Patricia L. Atchison

YA Fiction & Non Fiction Author

Patricia Atchison

Anna Linder ~ The Book Of Emotions

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Every now and then a project comes along that speaks to my heart and I know I must answer the call to write. One ongoing project, to be published in its entirety by the end of 2017, is the e-Book, The Book of Emotions, designed by Anna Linder. Anna is a Graphic Designer, who is sharing her love of design and heart expression by creating the idea of an emotional directory. She wishes for it to become, “a small encyclopedia on emotions for anybody and everybody who needs guidance”. Each month she invites writers to share their thoughts and insights on “how it feels to feel” on a particular emotion.

I answered the call to write on the emotion of, Support, for publication in the third chapter of The Book of Emotions. I am so thrilled to be accepted and published along with these fabulous authors: Amy Barfield Martin, Kristina Johnson, Tracy Stamper, Bretton Keating and Lysa Black .

Anna created a website and Facebook page for her heartfelt project, and is continually engaging people to read, write and become involved. Be sure to delve into The Book of Emotions ~ Chapter Three – Support.

Love Comes

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Love comes with no judgements,
there is no room for loving when judging thoughts occur.

Love comes without preconceived notion,
if you pre-think or predetermine action – there is no room for love.

Love comes when we seek beauty,
no matter what or who we see, if we view from a sense of beauty… Love comes.

Love comes with compassion,
seeking compassion amongst diversity allows love to come.

Love comes accepting others as they are,
we can’t change anyone. If we fight who they are, then we can’t love them.

When judging, we’ve found an excuse to walk away.
If one chooses love with no judgement,
then it is easier to stay together, decades could never be lost.

Love comes with love, but…. If there is no ‘like’ can Love still come?

© by Patricia L. Atchison

Finding Voice with Nia Sounding

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It’s amazing that when we have children or animals who misbehave (not to mention husbands, siblings, etc.,) it is usually quite easy to be loud and vocal to state our intentions. Being vocal with breath, vowel sounds, grunts, moans and groans in a Nia class with many other participants is totally something separate though. As a teacher in the Nia practice (and someone who finds it difficult to deliver vocal commands) it can be quite challenging to teach sounding.

I’m quiet, but a part of my Nia journey has been learning to be heard by allowing my voice to come out. One aspect of Nia is ‘sounding’ or ‘vocalizations’. When taking a Nia class, the teacher will invite sounding as part of the movements. This can be breath work, such as huffing, quickly pushing breath out and into the lungs with noise, and sounding letters through long breath. With Nia’s martial arts movements, we use sounding to emphasize strikes, punches and kicks. Sounding can be used almost anywhere during a Nia dance class experience.

As Nia embodies total body, mind, spirit and emotions within holistic fitness, it is only natural to invite participants to exercise their voices and all the muscles and body parts used to allow that voice to strengthen and grow. I know from experience that when my voice is not allowed to speak, the energy of thought becomes blocked within my organs. My throat closes up, or becomes shaky or squeaky. When my voice is weak, it also weakens me, my vitality and spirit. During a Nia class though, it feels so good to ‘let it go’ and allow vocalizations to flow, thus allowing complete energy to move and swirl from inside out. It adds the final element necessary to receive a fully embodied workout.

It can be intimidating for students to vocalize, especially in a group setting. Some people are naturally shy. Loosing inhibition while dancing is a big challenge for new students, and now they are being asked to yell out sounds and words; i.e. let out a resounding “HA”; or some other tone too! Students may be so intent on learning movements, that they may ignore the request to be vocal. However, there is great benefit to making sounds during class.

When learning, some participants may unknowingly hold their breath feeling anxious with all that is going on. Adding noise helps the students and teacher become aware of breath, because the minute we open our mouths and force a deep breath out, automatically the body takes a deep breath in, relaxing the body and tense muscles. This allows for ease of movement.

Making sounds also conditions and provides strength to the core and abdominal muscles. Breathing out with sound on exertion causes the abdomen to naturally tighten, strengthening the core and leading to stability. Nia’s kicks and foot movements play with balance, so a stabilized, conditioned core is beneficial.

Some Nia moves involve punches, blocks and kicks, where support of the spine is necessary. When leaning the body ready to do a side kick, it is important that the spine is straight and supported. Letting out a loud ‘HA’ or similar sound ensures a straight spine, tight abs and strong base.

I know from holding my in emotions at times, it feels fantastic to be able to let it all go. It’s wonderful that sounding also offers emotional release. I’ve discovered it is fun to let go and belt out some sounds or words, maybe even sing or hum! Noises like HOOOO, HAAAA, SHOOO, SHAAA, WHOOO, YES, NO, can be yelled or pulled from the lungs in long drawn breaths. Some Nia moves demand a sound or two through natural rhythm, and movement, so sounding becomes easy. I’ve danced with ladies who have a vast amount of life experience, and they love it when they can sing throughout the class.

Nia sounding comes to me more easily with each class I teach. It’s still challenging, but what a fun challenge to have. The act of just blurting voice with body movement – wow, what a release! Isn’t it great when students can use breath, sounding or vocalizations to reach their inner child, allowing the vibration of sound to heal the body, mind and spirit. It is fun, easy to do, and becomes more and more natural with practice (this I am learning for sure).

Patricia L. Atchison
Nia Blue Belt Teacher, Airdrie Alberta
Airdrie Nia:
www.airdrienia.com
www.facebook.com/AirdrieNia

Oh for the Love of… Kindness

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Kindness is easy for the most part, especially when we are reminded at certain times of the year to be kind to one another. It’s easy to open a door for a stranger, or help someone with their groceries, to say a good word at the checkout.

The hard part of kindness is practicing it with those who are closest to us. To those we love. I admit, I have been accused of being critical of my hubby. You know there is that one, or two, or many things that the one you love does which isn’t quite right in your eyes. I have different ways of doing certain things, I’m an individual, but what I tend to forget is that the one I love is individual too. As an example, we don’t all cut a banana exactly the same way. And why should it really matter or become a funny topic around the dinner table.

Is it easier to be kind to a stranger than with the ones we love? Do we point out faults far more than positive aspects of the loving person in front of us? In a group setting it is easy to point out that ‘one thing’ that is annoying. While we jest about it – hey it’s all in fun right – to the recipient or even to those listening, it may feel uncomfortable. Everyone laughs or joins in with their own reminiscing of said individual’s quirkiness. I call it ‘picking’. It seems that around times of stress, a family get-together, Christmas and holiday seasons, I see more ‘picking’ between those in love and relationships. I say (and I am guilty of it) let’s quit it already!

Author Unknown (borrowed from the internet)

What if we were simply kind to those in our loving circle? If we jested and laughed about all the good a person does or is, rather than saving it for ‘the funeral’. I’ve never been to a funeral where someone has gone on about the faults of a person. So why is it okay when they are sitting right there in front of us to jest about a flaw or something quirky that might be different, maybe it’s just simple everyday stuff that earns a laugh. Simply being what makes that person unique and loved in the first place.

While we are kind to strangers, maybe we need to look at our own relationships and throw some kindness into the mix. It’s easy to be drawn into ‘the picking’ conversations, it seems funny, right. Hmm, I am not so sure, because before long, all the faults come to the forefront and before long, the goodness fades away, and what kind of a relationship is left when no more good resides?

Something to think about this holiday season when all parts are being worked on from the purchasing and wrapping of gifts, to trimming the tree, baking and cooking a festive meal. In sharing the tasks, not everyone will do things the same way, but in the end we all arrive at the same place don’t we? The gifts are still wrapped, the meals taste awesome and the baking, yum!

Something to think about… For the love of all that brought that special person into your life, practice kindness with them not only in this moment, but in all moments to come as you share your lives together. I promise to do better too in spreading kindness not only with strangers, but especially to the ones I love. For me it’s a work in progress, something to strive for one hundred percent of the time, not just when I think of it. Join me will you.

Facebook is the New “Chair”

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To me, Facebook has become the ‘Ugly’ regarding negative posts about Politics, Religion, Humanity, Nature, Ecology and the Welfare of Animals, and sometimes life in general. Years ago when people shared their lives, it looked like everyone was living a great positive life – look at all the photos of family, pets, traveling, etc., etc. The good life. It’s changed though, and the great majority of posts now have all turned into a platform to sell or share our opinions and thoughts to others (yes, exactly as I am doing now).

To me, Facebook has become like a great depression.

Let me explain:

Several years ago I went through a depression. It came on slowly and lasted for about three or four years. Even before I opened my eyes upon waking every morning, I felt the deep dark despair inside of me. It’s a feeling that comes on like a tickle in the throat, and you hope that it will abide before turning into a full blown cold. For me it did turn into full blown depression – not diagnosed, but I knew what it was nonetheless.

I had a comfortable lazy chair that sat near my living room window, where I could look out over our beautiful aspen-treed acreage. I’d try to work and carry on with my day normally, but at some point I would end up sitting in this chair. During my toughest times the tears would come immediately – great sobs of sorrow. Other times I’d just sit like a zombie in the depths of a darkness so acute I never thought I’d be able to climb my way out. Then the sobs, tears, anger, frustration, loneliness and despair would rage.

Some days I’d find it difficult to get out of the chair. Family would be home soon and life needed to carry on, so that motherly/wifely dutiful person would rise and carry on as if nothing else mattered than seeing her family safe, well and cared for.

Facebook has become that ‘chair’ for many people. They sit in it through posts of ugliness and despair and sorrow. They have yet to learn how to climb out of the chair.

Let me tell you how I did it:

Even before I woke up in the morning during those dark times, I’d lay in bed wishing and praying for the darkness to disappear. If I waited long enough, a phrase would pop into my head. Something positive that I could wrap my despairing brain around. I’d repeat the phrase over and over, then I’d get up and write it down. Through the day I’d read and reread the positive, hopeful words allowing them to sink into my very spirit. Over time, my days wallowing in the chair became less and less. I worked much more at self-healing, through other exercises such as journal writing and reading self-help books. Eventually, I got so that I hated that chair. I’d remember my episodes sitting there and really didn’t want a reminder of the darkness I fought so hard to escape from.

Has Facebook become your new chair?

My wish and invitation to you is this:

How about we pick a day – I know – how about today? If you are wallowing in writing or reading posts, wondering if life has anything better to offer, how about for one day, you empty your mind, and let a positive thought, statement, photo, or activity light up your feed. The next day think of a positive twist on an otherwise negative post about Politics, Religion, Humanity, Nature, Ecology and the Welfare of Animals, and life in general. Post this positive aspect too.

I bet if everyone did this, over time, Facebook would no longer become a platform for the ugly negative that everyone who is sitting in that ‘chair;’ thrives to read, but a platform that lets people share the good in humanity. The everyday good.

If you’ve read this far, I bet right now, your mind is roaring, “How dare she? My platform is important to me.”

I agree, yes your Facebook posts are important to you. My time in the chair was necessary for me too. I just didn’t want to live there in that unhappiness for years to come. I wanted to move on, create, and share positiveness with those around me, those I touch through any means including Facebook.

Wallowing in the chair does not make for a happy, good member of society. I agree we can’t be happy all the time. It is a choice. All I know is that I just can’t go back there – to that darkness.

I do have bad days where I want to share all that strife, anger and despair. I make a choice not to. Why? Simply because it’s so easy to slide down the banks of that pit of depression. I will do anything to make sure I have safe footing on the edge and the ability to walk away from it.

Eventually we moved from the acreage. Of course the chair came with us. Every time I looked at it, I was reminded of memories from my dark time. I tried not to sit on it too often. Yes, I’ve since sold the damn chair. It’s gone. I don’t have a ‘special’ spot to wallow in. I no longer wait upon waking in the morning to see if that feeling is coming back, as I know it is gone (I hope forever). I try not to read the ugly Facebook posts, as I don’t want to fall into darkness and despair. Life has so much more to offer than those feelings.

I invite you –  today –  to climb out of the ‘chair’ and post one –  just one –  uplifting part of your day.

Photo Credit: http://amigasdanoivablog.blogspot.ca/2016/02/casar-no-inverno-decoracao.html

The Country Pulse

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The Country Pulse
by Patricia L. Atchison.

There is a pulse to the country
That time only knows.

The heartbeat of rancher, farmer and toiler,
The heartbeat of livestock,
The heartbeat of the earth growing, changing, evolving
Each touching the other.

Man with animal,
Animal to earth and sky
Each sharing a bond of love and respect
That only those who travel the vast prairies, valleys and foothills
Can comprehend.

The love of compatibility,
The love of muscle bearing, chest wrenching hard work,
The love of something so great
It is beyond themselves yet palpable to the heart.
Yes, there is a pulse to the country
For those who live, toil, ranch and farm upon the land
For the livestock which eat and thrive.

If you listen real close
You will hear that heartbeat… of love
Pulsing through the vast prairies, valleys and foothills
Of rancher, farmer and toiler, of livestock
And of the earth sharing her bounty with all who reside, growing changing, evolving
Supporting life… pulsing for those who understand the beat.

Author’s note: I wrote this poem after hearing a Mother describe her total love, affection and understanding of her teen who has a bond with horses, roping and ranching that most town/city folk might not understand. Ranching is a way of life, and until you’ve lived in the country or been close to those who work horses and livestock upon the land, birthing, branding and raising livestock, moving them from pasture to grazing lands, haying, feeding, etc., it is hard to know what life is like for these hard working souls. I lived in the country for over 13 years and I definitely felt a pulse of life as it moved through the different seasons, each one offering up a different set of duties and challenges. This poem is dedicated to all who work the land and with livestock.