It is time for me to confess, I have been living a big lie. Okay, it’s not actually me living the lie- it is my arms. Over the years there have been many people who have called me out on my dishonesty yet I preferred to act as though it was none of their business. After all it really is all about them – or was it? Slowly I began to reflect on all the signs. The most memorable that I can’t shake from my mind was a book my sister gave me. It was a picture book filled with images of polar bears demonstrating how to hug. I thought it was a joke yet now I see in hindsight the joke was on me. My inability to hug and be hugged was connected to a deeper truth I was running from.
I mean really how did the concept of hugging even begin? What made some person want to stick out their arms and smother all kinds of loving energy onto another being. Whatever happened to the good old’ handshake or a high five? When we get married we wear a piece of jewelry on our fingers to symbolize our love, why can’t we do the same with hugging. Think about the Care Bears, those lovable bears have the right idea. They wear symbols of love on their bellies and project their super sonic rays into the world with the intention of change. No touching involved, love spread by osmosis. Yes, there are days when I envy the life of a Care bear.
Wow, two dangling limbs with ten fingers really can stir up a lot. Rather than running I was going to face this hugging dilemma head on. I set a goal of a minimum of five hugs in a day. It didn’t just stop there; I shared the goal with those in my life. Big mistake! I am surrounded by hugging experts. So it began with the tap on the back hugs, you know the hugs where you spread your arms as wide as you can so your fingertips are the only body part connecting. Apparently those hugs suck yet I kept trudging forward into the world of hugs. The more I hugged the more I began to kind of like it. Then I started to see the truth as opposed to living the lie. Secretly I was longing to be a kick ass hugger yet that would require connection. That is where the lying would need to stop and the truth would need to begin. So for now, me and my arms continue to get a little more honest- for the truth is only a hug away!
The interesting part of all this awareness with hugging is that while at the Living Vision Retreat I would meet members of the Hug Squad. Unfortunately they couldn’t be avoided as they wore smiley face t-shirts and waved signs stating “Free hugs”. One of those members is a former Rhodes graduate who is making a huge difference not only one hug at a time, yet in so many other ways. I was fortunate to interview Dale Joyal and learn more about his journey in life.
Q: What program and year did you attend at Rhodes Wellness College?
A: I took the 3 Month Coaching Program in the fall of 2006
Q: How did your journey lead you to become a student at Rhodes?
A: I saw the ad on a bus and it called to me.
Q: In reflection, looking back, what is the most powerful truth you discovered about yourself while you were learning at Rhodes?
A: The most powerful thing I learned about myself was that in overcoming my fears, my whole perception of what was possible for me in my life would change.
Q: Since graduating, what do you feel has been different in your life and has propelled you in continuing to move towards the direction of your life’s purpose?
A: I have always been motivated to grow and expand, but I think what has been different is moving towards what I want rather than away from what I do not want.
Q: Your website www.breathedeeplylaughloudly.com is a magnificent kaleidoscope of your gifts and talents! Can you begin by sharing about your work as Transformational Breath Facilitator?
A: The Breath Work has been the most powerful transformational tool I have found for myself this says a lot coming from someone who has done over 10 years of personal and group therapy, as well as every workshop you can imagine. I knew that it was my gift to share with people and that I really felt obligated to share because of the profound shifts I was experiencing in my own life. It has been easy to feel passionate about it because of my own experience, as well watching others grow and heal so much in such a short period of time. I feel very blessed.
Q: You also teach Kundalini Yoga and Laughter Yoga. What are the benefits an individual may receive in adding these practices to their lives?
A: Kundalini Yoga is the yoga of awareness. I like to call it spiritual yoga because it is like meditation on steroids. It also helps people expand their breathing as there is a lot of connected breathing in most kriyas of kundalini yoga. It definitely takes people on an accelerated emotional clearing journey. It was the perfect preparation for me to launch me into becoming a Transformational Breath Practitioner. Laughter Yoga has been very balancing for me. I like, many of us has had the tendency to take myself pretty seriously and the laughter has helped me to lighten up and have more fun. It also taught me as a facilitator that when I make mistakes to just laugh out loud. This helps myself and the audience to relax.
Q: So you facilitate breath, yoga, and laughter. Yet my curiosity was even more piqued when I read about the Hug Squad. What is the Hug Squad and how did it come to exist?
A: The Hug Squad was founded by Trevor Warren, who is a good friend of mine. He had the idea about three years ago while at the Living Visions Retreat. He saw it as a real simple way to spread love for no reason other than it is so needed and so many people are touch starved. I am very kinesthetic and love to touch people so I was an enthusiastic member. Trevor wanted to take a break from organizing it so I volunteered to step in and have been lovingly doing that since last January.
Q: Obviously the Hug Squad is raising the “love” vibration through out our community and the entire planet. Speaking of love, you are also involved with Warrior Sage. What is Warrior Sage and the message or purpose it is striving to share?
A: Warrior Sage’s slogan is Ignite Passion/Live Freedom and Embrace Love. I think this is a pretty good nutshell of what they stand for. They offer a course called the Illumination Intensive that is about helping people to discover who they are in order to be their authentic selves. This would be in alignment with living free. They have a course called Sex, Passion and Enlightenment that challenges people to embrace their sexuality and to love all beings with an open courageous heart. The embracing love side. These are their two main courses and I would highly recommend both.
Q: It truly is awe inspiring to know the healing and active role you have in helping heal our planet. Whether it is a breath, yoga pose, laugh or hug, as each one is so freely given, it is shifting our consciousness. What words of wisdom would you share with those reading this to encourage them to live just as fully and passionately?
A: I think in order to live passionately one has to be on purpose. Many of us wonder what our purpose is. I believe what one of my teachers used to tell me that we all have the same purpose and that is to be a physical manifestation of love. So what ever that is for you, do that. Similar to what Echart Tolle said in A New Earth, that we all have the same primary purpose and that is to be in the present moment. Our secondary purpose is what ever helps us to be in the present moment and that can change, but our primary purpose does not change. So focus on doing what you love and being present in your life moment to moment by doing whatever practices supports you with that.
Breathe Deeply! Laugh Loudly!
www.breathedeeplylaughloudly.com
www.transformationalbreathing.com/facilitators.aspx
http://laughteryoga.ca/clubs/vancouver/
http://www.hugsquad.com/
www.consciousplanet.net/joy
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Article and interview by Violet-Rose Pharoah |
Have a Safe and Happy Labour Day Everyone!