A while ago I saw two movies that touched me deeply once again, and I said to myself : « I need to write about it ! »

The first one was « Sully » about the pilot that landed on Hudson river back in 2009 and saved 155 passengers, and the second one was « A good lie » about « The Lost Boys of Sudan » landing in the US and having to adapt to their new lives.

In both of these movies, the main theme was the human factor. How humanly we are, or not.

I spent half time crying during the first movie and some time crying during the second one, crying for humanity and how cruel it can be at times, how much we sometimes lack compassion, understanding, love, kindness for our fellow beings. I keep surprising myself at not belieiving when I see and witness all the things this world is doing that are leading us all in the wrong direction, and cannot help but wonder : « When are we going to learn our lessons ? », « When are we going to wake up for good and change our destiny ? »

I couldn’t believe how an absolute hero could have almost been turned into a vilain, when the Pilot’s Authorities kept trying to find a human error in the case of pilot Sully, who made a right decision at the right moment and saved 155 souls by landing his plane on the Hudson River back in January 2009.

I couldn’t believe the atrocities those Sudanese children were forced to face and all what they had to go through, as I never can believe any war atrocities people are faced with, especially in the 21st century.

Each time I cry for all of us, for all humankind, for all the lessons we still are not able to learn, for not being able to change and fulfill our true destiny, the one of a healthy, compassionate, loving, caring, kind, generous society, where everybody is working for the highest good of ALL.

It takes one person at a time, one change at a time to arrive where we are supposed to arrive, where our Creator (whatever his/her name is for each and everyone of us) meant for us to be when he/she created us in the first place.

And, like captain Sully said to the Commission that was judging him and his co-pilot in the movie : « You are forgetting the human factor ! »

It seems to me we all are forgetting the human factor all the time : when we decide to go into yet another war, whether on personal or nation-wide level ; when we decide to build yet another robot to replace human work force ; when we judge each other based on outer appearences, …

Even though I love technology and all the progress we have made thus far, I cannot help but wonder each time « How far should we go ? » How far is enough and how far is too much ? »

Each time I hear or read about Artificial Intelligence, I cannot help but wonder « What if it starts working against, instead of for us ? »

Because, no matter how sophisticated they might be, they will never have a heart, they could never be able to feel like humans do, they would never be able to include the feeling and intuitive part while reasoning whether to take this or that decision or step when resolving a conflict or a problem.

So, once again, let us not forget the human factor in everything we are doing and being !

No matter how imperfect we are, we are still the only living beings who are able to learn and grow from our mistakes, who are able to make amends when we do make a mistake, to correct ourselves when we take a wrong turn, to feel love, compassion, extend kindness and generosity towards each other and every other living being. We are able and capable of healing ourselves, each other and our Planet and Humanity ! We are the only ones able and capable of helping ourselves and each other !

Luckily for captain Sully and all of us, he managed to justify his decisions and the Commission finally recognised him as an absolute hero. And even then, he didn’t take all the credit for himself only. He said : « I didn’t do it alone ! We all did it together, my co-pilot, my crew, the passengers on that plane and the rescue teams ! »

And, he was right ! It is a team work ! It takes a village working together to change the direction destiny takes sometimes !

When the editor in chief of Healers Magazine, Ben Miller sent the call for submission about the fourth issue and started by saying how frustrated he was when his dad was saying to him and his sister, each time they were in a dispute that both of them were right, it made me thinking.

When I was crying during the movie « Sully » because of the injustice I thought was being done to him and his co-pilot during the trial this Pilots’ Commission (or whatever its name is) made them go through, at one point I remembered Ben’s father saying : « You are both right ! »

I said to myself : « They were only doing their job ! » Even though I thought it was wrong, I could find a justification for what they were doing. It was the human factor once again that made them understand in the end they were wrong and admit it and make amends for what they made captain Sully and his co-pilot go through.

So, let us all not forget the Human Factor, once again !

Love, Light and Blessings to your Hearts, Minds and Souls !

Namaste,

Lepa

Some of you may have heard about it, some probably have no idea what Sophrology is. So, I decided to make an introduction and let you know about this amazing relaxation technique that I practice and teach since 2011.

Back in 2011 it was almost 20 years that I was on the personal development path when I started thinking it may be time for me to start spreading the knowledge and experience I have gained so far and continue gaining each year.

A year before that, I had my last contract ending with a multinational company I was working for and went through a burn-out (I found out about it during my training to become Master Practitioner in Sophrology). I went through a lot of questioning about my life, my career, my future, my purpose in life and my values.

What came up, as I said before, was that I need to be of service to my community and the world with what is my true passion.

Then, I figured I don’t have a significant degree in anything I was learning and practicing up until that moment and decided to find something I would love teaching and practicing, get a degree/certification and start building from there.

Soon after, I « accidentally » stumbled across a TV show talking about Sophrology and how it can be an alternative and a complementary method for hyper active children, instead of only medicating them all the time. As I fervently oppose to any kind of unnecessary medication, especially for children, and as I believed that medicating these hyper active children is definitely not the solution, this got my attention immediately. I decided I need to explore more.

I then found out that one of my acquaintances was already enrolled in a school preparing people to become Sophrology Practitioners, and after assuring me that it is a serious school, I took contact with it and enrolled it as soon as I could.

And, my journey with Sophrology started.

Ever since, this wonderful and useful practice never ceases to amaze and surprise me. It’s been 7 years now that our relationship lasts and grows, and I hope we will stay together till death do us part.

So, what is Sophrology and why I cannot stop praising it?

Sophrology is a relaxation technique that is exploring, modifying and improving the Human Consciousness through light sitting and standing exercises and energetic auto-massage (dynamic introspection or energetic toilet) practice.

It can be done individually, as well as in a group.

Sophrology have and acts on 5 levels: physical, emotional, intuition, intellectual and transcendent.

Let me explain the 5 levels separately:

1. Physical/Corporal Level – During the first level, we make a lasting contact with our body, we become more aware of our body, and we learn to decipher more clearly the signals our body is sending us all the time. We also learn how to be in the present moment, focused and concentrated on what we are doing at the moment, to ground ourselves, manage our stress and relax. In other words, this level will enable us to feel good in our body;

2. Emotional Level – The second level, as its name suggests, enables us to work on our emotions and better manage our emotions in the first place. After being well anchored in the present moment (which is 10 to 20 sessions into the first level), we are now ready to project ourselves into the future, make plans, overcome obstacles (exams, competition, fear of airplanes or any other phobias we might have, giving birth, moving, separation, grief, etc.). As a result, we start feeling much better and be more at ease with any of the emotions from the spectrum arising at any given moment;

3. Intuitive Level – The third level will enable us to work on our intuition, memory, and creativity. After mastering the first two levels and feeling calm, relaxed and psychologically strong and confident enough about our present and our future, only can we look back into our past, knowing that we can now have and position ourselves at a healthy distance from past hurtful events, situations and people, examine them from a different perspective and see them for what they truly are, past events that no longer have power over us and our life;

4. Rational/Intellectual Level – At this level, we are able to make connection between present, future and past. Our intellect has been involved in the practice since the first session, so it has all of the elements to be able to help us identify and emphasize the relevant discoveries throughout our Sophrology practice so far;

5. Transcendental Level – the 5th and final level of the Sophrology practice enables us to go beyond and surpass ourselves, by sensing, seeing, feeling, knowing we have dormant potential within that we were not aware of until that moment. Since now we have the tranquillity of mind and body and spirit, the confidence, the courage and the energy to work with those dormant potentials within, we are able to use and utilize them to advance in our life, grow further and change our destiny.

Therefore, the Sophrology spectrum is very large: from relaxation, through better management of your stress and emotions, to better facing of life's challenges, such as: exams, competitions, any kind of grief, anxiety, depression, insomnia, divorce/separation, public speaking and any kind of public appearances, preparation for giving birth, etc.

It can be practised at any age from 5 to 125 (by always respecting our limits, without judgment and by doing what's good for us at the moment of the practice).

At the end of the session, a time for sharing is proposed, if the apprentices wish to participate.

It is also recommended that you keep a journal of your sessions, so that you can easily memorize the exercises that will enable you to become autonomous in your practice very soon, but also to keep track of your progress at the same time.

Autonomy is one of the goals of the Sophrology practice, harmonizing the body, spirit and mind is the final goal.

Sophrology will help you focus, improve your memory, gain and improve your self-confidence, concentrate, better manage your stress levels, improve and make an ally of your intuition, have clearer and better vision of yourself, others, your life and your path and purpose, overcome obstacles (exams, divorce, moving, competition, etc.), it helps with insomnia and with many other difficulties you might have or meet in your life at this moment.

It will bring you to the present moment and help you see the world from a better perspective, as we always look for the positive first in our Sophrology practice.

Personally, it has helped me to be more calm, focused, organised, better manage my stress and emotions, better use my creativity, stop procrastinating and become a lot less judgmental and critical toward myself and others, deal with burn-out and anxiety, as well as depression, take a healthy distance from past events, gain more self-confidence and become more assertive and courageous in setting clear and healthy boundaries with people, situations, even with myself.

As for my apprentices, it has helped them with dealing with burn-out, anxiety, stress and emotions management, dealing with fibromyalgia, bipolar disorder, trauma, divorce, separation, grieving, overcoming other obstacles such as exams, giving birth, competition, public appearances, and many more.

Nowadays, doctors, psychologists, and even psychiatrists recommend Sophrology for all of the problems I mentioned above, and many more. Of course, those who know about it.

I have made it my purpose, my goal and my mission to spread the word about this amazing technique, because I trust it with all of my heart, because it has and it is helping me every day, and because it helps other people as well. Also, because it truly is an alternative and an additional method to all kinds of medication, and many other healing modalities and therapies.

Sophrology is not a therapy, it is a relaxation technique. And, we do not work with clients, but apprentices.

It has been created in 1960 and developed in the 60’s and 70’s by a Columbian neuropsychiatrist, Dr. Alfonso Caycedo. He trained in Spain to become a doctor, and it is there that he developed Sophrology, along with some of his close collaborators. Sophrology is nowadays mostly known in the Francophone world (France, Belgium, Switzerland and Canada), also in Spain and Andorra, but it is more and more spreading around the world as well.

Feel free to explore more about this amazing relaxation technique and see if it resonates with you and if it is something you wish to continue practicing, and why not even teaching it.

If you have questions, comments about it or experience with it, please feel free to let me know in the comments section. I will respond to all of them gladly.

Love, Light and Blessings to Your Hearts, Minds and Souls!

Namaste,

Lepa

6th August 2018 – Monday

Brussels, Belgium

Article by Leposava Todorova – Sophrology Practitioner, Executive/Personal/Virtual Assistant, Author, Speaker, Self-Help Counsellor

A Healer Prayer from “Course in Miracles” (when you are unsure what to do)

“I am here only to be truly helpful,

I am here to represent the Source that sent me,

I do not have to worry about what to say or what to do, because Source who sent me will direct me.

I am content to be wherever Source wishes me to be, knowing Source goes there with me.

I will be healed as I let Source teach me to heal.”

Tonight I saw a movie about an African doctor, who studied and got his degree in France, then got a job in a small village in the north of Paris in the middle of ‘70s and brought his family with him there.

The village have never seen a coloured man and had difficulties accepting him and his family. After many useless efforts, on the verge of giving up, destiny smiled at them and rewarded their efforts. He finally got the French nationality and the autorisation to open his own practice in the village and make a decent living for him and his family.

The movie is based on a true story.

It made me thinking of me, a Macedonian in Belgium since 2004, who did her studies in French in a reputable college in Brussels, did her training in a multinational company and continued working for the multinational for +/- 3 years, until her final contract with the company.

Since 2010, this Macedonian, who in the meantime became Belgian too in 2008, could not possibly find a job in the field in which she has most of her experience, studies and skills, not even a part-time job.

She was however attracted to become a Certified Baby Signs Instructor and a Sophrology and a Massage Practitioner. She is fervently working on herself since she is 19 years old, which is now 25 years, constantly learning new skills, constantly growing and developing, both personally and professionally.

Sometimes, she wants to give up everything, but, she never does. Or, if she does renounce to something, it is because she did a lot of thinking before and came to a conclusion that the circumstances and the people involved in the situation are no longer serving her highest good.

But she always goes on and on to learning more, improving more, being and becoming better than she was yesterday. She never gives up !

So, when people tell her that they don’t have time or that she has to attract them with her personality and made them practice Sophrology, she wants to say to them : « No, dear ! I have been there, and as long as you wait for someone else to come, take your hand and find the motivation and the will, the perseverance, to make you take action, you will never be able to do what deep down inside you know what you should do, and that it is YOU, and only YOU who can do it !!!

Nobody else can do it for you !!! You are the one who needs to make the decision to stop procrastinating ! You are the one who needs to dive deep inside and find that motivation, that will, that energy, that time, the money, the perseverance, whatever your excuse is (cause that’s what it is, an excuse) to get up, take action and help yourself ! It’s not me, it’s not your mother, brother, father, son, daughter, husband, wife, you name it, who will ever be able to be you and do things for you ! Never ! That is wishful thinking and not taking responsibility for your own life ! That is procrastination ! And, I know that you don’t want to do that anymore! I know that you had enough, that you want to help yourself, that you want to learn this new relaxation technique that Lepa is teaching, that you want to write that novel, that you want to teach how to play piano finally, to learn how to drive, or whatever your wish is to improve the quality of your life!

And, let me tell you, there is no better time to start than NOW ! NOW is the time to take action, NOW is the time to stop blaming and shaming everybody and everything else around you for not doing what you know and want to do, NOW is the time for CHANGE ! Only you can do that, and I know that you can and you will ! But, do you know and do you believe that you can do it ?!?

Nobody can help anybody, if they do not want to help themselves first ! Keep that in mind next time you find another excuse for not taking that first step toward yourself, toward your life, toward your health !!! »

With this said, let me tell you once again that I have been there, I have been where you are now, but, when I had enough, I decided to take that first step, to take action and do it. And, not only that I learned a lot, not only that I helped myself, not only that I gained more self-confidence, not only that I grew, not only that I changed, not only that I am more at peace, but, I continue learning, and growing and will do so, until my last breath, because I know that it is not only my right, but also my legacy to continually learning and growing and becoming better than I was yesterday. It is my birth right and it is my duty !

And I wish sincerely and truly that you see this too from where you are now, reading these lines, and that it incite you and inspire you and motivate you to take that first step. Because, that is all you need to do, take the first baby step and continue taking little, tiny baby steps toward your best YOU, toward your best FUTURE, toward your best LIFE !

Love, Light and Blessings to your heart, mind and soul !

Namaste,

Lepa

https://www.amazingconsciousness.com

Je vis en Belgique depuis 12 ans où je me suis formée en tant que Sophrologue Praticienne depuis maintenant quelques années, mais également pour donner un massage relaxant comprenant 5 techniques.

Je constate ces dernières semaines que depuis que j’ai mis une annonce pour le massage, je reçois des appels des hommes cherchant plutôt un massage érotique, sensuel, voir sexuel ou tantrique. La demande est forte.

Après m’avoir posé des questions et avoir été prévenue que cela risque d’arriver, j’ai modifié mon annonce en mettant clairement une notion que le massage que je pratique n’est ni sexuel, ni sensuel, ni érotique.

Même après avoir pris toutes ces précautions, il m’arrive que les hommes m’appellent pour me demander toute sorte de questions laissant croire qu’ils cherchent un massage stimulant au niveau sexuel, plutôt qu’un massage relaxant et/ou de bien-être.

Etant quelqu’un qui veut construire son activité sur base d’honnêteté, service, intégrité personnelle et professionnelle et surtout orientée client, je me suis retrouvée en train d’être désagréable avec la dernière personne qui m’a appelé et qui me disait qu’il ne cherchait pas un massage érotique, mais en me demandant en même temps si le massage comprenait de toucher la zone des hanches où, je cite : « il y a beaucoup de sensorialité » et qu’il a déjà essayé plusieurs massages où on évitait de toucher cette zone et les organes sexuels.

Malgré ma patience et ma volonté et mes essaies de lui expliquer que cela est normal de ne pas toucher la zone de l’organe sexuel dans ce genre de massage, il insistait à vouloir clarifier.

Je lui ai répété plusieurs fois qu’il faut essayer le massage pour ce faire une opinion et j’ai fini par craquer et être un peu désagréable avec lui à la fin, après quoi le monsieur en question m’a dit qu’il voulait juste prendre des renseignements et qu’il m’appellerait pour prendre rendez-vous. Je lui ai bien précisé qu’il faut prendre rendez-vous 24 à 48h à l’avance puisque je dois réserver le centre au préalable.

Je me sentais mal à l’aise par après d’avoir été désagréable avec lui, et après avoir pris le temps de prendre soin de moi, de mes sentiments par rapport à ce sujet et à la culpabilité que je ressentais, j’ai décidé de lui envoyer un SMS pour m’excuser.

La réponse que j’ai eue était si j’avais du temps aujourd’hui pour le recevoir en consultation, car il souffrait.

J’ai demandé de quoi il souffrait, il m’a répondu du stress et de l’insomnie et alors je lui ai proposé de plutôt essayer la Sophrologie car c’est une technique de relaxation et de détente qui permet de gérer son stress, son insomnie, ses émotions et bien d’autres maux et angoisses.

Depuis lors, le monsieur ne s’est plus manifesté !

Ma question alors est : est-ce que les hommes aujourd’hui (je dis bien les hommes, car je n’ai pas encore eu de telles demandes de la part des femmes) et peut-être avant, confondent leur stress avec une décharge sexuelle qui leur permettra de se détendre et de se relaxer en utilisant des techniques comme des massages, par exemple ?!

Pour différentes raisons, ils ne contactent pas les personnes qui pratiquent ce genre de massages tantriques/sensuels/sexuels/érotiques, mais bien des personnes comme moi qui pratiquent un massage relaxant et de bien-être, tout en cherchant quoi finalement ?!

Le massage que je pratique agit sur le système nerveux, travaille sur les méridiens et les points d’acupressure et procure une détente et un bien-être complet et profond, que ce soit physique ou mental.

Ce besoin immédiat des hommes d’être pris en charge le jour même pour un massage « relaxant » car ils souffrent du stress et de l’insomnie pour moi est d’un autre registre et derrière ce besoin il y a d’autres besoins qui se cachent : le besoin du contact humain, du toucher, d’être proche d’un autre être humain, besoin d’intimité, d’assouvir sa solitude, etc.

Mais quand je propose un travail sur soi, la plupart de ces hommes disparaissent la seconde même du vue !!!

Ce texte n’est en aucun cas un jugement, mais bien un essai et un appel sincère pour éveiller les consciences des hommes et de les inciter à voir plus loin que leur organe sexuel et ces névroses sexuelles qui ressentent (la manifestation peut-être dû à leur stress provoqué par bien d’autres raisons), car derrière ceci il y a bien plus de choses qui se cachent et qui attendent d’être découvertes et explorées.

Mon souhait profond et sincère est que bien plus d’hommes commencent à s’ouvrir à soi-même et à la vie et dépassent cette peur de voir plus loin et d’explorer ce qu’ils ressentent sans se juger ni être jugé !

Si ce texte vous parle, n’hésitez pas à le faire partager pour que nous commencions à éveiller les consciences dormantes chez les hommes d’aujourd’hui (je ne dis pas tous, car je sais bien qu'il y en a parmi eux beaucoup qui font un travail extraordinaire déjà et pour qu’ils puissent nous rejoindre dans cette quête du bien-être personnel en cherchant et en utilisant des pratiques bien plus constructives et créatives que la recherche d’un simple plaisir sexuel ou la décharge momentanée de toutes les tensions de la journée ou de la semaine ou du mois (bien que je ne nie pas l’importance de ce besoin non plus) !

Eveillons-nous tous pour créer la vie que nous désirons vraiment vivre dans la paix, la sérénité, le respect et l’harmonie parfaite !

Avec toutes mes amitiés, chers hommes, il est temps de vous réveiller et joindre vos efforts et vos capacités et construire avec nous un monde nouveau et meilleur,

Namaste,

Lepa <3

Dragi prijateli,

Povelete na pretstojnata 2-dnevna rabotilnica po Dinamicna Sofrologija koja ke se odrzi ovoj vikend, na 4ti i 5ti Juli 2015 god. vo prostoriite na Lux Integra vo Skopje.

Gi spodeluvam so vas i tekstovite objaveni od Fashionel.mk, kade mozete da se zapoznaete podobro so mene i so Dinamicnata Sofrologija koja ja praktikuvam:

1. http://fashionel.mk/225303/%d0%be%d1%82%d0%b2%d0%be%d1%80%d0%b5%d0%bd%d0%b8-%d1%80%d0%b0%d0%b1%d0%be%d1%82%d0%b8%d0%bb%d0%bd%d0%b8%d1%86%d0%b8-%d0%bf%d0%be-%d0%b4%d0%b8%d0%bd%d0%b0%d0%bc%d0%b8%d1%87%d0%bd%d0%b0-%d1%81%d0%be/

2. http://fashionel.mk/227757/naucete-sofrologija/

Golem pozdrav i ve ocekuvam,

Lepa

Hi everyone,

Here's the interview from Fashionel.mk, published on 9th September 2014 in English:

http://eng.fashionel.mk/5501/sophrology-mechanism-coping-negative-impact-modern-living/

I hope you'll enjoy it!

Lepa

Your Sophrology Practitioner

Zdravo na site moi Makedonski sonarodnici nasekade vo svetot!

Deneska imam posebna cest i zadovolstvo da vi go pretstavam intervjuto koe mi bese napraveno od strana na Glavniot urednik na Fashionel.mk, G-gjica Marija Mecheva pred nekoj den i objaveno deneska na portalot so istiot naslov, sopstvenost na G-gja Elena Pandeva.

Vo intervjuto ke doznaete nesto poveke za ovaa prekrasna i dosta efikasna tehnika i stil na ziveenje, kako i za rabotilnicata koja za prv pat ke ja organiziram vo Makedonija i vo Skopje ovojpat, na 13ti Septemvri 2014 godina, vo 10 casot nautro, vo Centarot Za Joga i Duhovni Disciplini "Surya" vo K. Voda.

Eve go linkot kon intervjuto: http://fashionel.mk/158769/sofrologija-intervju/

Se nadevam deka ke ve zainteresira i ke vi se dopadne i ke ve natera da dojdete i da se zapoznaeme licno i da spodelime edna Vovedna Seansa po Dinamicna Sofrologija zaedno vo Skopje!

Uzivajte, i ne zaboravajte da se prijavite za rabotilnicata na imejl: [email protected]  i da go potrvdite vaseto prisustvo, kako i da si go rezervirate vaseto mesto za ovaa rabotilnica i sredba!

Vi blagodaram odnapred za interesot, komentarite, prijavuvanjeto i iskreno se nadevam deka ke se vidime naskoro vo Skopje.

Golem pozdrav,

Lepa
Vasiot Sofrolog

Dragi prijateli, ova e mojot Blog koj go zapocnuvam so objavuvanje na Prvata Seansa po Dinamicna Sofrologija snimena vo 5 videa koi sleduvaat:

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geTIeIzOMY0

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEpA0BkSO3Q

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zmwzxfw7Jf4

4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4CUgIzEIS0

5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFoq4jetSwo

Toplo vi preporacuvam da gi pogledate najprvo videata vo prozorecot Mini Vidéo Guide kade sto ja pretstavuvam tehnikata za relaksacija i opustanje Dinamicna Sofrologija, a potoa da ja pocnete vasata prva seansa ovde.

Uste pri prvata seansa bi trebalo da pocuvstvuvate promeni vo vaseto telo i dlaboka relaksacija i opustenost koi ostavaat tragi i po samata seansa.

Slobodno spodelete vo komentarite kako i sto pocuvstvuvavte vo tekot na i po samata seansa i postavete gi vasite prasanja, dokolku imate.

Uzivajte!

Lepa

Dear friends,

I'm starting this Blog with the first session in Dynamic Sophrology done in 3 videos:

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXLdaBYhy6M

2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFFFLbM89i8

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMX-9-TWVJM

I strongly recommend that you start with the videos introducing Dynamic Sophrology under the window Mini Vidéo Guide and only then start your Fist Session here.

Normally, you should feel some changes within your body and a deep relaxation during your First Session.

Please do not hesitate to put comments below and let me know how and what you felt and schedule your personal training with me.

Lepa