Meditation and Mindfulness

 

Learn to practice Meditation and Mindfulness in your own way.  Be still, be present, and connect with Self.  Meditation and Mindfulness have the potential to be a deeply meaningful practice that nourishes you in ways that ‘thinking’ and words cannot.  Aspects of each can also be incorporated into our therapy work together in many ways.

“In an age of constant movement, nothing is so urgent as sitting still.”
~ Pico Iyer

Go Slow. Be Still. Do Less.

Slow down, do less and be still. Easy to say and painfully hard to do in a culture that values quantity over quality, ‘stuff’ and ‘experiences’ over simply being and being – simply.  I’ve learned from my clients that “FOMO” (“Fear of Missing Out”) is a very real thing.  FOMO is exacerbated by media, social media and marketing.  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 say “no.”  It is hard to avoid chronic overstimulation and exhaustion.  Making different choices often causes others to question their choices, and that makes people uncomfortable. 

We practice Meditation and Mindfulness to be present for the only moment that exists — the ‘right now.’  To connect/reconnect with Self.  To have more agency and be more powerful in our life.  And to create a life that is meaningful.

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, choose the simple pleasures.  

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

Regardless of your approach, Meditation is an invitation to connect with your Self…and through Self, with everything greater.  No special clothes, poses or equipment required.  We notice what we notice.  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

The benefits of Meditation and Mindfulness are well established in various scholarly articles and referenced in self-help pieces.  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.

These practices can also offer us a path to greater spiritual connection, to knowing and honoring our truest nature, and to trusting Self.  

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

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