MEDITATION PRACTICES (FREEBIES BELOW)

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Being around others who we feel conflicted with is often uncomfortable and as a result, we may engage in avoidance and defensiveness.  This brief meditation is to help you practice recognizing in others the things you hold within your own minds and hearts.  When we create space to recognize our similarities as opposed to our differences, the seeds of tolerance, compassion, and kindness begin to grow.  

Mindfulness is an open hearted inquiry that turns every moment into a personal dialogue between your fleeting experiences and the eternal observer within you.  By embarking on the journey using specific questions you create a template with which to explore the landscape of your breath, emotions, thoughts, and sensations applicable during meditation and during your daily life.  Practicing being mindful in both realms allows you to provide ample learning opportunities leading you to live your life according to your true values and priorities. 

It is said that your mind is a garden, your thoughts are the seeds, you can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds.  So my friend... what seeds have you been planting as of late?  This meditation will teach you to nurture your garden with your breath and body and then plant the seeds of intention and kindness into your lightness of being. 

Anxious expectation is something I have struggled with for most of my life but have learned to control it better with meditation and yoga.  The ability to Recognize, Allow, Investigate, and Nurture (R.A.I.N) is a practice by my mentor Tara Brach which has helped me greatly to build my confidence and competence when addressing my own anxiety and when helping others address theirs. It can be used as a meditative practice but I believe it can also be of use in your everyday life.  Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it is about learning to dance in the R.A.I.N! For those of you who prefer no music. 

The Buddhist Prayer Of Forgiveness is universal and can be used by anyone regardless of their religion or faith. It is a prayer of wisdom.  Forgiveness simply begins with the intention of being open to the process. Whether you have harmed another, another has harmed you, or you have harmed yourself practicing this prayer begins the process of healing. In the words of Buddha, "You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.  Forgive, because you deserve peace." 

Immerse yourself in the versus of Dale Wimbrow's poem, The Woman In The Glass," a narrative that inspired the essence of this meditation which follows.  As the words weave through your thoughts, allow yourself to delve into the depths of meditation, fostering a profound connection with your true essence that mirrors the radiant universe itself.  Within this realization, unearth a sense of peace, purpose, and belonging that transcends the bounds of ordinary existence.