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Ayurveda, the science of life

"Ayurveda" comes from two Sanskrit words: "Ayur" (life) and "Veda" (science). The science of a long, healthy and disease free life was born in India more than 5000 years ago.

The main purpose of Ayurveda is to help people to stay healthy. Ayurveda puts its emphasis in prevention, although it also cures the body, mind and spirit when needed.

Ayurveda looks at the individual person as a unique being. No two people are the same, and therefore no two people will need the same Ayurvedic treatment.

Individual personal needs are at the heart of this human-centric, conscious, ancient and powerful technology.

In the Ayurvedic medicine system, there are 3 different energy types, and although we all have a presence of these 3 energy types in our system, there is one that is predominant.

  • Vata: It is the energy of movement. Its elements are ether and air and its colour is blue. When vata is in balance, it promotes intelligence, creativity and flexibility. When it is out of balance, it produces fear and anxiety. Having a good routine can benefit vata individuals.

  • Pitta: It is the energy of metabolism. Its elements are fire and water and its colour is red. When pitta is in balance, it promotes understanding and intelligence. When it is out of balance, it produces anger and jealousy. Avoiding spicy, sugary and salty foods and cold drinks can benefit pitta individuals.

  • Kapha: It is the energy of structure. Its elements are earth and water and its colour is green. When kapha is in balance, it promotes love, calm and joy. When it is out of balance, it produces attachment and envy. Regular exercise and light meals such as soups can benefit kapha individuals.

Disease in Ayurveda is seen as the lack of vata-pitta-kapha balance, by excess or deficiency.

Living in accord with the rhythms of nature can also prevent diseases as our doshas are affected by the time of the day, the seasons and age.

Our body is precious and divine. By taking care of all its energies, we are also taking care of our mind and spirit, and creating a conscious, centred and worth-living life.

Breathing

Breathing is life.

Breathing is something that happens to us (like our heart beats or the digestion of the food we eat) but the way we breathe relates to our emotional state.

By breathing consciously, we can change not only the way we feel, but also our overall health.

The benefits of conscious breathing are:

  • Anxiety reduction

  • Stress reduction

  • Heart rate reduction

  • Blood pressure reduction

  • Insomnia reduction

  • Improved digestion

  • Improved well-being

  • Improved self-esteem


When we live in survival mode, our brain goes into the "fight-flight mode" -this a natural evolutionary response to any threats; our brain is trying to protect us when it senses external signs that can harm us (physically or emotionally).

This mode causes physical reactions such as: our heart rate goes up and our senses sharpen. This is an automatic response driven by our sympathetic nervous system.

This whole thing is just exhausting! ... can you imagine living in constant survival mode? Certainly this mode has been helpful for the human evolution, but nowadays, when the possibilities of finding a tiger or a dinosaur around the corner are pretty slim, all the adrenaline and cortisol released in this mode creates stress, anxiety, panic attacks, fear, anger, lack of connection with self and a sense of unhappiness.

However, when we practice conscious breathing, we are able to change the physical chemistry of our body. It is possible to go from survival to "rest and digest" mode in a matter of minutes.

When we are in "rest and digest mode" our parasympathetic system takes over. This system stops the body from overworking and restores our natural state of balance, calm, abundance and relaxation.

Healing can only take place in this state.

When we experience any survival state, the instant reaction is to inhale (let's say you are out for a walk and when you turn around the corner, you see a dinosaur... your body is going to contract and your breathing is going to become agitated, intense, with emphasis in the inhale).

When we experience any rest and digest state, the instant reaction is to exhale (let's say you land in a wonderful beach with white sand, blue skies and the love of your life beside you smiling at you... your body is going to relax and your breathing is going to slow down, and it will have emphasis in the exhale).

I would like to show you a very simple breathing exercise that you can use as many times you need during the day to move from a "fight,-flight" into a "rest-digest" mode.

This exercise is called "4-7-8" breathing technique:

This breathing exercise was developed by Dr. Andrew Weil and it focuses in the exhalation -and we know that this will bring a relaxing calm to our body.

Follow the following steps:

  • Breathe in to the count of 4

  • Hold to the count of 7

  • Breathe out to the count of 8

  • Repeat for a few minutes and you will experience a change in the chemistry of your body.

We can choose to life in automatic pilot and to breathe in automatic pilot, or to bring consciousness into what we do -including breathing.

Breathing is life and so are you. Keep breathing 💛


Unconscious Programming

" I meditate"

" I drink green tea"

" I burn lavender oil"

" I breathe consciously"

" I practice gratitude"

"... and still have the impulse to compare myself to others and to feel that I am not enough"

What kind of past unconscious programming can have such an effect on our well-being?

Neuroscience teaches us that the subconscious mind is in fact "neuro-paths" established in our brain by past events and experiences or by limiting beliefs inherited from our parents and/or caregivers.

These pathways can fire up so strongly that they stay for a while... (even when we are "doing the work" and becoming conscious of our own self-limiting beliefs and running programs!)

That's why I can meditate, drink green tea and breathe consciously and feel that "I am not good enough" at the same time.

For some people the healing process can be fast... for most of us it happens millimetre by millimetre. It can take us weeks, months, years to "unlearn" and build new neurological paths.

Healing is not a straight line. It goes left and right, up and down, backwards and onwards. Healing can feel like a roller-coaster.

Be patient

Be courageous

Be compassionate

Keep doing the work.

"Doing the work" looks like:

  • Sitting down in silence

  • Journaling

  • Doing breathing work

  • Observing your thoughts with no judgement

  • Accepting things as they are

  • Meditating

  • Spending time in nature

  • Asking for help

  • Staying with your feelings without pushing them away

  • Smiling

Every time you choose the REAL you, you are creating your new reality 💛

Uncertain Times

There is so much uncertainty everywhere at the moment!

We all like to feel secure, safe, healthy and loved, but in the middle of a worldwide pandemic, the sense of the old secure normality we knew is gone.

There are no long term answers, no planning, no compulsive doing, no shopping, no travelling.

There is only Being:

  • being at home

  • being grounded

  • being present

  • being aware

  • being connected

  • being grateful

  • being creative

  • being resourceful

  • being conscious

  • just BE

This is what I have learned in the last seven months:

  • Those that resist what is struggle the most.

  • Those that know how to ground themselves seem to cope better with the unknowns.

  • Stopping compulsive / unconscious habits and behaviours is a good thing.

  • Strength, beauty and intelligence are not as useful as mental flexibility and resilience.

  • It is OK not to know and not to have all the answers. No one does.

  • It is good to be comfortable with the uncomfortable.

  • Compassion and love are much needed.

  • The mental health pandemic is worse than the virus.

  • It is good for the heart to do courageous things now and then.

  • The virus will only go when we fundamentally change the way we live. It's up to us.

  • Nature heals.

  • It is good to talk

How can we cope in these uncertain times?

  • Take one day at a time

  • Focus on the things you can control

  • Be kind to yourself

  • Be kind to others

  • Remind yourself that "this too shall pass"

  • Breathe

  • Do something nice for yourself everyday

  • Rest

  • Reframe your thoughts

  • Ask for help

💛

My 8 truths about life

✨ I gave myself permission some time ago to look at life with courage, compassion, creativity and curiosity.

✨ As I live my values, sometimes I need to “unlearn” and question the belief system I inherited from my childhood and young adult life.

✨ Curiosity has taught me that I know so little and there’s so much to experience and learn!

✨ Curiosity has also taught me 8 things about life:

🔴 Our body is what we eat

🟠 Our mind is what we think

🟡 The sun is medicine

🟢 The moon regulates our life cycles

🔵 Energy and vibrations are real

🟣 We are all connected

⚪️ Happiness comes from within

🔴 You are fabulous 💛

Shame


During my coaching conversations with many women, I’ve realised that shame is a constant topic.

Let’s talk about shame.

Shame is uncomfortable.

Shame is a feeling, an emotion that can get carried and embodied in who we are.

Awareness is the superpower that kills it. As soon as we start talking about shame, it disappears.

When we carry shame in our bodies, we contract: muscles get tense and our posture gets smaller.

When we carry shame in our minds, the repetitive, constant negative talk we hear can lead to addiction, anxiety and depression.

When we carry shame in our spirits, connecting with others becomes impossible.

Shame gets down to the core of who we are and it’s paralysing. It kills life, creation and creativity.

Shame relates to the inner belief that we are not good enough.

Let’s talk about shame because this is the only way to eliminate it.

Journal about it, ask your inner child what she needs right now and tell her she’s safe and loved.

There’s nothing to be ashamed of. You are more than enough. You are amazing and beautiful and I see you 💛

Just Ask

Do you ask for what you want?

It is such a simple and at the same time hard thing to do!

Most women do not.

"Asking" requires:

  1. Clarity

  2. Courage

  3. Vulnerability


1) Clarity: Before we ask for something, we need to understand what we want... this is always something important to us. "Asking" needs to be clear, concise and specific.


2) Courage: Our wants, dreams and desires are born in our mind. They come to us as an inspiration or idea that then we share with our friends and families. Oce we start verbalising the idea, we find excitement and joy in our heart. This is the indication that we are on the right track. Our heart has a deep wisdom, faster than our rational mind, that always indicates the right way.

What's next? Courage!. Courage is the other side of the coin. Heart in one side and courage in the other. They both relate to self love and self care, but courage goes further and calls us into action.

"Action" means a small step torward our dream. A small promise to ourselves that we will keep. A small gesture that can move us forward.

How do you know you are doing the "right thing"?

The formula is easy and it is always the same:

  • It is going to feel uncomfortable before you do it.

  • It is going to make you feel in cloud nine after you do it.


3) Vulnerability: It is the secret ingredient. It is the decision of taking a chance no matter what. We put ourselves first no matter what. If things happen as we wish for, it's time to celebrate... if they do not, it's a lesson learned. These lessons get integrated and adjusted into our lives as we continue creating our dreams.


I have been putting my passion, time and effort in something important to me during the last few months... and things did not work as I would have liked. I found this dissapointing an upsetting. I worked hard and I did a lot of things, but one thing I did not do was to ask for what I wanted.

That's my lesson. I thought it was obvious. It was not.

I have learned that:

  • People can't read minds. Do not assumpt that because something is crystal clear and obvious to you is the same for others.

  • Boundaries are a necessity for givers because takers have none. Protect your energy.

  • It is ok to ask. Do it with respect and kindness and the universe shall provide.



I help women to live a conscious life

Estherfernandezruiz

Jun 3 · 5 min read

Esther Fernández, Presence Coach

Helping women to live a conscious life is a personal mission that keeps me moving, motivated and in flow

Consciousness is a journey (a life journey if you ask me).We all go through phases and have ups and downs but once we start the journey, there is no way back.

What can we do to increase our level of consciousness?

When I reflect on myself, the people I know and the situations I’ve experienced, I have identified the following unique characteristics of “conscious people”.

1. Conscious people live in the present moment.

The present moment is a magical space where we can connect with our reality with no internal commentary. No judgement. No anger. No anxiety. Only peace and connection with who you truly are.

When we live in the “here and now”, we are aware and mindful of what is happening around us in this very moment.

What is the benefit of being present?

We connect with our feelings, with our body (that is always grounded in the present. Our mind is, on the contrary, always travelling to the past (usually worrying about a memory) or to the future (usually getting anxious about something that may not happen). When we are present, we are grounded and connected.

The present moment is a “no time” space. I like to think about it as the “eternal now” where there’s no room for negative emotions, anxiety or fear.

Don’t dwell in the past or the future if they come to mind. Allow the thought to come and go and try to spend most of your time in the present because it is all we have.

The practice of yoga has helped me immensely to stay in the present. When I’m in the mat, breathing, the present is my only choice. I can’t breathe in the future or in the past. My body and my breathe only allow me to connect with the now. I’ve no other choice because there’s no other choice. Yoga has been (and still is) my best teacher.

2. Conscious people set up intentions

I take a few minutes every morning and pick a couple of things I would like to achieve during the day. They are usually not big things:

  • weekly grocery shopping

  • call my mum

  • finish a work presentation

  • try a new recipe

  • Sometimes I decide to face something that I’ve been putting off for a while. This is harder. When I do that I visualise my emotional reaction and anticipate how to regulate my emotions. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not but it’s always good to try.

Intentions point to our dreams (big or small). They’re the first step to make them happen.

By setting up intentions, we are planting the seeds of our future reality. Everything starts with a thought. We imagine it, we dream about it and we make it happen. Intentions are powerful thoughts that will ignite our actions.

Setting intentions is a practice. The more we do it, the easier it becomes.

What is the benefit of setting up intentions?

Intentions help you to create the life you love and deserve.

3. Conscious people know how to manage their reactions

Our body is always ahead of us. . That’s why sometimes we’re sorry we didn’t think twice before we just did this or that.

How do we break the vicious circle? Start by sensing your body when you feel a strong emotion coming.

Try not to react just yet. Just for a second.

Pause

Breathe

Observe your thoughts

Pause again

The space between two thoughts is consciousness

When I distant myself as the observer, I am creating awareness and bringing consciousness to my life.

Over time and with practice, something shifts. It’s very subtle, but little by little you will notice that your reactions are not as extreme as they used to be and you will feel the peace behind your thoughts.

Be kind to yourself and do your best. That’s all we can do and remember that tomorrow is always another day .

4. Conscious people communicate assertively.

Conscious people communicate their own needs honestly and respectfully.

This means saying “no” when we don’t want something and saying “yes” when we do.

When we say “yes” to avoid confrontation or to avoid hurting someone’s feelings, we’re teaching our brain that what we want and value isn’t important.

Women very often put aside their own wants, needs and wishes in favour of other people.

I have struggled with this for years (and still learning).

I used to believe that love had no boundaries.

It was a huge learning for me to realise that it does and that’s why it is so important to communicate assertively. Say “yes” when you mean “yes” and “no” when you mean “no”.

It is ok to say “no” and it’s your right to do so with honesty and respect for yourself and others.

5. Conscious people know how to reframe their perspective.

The quality of our thoughts equal the quality of our life. So…. what would happen if we could consciously transform our negative thoughts into positive ones?

  • “ It’s my fault” > “I am trying my best”

  • - “ I never get it right” > “ I am learning every day”

  • - “ Everybody knows more than me” > “ I enjoy observing and learning from others”

  • - “ This is impossible” > “ Everything is possible”

  • - “I can’t do this” > “ I can do anything if I put my heart into it”

  • - “ I am too old” > “ I have a lot of experience”

When we change our perspective and rephrase the way we talk about our lives, we can create a reality that serves us.

Talk to yourself with kindness and compassion and you will literally change your life.

6. Conscious people know how to manage their energy

These are a few things we can do to protect and manage our energy:

  • Create healthy boundaries

  • Keep hydrated

  • Take a nap

  • Breathe

  • Identify what drains you

  • Exercise

  • Avoid/limit alcohol and smoking

  • Go to bed early

  • Meditate

  • Notice your thoughts

  • Notice your feelings

  • Pause

  • Write it down

  • Eat well

  • Focus your attention

  • Express gratitude

  • Practice compassion

7. Conscious people practice reflection

This is a way to process what has happened during the day and to create space to listen to your inner self.

When we reflect, we develop a better understanding of ourselves and others. This automatically increases our level of awareness.

Reflection & self-reflection are emotional intelligence skills. The more we become aware of what we think and what we feel and the more we are able to name those thoughts and emotions, the more conscious we become.

Reflecting on my day to day helps me to plan little adjustments for the things that I would need to improve on and also helps me to identify and celebrate my wins.

One of the most powerful gifts reflection has given me is the ability to identify my self limiting beliefs.

The more self-aware I am, the more I am able to identify what is holding me back so that I can face my fears.

Self-reflection also allows me to connect and trust my intuition. When I do that, life flows better an I self-sabotage less.

Reflection helps self confidence, and self confidence helps connection. Win-win.

The capacity of self reflection distinguishes humans from animals.

There are many ideas, theories and attempts to explain what consciousness is, and none of them have managed to give us a complete and holistic definition of consciousness. However, we all have a personal experience of what consciousness feels like when:

  • we live in the present moment

  • set up intentions

  • manage our reactions

  • communicate assertively

  • reframe our perspective

  • manage our energy

  • practice reflection

Swadhisthana and Manipura


Swadhisthana, the second chakra, is connected with our emotions; its colour is orange and its element is water.

When we are balanced in this chakra, we fully experience our lives through feelings and perceptions.

Swadhisthana, our own abode, is the centre of creativity, feelings, emotions, pleasure, sensuality, intimacy and connection.

We are water, we flow, we experience the present moment and we let go.

When we are out of balance in this chakra, we disconnect from our emotions (= body). When this happens, our social conditioning and learned behaviours (stored in our subconscious mind) run our lives in auto-pilot.


Manipura, the third chakra, is connected with our personal power; its colour is yellow and its element is fire.

This chakra is the centre of self-esteem, commitment, action and will. When we are balanced in this chakra, we are able to manifest thoughts into reality and we are comfortable in the present moment.

When we are out of balance, we may experience digestive problems, have a dominating or a very timid personality and a big ego or a lack of self esteem (depending on the spectrum).


Awareness is key to change and transform our lives.

May we have the wisdom and self-love to balance or eliminate the water and fire in our bodies.

Once our body “knows”, it is time to start the journey.

Do it with compassion and remember that you are worth it and you are loved.


Heart energy


❤️ Since the beginning of times, the heart has been a symbol of love, intuition and wisdom.

Old civilisations knew that the heart, more than the brain, was responsible for the regulation of human life.

The heart grounds our bodies but also connects us with something bigger than us.


🧡 When I was in primary school many moons ago, I was taught that the heart was a vital organ with four chambers, about the size of a fist, responsible for pumping blood to the body. I had to wait many more moons to learn about the heart and its intelligence in a different way.

The heart stores our feelings, has memory and regulates itself.

Our feelings always point at the things we need and our heart holds the key to open the door to a higher level of consciousness.


💛 Courage also grows in the heart. It expands from there to our full body and allows us to make decisions and stand in our own power. I think about courage like the fuel of the heart. It ignites the human will to elevate our actions and personal vibration to the highest one: love


💚 The heart is the centre of balance in the body. It is the home of our fourth chakra and connects the sustaining and grounding energy of the first three chakras with the upper and more transcending chakras: the ones that allow us to speak our truth, see with clarity and connect with the unity and wisdom of the universe.


💙 When we are able to regulate and manage our feelings, we can express with creativity who we truly are. The energy of the heart allows us to transcend the place and time we are in.


💜 We don’t “see” with our eyes. The “seen” happens in the mind and the mind can be changed by the energy of the heart.


🤍 The energy field of the heart is 60 times greater than the energy field of the brain. It is possible to rewire our brain with the intention and emotions of the heart.

The heart is an organ with intelligence. I believe that we can all live a more conscious life when we trust the intuition and guidance of our heart.

It is through our heart that we can tap into the wisdom of the universe.

The energy of our hearts can change our chemistry and therefore our lives.

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤍


✨Love or fear? ✨

There are two creative energies: love and fear.

We either operate from one or the other.


”Fear” represents the familiar patterns:

✨“ I am not good enough”

✨ “I don’t have enough”

✨ “ I I don’t look pretty enough”

✨ “I am not intelligent enough”

✨ “I don’t know enough”


“Fear” tries to protect us. It operates from a place of lacking.

Life is abundant

We can only have an abundant life when we operate from love and not fear.


Love is the highest frequency we can tune in. Love is:

✨ “You did your best today”

✨ “I’m scared but I still tried it”

✨ “How are you?”

✨ “I missed you”

✨ “I know you’ll be ok and please, don’t worry about me. I’m fine”

Love needs vulnerability and self-care to flourish.


I feel fear and love everyday.

All at once.

And that is ok.

We need to feel deeply what we feel. Otherwise healing would be impossible.

Feel fear, feel love. All at once. Be kind to yourself and choose love over fear when you can.

And when you can’t, that’s ok.

Tomorrow will be another day full of new opportunities.

✨Today we’re only learning 💛


About grief and other demons

The world is grieving and so are we

The coronavirus is attacking the lungs, located just behind the heart.

The heart is the energy centre of our emotions. The spectrum of human emotions is vast, and it goes from love to grief.

The physical pain shows in the lungs and the heart. The emotional pain shows in our thoughts, feelings and behaviour.

We -human beings- are going right here right now through the 7 stages of grieving:

1) Shock: The first thing I felt when I heard that a virus was spreading and killing people all over the world was shock. Initial paralysis mixed with emotions of disbelief. I just couldn’t believe it. Then, I went into

2) Denial: I thought reality was a story that wasn’t true. How could it be? It didn’t make any sense. It all seemed like a dream. It just wasn’t happening. And that lead to...

3) Anger: Ahhhh. Why? Why? Why??? And my anger eventually went away, and I found myself:

4) Bargaining: OK, if I ignore this, it will not affect me… Delusion is a lack of connection with reality. I realised of the misalignment with what it was truly happening, and that lead to:

5) Depression: OMG! This really sucks!

So much pain, so much disruption, so much devastation!! WHY? Nothing made sense. Again, I felt we were all having a horrible nightmare that was going to end. But one day, life was no longer the same:

6) Testing: Schools closed. Working from home. Washing hands at least 50 times a day -singing happy birthday twice!. Social distance. Sports cancelled. Churches closed. No gatherings. Limited people in supermarkets. Doing our best and finally accepting what is...

7) Acceptance: This is happening. The world won’t be the same when this is over and neither will we.

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Important message

Algo está cambiando

Nunca antes en la historia de la humanidad nada ni nadie nos había hecho parar a todos a la vez.

Un pequeño virus invisible lo ha conseguido.

Este virus nos está pidiendo que:

  • Nos quedemos en casa

  • Conectemos con los demás

  • Despertemos a una nueva forma de vivir

  • Dejemos de viajar

  • Meditemos

  • Empecemos a trabajar en casa

  • Pasemos más tiempo con nuestros hijos

  • Dejemos de conducir

  • Le demos un respiro al planeta

  • Durmamos más

  • cocinemos

  • Leamos

  • Pintemos

  • Cantemos

  • Escuchemos nuestra música favorita

El coronavirus nos está ofreciendo la oportunidad de parar, de conectar con nosotros mismos, de darnos un tiempo de calidad. Nos está pidiendo que transformemos nuestro ser y que repensemos nuestra relación con el planeta.

Hay muerte, sufrimiento, desolación, dolor… pero no tiene que haber desesperación.

Hay compras compulsivas de alimentos, pero no tiene que haber egoísmo.

Hay un sentimiento de incertidumbre sobre lo que pasará… pero no tiene que haber miedo.

Hay ansiedad… pero no tiene que haber falta de confianza.


Algo está cambiando. El planeta está despertando. Depertemos con él.


👑 The Coronavirus 👑

The Coronavirus has been a good teacher for me so far.

This is what I’ve learnt from it:

🦠 We don’t need much when we get back to basics.

🦠 Our health is our wealth.

🦠 Stopping crazy schedules and spending more time at home with family is a good thing.

🦠 Time alone is an opportunity to create inner space.

🦠 Connecting with others in these uncertain times makes us more human.

🦠 Solidarity is the only vaccine against the virus available to us right now.

🦠 Negativity, fear and anxiety weakens our nervous system.

🦠 No one has a crystal ball that can tell us for sure what is ahead of us but it is my belief that we’ll see a more connected, compassionate and conscious society at the end.

🦠 The current lockdown (or “spiritual retreat” if we choose to rephrase the expression) represents an opportunity to get back to basics.

🦠 Resistance is a source of pain and suffering. We can’t control what is happening with the Coronavirus right now but we can control our reactions and behaviour. Once we accept what is, we can start perceiving reality from a different perspective.

🦠 Let’s reach out to each other and let’s go through this together

Sahasrara and Covid-19

“Sahasrara” means “a thousand petaled lotus” in Sanskrit.

“Covid-19” is a new 2020 respiratory illness that is now pandemic. It's caused by a virus called “Coronavirus”.

What do the 7th chakra and the covid-19 have in common?

The Crown

Sahasrara is also known as the Crown chakra, probably because it is located at the top of the head.

The Spanish for “Crown” is “Corona”.

Coronavirus literally means “the crown virus”

The first chakra (Muladhara) grounds us and connects us to the Earth; the last chakra (Sahasrara) elevates our energy and connects us to others.

Sahasrara is responsible for connection. In this chakra, our physical body connects with our soul and the power of the universe.

The seventh chakra is associated with universal consciousness.

This pandemic virus has connected us all, creating unwanted and unprecedented circumstances.

The only way out is through global connection, empathy and compassion. The only possible short term vaccine for the Coronavirus is called Solidarity

We are in this together

This is not about “me” and “my story”. This is about “us”

This situation shall pass and it is my belief that it will make us stronger, more connected, more compassionate and more grateful for what we have.

Stay connected, stay aware, stay present, stay conscious and wear your invisible 7th chakra crown with pride.

We are in this together


🔴 Creativity is not a quality. It is an attitude

🟠 We are all creative by nature

🟡 Curiosity is a big part of the creative process

🟢 Creativity helps us to connect our inner self with others

🔵 Creativity is born in stillness

🟣 Creativity helps to look at reality with brand new eyes

⚪️ Creativity is one of my biggest values. It reminds me that we are all creators of our own reality


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About vulnerability

Courage comes from the Latin word "cor", which means heart.

I love to think about courage and love as the same thing looked from different perspectives.

Courage is needed to love ourselves no matter what. Despite of our imperfections, fears or faults. We need courage to allow ourselves to be imperfect and still love who we are.

Brené Brown defines vulnerability as "the most accurate form of courage".

For me vulnerability means to have enough courage and self-love to expose my emotions for the purpose of connection. I don't think there is a better way to truly connect with others.

When am I vulnerable?

  • when I say "sorry, I was wrong"

  • when I ask for help, without knowing what the answer is going to be

  • when I open my heart to someone that may hurt me

  • when I give without knowing what I'll get back

  • or when share my courage video is social media.

I work on courage every day. I do it when I make myself vulnerable (which is really really hard but I'm doing my best) and when, every morning, to close my yoga practice, I do the crow pose. This is what I call "my courage pose" because the first time I saw someone doing it, I thought "I would NEVER be able to do that". And then, I thought about it again and realised that with practise and dedication, we can do anything we can imagine. So here we go, I'm sharing this video with my whole heart as an act of pure courage, with the purpose of connecting with you.

Body and mind

Do you think about your body and your mind as two independent entities?

They are not

Our body and our mind are connected through neural pathways that not only control all we do physically but also the way we sense, we feel and we think.

Our body and our mind are so connected that we can “teach” our brain to rewire itself. This means that our brain can create new neurons or new connections with the existing ones to “reinvent” itself. Isn’t that amazing?

The physical evidence of the brain neuroplasticity is the implementation of new habits.

Is this really possible? The answer is “oh yes!”

How?

With intention, bravery, visualisation and practice.

It takes about 3 weeks to break a habit and 3 weeks to make a new habit.

During this time, the brain fires up by creating new neural pathways. After this time, the new habit becomes the new normal and the old pattern is deleted.

Body and mind are one.

The way we take care of our bodies influences our mental health, and the way we talk to ourselves and control our negative thoughts and emotions, have a physical effect in our bodies.

Love your body and your mind and the universe will love you back.

The power of doing NOTHING

⚪️ Do you always feel you need to “fix” things for others?

⚪️ “Fixing” hides the uncomfortable

⚪️ “Fixing” doesn’t recognise that other people are resourceful and creative

⚪️ “Fixing” doesn’t acknowledge that everybody can find their own way and their own answers

⚪️ “Fixing” takes over the space of others


I have learnt through the practice of yoga about the power of letting go and doing nothing.

It has been (still is) a bumpy journey.

I’m a recovering fix-aholic mum that, in the stillness of some yoga poses, allows gravity to take over. All I do is to breathe and trust that a force bigger than me (=gravity) will take over to strength and energise my body and my mind.


I am learning to do the same thing outside the yoga mat.


I trust that, when I do nothing and I allow others to be creative and resourceful, an energy bigger than me will take over to guide my way. All I have to do is to be still, to trust and to breathe.

How comfortable are you doing NOTHING?

I’d love to hear your thoughts


Me and my chakras

“ The body is the vehicle, consciousness the driver. Yoga is the path and the chakras are the map”

Anodea Judith


The word Chakra is a Sanskrit word that means “wheel”. We have 7 chakras in our body and they are like spinning wheels of energy located throughout the spine.

The chakras are powerful energy centres with specific functions that influence our lives.

  • The first chakra (Muladhara) is our root chakra. Its element is earth and its colour is red. It is located at the base of the spine and it represents our connection with the physical world.

When we are balanced in this chakra we are stable, calm, secure, patient, successful at work and happy and comfortable with our bodies.

When we are out of balance, we experience insecurities, fear, anxiety etc.

You can open this chakra by connecting with your body. Be aware of it. Do yoga, go for a walk, ground your feet when your are waiting for the bus and breath… always breath.


  • The second chakra (Swadhisthana) is the centre of our sensations, feelings, movement and sexuality. Its element is water and its colour is orange.

When we are balanced in this chakra we are connected with our senses. We experience a sense of joy and pleasure. There is fluidity, joy, fun and movement.

When we are out of balance, there is resistance to change, rigidity in life and a feeling of being stuck.

There is a yoga posture called dvipada pitham that can help you opening this chakra.

  • The third chakra (Manipura) is the centre of our power. Its element is fire and its colour is yellow.

When we are balanced in this chakra we have energy to take action and make things happen. We are confident, committed and able to take risks.

When we are out of balance, two things can happen. People with an excessive third chakra can be aggressive, angry, dominating and controlling. People with a deficient third chakra can lack confidence, self-esteem and have a lack of energy and vitality.

Adding to your diet bananas, brown rice, lentils, yellow and orange peppers, lemons, corn, oats etc. can help to balance this chakra.


  • The fourth chakra (Anahata) is the centre of our love. Its element is air and its colour is green.

When we are balanced in this chakra we are warm, sincere, compassionate to ourselves and others and balanced in our lives.

When we are out of balance, we carry grief and sadness in our hearts and we may struggle with depression.

You can open this chakra by wearing rose quartz -this stone is known as the stone of the heart as it encourages awareness of your feelings and supports the flow of love.


  • The fifth chakra (Vishuddha ) is the centre of self-expression and communication. Its element is sound and its colour is blue.

When we are balanced in this chakra we are able to communicate clearly and to listen deeply.

When we are out of balance we may find it hard to speak our truth or to listen to what others have to say

The following affirmations can help you opening this chakra:

    • “ My voice matters”

    • “I am a good communicator and a good listener”

    • “I can talk about my emotions clearly”

    • “ I can speak my truth”


  • The sixth chakra (Ajna) is the centre of our intuition, our dreams and our imagination.

When we are balanced in this chakra we see everything with clarity. Decisions are made with confidence and no attachment.

When we are out of balance, many thoughts appear in our minds which can translate in anxiety, lack of sleep, fear and depression.

Meditation is the best way to heal this chakra.


  • The seventh chakra (Sahasrara) is the centre of our understanding. Its element is thought and its colour is violet.

When we are balanced in this chakra we are connected, grateful, alive, and we live a happy life.

When we are out of balance you may experience apathy, lack of joy and disconnection from ourselves and others.


Compassion

What can compassion bring to our lives?

I can talk about my own experience.


I started the journey of working on compassion over a year ago. I realised very quickly that compassion starts with self-compassion. It is not possible to give what we don’t have. Practising (self)compassion has become a daily spiritual practice for me. I have gained the understanding that compassion resides in the heart and that it balances all we do.

In the last year I have become calmer and happier, a bit less fearful and a bit more self-confident. My mind has opened, I am more aware of the others around me and I am able to listen and understand more. My levels of tolerance have increased (especially to myself! As I don’t pay as much attention to my inner critic, and even when it comes, I can distance myself quicker and turn to my “compassionate” voice instead).

However there are moments when the inner critic wins. These moments are hard for me. My automatic reaction of telling myself “I told you so”, “why did you say that”? or “did you seriously belief that that was going to work”? has (very little by little) been replaced by surrender to what the present moment brings me.

I breath, make room for all as it is and allow my feelings and emotions to circulate through my body for a few seconds.They come and go and when they do, there is more inner space and there is calm.

This is a work in progress, and I can feel the progress.

It is not perfect yet, but it is better than it used to be.

My biggest learning so far is the realisation that we are all connected. This simple: what I do to others, I am doing it to myself.

What is compassion bringing to my life?

“Inner space”, “calm”, “contentment” and “closeness to others”. All worth it because I am worth it.


We are already whole


We are born whole, perfect.


When we grow, we have experiences that always teach us lessons but that sometimes leave us broken.


Each day it is up to us to decide how to react to situations, thoughts and emotions.

If we choose to, it is easy to take offense in pretty much anything someone does, says, doesn't do or doesn't say.

We can however, choose love.


Love is the energy that connects our body, soul and spirit.


When we do not choose love, there is a gap inside that can make us feel imperfect and broken... but I don't believe we are.


It is my belief that we are whole since the moment we are born until the moment we die. Our true essence is perfect although sometimes, when we identify with our thinking mind, there is a voice in our heads that can make us feel broken and incomplete.


If this resonates with you, remember that the real you never changes and that every morning you have the choice to choose love for the day.

A quick 2019 reflection


As I reflect on 2019, I am grateful for all the learnings that coaching has brought to my life.

Coaching allows me to help others to achieve their goals by creating a space of pure presence, in which magic happens.

This space is safe, non judgemental and encouraging.

It comes from the heart and it talks to the heart.

It gets born in silence and it fuels change and transformation.


I am also grateful for my meditation practice. Meditation gives me the exact same thing as coaching: inner space born in stillness that provides light, clarity and positive energy to my heart.


I ask the universe for more courage, compassion and creativity in 2020.

Courage to continue pushing myself to new and uncomfortable spaces that will make me grow.

Compassion to accept myself and others just the way we are.

Creativity to create new worlds and realities from the heart.


The present moment

Anxiety and stress do not exist in the present moment.

Their home is the past and the future.

They live through our memories from the past and the stories we build in the future.

Memories and imagination. Ha!

When we are present in the here and now, there is no room for any negative feelings. None. Only presence.

How can we get in the present moment?

1) Breath.

Follow your breathing up and down. Feel your lungs filling in and out. Count up to ten and down to zero. Stay with your breathing. Rest. Relax.


2) Observe your emotions.

Feel how your body reacts when you get anxious or stressed. Stay with it for a few seconds. Do not judge it. Do not fight it. Do not go. Observe it and it will pass.


3) Meditate for a few minutes whenever you can.

Meditation creates inner space, the home of our true essence (the one that does not get stressed!)


4) Come back to the “here” and “now” whenever possible.

It is all we have and all it is.


El momento presente

La ansiedad y el estrés no existen en el momento presente.

Se alojan en el pasado y el futuro.

Viven en nuestros recuerdos del pasado y en las historias que construimos en el futuro.


Recuerdos e imaginación. ¡Ah!


Cuando estamos presentes en el “aquí” y el “ahora”, no hay lugar para ningún sentimiento negativo. Ninguno. Sólo hay presencia.

¿Cómo podemos llegar al momento presente?

1) Respira.

Sigue tu respiración arriba y abajo. Siente como tus pulmones se llenan y se vacían. Cuenta hasta diez y baja hasta cero. Quédate con tu respiración. Descansa. Relájate.


2) Observa tus emociones.

Siente cómo reacciona tu cuerpo cuando te sientes ansioso o estresado. Permanece ahí unos segundos. No te juzgues. No luches contra nada. No te vayas. Quédate mirándote y todo pasará.


3) Medita durante unos minutos siempre que puedas.

La meditación crea un espacio interior, que es el hogar de nuestra verdadera esencia (¡la que no se estresa!)


4) Regresa al "aquí" y al "ahora" siempre que sea posible.

Es todo lo que tenemos. No hay nada más.


The stones of my backpack

We all carry 7 very heavy stones in the backpacks of our lives.

Sometimes we notice them, and sometimes we do not.

The first step to lighten our backpack is to be aware of the size of our stones. Only then we can start leaving them along the way.


Stone # 1: Fear

Fear is "a feeling of anguish caused by a real or imaginary danger." Our fears, learned or inherited, conscious or unconscious, mark our behavior:

  • Fear of not having enough

  • Fear of not being enough

  • Fear of the unknown

  • Fear of the unstable

  • Fear of success or failure

  • Fear of making decisions

Fear disguises itself as selflessness, resistance to change, boredom, attachment to the material, indecision etc. and makes us instinctively flee from people and / or circumstances.

What would happen if we were not afraid of anything; if instead of fleeing, we could look at our failures, sense of ridicule and insecurities in the eyes and tell them that we are enough and that life is nothing more than a continuous learning process?

I think we could remove a very heavy stone from our backpack. And we would only have 6.


Stone # 2: Guilt

Guilt is a feeling of responsibility for damage caused to another or most of the time, to ourselves.

Human beings are the only creatures of the animal kingdom capable of feeling guilty about our thoughts, our emotions, what we eat or drink or our own sexuality.

The sense of guilt is also more common among women than among men. This is due to a process of social conditioning transmitted from generation to generation.

What would happen if we could eliminate any sense of guilt from our life and we could easily say "it was not my fault, I did what I could"?

I think we could take another stone from our heavy backpack. And we would only have 5 left.


Stone # 3: Shame

The word shame comes from the Latin verecundia, which literally means mood disturbance.

Shame is a form of fear. Who suffers from it, knows it. To be ashamed is to fear being ashamed.

What would happen if instead of saying I am ashamed to speak in public or I am ashamed to express my feelings we would learn to love and accept ourselves as we are?

I think we would have all the tools to remove another stone from our backpack. And we would only have 4 left.


Stone # 4: Grief

In the field of emotions, grief is a feeling of sadness.

Although grief is necessary in any griefing processes, very long periods of grief would close the doors of the heart. This protects, but mostly isolates.

What would happen if we stopped feeling sorry for ourselves and began to connect with our surroundings?

I think we could surely remove another stone from our backpack. And we would only have 3.


Stone # 5: The lies

It is not true that a lie repeated a thousand times ends up being true. All of us have at times pretended to be things that we were not. Children do it playing, adults, pretending.

Lies separate us from the essence of who we really are.

What would happen if we could express our truth?

What would happen if we knew how to listen and to be heard?

I think we could leave another stone in our backpack along the way. And we would only have 2 left.


Stone # 6: Illusions

An illusion is an unreal or illusory representation of reality. Not seeing clearly can cause problems of superiority, inferiority, disconnection and lack of understanding.

A life full of mirages is a life that reflects the realities of others, not our own.

What would happen if we had enough clarity to live a life centered on the things we value and that are important to us?

What would happen if we had enough intuition and wisdom to know how to live a fulfilling life?

I think we could remove another stone from our backpack. And we would only have one left.


Stone # 7: Attachments

The word attachment derives from two Latin words "ad" (towards) and "picare" (paste, join). It literally means "special appreciation or inclination for something or someone."

As human beings we feel attached to many things: to the love of our families, to our personal achievements, to the material things that we possess, to who we are and what we think etc.

For Buddhists, attachment is one of the causes of suffering, and only when we are able to stop clinging to things, it is possible to reach the state of fulfillment known as nirvana.

What would happen if we could reach that state of fulfillment today?


What would you do if you didn't have any stones in your backpack?


Las piedras de mi mochila

Todos llevamos 7 piedras muy pesadas en las mochilas de nuestras vidas.

A veces las notamos, y otras veces no.

El primer paso para aligerar nuestra mochila es ser conscientes del tamaño de nuestras piedras. Sólo así podremos ir dejándolas por el camino.

Piedra #1: El miedo

El miedo es “una sensación de angustia provocada por un peligro real o imaginario”. Nuestros miedos, aprendidos o heredados, conscientes o inconscientes, marcan nuestra conducta:

  • Miedo de no tener suficiente

  • Miedo de no ser suficiente

  • Miedo a lo desconocido

  • Miedo a lo inestable

  • Miedo al éxito o al fracaso

  • Miedo a tomar decisiones

El miedo se disfraza de desinterés, resistencia al cambio, aburrimiento, apego a lo material, indecisión etc y nos hace huir instintivamente de personas y/o circunstancias.

¿Qué pasaría si le tuviéramos miedo a nada; si en lugar de huir, miráramos al fracaso, al ridículo, a nuestras inseguridades a los ojos y les dijéramos que sí somos suficiente y que la vida no es más que un proceso contínuo de aprendizaje?

Creo que podríamos quitarnos una piedra muy pesada de nuestra mochila. Y sólo tendríamos 6.

Piedra #2: La culpabilidad

La culpabilidad es un “sentimiento de responsabilidad por un daño causado” a otro o la mayoría de las veces, a nosotros mismos.

Los seres humanos somos las únicas criaturas del reino animal capaces de sentirnos culpables de nuestros pensamientos, de nuestras emociones, de lo que comemos o bebemos o de nuestra propia sexualidad.

El sentido de culpa es también más habitual entre las mujeres que entre los hombres. Esto es debido a un proceso de condicionamiento social transmitido de generación en generación.

¿Qué pasaría si pudiéramos eliminar cualquier sentimiento de culpabilidad de nuestra vida y pudiéramos decir “no fue culpa mía, hice lo que pude”?

Creo que podríamos quitarnos otra piedra más de nuestra pesada mochila. Y sólo nos quedarían 5.

Piedra #3: La vergüenza

La palabra vergüenza proviene la latín verecundia, que literalmente significa turbación del ánimo.

La vergüenza es una forma de miedo. Quien la padece lo sabe. Tener vergüenza es temer ser avergonzado.

¿Qué pasaría si en lugar de decir me da vergüenza hablar en público o me da vergüenza expresar mis sentimientos aprendiéramos a querernos y a aceptarnos como somos?

Creo que tendríamos todas las herramientas para quitarnos otra piedra de nuestra mochila. Y así sólo nos quedarían 4.

Piedra #4: La pena

En el ámbito del Derecho la pena es un castigo. En el ámbito de las emociones la pena es un sentimiento de tristeza.

A pesar de que en procesos de duelo la pena es necesaria, un periodo demasiado prolongado de pena cierra las puertas del corazón, y protege, pero sobretodo asisla.

¿Qué pasaría si dejáramos de sentir pena de nosotros mismos y empezáramos a conectar con lo que nos rodea?

Creo que seguramente podríamos quitarnos otra piedra de nuestra mochila. Y sólo tendríamos ya 3.

Piedra #5: Las mentiras

No es cierto que una mentira repetida mil veces acabe siendo verdad. Todos nosotros en algún momento hemos pretendido ser cosas que no somos. Los niños lo hacen jugando, los adultos, disimulando.

Las mentiras nos separan de la esencia de lo que realmente somos.

¿Qué pasaría si pudiéramos expresar nuestra verdad?

¿Qué pasaría si supiéramos escuchar y ser escuchados?

Creo que podríamos dejar otra piedra de nuestra mochila por el camino. Y ya sólo nos quedarían 2.

Piedra #6: Los espejismos

Un espejismo es una representación irreal o ilusoria de la realidad. No ver con claridad puede provocar problemas de superioridad, de inferioridad, de desconexión con lo que nos rodea y de falta de entendimiento.

Una vida llena de espejismos es una vida que refleja las realidades ajenas, no las propias.

¿Qué pasaría si tuviéramos la claridad suficiente para vivir una vida centrada en las cosas que valoramos y que son importantes para nosotros?

¿Qué pasaría si tuviéramos la intuición y la sabiduría suficiente para saber vivir una vida plena?

Creo que podríamos quitarnos otra piedra de nuestra mochila. Y ya sólo nos quedaría una.

Piedra #7: Los apegos

La palabra apego deriva de dos palabras latinas “ad” (hacia) y “picare” (pegar, unir). Literalmente significa “aprecio o inclinación especial por algo o alguien”.

Como seres humanos sentimos apego a muchas cosas: al amor de nuestras familias, a nuestros logros personales, a las cosas materiales que poseemos, a lo que somos y lo que pensamos etc.

Para los budistas, el apego es una de las causas del sufrimiento, y sólo cuando somos capaces de no aferrarnos a nada, es posible alcanzar el estado de plenitud conocido como nirvana.

¿Qué pasaría si pudiéramos alcanzar ese estado de plenitud hoy mismo?


¿Qué harías si no tuvieras ninguna piedra en tu mochila?


The 7 chakras for Christmas

Christmas expectations can be big for some. They can feel stressful and overwhelming for many. The chakra system can help us to navigate through this festive period in a safe and caring way. Here's a few thoughts and reflections that I hope you find useful:

  • The first chakra (Muladhara) is our root chakra. Its element is earth and its colour is red. This chakra represents our foundations; it connects us with our physical body and all the material things we have in our lives (the job we do, the car we drive, the house we live in, Christmas presents, food, etc). To have a balanced first chakra this Christmas it is important to take care of your body: go for a walk or a swim, try not to overeat, do not put pressure on yourself about presents or material things and listen and connect with your body. If for whatever reason this is not possible, be aware of it and be kind to yourself. Tomorrow is always a new day.

  • The second chakra (Swadhisthana) is the centre of our sensations, feelings and movement. Its element is water and its colour is orange. Have fun this Christmas. Dance, laugh, move your body, visit friends and family, connect with others and connect with your own feelings. Absorb any information and learnings your feelings may provide you. Flow as happily as you can. If for whatever reason this is not possible, be aware of it and be kind to yourself. Tomorrow is always a new day.

  • The third chakra (Manipura) is the centre of our power. Its element is fire and its colour is yellow. Take action this Christmas and acknowledge and honour the power within you. Take risks. Push yourself to any uncomfortable territory in a safe and loving way. This will allow you to grow. Challenge the demon of shame and accept and love yourself as you are. If for whatever reason this is not possible, be aware of it and be kind to yourself. Tomorrow is always a new day.

  • The fourth chakra (Anahata) is the centre of our love. Its element is air and its colour is green. Christmas is about love, relationships, spending time with family and friends, reaching out to others, showing compassion and taking in all the love we are given. This chakra is easily damaged and when that happens, grief appears. Love and grief coexist in most of us. Practices like breathing, yoga, journaling, connecting with others, spending time in nature, reading or painting can help to balance this chakra. Try to do some of it this Christmas. If for whatever reason this is not possible, be aware of it and be kind to yourself. Tomorrow is always a new day.

  • The fith chakra (Vishuddha ) is the centre of our self-expression. Its element is sound and its colour is blue. Communication and creativity make us human. Listen to what others have to say and speak your own truth this Christmas. Spend quality time with your parents and your children, listen to their stories and tell your own, enjoy cooking, make your own Christmas presents and use your voice to laugh and sing. If for whatever reason this is not possible, be aware of it and be kind to yourself. Tomorrow is always a new day.

  • The sixth chakra (Ajna) is the centre of our intuition, our dreams and our imagination. Its element is light and its colour is indigo. Use your intuition this Christmas to perceive what is truly happening around you. Try to be on other's peoples shoes. Try to see things with clarity and remember to be compassionate. If for whatever reason this is not possible, be aware of it and be kind to yourself. Tomorrow is always a new day.

  • The seventh chakra (Sahasrara) is the centre of our understanding. Its element is thought and its colour is violet. This chakra connects us with a higher power, bigger than ourselves. Some people call this power God, Energy Source, Nature, Chi or Life Energy. Whatever way you call it, open your mind to it this Christmas. If for whatever reason this is not possible, be aware of it and be kind to yourself. Tomorrow is always a new day.

The fine art of self-knowledge


When the travellers arrived at the temple of Apollo, in the Greek city of Delphi, their welcome greeting was the sentence "Gnóthi seautón" (Know Thyself).

The only condition that the god Apollo asked the pilgrims before making any requests to him, was that they needed to know themselves.

Self-knowledge is the foundation of any other kind of knowledge. Fundamental questions such as who we are, where we come from, where we are going to, what is important to us, what is our definition of success, what is the purpose of our lives or how we can connect with others are still valid questions in the XXI century.

Being able to understand our feelings and emotions is one of the main skills that emotional intelligence can offer us. Understanding what we feel is of great importance since our decisions are guided by our emotions.

"Know Thyself" and only then you will be able to recognise yourself in others. Only when you do this, the god Apollo will grant you the gift of understanding the beauty of life.

El gran arte del autoconocimiento

Cuando los viajeros llegaban al templo de Apolo, en la ciudad griega de Delfos, como bienvenida se encontraban con la frase "Gnóthi seautón" (conócete a ti mismo).

La única condición que el dios Apolo les ponían a los peregrinos era que, antes de hacerle ninguna consulta, se conocieran a sí mismos.

El autoconocimiento es el primer nivel de cualquier tipo de conocimiento. Preguntas fundamentales como quiénes somos, de dónde venimos, a dónde vamos, qué es importante para nosotros, cúal es nuestra definición de éxito, cúal es el propósito de nuestra vida o cómo podemos conectar con los otros son preguntas todavía válidas en el siglo XXI.

Ser capaz de entender nuestros sentimientos y emociones es uno de los objetivos principales de la inteligencia emocional. Entender lo que sentimos tiene enorme importancia ya que nuestras decisiones están guiadas por nuestras emociones.

"Conócete a ti mismo" y sólo así podrás reconocerte en los otros. Ésta es la única forma de que el dios Apolo te dé el conocimiento necesario para entender la belleza de la vida.


The gift of imperfection

Imperfection came into my life like a whirlwind, to stay forever.

The word imperfection comes from the Latin word "imperfectio" which means "not finished."

It has a connotation of deficiency that is limiting but in itself addresses our very human nature: never finished, always learning, developing and growing.

Perfectionism is responsible for emotions such as anxiety, stress and feelings of inadequacy and all that this entails in people's lives.

To accept the gift of imperfection, two things are needed:

  • Courage, which is the energy that drives us to take risks and do new things without allowing that fear or anxiety stop us.

  • Vulnerability, which in itself is an act of bravery, since it means accepting the possibility of being hurt in advance, and deciding that the possible discomfort or suffering is less important than the lessons of imperfection that life offers us.

Accepting the gift of imperfection has helped me to be visible on social media. I have understood that the benefit of being able to connect with another human being overcomes my many personal limitations.

Things do not have to be perfect to simply be. Perfection does not exist. If we wait to have everything under control, we run the risk of losing the train of our lives.

The gift of imperfection opens up endless possibilities. Accept it.


El regalo de la imperfección

La imperfección llegó a mi vida como un torbellino para quedarse para siempre.

La palabra imperfección deriva del latín “imperfectio” que significa “no concluido”.

Tiene una connotación de deficiencia que resulta limitante, pero a la vez apunta a nuestra naturaleza humana, nunca acabada, nunca terminada, siempre en proceso de aprendizaje, desarrollo y crecimiento.

El perfeccionismo es responsable de emociones como la ansiedad, el estrés y el sentimiento de inadecuación y de todo lo que esto conlleva en la vida de las personas.

Para aceptar el regalo de la imperfección hacen falta dos cosas:

  • Valentía, que es la energía que nos impulsa a arriesgarnos y a hacer cosas nuevas sin que el miedo o la ansiedad nos lo impidan.

  • Vulnerabilidad, que en sí misma es un acto de valentía, ya que supone aceptar la posibilidad de ser herido por adelantado, y aún así, decidir que el posible malestar o sufrimiento es menos importante que las lecciones de imperfección que la vida nos ofrece.

Aceptar el regalo de la imperfección me ha ayudado a hacerme visible en las redes sociales. He entendido que el beneficio de poder conectar con otro ser humano supera mis muchas limitaciones personales.

Las cosas no tienen que ser perfectas para simplemente ser. La perfección no existe. Si esperamos a tenerlo todo bajo control, corremos el riesgo de perder el tren de nuestra vida.

El regalo de la imperfección nos abre infinitas posibilidades. Acéptalo.

La vida nos da lo que somos

¿Qué pasaría si en vez de levantarnos con la pierna izquierda, decidiéramos empezar el día dando las gracias?

¿Y si en vez de desinflarnos por el mal tiempo o el tráfico, decidiéramos disfrutar de todos los instantes y sonreir?

¿Qué cambiaría?

Nada

Sólo cambiamos nosotros y la forma de percibir nuestra realidad


Life gives us what we are

What would happen if instead of getting out of bed on the wrong side, we decided to start the day saying thank you?

What if instead of being deflated by the bad weather or the traffic, we decided to enjoy every single moment of it and smile?

What would change?

Nothing

Only ourselves -and the way we perceive our reality

Creatividad y Curiosidad

La creatividad y la curiosidad nos hacen más humanos.

Todos somos creativos por naturaleza. Cultivar la creatividad es una práctica que requiere una apertura hacia el exterior, que nos permite observar el mundo con ojos curiosos.

La creatividad necesita también una capacidad introspectiva para consolidar la experiencia exterior en el YO interior-creador de una nueva realidad.

La creatividad requiere asimismo vulnerabilidad. El acto de creación es un acto de generosidad, en el que el creador desnuda su alma. El objeto creado se ofrece al exterior con ingenuidad y valentía, y se deposita en manos de ojos desconocidos y curiosos que encuentren y valoren su belleza.

La curiosidad fomenta la creatividad. Hacer preguntas y contestarlas desde el mundo del humor, la imaginación y la fantasía nos ayuda a crear una realidad fuera de lo ordinario.

El pesimismo, la negatividad, el control, la apatía, el miedo y el estrés aniquilan la creatividad. Reducen el espacio interior, que se queda sin energía expansiva... no hay sitio para libertad, el juego, el descubrimiento, la emoción y el deseo de aventura.

Los niños nos enseñan cómo ser creativos. Basta disfrutar del momento presente, con todos nuestros sentidos. Los niños bailan con el tiempo, que no existe, y absorben la risa y la emoción de cada segundo vivido, para flotar en un mundo de fantasía, sueño e imaginación que es curioso, creativo y feliz

What is coaching about?

More and more people are getting a coach to enable a positive transformation in their lives.

The International Coach Federation (ICF) defines coaching as "partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.''

My coaching style is co-active and is based on the following cornerstones:

  1. "People are naturally creative, resourceful and whole".

People can find their own answers and are responsible for their own learning process and transformation. "Naturally" is a keyword. I believe that since birth, we all carry an inner light, that sometimes shades, but it is always there. I help people to shine their inner light.

  1. "Focus on the whole person"

I truly believe that a person is more than his/her problems. During coaching, I look at the whole person: heart, mind, body and spirit. My coaching style is holistic -as problems do not exit in isolation. I help people to live a wholehearted life.

3. "Dance in the moment"

Coaching happens during conversations. My coaching sessions are built in confidentiality and trust. Through conversations, I help people to focus on the present moment, to let go of the past and to embrace the future without fear.

4. "Evoke transformation"

I help people to recognise their amazing potential and to identify and work on their goals to achieve a true sense of fulfilment.

Yo enterita

A veces, con la prisa, llego a los sitios sin aliento, y tengo que parar tres segundos y respirar... para llegar entera, con el corazón y la cabeza, no sólo con los pies.


Courage

Courage comes from the Latin word cor, that means heart.

Courage and self-love are the two sides of the one coin. We can not be courageous if we do not appreciate and love who we are.

I have always admired people with courage probably because deep down I thought I did not have enough of it.

Courage is the little fire in our bellies that fuels our hearts and allows us to show up, be vulnerable and provide love, compassion and respect for oneself. Only when we love ourselves, we can love others; only when we allow our litte brave fire to burn our fears out, we can connect with our true selves and with others.

I am grateful to the universe for the great lessons I have received about self-love. The more I love myself, the better quality of love I can share with others. I can count on the universe to help me because it always has my back!




Me quedo con quien me suma

Relacionarse con personas positivas, que te apoyen, te motiven y te inspiren es fundamental para nuestro desarrollo personal:

  • Podemos aprender de ellas

  • Nos contagian su actitud positiva y sus ganas de hacer cosas

  • Nos ayudan a superar obstáculos (que nunca lo serán, ya que las personas positivas saben que los obstáculos son oportunidades de aprendizaje)

  • Nos aceptan como somos y nos ayudan a aceptarnos

  • Nos regalan momentos mágicos

Quédate con quien te sume. No te arrepentirás

It is all about energy

When we are born our vital energy is intact. Then, life takes its course and limitations begin to imprint in our bodies and minds, blocking our life energy.

Beliefs, thoughts and emotions can hinder our natural flow of energy. When this happens, we can experience worry, anxiety, lack of enjoyment, lack of confidence, low self-esteem, emotional dependency, isolation, inability to communicate, lack of creativity, lack of intuition, lack of imagination and lack of life purpose.

Ancient spiritual traditions have identified 7 energy centres located along the spine called chakras.


Root chakra (Muladhara)

"I am here"

"I am rooted"

"I hold my ground"

Navel chakra (Swadhisthana)

"I Feel good"

"I Deserve good"

"I listen to my Feelings"

Solar plexus chakra (Manipura)

"I have courage"

"I follow my will"

"I have no fear"

Heart chakra (Anahata)

"I love"

"I am loved"

"I am worthy of love"

Throat chakra (Vishuddha)

"I speak my truth"

"I listen deeply"

"I am creative"

Third eye chakra (Ajna)

"I have clarity"

"I listen to my intuition"

"I have imagination and dreams"

Crown chakra (Sahasrara)

"I am aware"

"I am conscious"

"I am connected"

Coaching can help you to activate and balance your chakras.

When our chakras are balanced, we feel safe, grounded, able to enjoy the pleasures of life, empowered , ready to communicate what is important to us, to create, to have dreams, to learn new things and to live a whole-hearted and happier life.

Dream BIG

Our ideas come to our mind with the stealthiness of an intermittent light that penetrates through the window of our imagination. It all starts with these little lights that often mark and illuminate our path. Some call it ideas, imagination, inspiration ... I call it DREAMS. It is good to have dreams. They give us purpose and mark our North. The abundance and quality of our dreams are reflected in the abundance and quality of our life, and vice versa, an abundant life is a reflection of an abundant imagination filled with dreams. The universe encourages us to dream BIG and rewards the brave.

Sueña a lo GRANDE

Nuestras ideas llegan a nuestra mente con la sigilosidad de una luz intermitente que penetra por la ventana de nuestra imaginación. Todo comienza con estas pequeñas luces que con frecuencia marcan e iluminan nuestro camino. Algunos lo llaman ideas, imaginación, inspiración... Yo lo llamo SUEÑOS. Es bueno tener sueños. Nos dan propósito y marcan nuestro Norte. La abundancia y calidad de nuestros sueños se reflejan en la abundancia y calidad de nuestra vida, y viceversa, una vida abundante es reflejo de una imaginación abundante colmada de sueños. El universo nos anima a soñar a lo GRANDE y premia a los valientes.

Developing a positive mindset


There are two types of mindsets: the “fixed” and the “growth” one. People with a fixed mindset think that skills and talents are in their genes, so hard work and effort are unnecessary and should be avoided. People with a fixed-mindset believe that effort is needed only when you are not good enough. However, people with a growth mindset embrace challenges and see setbacks as an opportunity for learning and personal development.

Mindsets are not black and white though. They are a continuum and they are both part of what we are. Everybody has both mindsets. What it is important is to be able to identify what can trigger a fixed mindset so that we do not allow those circumstances to hold us back and to stop us from fulfilling our full potential.

The power of the growth mindset is not only applicable to individuals, but also to organisations. Leaders need to create a culture in which individuals can be driven, creative, motivated, able to admit failure and to learn from their mistakes. This is key for organizational growth and success. Personal relationships, teaching and parenting can also benefit from a growth mindset.

Human qualities such as creativity, intelligence, personality etc. are things that we can cultivate with effort. As human beings, we are not finished goods, but always work in progress. A growth mindset can help us to get the best possible version of ourselves.

It is my belief that anyone can learn anything. A positive mindset will allow us to have the courage and curiousity to step out of our comfort zone to try new things. It is never too late to try things that interest us, that bring us joy, a challenge or a good laugh.

How can we develop a positive mindset?

1) Awareness

2) Commitment

2) Practice and repetition

"Practice makes Perfect" ... and it really really does!


My 3 treasures


Every day I take care of my body, my mind and my spirit.

Body: I start my day with a lemon juice, a bowl of porridge and a bit of yoga. I know that I am what I eat and I treat my body with respect, love and compassion through the day.

Mind: Meditation and stillness are my best friends. Through silence and I am able to access the present moment.

Spirit: The daily practise of gratitude is the glitter of my heart


I AM HERE, I AM ROOTED, I HOLD MY GROUND

Grounding is a slow process. It is where it all begins. We are born in a family, in a country, in a society, in a religion, in a culture that creates our belief system and programs our lives. Grounding is always changing and it gets influenced by our life experiences.

When we have roots, we feel anchored, safe, supported, protected and cared for. We trust and there is abundance in our lives. We are comfortable with our physical body and have a sense of calm and security.

When we do not have strong roots, there is anxiety, fear, worry and disconnection with our bodies, our minds and others.

Coaching can bring new positive habits to our lives that will help us to delete any old programming that no longer serves us. Coaching will enable the creation of strong, secure and permanent roots that will sustain our growth and enhance our lives.

To blog or not to blog?

That is the question.

I have decided to start writing and sharing my blog for two main reasons:

1) Writing helps me to assimilate and elaborate my learning. If I can tell something in a simple way, I get it and I hope that you will get it too. Learning is one of my most important values and sharing my learnings is important to me.

2) Blogging brings me to an uncomfortable space. I know that this is the only place where the real magic happens. I need to put myself in that space, to open the door to new experiences, creativity and transformation.