Archive for the ‘Meditation’ Category
Five Minutes for You
Wednesday, September 4th, 2024
Everything seems rushed these days. The phone pings, a text alert comes in, a bill is due, work is hectic, or something needs an immediate response. Life can feel rushed. I always wondered if that is why we have seasons – to remind us to play (summer), to prepare and learn (autumn), to rest (winter), and to plant seeds for unknown growth (spring).
I have had my fair share of feeling guilty when I take time to myself or wait to return a phone call or when I spend an afternoon reading. Shouldn’t I be “doing something productive?” I forget that taking care of myself is the greatest gift I can ever give myself and always makes me available for others.
Even when I tell myself, I don’t have time, I will do everything possible to pause for five minutes to breathe, to walk, to notice, to listen, or to be quiet. I take five minutes to recenter myself so I can be present.
Recently I had to give a webinar to a large group. And even though I had done it before, I was nervous. Ten minutes before the webinar, I sat quietly and meditated. I paused for five minutes and breathed deeply in and out. Right before I opened my eyes, I took a photo to remind myself that it only took five minutes to recenter. Oh, the webinar was amazing, and the group felt my presence and joy.
Five minutes – sometimes that is all it takes to come home to yourself.
Will you take five minutes for you?
Pause
Tuesday, August 10th, 2021
When I can’t find the words to say or write, I look in nature. 
When life seems overwhelming,
I pause.
When I need to understand, I take photos.
I find meaning in images.
I find connection in nature.
And I find peace in the stillness.
Just For This Moment
Tuesday, April 7th, 2020
Just for this moment is a phrase that showed up in my meditation. It is a phrase that is keeping me grounded. I have said many times to myself as a reminder to stay present to now.
Meditation:
Just for this moment feel without seeking another experience.
Feel the sensations in your whole body.
Let them move, intensify or dissipate.
Allow your feelings to stay or leave.
Bow to your feelings.
Just for this moment be silent or let your voice be heard.
Be gentle with yourself.
Know that your heart is vast and can hold your feelings.
Be a sanctuary for yourself.
Just for this moment.
Curate More Love
Wednesday, February 12th, 2020
My morning meditation gave rise to notion of curating more love. More peace. More joy. More laughter.
Following my meditation, I wrote in my journal, “My heart is curated and narrated by the love that lives in me.” I began to just sit with that — in that. I questioned where in my life am I curating and narrating more love.
How am I curating and narrating the love that lives in me? How am I expressing the love that lives in me?
Curating and narrating love is a daily practice; one I am not always good at sharing. Each moment and each breath gives me a chance to curate more love.
What are you curating more of in your life right now?
This month, this day, this moment is an opportunity to curate more love.
Flickering Light
Thursday, December 19th, 2019
Our light goes in and out.
We find ourselves again
and again.
And we lose ourselves again and again.
Sometimes we need the darkness to find our light.
Our light dims and love helps us find it.
Our light shines bright, and love shows us how to share it.
Our light glows and other people notice it.
We sometimes see the light in others before we see our own light. We shine and celebrate the light in others.
Oh, and their light flickers too.
May we find our inner sun that is always shining light.
May we remember that light emerges from the darkness.
And that the most holy darkness is the deepest darkness.
Let our flickering light and holy darkness be our teachers.
A Thought Away From Peace
Tuesday, July 23rd, 2019
As we become more aware of our thoughts, we can start to observe and listen deeply to the messages we give ourselves.
Take a moment and ask yourself:
Is this thought giving me joy or taking away my joy?
Spend 10 minutes each day observing your thoughts.
Watch where you mind goes and allow your breath to take you back to peace.
The calmer our mind, the more we can give and receive.
Give yourself 10 minutes each day to observe your thoughts.
Where will your thoughts take you today?
Breathe your way to peace.
Flickering Light
Thursday, December 6th, 2018
Our light goes in and out. 
We find ourselves again and again.
And we lose ourselves again and again.
Sometimes we need the darkness to find our light.
Our light dims and love helps us find it.
Our light shines bright lightly and love shows us how to share it.
Our light glows and other people notice it.
We sometimes see the light in others before we see our own light.
We shine and celebrate the light in others.
Oh, and their light flickers too.
As our days grow shorter, may we find our inner sun that is always shining light.
May we remember that light emerges from the darkness.
And that the most holy darkness is the deepest darkness.
Let our flickering light and holy darkness be our teachers.
Being Here—Being Home
Tuesday, August 7th, 2018
There was a time I was between here and there. Now I find myself between here and here.
I came across the above line in one of my journals and was reminded just how easy it is to move away from the present moment. I have released the notion of staying busy. I found the busier I was, the more exhausted I became. By making space for some quiet, I am able to find time for walking, watching sunsets, meditating, writing, and sitting. It’s amazing how busy we can convince ourselves to be!
As Thich Nhat Hanh says in his writing, I Have Arrived, I Am Home:
“I have arrived” is our practice. When we breathe in, we take refuge in our in-breath, and we say, “I have arrived.” When we take a step, we take refuge in our step, and we say, “I am home.” This is not a statement to yourself or another person. “I have arrived, I am home” means I have stopped running; I have arrived in the present moment contains life. When I breathe in and take refuge in my in-breath, I touch life deeply. When I take a step and I take refuge entirely in my step, I also touch life deeply, and by doing so I stop running.
Stop running is a very important practice. We have all been running all of our lives. We believe that peace, happiness, and success are present in some other place and time. We don’t know that everything—peace, happiness, and stability—should be looked for in the here and the now. This is the address of life—the intersection of here and now.
I have stopped running and I have arrived. For me, being here is being home.
Welcome home.
Where Are Your Thoughts Taking You?
Thursday, July 19th, 2018
As we become more aware of our thoughts, we can start to observe and listen deeply to the messages we give ourselves.
Take a moment and ask yourself:
Is this thought giving me joy or taking away my joy?
Spend 10 minutes each day observing your thoughts.
Watch where you mind goes and allow your breath to take you back to peace.
The calmer our mind, the more we can give and receive.
Give yourself 10 minutes each day to observe your thoughts.
Where will your thoughts take you today?
Breathe your way to peace.
Mastering Our Breath
Tuesday, May 29th, 2018
For many years, I would sit with my teacher and she would ask me to be mindful of my breathing. 
We would sit each week and take a few slow, gentle breaths in and out.
Often my homework assignment from my teacher would be an invitation to be mindful of my breathing throughout my day. I was to pause and take conscious breaths with each phone call, before each email, or meal.
My teacher would often say, “I want you to master your breathing. If you can master your breath, you can master anything.”
Want to join me in my daily practice of breathing with mindfulness throughout the day?
Breathe in. Breathe out. Let’s master our breathing – a breath at a time.