessible to anyone who spends just a little time looking,

Those who have grown weary of the normal path.

She tells you that before you can go any further,

You must place an offering on the table,

And you notice that there are coins and jewels strewn about beside the food and drink.

Once you have offered something,

You can enter the sacred pool at the base of the waterfall,

Which will deliver you wherever you want to go if you don't get in your own way,

She smiles coyly.

You rummage around in your pocket and find nothing but a handful of acorns.

Will this work,

You ask.

Anything,

Really,

She replies.

She leads you to the water's edge and bids you enter.

You notice glowing pink and turquoise lights gently moving beneath the water's surface.

You ask how it works.

It's magic,

Of course.

You won't need to hold your breath in the waters of life.

You won't swim,

Exactly.

You'll be more pulled to where you need to go.

But you need to really focus.

You can't let your mind be distracted by anything,

Especially fear.

It helps to float for a while.

When you're ready,

You'll just go.

Gaia leaves you to it,

And you wade into the glowing pond and float on your back for a while,

Staring up at the waterfall issuing from the cavernous darkness above you.

Then you look down into the pool,

Watching the lights bouncing like little bubbles or fairy creatures.

They float so gently,

And in the quiet of the cavern,

They almost seem to be laughing,

Encouraging you to share in their levity.

It's this thought of buoyancy,

Of lightness and joy,

That encourages you to clear your mind of all else.

And as you do,

The lights around you grow brighter as you feel yourself sinking,

Pulled suddenly further into the pool.

As your head disappears below the surface,

They unite around you,

A sea of iridescent,

Undulating pink and gold and teal.

And you let them carry you,

Holding in your mind's eye the thing,

Place,

Or person that you want to see most in the entire world.

And you know you'll arrive there very soon.

A few moments,

Or hours,

Or days later,

You stir from your dream,

Safe in the waking world.

You begin to bring movement to your fingers and your toes,

Going slowly.

You open your eyes,

Give your whole body a big stretch,

And then take a deep breath in for 1,

2,

3,

4,

And hold,

2,

3,

4,

And exhale,

2,

3,

4.

Thank you so much for joining me in this dream.

Until next time.