Mindfulness – Page 3 – Join me on a blessed and heartfelt journey of discovery!

The Delicious Ambiguity of Life

July 14, 2020
by admin

It was a beautiful sunny day with just a bit of a breeze and my husband wanted to go for bike ride up one of the trails near our home. I was hesitant as the hill he wanted to climb was rather steep for about a mile and I was not confident in my ability to make it. He assured me we could turn around at any point so we embarked on our little adventure. Surprisingly, I had requested only one brief stop midway up the hill before resuming our trek. Soon the top came into in view, teasing us with its proximity, and we continued until just a few hundred feet from our destination. And then I stopped. Not a rest stop, but a full on my lungs were burning and my heart felt like it would leap out of my chest at any moment stop. As I stood gasping, straddling my bike with my feet firmly planted on the ground, my husband encouraged me to rest and catch my breath. He maintained we could make it, which really meant he knew he could and was trying to make me believe I could as well. As my breathing relaxed he instructed me to begin riding by heading down hill first before turning back up. Crazy idea I thought and stubbornly hopped back on the bike with the tires pointed straight up hill attempting to pedal. Making no progress other than spinning my wheels in the sand, I stopped, completely defeated and gave my husband that look of ‘I’m done and knew I couldn’t do this’ at which time he again encouraged me to try riding down hill first. Shrugging my shoulders I gave it a try. Then the magic happened. Heading back down hill gave me enough momentum that I was able to turn back up hill and made it to the top of the trail. Progress!

Reflections and Lessons

When the Earth Held Her Breath

June 24, 2020June 24, 2020
by admin

The landscape for most people has changed, at least a bit if not dramatically, with the advent of the pandemic. With shelter at home decrees or just plain wanting to stay safe, what was perceived as a ‘normal’ daily routine quickly became a thing of the past. For me there was a period of time that it felt like the Earth was holding her breath as we figured out how to navigate living in a world with the threat of a deadly foe that was unseen and virtually undetectable.

Energy Flows

This is Not My Story

June 10, 2020
by admin

This is not my story to tell, but it is my turn to listen.

It is my turn to witness.

It is my turn to understand another’s experience may not mirror mine.

It is my turn to hold space so others’ voices may be heard.

It is time to join my voice with those that are trying to be heard.

~Act as if what you do makes a difference. IT DOES.~

Reflections and Lessons

When a Waterfall Meets Concrete and Steel

May 5, 2020May 4, 2020
by admin

Lower the bar. Don’t worry about what you are accomplishing, there are more important things to consider during these times. I recently had this posed to my by someone asking that isn’t this the time to lower the bar, if only for a bit?

I had to sit with this for a moment as my initial reaction was quite strong. Lowering the bar has never been the answer for me. Pushing through and reaching the bar is what I know because there is always more work to be done, more learning to be accomplished, more cleaning to do, more books to read, more…just fill in the blank. However, I reminded myself, we are all facing different challenges that a mere three months ago we hadn’t even considered. So maybe there was some validity in exploring this option.

Mother Nature

Celebrate Earth Day Every Day

April 22, 2020April 22, 2020
by admin

The first Earth Day was celebrated 50 years ago on April 22, 1970. It was founded by Gaylord Nelson, a US Senator from Wisconsin, after he witnessed the impact of a massive oil spill in Santa Barbara, California. At that time it was the largest oil spill in US history and still ranks at number 3, behind only the Deepwater Horizon and Exxon Valdez oil spills. It was Mr. Gaylord’s vision to have a “national teach-in on the environment” and energize the public to protect the environment by addressing water and air pollution concerns. Over 20 million Americans participated in that first Earth Day celebration uniting many in a common cause that had been previously fragmented over several specific environmental concerns.

Mindfulness

Shine Your Light

April 3, 2020April 2, 2020
by admin

The past few weeks, as I have reflected back on my choice for my guiding word for 2020, I have chuckled at the seeming irony of it right now. The word was ‘light’ and little did I know the path ahead was going to become so dim at times. I remember choosing ‘light’ to remind myself the sun always rises and to let go of the heavy energies that cling. I chose it to remind myself I have the power to reclaim my joy and lightheartedness in life. I chose it as a reminder there is always hope and to help make the path clear on my journey. Most of all, however, I chose light for 2020 to remind myself we are all meant to shine for who we are and not hide our true selves from the world.

Should & Entitlement

March 12, 2020April 10, 2020
by admin

It’s funny how we recognize something in another that we don’t see in ourselves. I had heard often that others are a mirror to us if we care to look and pay attention but I am not sure I ever truly understood or believed this theory. I have found that when I am sitting in judgement of another that is usually a signal that I have healing to address but for other emotions or thoughts which I don’t identify as a ‘judgement’ I hadn’t felt this mirror business held true. Until I listened to a podcast by Kara Lowentheil about entitlement.

Read more “Should & Entitlement” →

Wellness

When Our Bodies Whisper

March 5, 2020March 4, 2020
by admin

Our bodies are amazing in their abilities. They provide us with mobility, as well as the ability to communicate with each other, to taste different flavors, experience different scents, see different colors and patterns and finally to think. We breathe automatically most of the time. Our hearts beat without any impetus on our part. Our digestive systems operate quite well when given the correct nourishment. Finally, our bodies are able to heal many of the hurts that we inflict on them.

Read more “When Our Bodies Whisper” →

Wellness

Grief, The Price for Love

February 13, 2020February 12, 2020
by admin

It was a brief conversation I had with a friend as we discussed our common experience. I had lost my dad a short two years ago and she had lost her mother in the past year. The discussion was a few sentences of shared feelings, of how we each hadn’t realized how connected to our parent we had been and of how there was a lack of acceptance in our community for our mourning. And then the conversation moved on, but the words had intrigued me and I reflected on them for several days. There seems to be an unspoken taboo in our society about showing grief or mourning the loss of a loved one unless it is done quietly, behind closed doors where you aren’t seen. In general, grief for any loss or transition is not tolerated beyond the first brief time frame of a few days by our society. We are told to ‘get over it’ , ‘move on’ , ‘they are in a better place’ , ‘everything happens for the best’ or a multitude of other platitudes in an effort to move us beyond this place of sadness. While I truly believe these things are said in good will, I also believe they are stated because the person speaking them is uncomfortable being in this place of grief with us. I get it, it is not an easy or fun place to be and I have also witnessed someone being stuck in this place, but overall my experience has been that we hurry through it. We push the pain away, deny the tears and are afraid to acknowledge the impact or changes in our life as we go about our day to day activities as if nothing is different. Read more “Grief, The Price for Love” →

Reflections and Lessons

A High School Hangover

February 6, 2020February 4, 2020
by admin

I had the chance encounter with someone that I had associated with in high school a few years back. We had not been close but had many mutual friends during our teenage years and our paths had crossed on a regular basis with friendly interaction the norm. Many years had passed before our paths crossed again at a public function. I acknowledged her with a smile and greeting, however, she acted as if we had never met and remained very distant. I thought this strange and took on the burden of her reaction thinking I must have done or said something that warranted the treatment. Believing this was a one time encounter I didn’t pursue the issue and didn’t even give it much thought for quite some time. Then, several months later, she joined the adult dance class I was in. Again, week after week, she treated me not only as a stranger but as if I didn’t exist. Wow, I must have really done something, I chastised myself, ceasing my friendly overtures and mentally shrugging because you can’t fix something if you don’t know what the problem is. Read more “A High School Hangover” →

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