by Tamara

For it is not inertia alone that is responsible for human relationships repeating themselves from case to case, indescribably monotonous and unrenewed: it is shyness before any sort of new, unforeseeable experience with which one does not think oneself able to cope. But only someone who is ready for everything, who excludes nothing, not even the most enigmatical, will live the relation to another as something alive and will himself draw exhaustively from his own existence.
~Rainier Maria Rilke

This week I wanted to share a quote from a favorite poem of mine! When I first read it seven years ago, it opened my eyes to a truth that I knew existed but yet didn’t know how to put into words. When I decided to live my life according to the words in this poem, I noticed a significant shift. The more I think about it the more I have an understanding of why that is. We have 7 energy centers in our bodies also known as chakras and the 4th one corresponds to the heart.

Ancient yogis understood that the secret to attracting whatever you want in your life is by having an open heart chakra. Unfortunately, most of us live from our lower energy centers which emit feelings of fear. And ultimately, fear makes us feel the need to either close up and hide away from the world OR face the world with a hardened heart and a perspective of control.

So the next time you’re feeling like a hermit’s lifestyle is for you or that you need to control a situation by maneuvering or manipulating an outcome, remember this poem. And with arms wide open, let your heart’s magnetic pull bring all your dreams to you as you draw exhaustively from your own existence and live as you truly were meant to!

As a writer, I love words! They have the power to create and destroy. Because of this, we have to be careful with them. When I first read this excerpt from Rilke, it acted as a portal that opened to some unseen imaginary world where all of a sudden I felt I had the power over my own destiny! I hope that these words do the same for you. If you want to read more and get the context this excerpt comes from, check out Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet (Letter 8), written on August 12, 1904.

Speaking of words, the ancient yogis used mantras as sacred words that held enormous power. Let’s all together now recite a powerful mantra that opens the heart chakra. It may feel silly at first, but just try it! Ready?? Begin! (I’m saying this in the most obnoxious cheerleadery-ish way possible). Sit in a comfortable position. Keep your spine straight. Close your eyes, and repeat after me… HUM DUM HAR HAR. Don’t laugh! Now continue with this for 3 minutes. And when you’re done, grab the person closest to you and give them a BIG humongous hug!

Great job everyone and let me know how the opportunities start flowing into your life!

About Tamara

Tamara Lelie knows that attaining peace and gaining access to inner guidance begins with having a balanced foundation. Motivated by her mom’s terminal cancer diagnosis, in 2007 she created Time Out Retreat as a one stop source for supplying tools for self-care and balance in a camp-like setting. 7 rotations were all led by experts in their fields and consisted of feng shui, yoga, meditation, guided imagery, fitness and more. Since then, the retreat has been an annual event attracting media attention. A teacher at heart, in 2009, she launched Time Out with Tamara to serve as a human toolkit for teaching balance and has clients ranging from celebrities and corporations to teens and housewives. Tamara Lelie is a certified yoga instructor (specializing in applying the ancient knowledge of the yogis to every day modern problems) and certified relationships coach. She is currently hard at work finishing up a groundbreaking e-guide she developed, 7 DAYS TO BALANCE: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO HAVING IT ALL, which is set to launch in August. For more info on her services and products, check out www.7daystobalance.com.