As a teacher of mindfulness and meditation, I often honored to host people who have never meditated before, or never in a group setting. It is such a treat to offer a meditation, and to witness what it is like for people. Many times, people try to put into words what they’re feeling afterward… and find it difficult.
Read MoreWhen I first started meditating about 15 years ago, sitting on the tiled floor of my apartment in the little mountain town of Ifrane, Morocco, where I was working as an English instructor, I didn’t have a meditation teacher or a course, and this was before the time when apps and recordings for learning to meditate were so widely available.
Read MoreLast week I went camping by myself. After a busy July, I realized that I had a week off from my graduate program, so I seized the moment to book two nights at Fremont Peak State Park. It was to be a retreat of sorts: I was craving stillness, quiet, and spaciousness to center myself and regroup. I was longing for the wonderful feeling that arises from living outdoors for awhile. I planned to hike, read, meditate, move slowly, and to let myself flow intuitively without a schedule.
Read MoreI wanted to share something that has helped me a lot recently. What do we do when life feels a bit like a slog? How about when we’re faced with something big that we need to do, but we don’t want to do it… at all? These questions ask us to dig deep and tap into our WHY. When we dig deep, we unearth our VALUES: What matters to us? What are we committed to, at our core?
Read MoreThrough my writing, and through the reflection it requires, so much important work is happening. I notice what I’m resisting, and I may whine about it awhile before slowly-but-surely making my way into surrender. I celebrate growth and achievements. I come to understand when I’m needing additional support and care.
Read MoreJournaling, being mindful outdoors, and connecting with a warm, engaged community are some of the practices that nourish me and help me to flourish. I’m grateful that I know and act on this… even if sometimes it takes me a little while to remember.
Read MoreToday I’m excited to share about a project that has been waiting for me for a long time. More recently, it has called in all my creativity and energy. I’ve felt exhilarated, like I’m on a mission, as I pull together older work and create new things. Let me tell you about it.
Read MoreRecently a colleague pointed me to an interesting article that I enjoyed reading, on the topic of GLIMMERS. Most of us are familiar with the opposite of glimmers—triggers, which are small but powerful moments in which we instantly feel unsafe, stressed, or fearful. A strange look fleeting across a friend's face as we speak, for example, can instantaneously have us feel vulnerable and uncertain.
Read MoreHere's the simplest way to feel more happiness in your life: LET YOURSELF BE HAPPY! We know this, but we sometimes forget: little lovely moments are happening every single day. Do we let them skitter by, or do we scoop them them up in our arms?
Read MoreSeasons come and go, of course—that’s true for weather, and that’s true for our own lives and inner experiences. I wanted to share with you a simple practice that has been helpful to me personally and in our Flourish and Bloom Collective calls recently.
Read MoreMaybe you or someone you know is wondering what's the big deal about meditation. What does it actually do? Why is it helpful? There are so many reasons... and here are 11 great reasons to meditate.
Read MoreAn intense focus on being different, being better—especially when it is sourced in "not enough," rather than springing from self-love—can lead us to judge ourselves more harshly, being ashamed of ourselves for our humanity. In the push for a total renovation, we can discount the small but important steps that we’re taking. What if our resolution for 2023 was to get to know ourselves more intimately— with the aim of fully inhabiting who we really are?
Read MoreIn this visualization, the art gallery can be our life, composed of myriad moments—the dark shadowy experiences and the unforgettable bright spots… as well as the little glimpses of beauty and sweetness in a smile, a kind word, or a sunset.
Read MoreI now begin almost every meditation that I lead with the letting-go breath. I use it myself at the beginning of my morning meditations, and most importantly, I use the letting-go breath all throughout the day, whenever I need to slow myself down, put the brakes on rising anxiety or panic, or clear my head from overwhelm.
Read MoreI wrote recently about my many motivations for committing to daily ocean dips, and I ended with this: It seems to me that another lovely facet of ritual is that we keep certain things the same— I put on my swimsuit, I walk to the ocean, I pick up a rock, I slowly immerse myself, etc. The repetition and the sameness serve to emphasize difference—changes in my mood, in the moods of the ocean and sky, the uniqueness of each day’s experience. So now I’d like to share my reflections on the many kinds of experiences that I’ve had, all in the same patch of seashore.
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