SOVEREIGN BY NATURE
RISE INTO RESILIENCY
30 DAY PROGRAM
WEEK 3- WORLDVIEW &
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
Over the past two weeks, we have started to create new habits, spotted lighted areas for growth and perhaps encountered some interesting revelations. This week we will look at how our consciousness eats and how we view the world. These two key concepts form the reality that we have created for ourselves.
Just like our body, our mind and emotions consume nutrients & toxicity from the things in which we indulge. Just like our food, much of our information is depleted of value, toxic and distracting. We will establish new reading and watching patterns to make the necessary mental shift for a resilient lifestyle. Not only will this inform our thought patterns but also begin to create a shift in our emotional wellbeing.
We will also ponder our worldview and how we created it. Our worldview is essentially why we think & do what we think & do. Much of our worldview is shaped by several key influences: family, religion, culture, political society and economic upbringing. In a large part we inherited a set of beliefs about the world from our childhood and geographic location.
It’s a worthy endeavor to dig into the concepts that make us tick because we can get to know ourselves in new, yet old, ways. Investigating and challenging our worldview leads us to divergent thinking, which is to think outside our preconceived norms, instill a new sense of focus and encourage creative risk taking.
This can be quite tricky at times so we suggest to inquire with a sense of playful curiosity and nonjudgmental awareness.
NOTE: We will also invite you to continue with the food adjustment that we made last week. You may also want to introduce some of those things back into your diet or choose to select a couple of things to keep excluding. It takes time to shift our eating habits and this week is the perfect way to quicken the process of healthful eating.
NOTE: If you choose to continue to cleanse, you may need to shop for food items based on cleanse guidelines, try and do so prior to starting week 2.
MORNING RITUAL
One key to living a balanced, harmonious, peaceful, energetic, positive & productive life is having a daily practice which aligns your mind, body, and spirit. Commit to this daily practice by following the step-by-step guidelines below. No matter where you are on your life’s journey this framework is a catalyst for achieving what you desire. It has the power to change your life dramatically — and it’s so incredibly simple.
GENERAL OUTLINE:
-Rise between 6-6:30am - as close to sunrise as possible
-Upon rising do not reach for your phone- wait at least 1 hour before doing so
-Skip coffee first thing- start with the morning beverage outlined below.
-Move - 15-30 minutes of gentle movement. Below you will find access to several movement exercises to support your practice.
-Meditation - 15-30 minutes. Below you will find audio meditations to incorporate into your practice
-Breathwork - 5-20 minutes. Below you will find breathwork recordings to integrate into your daily routine
-Journal - Below you will find prompts that will help guide and deepen this inquiry into resiliency.
-Plan Your Day / Goal Setting: What are the top 3 things I need to accomplish today?
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Prioritize the top 3 things YOU MUST DO ABOVE ALL ELSE, and do those before you open social media, emails, etc. Once you complete, or at least move those projects forward, you can then move on to other things.
* If possible, dedicate around 2 hours upon rising to your morning practice
Morning Beverage Options:
Select from options below - please note we will begin our day with a non caffeinated beverage.
1) Water/Warm Water 8-12oz
2) Alkaline Water = water with ½ lemon and 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (acv), pinch of sea salt in 6-8oz of water (Balances pH (see Chapter 3 in Robust Vitality for more on Acid/Alkaline balance) Improves gut health, detoxification and digestion)
3) Reishi Tea - Benefits of Reishi include: Anti-inflammatory, Boosts Immune System, Reduces Fatigue and Elevates Mood; For more information: see Robust Vitality Chapter 10. If you do not have access to Reishi select an herbal tea of your preference.
OPTIONAL
CLEANSE GUIDANCE
1) Eliminate Sugar, Gluten, Dairy, Alcohol and Animal Protein. Consuming these things causes inflammation.
2) Additional Elimination: Caffeine
3) Intermittent Fasting: Eat within an 8 hour window, i.e. 16 hours of not eating. We recommend that you eat lunch between 12-1pm and dinner between 5-6pm.
4) Recommended Meal times:
9:00 am: Green Juice/Green Smoothie
12:00 pm: Plant Powered Lunch
5:00 pm: Plant Powered Dinner
5) Snacks: Part of this experiment is to break our habit of overeating or binge eating. Nevertheless you might feel a bit hungry at times, especially in the beginning. Snack within your 8 hour eating window.
Suggestions:
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Drink more water. It is important to drink lots of water during the cleanse — in short, most of us are chronically dehydrated. Tiredness, mental fogginess, achiness, upset stomach, constipation and hunger are symptoms of being thirsty. Oftentimes our thirst mechanism is confused for hunger, so we eat instead of drink.
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Nuts and seeds are great things to have handy. Nuts are a good source of protein and healthy fats. Good examples: pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds and walnuts. Do your best to avoid cashews and brasil nuts as they are higher on the glycemic index than other nuts.
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Vegetables. Eat more greens. Steamed vegetables with a bit of olive oil and sea salt are great in addition to any meal. Celery with a little bit of almond butter is a great snack. Avocados can also be enjoyable.
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Fruits. Fruits are to be consumed between 10:00am and 4:00pm. Best to consume fruits that are in season. Berries are great additions because they are high in antioxidants. Fruits to avoid: bananas, grapes, pineapple and anything dehydrated like raisins or cranberries.
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In general, whole foods are ideal. Processed foods are to be avoided at all costs.
6) Refer to the Recipe Section in Robust Vitality for inspiration on juices, smoothies, breakfasts, lunch and dinner.
MINDFULNESS: THE POWER OF PROCESS
The human experience is colorful and mysterious to say the least. We are unique multi-dimensional beings that are cooking in a soup of our past events, present temperament and our future ruminations. We exist in varying times and places to greet the present moment with the fullness and totality of who we are. Though our bodies live in the present, our thoughts and emotions often to do not.
By entering into a process we choose to sharpen our awareness on what is life-affirming and to explore what needs to be refined. We all have areas of dormant vitality that can be awakened, so let’s wake them up!
CLICK HERE: DEEP DIVE INTO THE POWER OF PROCESS
BREATHWORK:
Breathing is something that is absolutely essential for living and plays a tremendous role in our mental and emotional wellbeing. We will focus on basic techniques to establish a healthy breathing practice that will become automatic. It is during times of stress, conflict, fear or intense exercise that many of us have a tendency to not breathe to our fullest potential. In some situations in life all we can do is breathe.
Week 3 - Alternate Nostril Breathing
Alternate nostril breathing may help to:
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Relax your body and mind
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Reduce anxiety
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Promote overall well-being
These benefits, in turn, may help you to be more focused and aware.
You can use this breathing technique to help manage stresses in your daily life. You may also find that practicing alternate nostril breathing helps you to be more mindful of the present moment.
You can do alternate nostril breathing at any time and place that feels most comfortable to you. You may find that you enjoy doing it in the morning or evening. It can also be done during the day when you need to focus or relax.
Alternate nostril breathing is best done on an empty stomach. Don’t practice alternate nostril breathing if you’re sick or congested.
Alternate nostril breathing can be done before or after your movement practice. Find the way that suits you best as people have different results and experiences. Or you can do it at the start of your meditation practice. This may help you to deepen your meditation.
MEDITATION:
Mindfulness exercises cultivate a sense of equanimity and balance. Meditations, contemplations and reflections are key for developing a clear and focused mind. These techniques will also help us to partner with our mind, rather than be at the effect of it.
Shadow Work Tips
1) Center Yourself: Breathwork, Meditation
2) Self-Compassion: Maitri unconditional friendliness toward self
3) Self-awareness: development of witness consciousness
4) Honesty: Call bullshit on yourself
5) Journal/Draw
6) Get Creative
7) Observe your reactions and emotions: clue into your projections onto other people
8) Inner Dialogue: Talk to yourself
9) Curiosity: Become curious about your emotions
10) Challenge the good parts of yourself: Find the opposite emotion and sit with it.
Meditation (Extrapolated from Ken Wilbur’s book: Integral Life Practice):
Center yourself through breath awareness.
Bring to mind someone who annoys you.
Describe those qualities: in 3rd person
Talk to that person: 2nd person
Be that persons: 1st person
Witness your experience
Record any necessary information.
How to Start:
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Center and identify > other people > self-compassion/self-awareness/honesty
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See attribute w/in you > when does it come up
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Engage w/it (inner dialogue)
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Bring it back in = own it
Benefits:
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Improved relationships
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Clarity
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Enhanced Energy
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Integration, maturity, emotional intelligence
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Greater creativity
Week 3 - SHADOW WORK MEDITATION
-Carve out 15 minutes for this meditation every morning.
-Find a comfortable and quiet place to sit or lie down.
JOURNAL
Journaling is a fantastic way to process information. We will offer daily prompts to reflect upon. The intention for journaling is to allow for your mind to unwind and relax. Put it down to put it down. In many ways this practice allows us to unpack our streams of thought so we can create space and clarity. Journaling is meant to be fun, free form and creative. Doodles, colors, poems, incorrect grammar and punctuation are all invited.
Plan Your Day / Goal Setting:
-What are the top 3 things I need to accomplish today?
Prioritize the top 3 things YOU MUST DO ABOVE ALL ELSE, and do those before you open social media, emails, etc. Once you complete, or at least move those projects forward, you can then move on to other things.
DAILY PROMPTS FOR WEEK 3: Feel free to elaborate on these inquiries.
11/2 What beliefs, values, ideas have I acquired from my parents? Which ones do I still believe and which ones have I shifted?
11/3 How do I relate to religion? How do I relate to science? How do I relate to my upbringing — good and bad stuff?
11/4 What’s one thing from my past that I would like to change?
11/5: How do I define shadow/darkness?
11/6 What emotions do I restrain/resist?
11/7 What is my relationship with fear?
11/8 What are some of my many triggers and where do they come from?
MOVEMENT
As humans we have evolved and survived through moving. Our modern culture has lulled us into a condition of movement poverty — this is detrimental for all facets of our wellbeing. Brain development, emotional balance, cooperation and immune strength all happen best when in motion. The movement offerings that you will be able to choose from will be in addition to your regular exercise. Movement needs to be threaded throughout the day, so it’s our goal to deliver that.
SELECT YOUR MOVEMENT PRACTICE
Remember to incorporate movement throughout the day.
AFTERNOON
It is of the utmost importance to instill a midday practice so that our lives can become fulfilling, productive and easeful. Most of us have obligations during the afternoon whether it be work, running errands or tending to personal items. It is crucial to create time for ourselves so we can flow with our daily duties with maximum efficiency. This means creating a new schedule so we can be more present, engaged and focused when we “need” to get things done. This may be tough at first, but again we are creating a new routine. We owe it to ourselves to carve time to generate this new way of joyful living.
Set aside about 30-45 minutes in the afternoon
GENERAL OUTLINE:
-Breathwork - Select a breathwork exercise you want to deepen in - Centering Breath, Breath of Fire, 478 Breath or Alternate Nostril Breathing
-Movement - Select 15-30 minutes of more rigorous movement from the library
-Mindfulness Exercise - See below
MINDFULNESS: NATURAL LIVING WITH JEFF SHUB, MD
Jeff Shub, better known these days as The Urban Barefoot, is a holistic sustainability advisor who travels the world helping individuals and companies expand their potential by harnessing their innate superpowers. With several years of experience in building businesses and consulting for some of the most progressive companies in the world, combined with a medical degree and profound passion for the human experience, Jeff is uniquely suited to help you realize you can live differently, more in tune with nature.
Jeff is a student of his own method. He felt so strongly that the current healthcare model was not designed for sustainability, that he made the unpopular decision to leave it behind. Through his social media platform, The Urban Barefoot, Jeff is now spreading the sustainability message around the world. He is a traveling speaker, consultant and coach working with companies of all sizes, and with high-performing executives and business owners on unlocking their superpowers in everything from leadership and culture to meditation and running technique.
When Jeff isn’t working or traveling you can find him moving, meditating or learning about the human experience. His mantra is, “to lead with giving and be open to receiving, and become one with everything and everyone on his journey”.
INTRODUCTION
BEING BARAEFOOT
PRACTICAL ADVICE
EVENING
The goal of our evening routine is to decompress before bed. This is our chance to wind down and prepare for rest and rejuvenation. Spending time on our devices is a hazard to accomplishing a deep and restful experience.
All screens should be shut down at least one hour before bedtime.
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Screens disrupt your sleep patterns. The blue light blocks the production of melatonin - essentially it tricks your body to thinking it’s day time
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Social media, work-related emails and personal responsibilities keep our mind running while we sleep.
Guidelines for Rejuvenating Rest
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Try to be in bed at a relatively early hour - between 10pm-11pm at the latest, this will help you rise earlier feeling rested.
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Turn your phone on airplane mode. Wifi signals can disrupt sleep. We are around electromagnetic fields (EMFs) all day. Remove them from where you sleep to give your mind a rest and allow your body to sync with its natural evening rhythms. This also prevents you from being sucked into the social media trap. And stops you from being always “on”. It’s time to turn off!
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Set aside time to read, be creative, write, reflect, meditate, play music. Use this time in completely different ways than you do during the day.
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Set a gentle alarm (you never want to wake up abruptly) for the next morning and take care to get at least seven hours of sleep each night. Proper sleep can alone change your life.
EVENING BREATHWORK
478 Breathing for stress reduction, better sleep - by Dr. Andrew Weil
This practice includes breath retention, if you’re unfamiliar with the practice ensure you go at a slow pace and that you’re laying / sitting in a safe place in case dizziness occurs. If dizziness occurs, you can retain for less time until your body adjusts.
Sit or lay in a comfortable position, if possible palms down on knees or on your sides
Tune into the natural rhythm of your breath for 5 breaths
On the 6th breath- Inhale through your nose slowly for a count of 4
Retain your breath for a count of 7
Exhale through your mouth fully for a count of 8
Repeat this 4 times
DAILY EVENING JOURNAL
ACCOUNTABILITY ENTRY
-Enter your daily activity, accomplishments, inquiries, etc
MEDITATION
Unwinding Your Day
The meditation technique of unwinding the day comes from Stuart Wilde’s book Infinite Self. It encapsulates two of the key concepts of meditation: focus and concentration (with the intention of leading toward self-awareness). It is a great meditation on its own or can be used as a preparation for deeper meditative practices. The excerpt below describes the method:
This process comes from the Hindu tradition and is usually done at night. It involves reviewing the day’s events, in the mind’s eye, running backwards through the day from bedtime to dawn. Don’t ponder or comment too much on what happened — just watch. This exercise is a way of unraveling those experiences. It cuts down on the need for lots of trivial dreams, where the mind processes things that happened during the day. It’s like moving backwards in time; it’s a discipline to do just as you fall asleep so that you notice your life. Life will not be just passing you by; you’re taking time to notice it. In reviewing the day’s events, it un-clutters the mind and allows you to go to sleep in a very pure state of consciousness. (Wilde 94).[1]
Notice the thoughts that take you out of this meditation. Become aware of how your mind can sidetrack itself. It is ok if this happens. Tangents are part of the process. They are the integration of an earlier experience. Witnessing yourself in the storyline and then assimilating it is the unwinding of static mental and emotional patterning.
[1] This is only one of the many useful techniques that Wilde offers for personal and spiritual development. (Infinite Self is highly recommended to further your pursuit of Robust Vitality.)
SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE
Presented by Alejandro Quiros
Practical Advice on How to Explore Your Spiritual Path:
We have to understand that we are not the mind, we are not our emotions and we are not the body. We are Spirit and the mind, the body and emotions are here to serve the Spirit.
We also have to understand that we are here for a purpose that may change throughout our lifetime. Limiting beliefs, agreements, programs, fears, etc keeps us in an illusion that does not let us walk the Spiritual path. It is our duty to clean out all of these veils that do not let us align with our spirituality and generate a sense of separation from all living beings.
Our purpose in life is guided from the Sacred Mystery and we have all the tools, help and guidance we need there.
We need to have faith and courage to know ourselves, look inside and hear the voice of our inner wisdom that is the Spirit in us.
Spirit is LOVE, unconditional love and we must spend time alone in silence with Mother Earth to find what we really are and then the Spiritual guidance starts to talk to us.
Wisdom is needed for understanding. It brings light inside us to make changes in our patterns that limit us.
Then with faith and willpower, we go in the direction of our spiritual purpose. The mind will not understand because it makes no sense to it.
Remember you are not the mind. Have trust and patience on the journey.
You are LOVE.
WEEK 3 - Becoming Silent
Spend time alone in silence with Mother Earth.
Practice silence for at least 30 minutes each day.
Ideally you can do this outside in a natural setting, if not make sure you're creating a space in your home where you will not be interrupted. This is your time to dive into the great mystery.
For these 30 minutes you will disconnect from all electronics and remain in silence. It is an opportunity to listen to your inner wisdom.
If you're in nature, it's an opportunity to attune to the energetic frequency of the elements. Create a relationship with nature, with patience, persistence and love.
SOVEREIGN BY NATURE is a global platform to awaken the human spirit — a community calling for reconnection with nature, regenerative lifestyles and personal empowerment.
Our intention is to foster human vitality by claiming responsibility for our health and the creation of our life’s story. By embracing our sovereign nature we become stewards for the wellbeing of ourselves, others and the planet.
