Hello Everyone -
How are you doing?
Are you enjoying Spring?
This may be the first one, since we were pre-schoolers, when we have the luxury of fully immersing ourselves in this beautiful season of bird song, gentle winds and warmer days. We can revel in the reliable force of Nature - to burst forth with the new life that has been germinating invisibly beneath the ice and snow!
Have you been finding the exercise I shared in my last post to be helpful? I love it! Such a natural way to return to the simplicity and reality of the present moment.
Just stopping - you can do it right now if you like….
Just stopping, and taking a minute or so, to simply look around your room -
at the objects, pictures on the walls, the window, outside the window….
then ask, “at this moment, am I okay?”
It’s a wonderful exercise you can do periodically throughout the day.
Perhaps at mealtimes, or when you begin a task such as cooking, or each time you glance at the clock… whenever it suits you.
Keeping very clear to yourself, that beyond the mind activities of thinking, problem-solving, or even ruminating (about the virus?) or worrying (about the virus?) we can connect with the realization, and the deep sense, of being okay.
This is the essence of Mindfulness!
Living moment to moment, with full awareness, with a quiet mind and an open heart.
Meeting each moment as it flows, with curiosity, creativity and compassion.
It is very simple and straightforward to cultivate this mind of deep ease and to enjoy freedom from all the preoccupations of the discursive, story-making mind.
Simply sitting, spending some time in stillness, not imagining into “the future”, not being pulled into “the past”, but just connecting with the present moment, and let your mind rest there. That’s it! Not judging your “progress” or trying to achieve anything, simply allow yourself the gift of Stillness.
Feeling the rhythm of your breath, the steady inhalation and exhalation also helps our mind settle, and enjoy being at peace. We can sit in this wonderful silence for 5 minutes, then 10, maybe 15 or 20 - as long and as often as you wish. Sometimes it is hard to pull ourselves away! That’s when people go on day or week-end long retreats!
Each time we sit, we’re cultivating.
We’re strengthening our resources of calm and clarity.
Each time we sit, we’re clearing a path to that experience of peace and joy.
Clearing through the tangled brush of habitual thought patterns and concerns, to discover that beautiful sanctuary, deep in the forest of our Being.
Each time we sit, we build a steadfast strength.
Like an anchor that always holds us steady through changing and fluctuating circumstances. Bringing wisdom, even when we don’t know.
Each time we sit, we come home.
We are more and more fully grounded in our own authenticity, in simplicity, in the joy and freedom of living from our true, essential nature. Simply, being who we are.
Out of which, flows our own unique clarity and creativity to respond, in each moment, to life as it presents itself!
Our life is transformed.
Through realizing that all we ever live is THIS moment.
This single moment at hand.
We realize that, that is all we EVER live! - What a Relief….
Just this moment?
I can do that!
Just this next moment?
I can do that too!
So simply, we can release all of our gifts, into each of these beautiful moments of being alive.
Dare to live from the peace, the presence and the deep love that emanates from the core of our Being.
I love the lyrics to this popular song, that speak to our need at this time
“Bring me a Higher Love.
Bring me a Higher Love.
‘Cause I can rise above,
With a Higher Love!”
Sing it now! - I can almost hear you!
Wishing you, your families and friends, Peace, Love and Fun - Moment to Moment.
Much love,
Lynda
I have attached a lovely video from Thich Nhat Hanh’s monastery, “Plum Village” in France. It’s Mindfulness as a Way of Life. xxx
https://plumvillage.org/mindfulness-practice/
How are you doing?
Are you enjoying Spring?
This may be the first one, since we were pre-schoolers, when we have the luxury of fully immersing ourselves in this beautiful season of bird song, gentle winds and warmer days. We can revel in the reliable force of Nature - to burst forth with the new life that has been germinating invisibly beneath the ice and snow!
Have you been finding the exercise I shared in my last post to be helpful? I love it! Such a natural way to return to the simplicity and reality of the present moment.
Just stopping - you can do it right now if you like….
Just stopping, and taking a minute or so, to simply look around your room -
at the objects, pictures on the walls, the window, outside the window….
then ask, “at this moment, am I okay?”
It’s a wonderful exercise you can do periodically throughout the day.
Perhaps at mealtimes, or when you begin a task such as cooking, or each time you glance at the clock… whenever it suits you.
Keeping very clear to yourself, that beyond the mind activities of thinking, problem-solving, or even ruminating (about the virus?) or worrying (about the virus?) we can connect with the realization, and the deep sense, of being okay.
This is the essence of Mindfulness!
Living moment to moment, with full awareness, with a quiet mind and an open heart.
Meeting each moment as it flows, with curiosity, creativity and compassion.
It is very simple and straightforward to cultivate this mind of deep ease and to enjoy freedom from all the preoccupations of the discursive, story-making mind.
Simply sitting, spending some time in stillness, not imagining into “the future”, not being pulled into “the past”, but just connecting with the present moment, and let your mind rest there. That’s it! Not judging your “progress” or trying to achieve anything, simply allow yourself the gift of Stillness.
Feeling the rhythm of your breath, the steady inhalation and exhalation also helps our mind settle, and enjoy being at peace. We can sit in this wonderful silence for 5 minutes, then 10, maybe 15 or 20 - as long and as often as you wish. Sometimes it is hard to pull ourselves away! That’s when people go on day or week-end long retreats!
Each time we sit, we’re cultivating.
We’re strengthening our resources of calm and clarity.
Each time we sit, we’re clearing a path to that experience of peace and joy.
Clearing through the tangled brush of habitual thought patterns and concerns, to discover that beautiful sanctuary, deep in the forest of our Being.
Each time we sit, we build a steadfast strength.
Like an anchor that always holds us steady through changing and fluctuating circumstances. Bringing wisdom, even when we don’t know.
Each time we sit, we come home.
We are more and more fully grounded in our own authenticity, in simplicity, in the joy and freedom of living from our true, essential nature. Simply, being who we are.
Out of which, flows our own unique clarity and creativity to respond, in each moment, to life as it presents itself!
Our life is transformed.
Through realizing that all we ever live is THIS moment.
This single moment at hand.
We realize that, that is all we EVER live! - What a Relief….
Just this moment?
I can do that!
Just this next moment?
I can do that too!
So simply, we can release all of our gifts, into each of these beautiful moments of being alive.
Dare to live from the peace, the presence and the deep love that emanates from the core of our Being.
I love the lyrics to this popular song, that speak to our need at this time
“Bring me a Higher Love.
Bring me a Higher Love.
‘Cause I can rise above,
With a Higher Love!”
Sing it now! - I can almost hear you!
Wishing you, your families and friends, Peace, Love and Fun - Moment to Moment.
Much love,
Lynda
I have attached a lovely video from Thich Nhat Hanh’s monastery, “Plum Village” in France. It’s Mindfulness as a Way of Life. xxx
https://plumvillage.org/mindfulness-practice/
