Unconditional love envelops you like the warmth of the sun. It manifests in acts of loving-kindness to yourself or to another. Unconditional love occurs between the space where one person truly sees another. Includes loving-kindness meditation
Read MoreA practice of self-compassion is how to find completion within yourself instead of looking for it outside of yourself. It enables one to kill the critic in the mind of negative self-talk and look upon ourselves with a mother’s love. It is how to love and accept ourselves exactly as we are. It is a heart-healing process to equanimity of mind. Includes Mother of Mercy Meditation
Read MoreOur everyday grief presents us with an opportunity for growth. We train our mind by finding what is within our control. We heal our heart by acknowledging grief. In doing this, we can align with our highest potential and see clearly the next step for our soul’s evolution. Contains Grief Meditation
Read MoreMost people think of grief as a deep sadness one feels after loss. It is this and so much more. It is the little losses and the big losses; it is the time we cannot get back. Life is a perpetual motion of grief one moment to the next. Getting into our everyday grief allows for a letting go that calms the mind and heals the heart. Includes Grief Meditation.
Read MoreHowever unwanted, pain is certain to happen in life. When we acknowledge this, we can plan for what to do when pain’s unwelcome knock comes to our door. When unprepared, we panic and respond with rejection. When we know what to do with pain, we can become better equip to handling the undesired with equanimity.
Read MoreThere will always be someone you can perceive as better than you. If we hold ourselves to this arbitrary standard, nothing is ever enough. We become a victim to our own judging mind. Believing the story of not being enough defeated me and kept me small for so many years. I turned the emotional pain of this story into suffering until I let go of trying to meet an impossible standard.
Read MoreHow often are we running through life with the added weight of resistance? Is there resistance when the alarm goes off waking you for another day? Is there resistance when you get into your car to go to work? Is there resistance at the thoughts of all there is to do? You are carrying extra weight. (Experiences recounted may be triggering for some readers.)
Read MoreSoftening to resistance does not mean non-action. As Mahatma Gandhi said when asked about the “passive resistance” he was teaching all over India, “There is nothing passive in my resistance. It is just non-violent.”
Read MoreThere becomes a circular stuck-ness that can happen when the mind butts up against the wall of resistance. It is difficult to look at what do not want to see. However, when we are resistant to facing the difficulty, resistance is reinforced. Relinquishing the desire to control the uncontrollable frees the mind and body from the armoring of resistance and liberates the soul.
Read MoreLike a ship oscillating in a dark current of confusion, trust your lighthouse. No matter how foggy the course, the inkling of light remains. Where is your lighthouse? Meditation is the foghorn bellowing into the distance. Its blare rises above the haze of the cluttered mind. Sound your horn and look for your lighthouse.
Read MoreRemember. Spirit awakens. Divine alarm. The cushion calls, To remember. Sit. Breathe. Connect. Flow. Remember to breathe. Breathe to remember.
Read MoreDocumentation of what I eat in a day. Ratios of 30% Protein, 30% Fat and 40% Carbs are generally a good guideline to adhere to. Using an app, such as MyPlate, makes it simple to quantify your dietary needs and make adjustments when appropriate. You will gain helpful insights as you embark on the investigative process of eating.
Read MoreConscious eating begins with increased attention regarding what you are putting into your mouth and why. To raise awareness, our diet becomes an investigation in eating. Not only do we explore what we are eating and why but also the emotions that arise. What emotions trigger food cravings and what emotions are triggered as a result of eating?
Read MorePhone turned off and put out of sight. No scrolling. Music turned off. No noise. Book on the shelf. No distractions. I sat to eat my first meal.I looked down at the vibrant food on my plate. Each morsel anxiously awaiting entry into my body. My gaze shifted to my fork. The luminescent silver demanded I pick it up and begin. “Hurry!” It said. “You don’t want this to take all day.”
Read MoreFood. It fuels our bodies, minds and spirits. It could be argued as one of the most, important things we do each day for optimal performance. What do we eat and why? Have you ever stopped to think about what you put into your body? Exploring what we eat and why can give key insights into the workings of the mind.
Read MoreIf you had asked me 5 months earlier if I thought I would get my first two muscle ups, in the Open, at CrossFit New England with my favorite CrossFit athlete there to congratulate me after, I would have said you were crazy. Only in a dream world does stuff like that happen. But it did happen. It will be a moment forever etched in my mind. It would not have happened without a positive mindset.
Read MoreYou stand on a rocky ledge overlooking a giant chasm. Far off in the distance, you can see the other side. Meditation is the scaffolding of grace for the mind that links you to your highest potential. The chasm of your mental obstacles of doubt and fear is a dark, empty vacuum below. Build your bridge.
Read MoreNext time you drive down the street, look around you. What do you see? Fast food restaurants, sex shops, bars, coffee shops; all things that are monetized based on demand for pleasure. What do all people want? Happiness. What brings a feeling of happiness? Ice cream for some, alcohol for others. The pleasure these things bring in is not bad. In fact, they are an experience that should be enjoyed when made mindfully.
Read MoreOur culture does not train focus. Quite the opposite. Capitalism encourages economic growth. As a result, we are bombarded by ads. Advertisements divert our focus are everywhere you look. From our smart phones to walking down the isle in the grocery store, objects are trying to catch your eye, and your mind. Shiny object here, shiny object there. Our minds are conditioned to be distracted.
Read MoreIntense emotional states are avoided like the door to the panic room. Its understandable why. Allowing ourselves to feel grief, shame, sadness and relive the stories underneath is terrifying. What is the motivation for letting these feelings in? It frees you from their power over you.
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