This Mindful Life
“Are you a human being or a human doing”
- many mindfulness teachers:)
Have you ever suddenly realized you were drafting a to do list while cooking dinner? Or experienced difficult emotions and noticed aversion; immediately trying to make them go away? What about noticing unhelpful thoughts, but still believing them? Somehow permitting them to be valid participants at the decision making table? I’m pretty sure the answer is yes, because you are human! Our mind is wired to leave the present moment and take various trips. You may go on a beach trip while I go to the mountains, yet we are all vulnerable to the habits of our unique mind. Although normal, and sometimes even useful, leaving the present moment can pose barriers to living in line with our values. It often takes us out of our body and away from our heart.
Slowing down shifts the hormones in our body and makes room for joy and connection. We pay attention to this precious and impermanent life and are reminded there is so much to be grateful for right under our nose. A cool breeze, sunlight hitting your face, glistening morning dew, or the sound of birds. As beloved Buddhist monk Thich That Hanh shares, “You are sitting on a very beautiful planet, revolving in a galaxy of stars.” When we awake to this, our heart expands and can tolerate the difficulties of being human. Cause this being human ain’t easy! By training the mind and body to return to the present moment, resiliency increases and our heart expands.
However - this is easier said than done! As a human, psychotherapist, yoga instructor, and teacher I hear time and time again how hard it is to maintain a practice. Here’s the deal - its hard to do on our own. The power of community helps us feel connected and accountable.
Cue: This Mindful Life
An accessible digital mindfulness community
WHAT: Evidence based practices will be delivered to your inbox to move each of us closer to a mindful life. Together we will focus on monthly themes like willpower, values, compassion, motivation, relationships, and more.
You will get one 20 minute on demand video at the start of each month and an invitation to one 30 minute live practice mid-month. This is designed to be highly accessible even in our wildly multitasking world. The membership is $25 a year.
I believe mindfulness is intertwined with systemic social change. Given the proven benefits of mindfulness and compassion, imagine if we all practice this? The ripple effect is boundless. This Mindful Life has participants across the world ready to commit to slowing down and breathing together. We will lean on the wisdom of centuries, breath, and you can trust others are on the journey with you. My hope as this community grows is to begin having guest speakers from various disciplines such as psychology, chaplaincy, endurance coaching, and nutrition. We will explore the intersection of these healing modalities as we promote mindfulness in everyday life. Let’s do this together.