But first: an example. The art of stopping.
Stopping — as in, being in a state of intentional not-doing — is not really something that just happens. Most of us have to learn how to do it.
And the learning of it takes time.
It’s a progression.
You assimilate bits and pieces of practice, information, concepts, trust — adding layers of physical, mental and emotional experience until this turning everything off becomes familiar and automatic.
Shavasana.
I come from the yoga world, so this practice is kind of my sandbox, but most of my people don’t have that type of background.
So when I teach Shivanautical wackiness or Old Turkish Lady yoga as a part of a workshop or retreat, resting after the practice is something that requires explanations.
Try this. Try that. What happens when you do this. What happens when you do that.
It becomes an experiment. Something we get to mess around with. I love this.
When I teach Shiva Nata in a yoga studio, though, all I have to do is say the word.
Shavasana … and everyone collapses instantly, their brain seamlessly issuing commands to the nervous system, muscles, bones. Their bodies expertly performing hundreds of tiny adjustments without having to give thought to the process.
Because they’re right there in it.
One word becomes an incantation.
When you’ve spent so much time with a word — and the depth of concepts and experiences behind it — just hearing it or saying it zaps you right into the state being described by it.
That’s when it becomes a spell.
Every time you say the word, you are invoking its essence.
You are conjuring up both the experience and its attributes.
You’re summoning both the container and the contents. With one word.
We can do this with any word. It just takes time.
I did this with LOVE. The word, I mean. But also the experience.
When I started working with this about six years ago, my heart was broken broken broken.
I tried all kinds of heart meditations but at first I couldn’t feel a thing.
Then the word evoked a tiny, beautiful heart swimming inside of this giant warzone of another, larger heart.
This evolved — eventually — into a big, happy heart with a small, jagged, injured one on the inside.
And now LOVE is just my heart. It’s a place I can go to be at home.
If I say “LOVE“, I can be in it. Love for myself, for my internal world, for my gentleman friend, for my business, for connection, for deeper, more mysterious things.
But when I began, love was an abstraction. It had something to do with all the pain I was in. But it wasn’t a word that brought me into a state of being.
That’s where the practice happens.
Right now I’m working on “trusting in the timing of things”.
TRUST.
And when it comes to TRUST, I am exactly where my students are when they experience shavasana for the first time.
It’s new. It’s uncomfortable. There are so many little things that need to happen and I’m not always sure exactly where they are.
I have to stop and start. Stop and question. Stop and feel into what this trusting thing is.
I’m not yet at the point where the word TRUST instantly puts me into brain-tingling, heart-centered, grounded, delightful reassurance.
But I know it’s there.
And I know I will get there.
So I’m practicing.
When I say TRUST now, it’s not yet an incantation.
It’s just a word. That symbolizes an experience. That I’m in the process of learning about.
This post isn’t about the how.
We can go into that in a later installment.
For now I really wanted to introduce the concept.
The idea that, over time, you can expand a word into something that holds a thousand tiny movements, actions, shifts, associations.
So that by saying it (or even thinking it), you can plug right into everything it contains.
Comment zen for today…
We all have our stuff. We’re all working on our stuff. It’s something we’re practicing.
We’re here to acknowledge each other (and our own stuff), not to give advice or to tell people what we think they “should” be doing. Internet hugs all around.
Follow
The idea of this simultaneously makes me want to know more and run away. Weird. Something to mull over. Possibly once my brain has woken up.
This reminds me of the creative writing program that I used to do as a teenager. We had a brilliant teacher, and every time we did an exercise, she would first explain it, and then say the “magic words”: “Die Übung beginnt JETZT.” – “The exercise starts NOW.” After some time, this sentence became a spell, just like you describe it. The mind and the heart would start spinning as soon as they heard it, to tap into my creativity. I would get excited – I couldn’t even help it. The words were magic.
–––I wish you all the best for turning TRUST into a magic spell as well!
What a lovely – and needed – post, Havi. It seems to be the prevalent attitude these days that if one can’t do something immediately, it can’t be done. (Thanks to education strategies that praise talent and not work, and “you can do anything” inspirational speeches, many people really do think “it can’t be done” rather than “I can’t do it”.)
But we don’t expect a caterpillar to create a chrysalis and then leap out of it immediately, fully-formed as a butterfly. It’s a process. Thank you for the reminder. <3
.-= Chris Anthony´s last post … What is delight? =-.
Yes.
.-= Andi´s last post … A Little Bit High, A Little Bit Low =-.
Ah Havi! This one speaks to me deeply. Today I was watching for the reason behind something. I didn’t even know what the something was, just that when I found the reason behind it, the something would make sense.
It does now.
thank you lovely.
Caireen
.-= Wormy´s last post … Scared Bean =-.
Ohhh yes I’d like this for myself too. Actually I’d love this for myself.
THINGS I’D LIKE TO TRUST IN
To trust that I am not going to be pulled back to Who I Was when who I was depression, angsting all the time, not working or working and then feeling crap.
To trust that I am wiser than I was. things are different now.
To trust that there is enough time to do what I was put here to do.
To trust that I may feel anxious and stuck some days – but that it will pass.
To trust that my current anxiety does not mean I can not thrive and create something beautiful, fun, valuable. (Back to my earlier points)
To trust that I’m not there yet but one day I will.
It’s really hard to trust – but I am open to developing my trusting Me-and-the-universe muscles.
(Sorry Havi and Selma I know this is a Law of Thingmebob free space – and it’s not my bag either. Bt I still needed to use that word ‘universe’ – hope that’s ok.)
Love and thanks,
Leila xx
.-= Leila Lloyd-Evelyn´s last post … Live your ideal life of fun right now! Play, doodle, creative sweets for all! =-.
Havi,
I am so sorry.
I have been away from your site *sad face*
And don’t ya know when I show up -the perfect post is here waiting for me!
It feeelz so good to be back. Like toes being tickled from walking on wet and dewy morning grass…weeee
Thank you,
Stacy
Yesyesyes! What you’re doing is BRILLIANT.
Language and experience shape each other.
I believe that every word we use has a certain level of enchantment to it, and the conscious use of words makes a huge difference to us and those around us.
Over the years, I’ve several times said that I won’t use words that describe parts of our bodies or our natural bodily functions as “swear” words to put someone/thing down or to express variations on fear, only in positive or value-neutral ways.
This year is the first time I’ve really managed it for more than a week at a time. And it’s not only making me reposition those words, it’s re-training my mind-body complex to the belief that our bodies are Not Horrid.
Maybe I was just far along enough with that belief to make the exercise work and the habit stick.
And it’s making me more conscious of the Baggage other words have for me. Which is pretty fascinating.
There’s a great article by David Rock that explains how our threat responses work – we respond to name-calling in the same way as physical injury, and how we express ourselves has a profound effect on ourselves and others.
I love this stuff. I love it when people bring simple, powerful transformative ideas to my attention.
And Trust is one of the most powerful words we have. I think most of us could benefit from following your example – I know I will.
I love the idea that something like love could be there as a space that I learn to create just like shavasana. I’m excited to practice with trust, too.
.-= Kylie´s last post … you’re perfect. just as you are. =-.
There is such wisdom in this post, Havi. Thank you.
Words have enormous power. Especially when the word is both the container and the essence of a spiritual quality…Trust. Love. Shavasana.
The word transmits the pure essence of the quality it contains. And brings it home when home vibrates at that frequency too.
I love your story about the word Love. And I experience love’s resonance each time I talk with you, or read something you write, or visit your website.
Thank you!
Love, Hiro
.-= Hiro Boga´s last post … In the Center of my Crown… =-.
This was exactly what I needed today, thank you! It’s so reassuring to understand it’s a practice, not something I’ve failed at by being in the beginning stages.
Much love,
Jess
xooxo
@Hiro – Lovely to see your site’s back!
I’m with Jane – this sounds totally beautiful and I’d love to know more and maybe give it a shot. But at the same time all sorts of parts of me (mostly monsters) are running around going ‘Ahhh! Don’t you even THINK about it! NO WAY!’ We’re going to go have a talk about this now.
Simply beautiful, Havi.
I think these incantations are really our hearts’ longings whispering to us. Stillness. Love. Trust. Already there and just waiting to be rediscovered. Patiently and gently.
I hope this beautiful concept find the people who need it. You are helping people build wonderful experiences into their lives. You rock.
Eric
.-= Eric Normand´s last post … Meditation: one little thing at a time =-.
Yes!
This year I’ve been working with the word PEACE.
It looks (ideally!) something like Shavasana (which I never know how to pronounce in my head so I say it seven different ways everytime I read it) with a smidge of FAITH thrown in for good measure.
Peace: things will be ok.
Peace: just rest *here* a while, even if *here* is awkward.
Peace: calm, quiet.
Thanks for all the sweet words and smart thoughts. As always. You are marvelous, really.
@Stacy – hey sweetpea! *waves enthusiastically*
@Leila – you can say ‘universe’ as often as you like, darling.
@Malwina – oh that gave me chills. I can completely FEEL it. Die Übung beginnt JETZT. Wow.
I love this, because I can conceptualize how this is Real Magic: it does exactly what Magic is supposed to do, and it does so by way of Real mechanisms. This is not mysterious magic, but instead it’s very potently usable magic.
Now, I just need to figure out a specific magic I need right now, what word can encapsulate it, and then start slowly programming the magic into the word.
Thanks for the spark of inspiration! 🙂
.-= Qrystal´s last post … Resolving to Overcome My Stuckness =-.
i love this post.
partly because of my true love of savasana. partly because of how much happier i’ve felt since regularly practicing and partly because i love when you talk yoga.
i like your yoga speak, havi.
.-= Tami´s last post … Yoga+Music(not quite 365) Infinite Light by Lightning Dust – Recipe Edition! Guest Post! =-.
I think I accidentally/sub-consciously did this when I began to find meditation easier.
Once I could meditate with ease (get into that state of calming) I began to associate the word “quiet”, and now when I say the word ‘quiet’, my thoughts just stop for a moment. I suddenly become really aware of my breath and heartbeat.
I’d never thought of actively trying to make the word a trigger of feeling [like in NLP i guess], so I might have to see if I can do this with other words.
Thanks for sharing it wiht us; it’s wonderful concept and could be a really useful tool.
.-= Rose´s last post … A Link Edition: Depression =-.
Oh, this post brought back to mind Austin’s concept of performative utterances, and that makes my inner ethnolinguist happy!
Now, my inner ethnolinguist won’t stop geeking out until I take this idea of turning words into spells, apply the performative utterances theory to it, and establish the felicity conditions under which words would turn into spells. (Felicity conditions! Isn’t that the loveliest name for a concept?)
Oof! Dear inner ethnolinguist geek, though it’s lovely to see you again, may I just ask you to stop bouncing and calm down a bit? Just a tiny little bit. Thank you! 🙂
Oh, Havi and Selma, my inner ethnolinguist thanks you for giving (him/her?)* an opportunity to come out and play! It’s really sweet to see that old thing of mine intersect with what’s in my life today.
*Funny, I have the feeling I think of my inner ethnolinguist as a man… Might be related to my favorite ethnolinguistics teachers, I guess.
.-= Josiane´s last post … Middle of the night musings =-.
@Josiane
The folklorist in me salutes the ethnolinguist in you! I was about to say, “Hey, do you guys know about performative utterances?” And you said it already!
Geek to geek, we rock!
@Melynda: Right there, you’ve just filled today’s awesomeness quota! Yay! 🙂
.-= Josiane´s last post … Middle of the night musings =-.
Beautiful. Simply beautiful.
I think I did this for myself, years ago, without quite realizing what I was doing, using the word creative. All I have to do is think that word, and whatever I’m doing becomes freshly infused with meaning and mindfulness.
.-= Kathleen Avins´s last post … It is enough. =-.
i’m trying to think of what words i have this association with–that gentle, buzzing, awareness-y feeling.
learning is one for me. i hear it in all capital letters: LEARNING. truly, an incantation.
TORAH–i hear that, and i know powerful things are going to start happening or being talked of.
and BREATHE or BREATHING, too.
such an interesting post, havi. and so, so interesting to look around my life for the words of power that are already there.
love,
jessie
This is so powerful and awesome!
Thank you Havi!
I wonder how often I unintentionally have turned things in to spells (for better or for worse…)
Andy
.-= Andy Dolph´s last post … Under the Sky in an Inflatable Planetarium =-.
just gorgeous, Havi. One of the best posts you’ve written.
I need to spellify the word faith.
Thank you.
Not sure what else to say yet, so I’ll just say that.
.-= Shannon Henry´s last post … Hopping off to the Art Hop! =-.
I have a few words that are bad spells that kick me out of my warm cottage in the woods and into exile. I’ll seek those spells out and put them in my book of me to reduce their power.
This is beautiful. Thank you. I’m new here, never commented before, but I feel moved to share a little something.
Havi, I’d never realized it before, but there is a very powerful spell word in my life. Two powerful words, in fact.
And I hadn’t realized how powerful they are until I read this post and the comments, especially Malwina’s.
@Malwina — thank you!
In my family’s spiritual practice, when it’s practiced in a group, we begin by being very quiet. After a little while, the person who is leading the exercise stands and says one word, quietly but just loud enough for us to hear:
“Begin.”
And slowly (or quickly, or somewhere in between), everyone enters the next stage of practice.
When things wind down, when the energy returns to quietness, when everyone feels like they’ve moved through it, the same person quietly says the second word:
“Finish.”
And the practice is complete.
Reading this post, I realize that that magic doesn’t need to start and stop with that particular spiritual exercise.
I can use those powerful, magical words in any context where I need movement and flow. Where I need a Beginning. And eventually, a Finishing.
Like in my writing. Or in walking. Or in *gulp* returning to yoga. And in returning to that spiritual practice I just described above, which I have been away from too long.
Thank you. This is a very cool place to be.
First off, Harmony: WOW. What a space you bring with your description of your family’s practice (reminds me of the space of Quaker meetings, but that’s a personal association of people being quiet together, I think.)
Spell words in my life:
Involute. (This is used in our meditation school to describe the internalising of consciousness)
Open. (As a verb – like a flower, or a ripple, or a candle flame.)
**
I love Begin. Finish.
Whah!
**
Nice, Havi.
.-= Andrew Lightheart´s last post … The Impact-Intention Trap =-.
This is another amazing awareness of the spells cast by our use of language.
My word for the year is prayerfulness – that’s the spell I’m casting for myself that I want to fall into just like I know that word shavasana so well.
Thanks for this – you’re so awesome, it’s simply endless what i learn from you.
.-= Char Brooks´s last post … What’s Your Version of Taking Care of Yourself? =-.