Posts Tagged ‘Rest’
The Light of Your Being – Winter Solstice
Wednesday, December 21st, 2022
“I wish I could show you when you are lonely or in darkness the astonishing light of your own being.” ~Hafiz
How will you celebrate the light in the darkness?
As we enter the winter season, it is time to go inward. The winter season allows us to align with a slower pace. In the depths of winter, when the bears hibernate, trees put their energy deep into their roots, and many of dive deeper into the dream world, it is natural time to retreat.
As we go inward, let us notice the beauty and tranquility of winter. Let us celebrate the light within that is always possible. Let us embrace the opportunity for deep rest and integration that winter provides.
How will you keep the candle lit inside yourself?
Celebrate the light of your own being!
Unmoored
Tuesday, August 25th, 2020
I live near water and often go to the end of my street to watch the boats sway as the sun sets. Each night brings a new experience. Some of the boats seem adrift without a destination or port to dock in. These past few months, I have felt this way too. I seem to be adrift and swaying in uncharted waters. Finding the shore at times seems too difficult. I find myself feeling like I am lost in the middle of the ocean—with no destination.
Like an unmoored boat, I am in the sea of the unknown. Searching for anchors, I turn to books, journals, and walks in nature. At times, these bring comfort and other times, I just wade in the waters of the unknown.
Sometimes when I feel unmoored, what is needed most is rest. It is the constant search for answers and solutions to the unknown that has made me feel exhausted. I have had to practice focusing and concentrating like never before. It’s the struggle of finding a place and space just to be that brings the course back into sight. As I work daily to change course, to stay grounded, and to return to the shores of my heart, I try to stop controlling and solving. I am learning how to appreciate how to sail in uncharted waters.
I still feel like an unmoored boat swaying. But for today, the sea and sky will guide me. And my anchor is my faith showing me how to set sail in the open sea of life.
Create Space for What You Love Doing
Tuesday, August 10th, 2010
Create space for what you LOVE to do, rather than fill space with what you are ‘comfortable’ doing.
I hope you have been able to spend time doing what you LOVE this summer. I decided to take a little more time off this summer from what was becoming a hectic schedule (that I created). I would often hear people “admire” me for my busy schedule, all the programs and workshops I gave, my growing business, all while working full-time. The truth is I became very “comfortable” filling my schedule. What I really needed to do was become comfortable being uncomfortable with less to do.
After emptying my calendar and saying “no” to a lot of invitations, I began to create space in my schedule. I was able to spend time seeing what it was I really LOVE to do. I didn’t need a sabbatical from work; I needed a sabbatical from myself! I spent a lot of time going to the beach, connecting with friends, taking long walks, and reading lots of good books. This gave me the respite I needed to relax. I spent many mornings and evenings sitting quietly, watching sunrises and sunsets, and listening to the birds sing. I came to a place where I finally acknowledged how much I love to write meditations, poetry, and blogs. The quieter I became, the more ideas for my business flowed effortlessly.
Create space for what you LOVE to do! How could being uncomfortable give you the space you need to show you what is you LOVE?
Mary Anne
Relax! The Importance of Down Time
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
As someone who works full time and also runs a healing arts business, I fully understand the importance of down time. I work full time overseeing a city-wide mentoring program. My evenings and weekends include seeing clients for life coaching or shamanic healing sessions and I am also taking classes at NYU. I actually schedule down time!
I made the decision this past weekend not to work, make plans, or go anywhere – my goal was “to relax.” After enjoying a cup of coffee and reading the New York Times on Saturday, I found myself doing things around the house – cleaning shelves, changing curtains, organizing clothes, throwing away papers, and going to the dry cleaners. I then sat down and wrote a newsletter and some meditations for an upcoming course. I couldn’t sit still or slow my mind down. I couldn’t relax. I even text my close friend to tell her to text me back and tell me to stop working and to rest.
Every time I sat down to be quiet, read an article, or take a slow walk, I was convinced I was being lazy. Yet, it is this down time that is so important for self care (part of my Happiness Project). Slowing down allows the body, mind, and spirit to regenerate. It allows for harmony of energy and stimulates creative flow. Without down time, it is so easy to burn out.
Give yourself a break and take some down time. Some ideas:
Do Nothing – clear your schedule for a whole day. Ignore your to-do list and live the day from a to-be place.
Rest – take a nap. I am not sure why we had to stop napping after kindergarten, but napping, laying in the grass or in a hammock just feels good.
Play – what amuses you? Schedule time to go and do something playful – something that makes you laugh.
Indulge – surrender to a mindless activity. Give yourself permission to read a magazine, go to the movies, or treat yourself to something. Treat yourself as if you are the most important person in the world – because you are.
Schedule down time – block off time in your calendar as “you” time and choose how you want to relax and pause. This is all about self-care. Don’t wait until your body forces you to rest because you are burnt out or sick. By taking down time, you will be refreshed and energized.
Here is to slowing down ~
Mary Anne
The Sacred Space of You
Monday, March 29th, 2010
“Your sacred space is where you can find yourself again and again”
– Joseph Campbell
After spending a gray and damp Sunday cleaning the house, I thought about how much “space” there was after removing lots of clutter. Every weekend I have been dedicating time to throwing away papers, making donations bags, and clearing corners of the house. I realized how much space there really is in my apartment. Other than my collection of books, drums, stones/crystals, CD’s, sweatshirts, and mastana’s (altar cloths), I am pretty much a minimalist. I don’t own a lot or have stuff all over the walls. Perhaps because I grew up with a lot of knick-knacks and tables that had beautiful Irish Belleek and doilies on the table (every table), I wanted to have less things to collect. My house growing up had a lot of nice things and many photos—including pictures from First Communion all the way through College graduation, and many photos in between.
I like having space in the house without the need to put something there. How often do we fill a space rather than just let an area remain empty? How else are we filling the space in our lives? What are we filling our space up with?
Think about the space in between musical notes—otherwise known as “rest.” This allows us to live in the space between the notes—that’s where the quiet space is. How can we allow the space to teach us, to fill us, to empty us?
Love the space in between because you are that space. Find the sacred space of you and stay there. Remove the clutter within and make space for more love.
To the sacred space of you,
Mary Anne
Stillness in 20-Zen
Friday, January 1st, 2010
As we start the New Year, may it begin with stillness. In the quiet places of our hearts, may we take a moment each day to breathe slowly and deeply, and then step into our day from a sense of peacefulness. I am not one to make resolutions, however, I do look at my year and set goals with clear action steps, and time for reflection. I am also starting a new accountability project with a friend that will allow us to share where we are at with our goals, express our learning, and any roadblocks. I am holding myself accountable to writing more and slowing down the pace. This might mean attending less events and an emptier calendar and it feels the perfect way to start 2010 (aka 20-Zen). In an effort to take this Zen approach this year, I offer some of my meditations as a way to explore stillness in 20-Zen.
“We are all just a thought away from stillness.”
“Do it afraid. Do it despite yourself. Do it anyway.”
“You hold the Master key to the prison of your mind.”
“Bring love to all your work and inspired action will follow.”
“Rest in the place of great love.”
“I smile. You smile. The world smiles.”
“Life is full of music. What song are you singing?”
“Forgiveness is the window of the soul through which only light shines.”
“When stressful thoughts arise, breathe them, bless them, and blow them away with love.”
“Saying a prayer is expressing a big part of you to a bigger part of YOU.”
“How you breathe and how you feel are related. Breathe love.”
“Begin a resting practice of noticing the space between the words.”
May 2010 bring you a love-filled year with unshakable peace. Happy 20-Zen!
— Mary Anne