There is a common misconception about wildness:
to be wild is just to do whatever comes into your head to do. In other words: follow you whims.
While following your impulses is certainly part of the creative nature of wildness, each wo(man) must discern: is the impulse coming from the land of the lower mind (shoulds, shallow desire, ego) and those that come from our truth (the wisdom of the heart).
The work of wildness is finding the differences between those two voices, those two sets of impulses.
So how do you tell the difference?
Enter discipline.
Spiritual discipline is about finding practices (actual activities you can engage in) which help you clear the channel between your conscious mind and your truth.
Now I must confess, having been raised in a military household, I have had quite a journey to making peace with discipline. In fact, I long rebelled against structure, I found it oppressive and was often annoyed with what I perceived as arbitrary structure.
However, what I have found is this:
My practices (outer forms of discipline) thrive only when they are in alignment with my values-no “should” involved.
This is the difference between going to church because you are afraid you’ll be judged if you don’t vs. going to church because it is genuinely nourishing to you.
For each person on a path to being wild (authentic, truthful), finding practices that help you connect with your intuition/inner guidance is essential.
Committing to a Daily Practice is the difference between someone who dabbles in self-work (some days feeling connected to her wisdom, some days totally lost at sea) and someone who is in a steady state of connection to inner guidance and really in the flow of life (no matter what is happening in their lives, they have a strong compass of inner truth).
Now let me clarify-just because you have your practice and you are in touch with your intuition doesn’t mean you will be in a blissful and joyful state all the time. In fact, we are often guided into painful places in order to heal. However, with your daily practice you will become resilient-wherever you are lead your will be able to march forth, with heart.
If you are reading this, it is likely you fall into one of two categories: 1. The one’s saying, “hmmm…maybe I should get a daily practice going. I wonder what it will be?” and 2. The one’s saying, “Yeah yeah, I know this. I know daily practice is essential.”
Group 1, hold please, we will get to that in just a moment.
Group 2, question: Are you really showing up for your daily practice…daily? No shame, no guilt, just be honest with yourself. Sub question: are your practices really helping you to feel clear? You can take this note as an opportunity to realign with your commitment and to see if there is a need to go deeper into your practice or, perhaps, experiment with new ones.
For those of you wanting to really align with your intuition and feel clear, here’s a list of daily practices to try on:
1. Breath-work: You can start with counting the breath. Inhaling fully and exhaling fully-11 times (or more). Most spiritual traditions have some element of breath-work, you may find one within your tradition that you really like.
2. Lighting a candle: Done in the morning, this can be an acknowledgement of the sacred space of the earth and of this day in your life. A divine beginning to this day in earth school.
3. Walking in Nature: Breathe the fresh air, feel your feet on the ground, dip your fingers in a stream, feel the warmth of the sun on your cheeks. Connecting to nature connects us with our own nature.
4. Yoga: Fortunately for you, yoga is becoming ubiquitous in the western world. Aim to find a knowledgeable and wise teacher who can help you connect to both your body and your soul. This may take time but it’s well worth the exploration.
5. Dance: Whatever kind of dance that calls to you, do it. In class or in your living room. It matters not where but rather how you show up.
6. Prayer: This can be a formal prayer or simply a talk with that which you consider to be sacred or divine. You may ask questions, you may express gratitude, you may pray for others. You may, you may…
7. Morning Pages: This is Julia Cameron’s recommended daily practice from the Artist’s Way. Write 3 pages, long hand, without stopping. Whatever comes into the mind, get it down on paper. This is a way of clearing out the chatter that tends to accumulate in head. Of course, like all of the practices, it goes much deeper than it seems.
8. Meditation:The forms of meditation available to you are vast. I find a gazing at a flame or something in nature to be very helpful. Start with a minute and work your way up to more time. This will train you to focus which leads to mastery of the mind.
9. Singing or chanting: Find a song or a chant that means something to you. Then sing it from the heart.
10. Gratitude list: Making a list of things and people you are grateful for tends to soften the mind and open the heart. (Hint: the heart is where the wisdom is)
11. Inspiring Reading: Read a poem or passage that inspires you. Drink it in and then sit with your eyes closed in order to let the meaning sink into the depths of you.
If you find one you really like: try it on for a week. Every morning or day. And watch the magic unfold.
For she who constantly listens to the wisdom of her inner guidance and takes action on it is a wild woman.
If you truly wish to be wild, consider trying these on. Choose 1 or 2 that call to you and begin.
For optimal benefits, start your day with one. If that is not possible, just find some time each day.
If you know you are the kind of person who thrives with accountability and 1-on-1 guidance, you may look into the 40 Day WILD Woman Transformation. A lot can shift internally(and externally) in 40 days-one of the biggest changes that happens is you will begin to have a very deep and sound relationship to your inner guidance.
I love to hear from you, please feel free to write me or post in the comments section: What is your daily practice, which practice are you excited to try on?
I’ll leave you with the famous words of Yoga Master Pattabhi Jois:
“Practice, and all is coming.”
With great love,
Chris
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Chris Maddox is the founder of The Wild Woman Project where she teaches women how to utilize the gifts of the Wild Woman Archetype in their everyday lives & how to lead women’s circles in their local communities. She is the organizer & facilitator of the beloved annual WILD WOMAN FEST, a women’s retreat-festival hybrid which fosters a deep connection to nature, a direct experience of the divine feminine & profound spiritual sisterhood among the women in attendance.
An ever student of the great mysteries of existence and nature itself, Chris believes women are holding innate gifts & tools that society at large needs – now more than ever. She is committed to helping women remember their special magic and to bring it forward into every corner of their lives, for the greater good of the planet.