52 Weeks of Mindfulness

Every one of us is losing something precious to us. Lost opportunities, lost possibilities, feelings we can never get back again. That’s part of what it means to be alive.”
― Haruki Murakami, Kafka on the Shore

            Throughout the globe we as a collective human race are dealing with loss. And if we are all adjusting to loss, then we are all collectively in a grieving process. Americans as a breed are such do-ers that we often struggle with grief and loss because there is so little “to do” about the emptiness and pain it can create.  The restrictions and pain that are being felt worldwide are a call to those who can- to uplift in any way- to do so. That’s our collective call to action—do what you can to uplift. For some, this will be a time to find a deeper inner strength,  pool of calm and/or an inspiration inside that can be a springboard to assist others and light the way.  For others, this may be a time of such deep fear and grief it might take their breath away and immobilize them.  Most of us will fall somewhere in the middle and our reactions will reveal to us how we handle uncertainty, restriction, loss, sorrow, fear, loneliness or disappointment.

“Grief does not change you, Hazel. It reveals you.”
― John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

            For those who are primarily in adjustment to living with restrictions, cancellations and uncertainty, this is a moment of opportunity to take whatever Mindfulness or Awareness lessons you’ve gained to a new level.  Use all your tools to stay in the present moment, to navigate the waves of fear, take conscious action when needed and also see what this GLOBAL event can  teach us. Since the stay at home order was given, during every sunset my neighborhood is now filled with people on their front lawns, children playing on streets and sidewalks, dogs taking their families for a walk, people cruising on bikes and in golf carts, and lots of joggers/walkers. We are aware of each other in a palpable way and offering what help we can. Younger people are reaching out to older people, we are greeting each other with smiles and waves—it’s touching. Personally, I’ve cleaned out stuff I’ve been meaning to get to for years, called family members and friends who’ve I’ve been “meaning to call,” and slowed down enough to pay better attention to the needs of my family, my body, my garden and my Spirit. When tension arises, I lean on meditation, yoga, inspiration and wise friends to keep me from being pulled into the strong undertow of fear. Here are five simple ways to consider navigating this time and to find acceptance: peace, engagement, centeredness, and even joy during this time of quarantine:

• Slow down; enjoy more. Notice how good it feels to strive less and have life move more slowly– more time for loved ones and Life’s’ simple pleasures. 
• Find gratitude and abundance- here, now.Count your blessings, count your shoes, sort belongings, open your pantry, and really notice how much you have.
• Do one thing at a time.Create a practice of being undistracted and present with children, “family”, food, exercise, cooking, and work tasks. Apply this same practice to your use of TV, social media, alcohol/substances, snacking, and checking the market, to help maintain awareness and balance.
• Take action where you can, innovate when you need to and finally let go when all options have been explored. Action can reduce anxiety however it can also keep us spinning. Through discernment, find clarity to see what’s needed. 
• Connect with your loved ones, your neighbors, your community and your inner life. Many people are missing social contact and avenues of support. Find ways to increase your sense of connection and ability to serve others as able.

“Losing me will hurt; it will be the kind of pain that won’t feel real at first, 
and when it does, it will take her breath away.”
― Gayle Forman, If I Stay

            For those of you grieving the death of a loved one (or collapse of livelihood), your sense of loss and grief will be more intense and it’s critical that you find places of support. At first sudden loss may create a numbness or shock. This is actually protective because once the numb/shock wears off we are struck by waves of pain. Based on the kind of loss and how repetitive it is, the grieving could take longer to get through, but eventually healing will occur. If the death/loss “shouldn’t have been,” such as the loss of a child, sibling, spouse, partner and/or with someone who had been healthy prior to the virus, it is critical that you find someone to talk to who truly understands what you are
 living through. If you’re a medical provider or first responder and are living through repetitive exposure to loss, support is also critical so the traumatic nature of these times do not take root in you (such as with PTSD).   So much can be written about the myriad of ways we are impacted by deep grief and loss. However at first it’s key to understand what’s normal (and therefor healable) about the grief/loss response. 

 The following is a list of most common responses:

shock, numbness, disengagement, denial, anger, disbelief, hurt, pain, sorrow, “what if’s,” intrusive memories, poor focus and retention, crying jags, tiredness, going into hyper drive, “why bother,” talking to loved ones who’ve died, wanting to touch their things, going through photos, taking all the photos down, eating too much, not eating enough, unable to sleep and unable to get out of bed, and sometimes feeling alone with your grief.

After working for over 5 years as a Bereavement Counselor at a local hospice, I can tell you every one of my clients emerged from their grief; some slower than others, but healing eventually occurred. If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms, find someone who can support you exactly where you are– and most of all practice self-compassion. Grief and loss force us towards the deepest challenge there is to be human and so we need knowing, wise and gentle companions on the road to recovery.  

My sister will die over and over again for the rest of my life. Grief is forever.
 It doesn’t go away; it becomes a part of you, step for step, breath for breath. I will never stop grieving Bailey because I will never stop loving her. That’s just how it is. Grief and love are conjoined; you don’t get one without the other. All I can do is
 love her, and love the world, emulate her by living with daring and spirit and joy.” 
― Jandy Nelson, The Sky Is Everywhere 

Please stayed tuned to Sacred Treehouse facebook and email to receive offerings on the process of grief, loss, adjustment and healing. Take care of yourself and those in your world.

Sending Love and Compassion,

Anni and the Sacred Treehouse Faculty

We are all currently experiencing a significant traumatic event. For some, the effects (both short and long term) may be minor, and for others there will be significant effects that endure for some time. This is the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic and the current state of our world today.

Call it a grim outlook if you will. But in my line of work we encourage bringing awareness to suffering, “if you can name it you can tame it.” This allows for both a reprieve of the secondary effects of resisting and denial, and also promotes healing and resilience building. So now is the time more than ever to bring mindfulness to ourselves and our current, ongoing collective struggle. Many of our students recount daily how blessed they feel to have the tools to manage the overwhelming emotions and the rapid fire changes coming at us daily. Others find themselves reaching out for supportive tools and adaptive ways of coping with this pandemic and the unseen changes it is bringing with it on a local and global level.

So where to begin? Here is a simple, easy mnemonic you can refer to when you are feeling out of sorts. A “pro re nata” or “PRN” as-needed technique, if you will. 

P — Pause: Take the opportunity to literally stop whatever you are doing. Even if just a moment or two. Invite stillness, even if just in your physical state. 

R — Recognize: Recognize what you are experiencing physically, emotionally and mentally. Common early effects of having experienced a traumatic event include: fatigue, physical agitationor jumpiness, muscle tension, emotional numbing or flattened emotional expression, confusion, sadness, and anxiety. Tune in to what you notice without judging those things or pushing them away. Even label them with words as you observe what is here, like “tight shoulders” or “super tired” or “feeling heartbroken.” 

N — Normalize: Remind yourself that the things you are experiencing are absolutely to be expected in consideration of what we are collectively enduring. They are NORMAL reactions to an ABNORMAL situation. You are not crazy, weak or inadequate. Judging yourself harshly only adds salt to the proverbial wound. Please take this invitation to soften around the discomfort, acknowledging that your nervous system is responding to this threat to safety exactly how it is supposed to. 

Most importantly, always remember that you are not alone. The above PRN technique can be used often and might even be a part of a daily reflection to check-in with yourself about how you are managing. But also know that reaching out to others that understand your situation and who you can be honest and vulnerable with, can also be a powerful salve for suffering.

Follow us on facebookand share videos and stories about using the PRN tool.

May you be safe, healthy, and free!

Nikki and the Sacred Treehouse Faculty

I shared this quote from the author, Mark Nepo, last week in the Sacred Treehouse’s closing week of MSC class and I can attest that GRATITUDE is a practice that is getting many people through this ongoing Pandemic. Aldo and I had the pleasure and joy to be teaching an MSC, Mindful Self Compassion, 8 week class during the outbreak of COVID-19 and we were fortunate to get through class 7 in person, before moving the final class to ZOOM. I was blessed as a teacher to have the most amazing co-facilitator, who worked patiently with me and assisted in so many ways to make the class a true spiritual experience of love and compassion for all. Muchas gracias Aldo Gonzalez!

In MSC, week 1 through 7 focuses primarily on cultivating the skills and deepening our inner resources needed to manage the tough stuff in life, such as the pain, the suffering, and the misfortunes that are inherent in human life. Fortunately, just as we hit the time of social distancing required to flatten the curve of this virus spreading, along came class 8. The theme of class 8 was embracing the rest of our lives with mindfulness and self compassion and includes the practices of gratitude, savoring, and self appreciation. Aldo and I were disappointed and sad to end the class in a virtual format, yet to our surprise the love and connection of this group was so powerful it could be felt across miles as we gathered for our final class and the lessons were in perfect time.

In our final class, each of the participants expressed gratitude for the MSC course, for each other, and even us! The felt sense of community and caring at a time like this was the the exact medicine required for a time of uncertainty, fear, and change. It was the little unexpected things we experienced on ZOOM that quickly shifted our sadness and disappointment to gratitude and joy. For starters, the appearance of so many furry and feathered friends on the camera was a delight, followed by teenagers who were curious about what Mom was doing and what Dr. Shutt looked like, peeking into the computer.  The cherry on top was the loving compassion showed by a young child who rubbed his momma’s shoulder as tears rolled down her face during her share about the transformation she experienced in the class. I could literally feel our collective hearts melt. 

Fortunately, it is not the end of our opportunity to practice and learn together, as the graduates of this class are invited into the ongoing Tuesday evening Sacred Treehouse Sangha that is now being offered virtually each week at 6pm on ZOOM. One of the silver linings of this pandemic is the force it put on me to do the Sangha online and our ability to have all of our US and international snowbirds join us year round.

If you do not already have a daily gratitude practice, take a few minutes to make a list 10 things you are grateful for today. Let them be super simple, like ice, socks, coffee, a neighbors smile, lotion, Whits ice cream, the cool breeze, upbeat music, clean sheets, and quiet time. 

Some other ideas: 

• Establish a daily routine each evening to reflect or start a gratitude journal.
• Invite your family into the practice by having each member share something each evening at dinner.
• Send a text or a letter to someone different each day expressing your appreciation for something small.  
• Include yourself each day, appreciating yourself!

 I would love to hear about what you are grateful for today on Facebook.

With love and appreciation,

Patty and all the faculty and Sacred Treehouse. 

“One is never afraid if the unknown, one is afraid of the known coming to an end.” Jiddu Krishnamurti

These are wildly dynamic and confusing times … a fast-moving whirlwind of change … enough to make my head spin. Some days I feel like I am spinning so fast that everything seems frozen. One might call this a stress response, a la the “freeze” of fight/flight/freeze. To me, it feels simultaneously dizzying and stuck.

While our current state of affairs is unprecedented (at least in my lifetime), I also know that facing and fearing the unknown is something all-too-familiar for many of us, albeit often on a much smaller scale. So what practices can we use to bring us comfort and solace and peace?  

1. Lean in. Surrender to the stillness and make space for fear and grief. Breathe in, knowing you are breathing in … filling your chest and belly, deep into the diaphragm, and maybe even bring your hands to your heart as you breathe out. Acknowledge that very human feelings are here, and tremble or weep if you must. Know you are not alone in feeling afraid.
2. Turn your attention to what you DO know … the warmth of the sun, the green of the trees, your dog’s cold wet nose. Find solace in the things you know to be true and enduring … your belief in Mother Nature or a higher power, your love for baking, memories of a special place or time or person. Root down into the earth, connecting with the whole world, through the sensations in your bare feet as you walk. Breathe deeply, trusting your body to do what it knows to do. Know what IS, right now … what’s everlasting.
3. Practice acceptance. Accept that change is happening — not that it shouldn’t happen, or that things should unfold in a particular way. Notice your thoughts and judgments about change … and know that your thoughts do not define you OR the situation. Let the way things actually ARE be the place you begin when making intentional decisions moving forward.
4. Finally, remember you are not alone.

And may you all live with health, ease and peace as we move through these days and weeks to come, together ???? Nikki

Less Becoming More
 
Slow down,
Soften your eardrums
Birds are singing.
 
Taste with tenderness
Each bite’s unique gift;
And we find we miss little.
 
A fortnight with the Soul,
Under the softening Moon
In relief, my gaze to softens.
 
And let Love in…..
            Anonymous

This time of fear & constriction generated by covid-19 is driving lots of negative messages, here are some thoughts meant to counterbalance and provide some helpful guidance.  The impact of this time will be different depending on your current and past life’s circumstance(s). That being true, there are many ways to consciously both mitigate the effects and elevate your experience to better master the pull to be caught up in what’s to come. 
 
This is a rare opportunity where the entire world is unified in response to the same concern, despite race, gender, country or religion. A massive collective retreat is underway, so here are some things to consider for making this a conscious retreat for you:
 

• Meditate and/or do any practice, art form, or contemplation that connects you to your wisest self daily. This helps you to elevate above the palpable fear around you.
• Be aware that the body is usually very passive when watching TV, from your wide-open eyes to your relaxed physical state, so the messages of fear go beyond the mental and intellectual self, and impact the nervous system, body cells and psyche. This affects your energetic body, thereby influencing all perception and also what you transmit to others. Try to limit exposure to TV if you can and if you are tuning in do so mindfully with a focus on fact gathering.
• Fear begets fear. If you find yourself surrounded by people who are becoming consumed by fear (highly anxious, panicked, and/or conspiracy proponents) strive to redirect and request a different conversation.  If they can’t pull away, then pull yourself back before their fear starts to commingle with you’re fear. Be informed but not consumed.
• Get out in nature and away from all electronics (yes, even your cell phone!). We are affected by EMF’s even when not tuned into broadcast or streamed content, but now may be a time of greater vulnerability. Nature is a powerful rebalancer, clarifier and healer.  Try to limit the former and increase the latter. Fun tip, going barefoot outside will force you to slow down and notice the plant kingdom even more.
• This is a worldwide slow down– think about how powerful this moment of time is. Use it to go inward and feed your Soul.  And then when able, project your calm, grounded strength, and loving-kindness outward.
• Take time to attend to your home and garden- bag up things no longer needed, create beauty, and putter—yes, putter!  Puttering engages the mind and body in a soft way, which allows mental clutter to fall away and at the same time, brings satisfaction when small things are attended to. Look around, aren’t there things that could be: washed, painted, mended, fixed, built, created, mulched, picked, trimmed, fertilized, and/or completed? Embrace your “inner grandparent” and notice what’s right in front of you.

 
In short the slow down around covid-19 is both an opportunity for us to benefit mentally, emotionally and physically and be of service.  It’s also, an opportunity to dig a little deeper, to reflect more softly, to return to and distill what’s really important, and master the waves of intensity which may be moving through you and around you:
 

Maintain compassion for self and other’s in this time:
Face it, Feel it, and become Free of it

Stay tuned forTuesday evening Sangha going live to collectively meditate with the Sacred Treehouse Sangha from your home. Details will be sent out on Facebook so follow us at Sacred Treehouse and look for guided meditations to be posted there too!

With Love and Compassion,

Anni & the entire Sacred Treehouse Staff

“The garden of love is green without limit and yields many fruits other than sorrow or joy. Love is beyond either condition: without spring, without autumn, it is always fresh.” 
– Rumi

Have you ever wanted to change your career or transform your life? In essence, this thought has planted a seed that can grow into change. As a garden grows, we flourish and change in life. We start as a small seed, and with proper care and nurturing, we grow. A plant grows with proper hydration, nutrition, and sunlight. A plant grows by the change of season. A plant grows with sunlight, oxygen and the soil of the earth.

Gardening has therapeutic benefits because it teaches us about life, healing, and control. Just as a seed flourishes and grows, we also evolve each day. A garden teaches us to learn to value and ground ourselves. Also just like a plant, we bloom and sprout. We also die and go back into the earth.  A garden teaches us to be present, to be mindful, and to let go and allow the cycle of birth and death to unfold again and again.  

We are not in complete control of life; a garden also is vulnerable to life. There are factors such as weather, bugs, and neglect that can affect growth. In life, we all have weathered the storm. We have had to deal with pain and conflict. When we learn to let go of control, we embrace peace; a flower learns to bloom. As each plant blooms, it is fragile with unexpected nature. It needs the nutrition and care to thrive. In each season, it can change. It might not have an abundant harvest. It might be a bounty of produce. 

I started my garden during a time of change in in my life, and it became a metaphor for a chapter of this life. As a dietitian, it also became a metaphor for my practice. It was symbolic of my passion. Nutrition is necessary for growth and development. With each season and with each year, we provide our body with the energy and needs to maintain body function. As an RD, I encourage my clients to embrace diversity and to learn to nurture themselves. I am passionate about my professional growth and each season that will manifest. 

We are each a unique flower – beautiful and growing each day. We need to breathe and be grounded. We need to be watered and fed. We need to be rooted in our needs and honor our season. We need to learn the skills to live in harmony with our surroundings. We need to learn to build strength against the elements that are not in our control. It is important to be mindful. 

My literal garden continues to grows each day and I planted a variety of vegetables, spices, and herbs to foster diversity. In turn I receive the sunshine and Vitamins with each harvested plant. I love to share my produce with colleagues, friends, and family, just as we share moments of laughter, sadness, and other experiences. The garden in my yard has become a metaphor for life and my practice. It provides me the time to reflect on growth and evolution. It reminds me every day the power of nutrition. It reminds me of the importance of my ability to educate clients on the importance of nurturing their bodies. most of all it brings me closer to what matters most and great joy in sharing the harvest.

Take time to harvest your life intention.  Take time to yield your abundance.  Take time to nurture.  Take time to be mindful of your own garden.

Lee Cotton

Claude Monet certainly had a love of flowers, perhaps it was an obsession, or an attachment I am not sure. What this quote brings to mind is that we all have preferences and individual things that bring us joy. For me it is the water, the ocean, a lake, a pond, or a creek (at times a motorized water fountain) brings me a sort of peaceful joy and contentment. It was when I returned home for a visit after living in a city, land locked and separated from the ocean for two years that I recognized this deep love and connection with the water. It was through it’s absence that I came to know its importance to me and I instantly felt at peace and at home. 

There are many forms of nature that draw people into this sense of awe, wonder, and appreciation. Some have a love of birds, mountains, jungle, animals, or plants. I am also drawn in by trees and feel both a sense of deep connection and grounding when I contemplate and bring one pointed attention to trees. I am not certain about how these individual differences arise, and certainly do not believe that the deep love and appreciation experienced in daily life is limited to things in our natural surrounding, but I am confident that it is the kind of attention we bring to them that facilitates the feelings of peace, contentment, or joy. 

The kind of attention I am referring to is mindfulness, when one intentionally attends to the present moment experience without judgment or expectation. Simply being present and allowing the senses to be touched by what is alive or happening from moment to moment. Like a sponge, just soaking in all that is there and not attempting to change it or hold on it. I am not sure if this was what Monet referred to in his need for flowers, but I would extend this as a truth for all beings, that it is a basic human need to feel love, to sense beauty, joy, or contentment. It is this that allows us to manage the difficulties and hardships we experience as humans. 

I learned one-minded attention as a DBT teacher and continue to practice and teach it in daily life. This is a skill, it is practiced through simply choosing things to bring attention to in daily life and allowing all other things to fall into the background. I often teach people to start small with a cup coffee or tea in the morning. The instructions are simple, yet the practice is challenging, because our minds tend to view simple things as boring, and they seek novelty and jump from one thing to another.

Just this coffee…
Holding the cup and sensing the temperature…
Allowing the scent of the coffee to come to you…….
Taking a sip and sensing the temperature and flavor…..
Pausing to allow the senses to open and take it in….
Letting all other thoughts fall away…..
Sitting with just this coffee….
Just this sip, like it is the first sip….
Over and over and over…
Just this coffee!
 

I am always shocked when I am able to drop into one minded attention, some very simple things can be profoundly satisfying and calming. I am not always able or even willing to cultivate this state, yet after experiencing it time and time again, even if for only a few moments, I find solace in knowing it is possible and present at any moment and most of that the little things are most satisfying. 

What do you find brings you joy, or a sense of peace, or contentment? Despite all things, even flowers, they all come and go,  so try to catch the moments of presence that can feed your soul with joy, peace, contentment. 

With deep appreciation,

Patty

Living deeply

The first time I read this quote was on a journal I used many years ago at a mindfulness retreat and it was a perfect time to read it because I was in the position to be slowed down enough to really read it. Plus on retreat all my basic needs were met for food, shelter, safety, and at least relative comfort so I was open to contemplating these final words by Mary Oliver in her poem, The Summer Day. What would I do with this wild and precious life? Of course, immediately my mind jumped to the negative, how I had already wasted so much of it and there was so little left and on and on. Although I do not recall how this first contemplation ended and what, if any, realizations arose at that time, I do recall over the years reading the poem over and over and recognizing yes indeed life is both “wild” and “precious”. 

I owe it to my meditation practice and teachers who continue to raise these sort of questions, over and over again. It is so easy to fall into habitual ways of living and fall back unconscious to what is deeply meaningful and at times both fear and self doubt also played a role in holding me back or led to chasing the wrong things to quell my discomfort. The Sacred Treehouse is one of the manifestations of me listening to what I want to do with this one wild and precious life and co-creating the Therapeutic Oasis is another one that is dear to my heart. Building safe and loving places for people to heal, to grow, and discover their path is what I am meant to do with my life. I am right where I need to be and doing what is most important. There are times I get caught up in comparing myself to others, and questioning again and again, but that is ok, it is just human nature to fall asleep again and again.  This waking up and living with purpose is a process and is available to us at any moment and is truly a path of living true to our heart. Let your heart guide you by meditating or simply sitting with repeating this question and really listening deeply to what arises. Do not be alarmed if some regrets, some sadness, and negative thoughts arise, just acknowledge this as natural and practice some acceptance, non-judgment, self compassion, and tune back into your heart.

Remember that this requires some sense of safety, stability, and quiet time and space. If you want support or guidance come to meditation, attend a workshop or class, see a mindfulness coach or mindfulness based psychotherapist. 

With gratitude,

Patty

P.S. Some photos of Lizzie living large in New Zealand. #vanlife #consciouslyconnecting #lizzieshutt.com #livwithliz

Feel free to share on facebook what you discover as you contemplate this question.

Bringing awareness to our intentions requires mindfulness in daily life.  Even with mindfulness it’s common to get swept into a “limbic-based autopilot mode” (i.e. our highly reactive self). It can happen  as your day unfolds and you are met with daily challenges–sometimes even at the moment of waking up.  I often find I go to bed after reading some inspirational texts and feel a sense of connection and deep aspiration for living from my deepest intention the following day.  Only to wake up and have “forgotten” it all when I am met with a feeling of fatigue, moodiness, anxiety and/or gloom. To combat this frequent pattern, I found it helpful to write my vow, rehearse it, and recall it at the beginning of my morning ritual. In doing this there can be an instantaneous connection and my body shifts in resonance with my vow. Other days it takes much more to return to this intention, it requires some acceptance and self-compassion around the lack of connection I feel.  At times my sitting practice is enough to connect me. There is so much written on intentions, such as Wayne Dwyers well-known book, The Power of Intention( when I speak about intention I am referring to an intent to take a course of action or actions (daily ) that is closely related to  my deepest aspiration). Be aware that if we are not actively and consciously creating intentions we could instead follow the basic drives of survival which live in all of us. 

A daily practice that is based on a deep aspiration or vow to “wake up” and act according to our intentions can help to grow the strength, the presence, and the overall power of these intentions to shine and occupy greater portions of our daily life. This can translate into less autopilot limbic reactiveness, aka, freaking out! My daily practice provides the nutrients and energy to fuel the actions of my intention. So, what happens if I run out of fuel before I even make it to work? Unfortunately, at times I find myself lacking the strength or the resources required to be living according to my vow. The awareness and acceptance that this is also part of the path, discovering that setting intentions does not mean we manifest complete adherence and perfection immediately. Tara Brach teaches, “If there is suffering our intention is often shaped by fear and grasping” so when we are experiencing suffering (sometimes unconscious suffering) despite also holding strong values or aspirations, our actions will be shaped by our limbic reactions of fear or grasping. This is part of our human nature. No need to be disheartened; suffering can also be a great force to serve awakening when it is met with mindful awareness and compassion. I often recommend students in mindfulness courses and training to seek support of a skillful trauma or grief-informed teacher or therapist on this first leg of the journey. They can offer compassion and understanding when students get hit by the strong reactive patterns that can “block us” on the path.

I like to think of my aspiration like a compass heading, and just like other beings, I too am challenged each day to stay the course. Learning to check in with this compass and knowing how to read it comes mostly from tuning into the body, because that’s where the strongest signals come from to guide me. So, part of my practice has become building awareness around the things that pull me off my path, the obstacles on the path, and the signals that alert me along the way. The ability to bring acceptance without judgment to this process and knowing that it is all part of the path, allows me to continue to deepen awareness of my deeply conditioned patterns so I can change the ones that interfere with my aspiration. 

Finally, the moments of self-compassion when I miss the mark, AGAIN, helps me to return much more quickly to my deepest aspiration because my deepest aspiration is literally activated through invoking self-compassion.Since self-compassion is a heart practice, it activates the heart, opening and releasing the energy of love and kindness and my deepest vow and aspiration is….TO BE LOVE IN ACTION WITH ALL BEINGS!I have deep gratitude for all my teachers, for my practice, my students who are also teachers, and all the challenges I face because they are what serves this ever awakening heart of mine. MBSR and MSC courses are amazing places to start this work if you are so inclined to discover your deepest aspiration and live an intentional life. For students who have completed one of these courses, join the Tuesday evening Sanga at 6 pm this week as we explore our deepest aspirations and living our “vows.” 

With love,

Patty

Stilling myself on the cushion gives rise to greater awareness of the physical condition of my body in this moment, from the tightness and tension of my muscles to the state of my breathing. As I settle on the cushion, or some days a chair because I am already aware of the need for greater support, I begin to scan my body to identify the presence of tension and sometimes this simple practice of scanning the body brings an immediate and automatic softening and settling in a more relaxed stance. This was not always automatic, in fact I recall early days of sitting meditation where I had no awareness of my body and all my focus and attention was in the mind. 

            The practice of mindfulness meditation and training in the foundations of mindfulness through MBSR, taught me the skill of deepening my awareness of the body by examining each part one by one, moment to moment. Through practice and receiving instruction I developed the ability to use attention on the body to change the state of tension, literally the mind can simply invite the body to release tension and soften one little bit at a time. It is here that I discovered the power I have to release stress with my mind. As I continued the self-study of my body, from toes to nose, I discovered the places where I stored years of tension and stress and dug grooves of deeply entrenched postures meant to “hold it together”. Despite the natural tendency for humans to tense in reaction to perceived threat or danger, we are not meant to hold onto this tension for a lifetime and I for one have no intention to hold onto the baggage I accumulated thus far. I have learned to attend to the sensations of breathe with greater ease and by focusing attention on breathing in and breathing out, the thoughts that often generate worry thoughts and strong emotions will fade into the background or quiet and for some time even cease. These practices have taught me a way to peace, even in the midst of a stressful life.

         There are other activities where I become acutely aware of the stress held in my body, such as when I go for a massage or when I practice yoga or other forms of movement and self-care.  The combination of bringing mindful attention to these activities facilitates an even deeper release, making way for detoxifying stress and reprograming my body’s natural resting state. For example, as I lay on the massage table, Hansa moves her hands to various places of tension and when she discovers the knots of tension and digs in deeper, I take a deep breath and exhale releasing the body’s natural reaction of tightening and tensing to her touching those tenders spots. I remain focused on the places she is massaging and communicate with the muscles inviting them to soften and allow the release. This ability to cocreate greater healing, restoration, and wellness allows me to program into my mind-body connection a way home after getting pulled back into a stress reaction cycle by coming home to my body and slowly unwinding the knots from within. 

          Using a combination of practices, on and off the cushion, I continue to develop a varied toolbox that allows me to be flexible and listen to the needs of my mind-body each day. Some days I need a more active practice, others a more relaxing one, and then there are some days I need a mix of both activating and relaxing practices to facilitate the balancing of energies and help me return to a center point. The choices are infinite and the wise choice always begins with awareness and attuning to my body. 

Start off your day with a checking in ritual to determine the current conditions of the mind and body:

1. Notice the overall quality of energy in the body: restless, agitated, relaxed, depleted.

2. Scan the body for the quality of ease or discomfort in various places throughout the body.

3. Notice the activity level of the mind: busy, tranquil.

4. Notice any strong emotions: anxiety, sadness, anger, contentment.

After gathering data of current conditions take a few minutes to do some guided self inquiry by asking yourself what you most need to support greater mindfulness. ease, balance, and wellbeing? 

A walk? Stretching? Sitting meditation, contemplation, or prayer? A run? Yoga? A guided meditation practice? A meal? 

Making this inquiry your own and listening to the body to sense the response, perhaps even visualizing to help the body sense what it would be like to engage in the activity, to complete the activity, and paying close attention to not allow the mind to choose. This is a practice in and of itself so take your time with cultivating this type of inquiry and check in after you engage in a chosen activity to see if it was wise.

Choose well and live at ease,

Patty