Welcome to our new theme, Culture Creation! Sadly there are many things that trouble me about the culture I find myself within and it is beyond this blog to describe them all. However I wanted to explore this month some of the ways I am personally creating my own culture and how I’m pushing back against the narrative I have absorbed since I was a child. So here are some limiting beliefs I’ve struggled with …

• My body will never be good enough unless I am a size 8 without a scrap of fat & ideally no wrinkles.
• I need more to be happy, more money, more belongings, to be more beautiful.
• Women who are more beautiful, successful, thinner or cleverer than me are a threat.
• I must work relentlessly and constantly force and push myself forward in order to be successful.
• It is lazy/selfish to take time just to be and do nothing or simply for pleasure.

I’m calling bullshit on all of the above.

It is an act of rebellion to love your body exactly the way it is, with all your so called in perfections, to realise (that when all your fundamental needs are met) you have all that you need to be happy within you, women are your allies not your enemy, you can take inspired action but still release control of the outcome and your life will be more beautiful than you can possibly imagine, you are allowed … Just. To. Be.

That’s why I am creating my own culture, because in a life where I can embody all of the above I know I will be infinitely happier. I am trying to embrace these things, some days I do better than others. I am not perfect.

So let’s dive into each in a little more detail to see how you can write your own narrative, create your own culture and live in a way that is aligned with your own unique, divine soul.

LOVE YOUR BODY

The beauty industry is making billions by making you believe you are not enough, you are not thin enough, pretty enough, smooth enough, enough, enough. Well let’s call enough on that utter bollocks right here, right now.

Yoga teaches us that we are divine souls experiencing life in human form. It reminds us that beyond our physical bodies and earthly experiences, there is a deeper essence, a divine spark within each of us. This divine essence connects us to something greater than ourselves, whether we refer to it as the universe, higher consciousness, or divine energy.

Through the practice of yoga, we learn to tap into this divine essence within ourselves. We explore the depths of our being through breath, movement, meditation, and self-reflection. Yoga encourages us to quiet the chatter of the mind, to transcend the limitations of the ego, and to connect with the infinite wisdom and love that reside within.

By recognising our divine nature, yoga teaches us to live with greater compassion, kindness, and authenticity. We learn to see ourselves and others through the lens of love and understanding, honouring the sacredness of all life. This understanding helps us navigate the ups and downs of human existence with grace and resilience.

Know that you were born complete, you are complete right now and you are ultimately a spiritual being on a journey of growth and self-discovery.

In the first week of our new theme in the Cyclical Yogi Studio we are exploring this with a yoga flow and meditation dedicated to connecting with your divine soul and a guided journaling practice to help you connect to a sense of gratitude for your amazing, bad ass, incredible body, EXACTLY AS IT IS!

CONNECT TO SELF, NATURE & COMMUNITY

Life is busier than ever before and more and more of us seem to have become isolated from ourselves, nature and community.

No Woman Is An Island

However strong you are, you were not designed to live, work, exist alone. You were designed to feel deeply connected to the natural world, your inner wisdom, to the differing generations of your community and to the women who surround you. I expect if you’re reading this you’re feeling a pull to reawaken that connection, or perhaps you already have.

I’ve felt it when I’ve laughed so hard with good friends I’ve almost (ok let’s be honest post kids I have) wet myself! When I’ve lifted my face to the pouring rain on the moors of Dartmoor, or stared in awe at the racing shadows of clouds blown by the wind, when holding my newborn baby to my breast, making love to my husband or diving into an icy cold sea. I’ve felt the wildness in me, and at the risk of sounding like Belle from Beauty And The Beast, there must be more than this provincial life. She’s right, there is.

But in order to receive this richness we must know ourselves, we must build a life where we take moments to be in awe of nature. We must surround ourselves with people who feel inherently right, who uplift us, who we love. We must understand our authentic values and strive to live by them, we must listen to our intuition and take risks to build a life that is aligned with our true self, even if it isn’t what society would deem is right for us. The more often we connect to ourselves, the louder the voice of our intuition cries and the easier it is to listen.

In the second week of our new theme in the Cyclical Yogi Studio we are connecting deeply to our self, our femininity and to nature in a yoga flow where we mimic the life cycle of a tree with embodied movement (I know, I’d probably roll my eyes too, but it’s more fun than it sounds…) plus deeply connecting to nature with a guided walking meditation and a beautiful sisterhood meditation, in which we embrace the gift of connecting to other women and explore how we can uplift others and connect to the divine feminine.

LET GO OF ATTACHMENT TO OUTCOME

All my life I’ve been taught to work hard in order to achieve an outcome and I have. I worked really hard at school, at university (though not so much in year 1!) and then in my career in veterinary sales (which I hated!) But I never felt like I could do enough, I felt like I had to force and push all the time. It was exhausting.

I am not going to sit here and tell you that you never have to work hard again (sorry…) I am going to tell you that you can let go of the outcome and it will make you feel A LOT less stressed and your life much more relaxing and enjoyable.

Here's an example, we are in the process of buying a new house, we want this house so much, we’re doing everything we can to make it happen, we’re on top of the solicitors, we’re organising our shite so that when it does happen we’re ready. Here comes the BUT, if it doesn’t happen I’m also ok with that (not delighted I grant you!) but I know that ultimately I cannot control it, why waste my energy with so much attachment to an outcome I cannot control.

If you can allow yourself to trust that when things don’t work out as you’d hoped there is a bigger plan unfolding, one that is even more beautiful, miraculous than you can imagine, when you learn to expect joy in your life, happiness, it will come.

There are so many scenarios you can apply this to, exams, you can work hard, but you can’t control the outcome, a date, you can make an effort, be yourself, it may or may not work out. How can you let go of what you cannot control? We explored this in last week’s blog too, under surrender.

So why not welcome a little more ease into your life, take action inspired by your instinct and aligned with your values and then let go of the outcome, surrender and notice how much lighter it makes you and your life feel.

DARE TO FAIL

I definitely grew up with the belief that it was important to work hard, to be determined and not give up, but I also feel there was an underlying message, that if something seems unrealistic, it’s best not to try because you might fail. I’m not sure where this message came from but that’s how I felt.

Can you relate? When I started my yoga teacher training I didn’t know what I wanted to do with it, I was following a gut instinct. It wasn’t cheap to do the training and really I’m not sure how we could justify the expense when we had two kids at home and I had just been made redundant at the time. But for some reason I was absolutely convinced I had to do it.

The same with creating Cyclical Yogi Studio, in truth as I write this I am at the beginning of this journey, I’ve spent the best part of 18 months wading through technology I don’t understand, doing every, last thing myself, without support, I’ve worked really hard (get out your tiny violin) alongside raising a family with a husband who’s job means he is often away for long periods of time.

There have been times I’ve thought “What AM I DOING?! I could just get a proper job, earn a salary, why am I busting a gut on something that might very well fail?!” to tell you the truth I am terrified of it failing. But something propels me forward, my intuition, my gut instinct, divine nudges, whatever you want to call it. So I keep going and I trust that even if I can’t see it yet, even if I fail, this is exactly where I am meant to be.

They say only regret the things you don’t do, what are you holding off from fear of failure? Why not give it a go? I dare you!

Inside Cyclical Yogi Studio this week we are daring to fail with a challenging flow I hope you will love and come back to time and time again as your practice progresses and you realise how far you have come!

JUST BE

Oh my goodness this is one I struggle with, I suspect I always will as it’s not just culture here that holds me back but I think my own personality. We’ve covered the doshas before, I am a firey Pitta, driven and determined and I find it very hard to just be despite that being exactly what I need a lot of the time.

I am getting better at it, but it is not helped by our prevailing culture, which has certainly tainted doing things that are purely for pleasure, or resting as unproductive and a waste of time. But why must we always be productive? Where is that drive coming from? Does it make us happier? Invariably I think the answer is no, it makes us feel we have conformed to what is expected of us, we feel a sense of pride from achievement, but where is that need coming from. It’s not coming from us, not really, it is from the beliefs that we have made from what we are surrounded by.

What if you allowed yourself to do what you love, just for the sheer pleasure of it, what if you allowed yourself to rest, to just be, just because it nourishes your body, mind and soul. How much more fulfilled would you feel if you could let go of any guilt or shame around that?

I’m getting better at it and my life feels so much more delicious as a result. What is it you love to do for the sheer hell of it? Do you love to play music, dance, paint, garden, cook, write, read, run, ride?? I could go on, what do you love? Please, please make space for it, even if there is no result at the end of it. All the result you need is a more fulfilled, nourished you. You will benefit, your relationships will benefit and so will the world around you.

In the final week of our new theme in the Cyclical Yogi Studio we have a yoga flow dedicated to allowing yourself to do things just for pleasure, where we explore how to find more ease on and off the mat, stepping away from the culture of always pushing and forcing. There is also a beautiful breath retention practice this week, find clarity of mind in the pauses between breaths, enabling you to embody the sensation of ‘just be’ with your body, mind and breath.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, as we navigate the complexities of the culture we find ourselves in, it's essential to recognise the limiting beliefs we've internalised and actively create our own way of life.

By challenging societal norms and embracing practices that align with our true selves, we reclaim our power and find greater fulfilment. Loving our bodies exactly as they are, connecting deeply with ourselves, nature, and community, and letting go of attachment to outcomes are transformative acts of rebellion. Moreover, allowing ourselves to simply be, to engage in activities solely for pleasure and rest without guilt or shame, enriches our lives.

It's an ongoing journey of self-discovery and empowerment, but by writing our own narratives and living authentically, we cultivate a culture that honours our unique souls and brings us closer to true contentment and joy.

The Cyclical Yogi Studio is an online yoga membership & community, uplifting women to build their self worth, savour life & connect from a nourished place. Every month we have a new theme. This month you can explore culture creation through movement practices, breathwork, meditation and guided journaling. Raise your vibration with the empowering benefits of yoga. Take the first step today and journey with us into culture creation!