mindful – Page 5 – Dandelion Doorways

Shadow

𝖶𝖾 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗂e𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝖽𝖺𝗋𝗄𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝖾𝗂𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗌𝗂𝗍𝗎𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌 𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗌𝗂𝖽𝖾 𝗈f 𝗎𝗌 𝗈𝗋 𝖺 𝗋𝗂𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝖺𝗋𝗄𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇. 𝖠𝗅𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝗐𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝗂𝖽𝗌𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝗌𝖾𝖾𝗆 𝗅𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗈𝗋 𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖾𝗅𝖾𝗌𝗌, 𝗂𝗍 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖻𝖾 𝖺 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗎𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗀𝗋𝗈𝗐𝗍𝗁.
𝖶𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝗂𝗇𝗏𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗒, 𝗁𝖺𝗇𝗀 𝗈𝗎𝗍, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖽𝖾𝖾𝗉𝗅𝗒 𝖿𝖾𝖾𝗅 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗋𝗒𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗈 𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗅 𝗎𝗌.
𝖶𝖾 𝗇𝖾𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖽𝖺𝗋𝗄𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾𝗌 𝗂𝗇 𝗈𝗋𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝖾 𝗐𝗁𝗈𝗅𝖾. 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗂𝗌 𝗇𝗈 𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝖺𝗋𝗄. 𝖭𝗈 𝖽a𝗒 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗍 𝗇𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍. 𝖡𝖺𝗅𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖽𝖺𝗋𝗄 𝗂𝗌 𝗐𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗐𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗏𝖾. 𝖨𝗍 𝗂𝗌 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖽𝖺𝗋𝗄𝗇𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗈𝗐𝗌 𝖺𝗋𝖾 𝗅𝗂𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗇𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁.

Reiki

Happy now beautiful souls! It is a crisp, cold morning here in upstate NY- the perfect kind of day to cozy up with a cup of tea, good book or get started on a new blog post! I do like to hibernate a bit more in the winter. My body and mind crave warmth, comfort and seclusion. I have learned over the years to pay deep attention to my body as the body mirrors the mind. This process of understanding the mind-body-spirit connection has been made clearer with Reiki.

So first let us take a look at what Reiki is and the science backed benefits it provides. REIKI, (pronounced Ray Key) is a stress reduction and relaxation technique where through the laying of hands, the practitioner channels Universal energy through the body to assist in removing emotional blockages, stress, and anxiety. REIKI energy balances & works on the four levels of existence: Physical, Emotional, Mental and Spiritual. Reiki activates the parasympathetic nervous system allowing for deeper relaxation and renewal.

The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) regulates functions outside of voluntary control such as the cardiac muscles, digestion and relaxation. When we are able to activate or be in touch with the PNS we can reduce stress levels and in turn reduce heart rate, blood pressure and raise our levels of joy.

Let’s look at an example. We have all been in a situation where our sympathetic nervous system (AKA Flight or Fight response) is activated like when we get cut off in traffic. A flood of adrenaline ups our heart rate and breathing. Unfortunately, this system is in overdrive with our modern way of life. We tend to respond in traffic the way our ancestors would have responded to being chased by a tiger. These constant reactions create unregulated stress in our bodies. Long term, this can have serious health effects.

It has been scientifically shown that we can reduce the stress reaction by activating our PNS with various techniques such as Reiki. During a Reiki treatment with me, the client lays comfortably, clothed, on a massage table and is guided into a relaxed state with meditation. You will be asked to gently focus on the present using your breath to bring you back to the moment when your mind drifts. While you enjoy healing music such as solfeggio frequencies, I will first access your energy by placing my hands on your shoulders followed by hand placements at specific energetic points on the body. You may feel a subtle shift of consciousness, or release of emotion, warmth or tingling sensation as REIKI energy flows through your body. Once the treatment is complete you may feel relaxed, refreshed, or very tired. You will be advised to drink plenty of pure water to aid in detoxifying your energetic body.

I routinely perform self-treatments to assist in healing my own health issues or dis-ease. I have found that my state of mind greatly influences the levels of pain I experience, for our body is a reflection of mind. Our thoughts precede our actions and our physicality. Reiki has helped me to slow down, to find presence, to be instead of do(ing). Now when I experience pain, I know it is due to imbalance in my overall mind-body-spirit system. I am able to actively participate in my treatment and healing. Migraines and stomach upset frequently have less to do with physical dis-ease as they do mental dis-ease. Stress and trauma can cause flareups in my IBS, fibromyalgia and endometriosis. Being aware of my mental state gives me opportunity to see the patterns of cause and effect. This awareness take time to cultivate but offers one a chance to begin healing from within.

When we learn to cultivate practice for our mental well-being our physical body follows suit. Healing modalities such as Reiki, breath work, meditation, Qi Gong all can help us become in touch with our mind-body-spirit connection. We need to heal wholly, at each level of existence in order to live a balanced life. If you would like to know more or would like to begin on a path of healing, please contact me for a free 15-minute consultation.

Namaste.

Magic

There is ★𝙈 𝘼 𝙂 𝙄 𝘾 ★ in the ordinary. Being present in the moment- 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘸 -is where spontaneous joy arises.
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Meditation can help us become comfortable with stillness. It gives us practice being in the moment.
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Over time we begin to notice that every part of our day can become our practice. We can mindfully make our beds, prepare our food, read to our children.
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We begin to live in the now, no longer dwelling in the past or worrying about the future.
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We live in the ★𝙈 𝘼 𝙂 𝙄 𝘾 ★ of now.
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Now to be completely honest while in the middle of writing this, I had to stop to clean up dog puke. It doesn’t get much more ordinary than that!🤣 But if we learn to laugh in these moments -when we can see the absurdity of life in all its splendor AND in all it’s hardships- we realize it is all 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬.

That’s the whole point of mindfulness- discovering the magic in every moment of your life- whether cleaning up dog puke or falling in love, there’s always magic to be found.

Where do you experience 𝙈𝘼𝙂𝙄𝘾 in your daily life?

Inspired Beginnings from Bittersweet Endings

A friend sent me a message this morning, only one word, yet it changed the flow of my entire morning from a “Thank God it’s Friday” vibe to “What exciting things are just over the horizon” kind of vibe. The word: ONWARD. That’s it. One simple little word. Onward.

My response back was “I think that is the perfect theme for the coming week.” Next week is full of endings and beginnings. It is strange, (or maybe not) that as with most things in life it seems to be feast or famine. Once I started thinking about the flow of next week, I realized it is an opportunity. Instead of stressing myself out over the myriad of activities, I can allow myself some space to actually be present for what is to be a shift in my life and others. Allowing myself to experience these blissful moments.

The busyness of next week begins with the Upperclassmen Awards Ceremony at my son’s school. For seven years I have enjoyed seeing the accomplishments of these dedicated kids, and it seems too all too soon that my son, a senior, is now to be honored for his accomplishments. Yet, it is not about being honored as much as it is about what each of these amazing individuals have done over the course of years to arrive here, now. It is about who they are. This is but one moment in a lifetime of choices moving them ever onward.

Following the Awards Ceremony are auditions for the fall musical. Two weeks ago my son performed for the last time on the Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons stage and next week he will begin assisting with directing the fall show. As it was bittersweet for us to see his last performance, I am in awe of the how the program has shaped him these last six years. It is these past experiences that furthered the desire to give back to what has become his drama family. These things wouldn’t of been possible with out the people who have inspired him, one of whom is also in the midst of vast change, moving onward.

For the last six years, we have been blessed with the grace of Mr. Adam Biggs. The hats he has worn are too enumerable to list. Regardless of the hat, his actions are dedicated to the betterment of others, whether students, colleagues, or friends. He has been a role model for my son and I have had the pleasure of working along side him for 6 years. As he will be moving onward to new beginnings, Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons set the stage (pun intended!) for his future successes. I am very grateful to continue to work alongside Adam with the NDBG drama program even though he is moving onward to St. Thomas the Apostle School.

In addition to the new beginning’s of our beloved drama program next week, it is also High School Graduation. Once the honors are presented and the accolades given, I expect a brief ebb in the energy that has infused these last few weeks. All of the effort and hard work for this part of the journey is complete, as the young adults receive their diplomas next Saturday, their dedication to strive for excellence in High School sets the stage for their future endeavors; the past moving us all ever onward.

“The past is but the beginning of a beginning, and all that ever is and has been is but the twilight of the dawn.” ~H.G. Wells

Onward, my friends.

I want to thank Paul O’Brien for his one word message this morning. Amazing what a simple word can do at the right moment.

Paul is the former English Department Chair at NDBG and an author. His books, such as “Keys on the Road: A Country Boy’s Memories” can be found at The Open Door book store on Jay Street in Schenectady.

Mindfulness

This is the essence of MINDFULNESS. We move though each moment authentically, with intention. Of course this does not happen over night. In our fast paced world, we are inundated with technology that demands our attention, yet our attention spans have dwindled, our patience eroded away by perceived instant gratification.

What does it mean to be MINDFUL? …and almost more importantly, WHY should we practice mindfulness?

We are going to delve into these two questions today and hopefully discover simple ways to practice mindfulness daily. First, I would like to share some background as to how and why I began to cultivate a mindfulness practice over 12 years ago.

Simply put, I was a mess. I had allowed health issues to cause extra stress and frequent stress reactions in multiple areas of my life. I was not THRIVING. Deep down I knew something needed to change but was not sure where or how to begin. Then I came across a book by Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle of Mindfulness and everything changed.

I think I read the book cover to cover in two days. Thich Nhat Hanh had provided me with a new perspective. Something that should have been plain to see. Everything we do should have our full attention. Everything.

In the book, a question was posed: “Why do you wash the dishes?” Most people, including myself 12 plus years ago, would answer “Well, to get them clean of course!” However that is not the reason Thich gives us. We “wash the dishes to wash the dishes.” Think about that for a minute.

When washing the dishes, or car, or whatever; our focus, our attention should be on the task at hand, not the outcome. When we place significance only on the outcome, we are not living intentionally in the moment. Instead we hitch our happiness to an unpredictable future event.

Thus we miss out on the experience. We wind up reminiscing about the past or worring about the future while our NOW passes us by. Which brings us to our WHY? Why should we be praticing mindfulness? Becuase the alternative is to live mindlessly in the past or future; to be awash in stress or worry. We have a choice in each moment to be present and aware. But it takes PRACTICE.

We have now arrived at the WHAT. What is mindfulness practice. Well, it could simply be washing the dishes or attentively listening to a piece of music. It is moving from moment to moment with attention, focus, and intention.

Practice daily. Begin slowly. Pick a activity you enjoy doing and notice if your mind drifts. If your attention wavers, gently refocus your attention back to your activity. Personally, I began with mindful walking. Learning to notice the feeling as each foot makes contact with the ground. Noticing the pattern of my breath while immersed in the sounds of nature. This is still one of my favorite activities- I love being barefoot in order to really experience that contact with the earth! When I can’t go barefoot, I wear Vibram Five Fingers —barefoot feel with sole protection!

How much time do we spend inattentively adrift? Which senses are being ignored when we stare into our phones for hours? What moments are we missing when we ruminate worriedly about the future? Mindfulness bring us back to ourselves, back to the moment.

Remember, each moment of our lives is a beautiful , once in a lifetime sensory experience.