Mangata: Journey on the path that brings you home.

Mangata (pronounced Mo-an-gaa-tah) is a Swedish word to describe the reflection of the moon on the water; a reflection that often resembles a shimmering road to a distant horizon. Yet, distant as it may seem at times, the moon is representative of our inner selves- our most personal, emotional and spiritual selves. And, being in touch with our emotional self provides us with a unique guidance system.

When we are truly tuned in, our feelings can serve as an innate GPS system signaling the best routes to take along this journey we call life.

However, more often we become caught up in the busyness of our everyday lives and can get detached from this inner, emotional self- focusing more on the outside world and its practicalities.

But how do we find the path to true happiness amidst the often chaotic events ensuing around us? For some, the path may lay its sparkly brilliance over the water in an obvious manner where the beauty of this illuminated trail is hard to ignore. But for others, the path may not shine so brightly at first-perhaps the moon is hiding behind clouds or in its dark, new phase. For those of us who need to first find the path, I have some suggestions that worked for me to see the sparkly road after many dark, confused nights.

1. Spend time in nature. The moon has a big role in natural elements from controlling the lit night sky to the ocean tides. Thus, connecting with nature can naturally help us align with our lunar side. As humans, we crave connection with the natural elements. Yet, we spend our days detached from the outer world-inside man-made buildings and attached to various technologies. Because of these technologies, some of us rarely even communicate amongst each other anymore. Our bodies crave this connection because we become emotionally fulfilled by it.

Whether it’s the simple pleasure gained from a butterfly flittering across your path, the smell of beautiful flowers, or the peace felt basking under the soft rays of the moon on a hot summer night-it is hard to deny that we have an emotional response from engaging with nature.

And when we engage in our natural environment we draw attention to our lunar controlled emotional/inner self; thus, becoming aware of its presence and preferences. And, just like any other skill, the more we use it the stronger it becomes.

I live in an area where it is winter for far too many months out of the year. I really feel it this time of year…the need to reconnect. As the birds make a reappearance and the grass moves from that dirty snow colored slush to rain soaked green I get excited to my core. I come alive again. I see how my body is naturally aligned with the cycles of the environment, growing increasingly tired and introverted throughout the winter and blooming and active in the spring and summer. The more I take notice and respect this, the more internally connected I feel. I am aligned with my lunar driven emotional self when I recognize and feed these soul urges. And my mind thanks me… repaying me with strong inner peace and contentment that I take with me through whatever happens in the day to day.

2. Breathe. As an autonomic response we all do this without having to think about it. But sometimes that is honestly a disadvantage. Like the focused control the moon has over the tides, intentional breathing can bring us almost instantly aligned with our emotional/inner self. “Heart-focused breathing” is a particularly beneficial breathing technique for tapping into our emotional side. Introduced by HeartMath Institute, this type of breathing has been scientifically demonstrated to shift our attention into heart-healthy, intuitively focused, positive emotional states. As a bonus, it is the simplest technique I have so far come across and can be done anywhere, anytime, including in the midst of those chaos inducing everyday life moments.

Start by focusing on the area that surrounds your heart. Focus your attention in this area. As you do, breathe slower and deeper than you normally would. Possibly inhale for a count of 5 and exhale for a count of 5. If this is too regimented or uncomfortable, just do what feels like a natural, slowed down breathing pace for you. As you breathe, imagine the air flowing in and out of your heart area. Continue to breathe slower and deeper than usual.

That’s it…this technique is really so simple it’s a little outrageous, but it really does work. Focusing on our breathe allows us to take our focus off the outside world and bring it into our inner, physical experience.

Focusing on the heart prompts us to align with our emotions. This happens subconsciously-just by the simple act of putting our attention there.

It is a truly amazing way to shift from the craziness of the world around you to the calm and love that inherently resides inside.

For me, focused breathing is essential in those moments when life starts to overwhelm. It is easy for me, at times, to get caught up in everyday stress of life. So easy sometimes I don’t even realize I’m doing it. Then I have a flash of insight, I see it. My speech is hurried, I’m rambling on to my partner about the million things I need to get done before noon. And, as I ramble, my tension builds. Muscles become rigid. I may notice I’m holding a fist or obsessively fiddling with something. These are all cues. I need to stop. I need to breathe. Clarity comes quickly. My thoughts shift from “I have to do this, and this, and this…” To “I will do what I can, what is most important?” I can soak in the calm, the steady. I am reconnected.

3. Flex your intuition muscle. The moon represents our intuitive side, as opposed to our analytic side. In our society we are taught to practice our analytic side and reinforced when we show good analytic skills. We are not usually taught or rewarded in the same way for using our intuitive skills. Even though these skills are just as innate to our nature-they become somewhat obsolete when we don’t use them, or we don’t know how to interpret intuitive understanding when it does show up. Often, it is ignored. The good news is these skills are always accessible to us, we just need to practice using them to strengthen our abilities. Why does this matter? Because it is precisely through intuition that we will see the unique path that leads to our true joy. These skills are often accessed through silent observation of the hunches, feelings, and signs that are all around us. Until we get proficient in this observation, a great way to start to access this knowledge is journaling.

Ask yourself, plain and simple, what is the path to happiness? Then answer the question in writing.

Write whatever comes to your mind… without editing or thinking about what is coming out. You can analyze what you were told after, when you read it. But, while you write, be free to say whatever is flowing through your head. What comes out may indeed be surprising.

I find this technique particularly useful when feeling “stuck” in life. I have used it so frequently that I now know that is what I need to get clear on an issue… to get tuned into my emotional self. In fact, I trust this lunar driven emotional self more than my ability to think through a solution. I have come to realize the traps that come with thinking… anxiety, overthinking, distorted thinking. Connecting with my intuition in this way always gives me a clear picture of what is needed and it is always a solution that meets the highest good. My mind on the other hand, weeds through all kinds of crazy emotions-greed, jelousy, desire, you name it. It really can’t be trusted! I have come to learn that my best answer will come when I truly put aside the thoughts and align with what is at the core.

Any and all of these techniques when practiced regularly are sure to prompt alignment and connection, helping you learn need to tune into your inner self…ultimately to journey on the path that will lead you home.

Dr. Anna Conn is a holistic health specialist and the founder of Mangata Wellness. She holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in psychology, an M.Ed. in Health Education and has over 20 years of experience as a professor, trainer, counselor, and educator. She is a Master Reiki practitioner and a certified HeartMath coach. Dr. Conn has been at the forefront of study on how stress affects the mind body connection. She has combined this expertise with her experience as a healer to develop and deliver state of the art wellness services and programs. Her heart-based coaching programs focus on building resilience to stress and mastering manifestation. Dr. Conn provides practical advice and education for holistic wellness.

https://www.mangatawellness.com

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