That sense of inner peace and calm we all crave? It is possible to tap into it on demand through mindfulness, but it takes practice. In fact, the more you practice, the more access you will have to calmly responding rather than merely reacting to life’s most challenging moments. Give yourself an easy [...]
Holidays can be wonderful in so many ways: time with family and friends, time off of work, time to relax and celebrate with loved ones. But holidays can be stressful, too. Whether it’s money worries, holiday traffic, or that family member that always pushes your buttons this time of year, being calm and [...]
You probably have mindful moments on and off throughout your day. Those count! Pat yourself on the back for those moments. Here are some examples of seemingly mundane daily routines that provide wonderful opportunities to practice mindfulness. When we do this, we train our brain to become more able to drop into mindfulness [...]
One of the simplest mindfulness meditations you can practice is that of putting your awareness down into your feet. It’s so calming and grounding to connect with awareness in this way. Walking meditation is one possibility for undertaking this mindfulness practice, but you can also do it sitting down. I’m lucky enough to [...]
Has all the buzz in recent years about gratitude practice got you wondering how to jump on the joy train? The benefits of having a gratitude practice have been written about extensively. Current studies reveal fabulous health and overall wellness benefits including lower blood pressure, stronger immune system, higher occurrences of positive emotions [...]
The power of soothing touch is something many of us have been fortunate enough to experience: a supportive hand on the shoulder, a gentle backrub, a comforting hug. When a child is hurt, a caring adult may reach out with a soothing touch and a soft voice to comfort that child. This soothing [...]
It seems as if the world is ending. Just when one disaster blows through, another one blasts down with fury and devastation. The earth has been pummeled by catastrophic weather events – hurricanes, floods, mudslides, and fires. We humans were trying to manage the news of unbearable suffering on a grand scale when [...]
Loving Kindness meditation is an English translation of the Pali word metta. Pali was the language in the time of the Buddha, 2,500 years ago. Metta means love, friendliness, benevolence, and goodwill. Metta meditation teaches us how to be better friends to ourselves. Metta means love, friendliness, benevolence, and goodwill. In [...]
When life’s whirlwind starts up, it’s nice to have something to grab hold of that reminds you to stay in your body, stay present and feel your feet on the ground. For me, the simplicity of a stone works wonders towards this end. I call it my “here-and-now stone.” Find a stone [...]
We’ve all got those voices in our heads that speak to us in not the nicest of tones. Those voices are our inner critics. They try to keep us safe, but not in the best of ways. These are usually the internalized voices of our primary caregivers from early childhood. NOTE: If your [...]
