As I have said before, I firmly believe that if people do not like silly pop songs then they need a good tickle session!  This song by Andy Grammer is my new fav.  It has been on the radio for a while and it always seems to make me smile and sing with its’ silly lyrics.  In our last chat The Path of the Heart we talked about energy vampires.  I VANT TO SUCK YOUR BLOOD they say.  Come here, now so I can suck you dry and make you feel like a dried up raisin.  And what do we do?  We passively say sure…go ahead.  We do this over and over again until we feel so depleted we simply have to yell STOP!  Who are these vampires we speak of?  Well they come in all shapes and colors.  They may be certain people in your life whether they be personal or professional. They can also come in the shape of foods, beverages, and/or behaviors you find yourself engaging in that lure you in with false pretenses.  We know on some level that the energy vampires are indeed sucking our blood but for some reason it is difficult to choose a different path.  It’s like anything we know is not healthy for us, there is a reason why we continue.  Often it is because we are seeking some different result.  We think maybe this time it will be different.  Maybe if I do this, or that, maybe if I eat less, drink less, smoke less, say nothing or say/do something different, things will somehow miraculously be different.  We try to manipulate things left and right because we fear change. Alas we continue to find out that this generally doesn’t work.  In order to receive something different we often have to do something different.  That something different often means letting go of the tight grip we have on what is not working so that we can make space for what does.

Energy vampires can be very alluring with the way they appear.  On the surface certain people, places and things, behaviors may seem benign, ok, or not SO bad.  But just like a vampire would, they slowly begin to take over: eeking out of you every last ounce of freedom, happiness and joy.  This is not a process that lends itself to victimhood.  Don’t get me wrong.  As the saying goes, it does take two to tango.  The process for all of us is beginning to be aware of the vampires around us so that we can begin to empower ourselves to do something about them.  This spring I will be conducting a cleanse at the yoga studio where I teach YogaPower in Waltham, MA www.yogapowerstudios.com.  I have found that doing cleanses in the past, while challenging, has also been a time for me to think about not only what I want/need to take out of my diet/lifestyle but more importantly what do I want to put in to help bolster immunity, strength, vitality and happiness.  While some energy vampires such as sugar/caffeine/wheat can be removed, there are other vampires that may need to be tolerated for the time being.  Rather than gripping on with white knuckles, gritting teeth and tense muscles, we can learn how to better take care of ourselves.  We can allow the negative energy of said vampires to pass  over our shoulder as if we were throwing some salt for good luck.  I have found, in instances where walking away wasn’t the option that would be in my best interest in the moment, accessing my breath has helped immensely.  In 12 step recovery halls they talk about “This Too Shall Pass.”  I find the law of impermanence to be very useful in these times.  Nothing ever stays the same: everything in life is changing all the time. We can allow the moments we have with energy vampires to suck our blood dry or we can see them as an opportunity to learn, grow and move forward.  They are often there as teachers: teaching us about ourselves.  The more we can embody resilience, peace and harmony in those moments the more likely we will be to have the ability to move pass the vampires while still having the energy to move forward.  Generally, I find that the more I let go of the vampires that are optional such as ones related to diet and lifestyle, the more vitality and optimism I have to deal with the ones that are taking up residency in my life for the moment.  Taking care of my own self care helps me embody Grammer’s words in the above song.

How might you keep your head up and let your hair down?  What helps you deal with the vampires lurking around in your life?  The happier and healthier we can be the more capable we are to build immunity in a variety of different ways.  Eating a healthy diet not only helps build immunity in the physical body but it also builds energetic and emotional immunity.  When I feel healthier, I feel stronger and therefore I am more capable of laughing at the vampires as they lurk around me waiting for the moment to pounce.  As we all become healthier and more aligned with what feeds our heart and soul, we gain the strength to let go of the rope to the past.  The vampires do not own us.  Moving forward in a healthy way means not trying to gain revenge or get back at the vampires but instead moving forward building your own happy present and future.  Soon there will be no room for the vampires as they like darkness and you will be full of light. What choices can you begin to make that will help build your own resilience and immunity to the vampires in your life?  Having fun is the best revenge of all.  So for today, laugh, play and enjoy the life you have been given.  Through having fun, you will find that the annoyances and worries are truly just a blip on the screen of the film called “This is Your Life.”

Cheers!

P.S.  Sorry that our chat yesterday needed to be cut short.  Mickey Mouse who has decided to take up residence in my apartment wanted to get in on the discussion and he became my vampire of the moment.  Life is ever changing, this too shall pass and he is just a mouse.  These are all the things I am telling myself this morning to build my own immunity:)