Meditation is a means of exploring the mind/body. Like driving through a snowstorm, we tightly grip the wheel, squinting through the blinding hail of thoughts. At times, it feels as though we will drive right off the road. Slow down and line yourself up with what you know will never change or lead you astray.
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 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 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 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.
Read MoreYou stand at the bow of a ship sailing on a mighty ocean. Sails hoisted and aligned with your intended destination, your course is set. No matter how hard the waves try to divert your path or the darkness of night confuses, realign and hold steadfast to the wheel. The wind in your sails is trust in your purpose. You are relentless in the pursuit of your goals. Courageously, sail on.
Read MorePracticing presence allows for spontaneity of flow so that when we return to the planning mind, there is more creativity and less time is spent analyzing every detail. Presence allows for smooth adaption to the guaranteed flux of life. With presence, we can let go of having to control everything because we are able to recognize more fully what we can control and what we can’t.
Read MoreA practice of being mindful shifts one from the planning mind of ‘what is next.” into acknowledging what is happening now. With a mindful approach to living, one is gratefully present with each instant, with each breath. Whether things are calm or hectic, can you surrender into the sensations coming in and put your full concentration on what is happening now.
Read MoreWhen one is operating in this limited mindset, they cannot be present nor satisfied with what is. Like mindlessly swiping through Tinder profiles, the pleasure seeing mind lives in a daze of half-asleep monotony, perpetually looking for what is better. More! More! More! demands the never satiated Veruka Salt of the mind.
Read MoreWhat motivates you to sit with your own mind? A desire? A desire to feel better? A desire to get better? A desire to be the best? Ask yourself, what is it that you want? What is your heart’s deepest desire?
Read MoreYou hold tightly to a branch while powerful current surges past you. With all your might, you grip for fear the water will whisk you away and you will drown. You will die. The water grabs you and tries to pull you along with it as if saying “Let go. Let go. Let go. Trust us. Let go.”
Read MoreRecognizing the impermanence of the body and identifying with the permanent vibration of your being will help you find flow during challenging times. Pain is sensation that the body is feeling. Thoughts are temporary flow of the mind. Permanence is the flow. You are the flow.
Read MoreForgiveness is the greatest gift of loving kindness we can give ourselves and others. Forgiveness is not judging the rightness or wrongness of actions but accepting things, people, ourselves - as is - while meeting emotions with loving kindness.
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