Tag Archives: Mindfulness
Pure Enjoyment
Snowshoeing up a hill on a beautiful sunny day, it was so much fun to notice a dog’s pure enjoyment as she played in the snow. Her energy seemed boundless, though her human said she would later pay the price. … Continue reading
Relaxing Relentlessly
There have been times in my life when I awoke feeling so overwhelmed I’d wish the world would stop for awhile so I could catch up. It’s relentless, I would say, sighing. That’s why I found it especially funny on … Continue reading
MOMs
A few days ago I was sitting on my soft, camel-colored chair in my usual morning trance, drinking coffee and absorbed in reading or playing a game on the iPad. Suddenly I was fully present; it was like a light … Continue reading
Water Reflecting
The fourth stanza in our gatha (practice poem) is: “Breathing in, I make myself still, like a pond on a mountain; breathing out, I reflect things as they are.” The short version is to quietly note “still water” as we … Continue reading
Mountain Solid
The third stanza in our gatha (practice poem) is: “Breathing in, I see myself as a mountain; breathing out, I feel solid.” As with the other images, we can shorten this to “mountain” as we breathe in, and “solid” … Continue reading
Flower Fresh
The second line in the gatha (practice poem) that we began last week is: “Breathing in, I see myself as a flower, breathing out, I feel fresh.” We can use the word “flower” as we breathe in, and “fresh” as … Continue reading
The Balanced Acrobat
One day an acrobat told his assistant to climb onto his shoulders for their balancing act, telling her to watch out for his balance and he would watch out for hers. She replied that she couldn’t possibly control his balance. … Continue reading
Hugging
In the 1960’s Thich Nhat Hanh came to the US to speak out against the war raging in his country. One of the people he influenced was Martin Luther King, who did go on to oppose the war. Dr. King … Continue reading
Back Body
I still remember how startled I was when my beloved yoga teacher Angela asked us to bring our awareness to our “back body.” What? There’s something back there worth paying attention to? I’d never had back pain and seldom used … Continue reading
Finding Calm
“Anxiety is contagious,” said Fritz Perls, influential psychologist, in the 1960’s. It’s a good thing to notice, as you may unconsciously take on others’ anxiety and wonder why you feel that way. He may as well have also said “calm … Continue reading
The Unmindful Monk
In the fall of 1986, after our small airplane landed in Lukla, Nepal, pointing into a mountain on an upward sloping grass runway, a small group of westerners and I began our trek towards Everest base camp. Winding up the … Continue reading
A Little Smile
Turning the corners of the lips up slightly can have a powerful effect on our mood. I’m not talking about pretending happiness, simply making that physical movement. Other muscles in our face respond when we do that, and it appears … Continue reading