Meditation and Mindfulness

Learning to practice Meditation and Mindfulness in your own way, at your own pace is do-able.  And surprisingly, it isn’t always about stillness or silence.  In fact, when these practices are cultivated with the goal of moving energy through us, things can get pretty loud and pretty active.  Sound, movement, emotion – it can all be part of meditating and mindfulness.  In fact, sometimes moving our bodies and vocalizing first can lead to the deeply nourishing stillness and silence that ‘meditation’ is more known for.

Go Slow. Be Still. Do Less.

Slow down, be still, do less.  Easy to say and maddeningly hard to do in a culture that values quantity over quality, and ‘stuff’ and ‘experiences’ above connection and nourishment.  I’ve learned from my clients that “FOMO” (“Fear of Missing Out”) is a very real source of anxiety.  FOMO is, of course, made worse by media, social media and marketing efforts of all kinds.  And it is easy to forget that most of it… isn’t real.  And even easier to forget that most of it isn’t improving our quality of life.

In addition to our own “FOMO,” friends, family, work and our community often push back when we dare to say “no.”  It requires committed intention to avoid chronic overstimulation and exhaustion.  But creating a life that feels peaceful is possible.

We practice Meditation and Mindfulness to be fully present and fully alive in the only moment that ever exists — the ‘right now.’  To connect/reconnect with Self.  To have more agency and be more powerful in our own life.  And to live a life that has meaning – to us.

In an age of extreme distraction and frantic activity, we are more depressed, more anxious, and more lacking meaning in our lives than ever before.  Our minds, hearts, and spirits are rarely in the same place as our toes. You can choose to slow down, do less, and be more present.

I offer you…JOMO – “The Joy of Missing Out.”

Come As You Are 

Meditation and mindfulness practices are not one-size-fits-all.  A meditative practice can be explored:

• Alone or in a group
• Lying down, sitting, standing or walking
• Outdoors or indoors
• Silently or loudly
• With stillness or movement

And regardless of which approach appeals to you, meditation is an invitation to connect with your Self…and through Self, with everything greater than Self.  No special clothes, poses, studios or equipment required.  We notice what we notice.  We show up for Self.  With no judgment and lots of curiosity.  

In therapy we have the option to incorporate Meditation practices that will further and deepen your work.

The Benefits of Meditation and ‘Retreat’

The benefits of meditation and mindfulness are well established in various scholarly articles and referenced across many cultures.  Research shows that meditation and mindfulness reduce depression, anxiety, physical pain, and insomnia.  These practices strengthen our immune system, and improve our physical, emotional, and spiritual experience.

Meditation ‘practices’ can offer us a path to knowing and honoring our truest nature, and to deeper spiritual connection.  In other words, doing less really can result in living more fully.

I invite you to start to notice all the steps in your day – most of which, for most of us, happen on autopilot.  And, many of which, are not improving our quality of life.  The word I like to sit with for myself is ‘discerning.’  Challenge yourself to discern one thought, one action, one item, that is not improving the quality of your lived experience.  Notice if it detracts in some way from your lived experience.  Challenge yourself to eliminate the thought, the action, the habit, the item.  Challenge yourself to streamline, to create more space, to simplify, to clear, to do less, to be less busy in all ways.  

We can retreat for 60 seconds, simplify for 5 minutes, be still for just a moment.  Notice that most of us do too much, have too much, want too much and are caught in a space of ‘striving’ without much clarity about what we are striving for.  I invite you to consider that ‘rushing’ is a sign that our lives are out of balance, that we don’t have enough space to breathe, time to think, or permission to feel.  Addressing and resolving the emotional core of why we strive, rush and busy ourselves is possible.  Change is possible.

“Go slow.  Or don’t go.”
~ Yours truly