The Mindful Life

“There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth: Not going all the way, and Not starting.” ~ Buddha

Welcome to Lesson 1 of our Mindful Life Program. This email will serve to give you an outline of the work that we will be doing together. Today is all about your own commitment to the practices that have the power to provide you freedom from pain, suffering and the modifications of the mind that keep us stuck. I am thrilled to share with you over this time and I can promise that if you are diligent and committed you will blossom in completely new and unexpected ways. Along the way always give yourself a ton of grace and love for whatever arises.

This week is all about learning to pay attention to the breath. It seems simple and it is meant to be. We will take small, simple steps along the way building each week to create a strong, foundation for practice in your life. What I have learned after 25 years of my own personal work, it is all about the practice. Just as you would practice when training for a marathon, you need to look at this work in the same way. You are in training. Training for a new way to think, see and be. It is not always an easy path but it is the most important training you can ever do in your life and it will forever change you. It is the path and the journey of becoming…becoming the person you are meant to be in this life and it is a most beautiful and exciting time.

First step is committing to a simple Anchor Breathing practice 2 times a day starting now. Below you will find a links for a video message of inspiration and a guided practice for finding the anchor of your breath. Use this meditation to begin implementing a mindfulness practice into your life. Each lesson I will offer you formal practices and informal practices. This will serve as your formal practice for this first lesson. For your informal practice start noticing how you breathe throughout the day. It may be helpful to set reminders throughout the day to stop and just take 3 deep breaths. Simply allow each lesson to unfold for you, take it day by day and moment by moment. There is no need to jump ahead and try to figure out anything before it comes to you; slow and steady wins this race. It is important through this time to dedicate time and space for yourself so I recommend that you have 2-3 days minimum where you are moving your body. Practice yoga, tai chi or pilates. If you enjoy the outdoors go for a hike or even better 2. Whatever you love to do that gets your body moving with an emphasis on connection with the breath. Put yourself at the top of your to-do list!

“Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it.”  -Eckhart Tolle

Welcome to Lesson 2 of our Mindful Life Program. In this email you will find a short PowerPoint presentation introducing you to the practice of mindfulness. This is intended to simply give you a very basic starting point for understanding what mindfulness is. If you would like to dive deeper into understanding Mindfulness from a more scientific framework, I would recommend the book ‘Full Catastrophe Living’ by Jon Kabat-Zinn. If you are looking for a little different approach I love the book ‘Wherever You Go, There You Are’ also by Jon Kabat-Zinn. If you don’t feel called to read anything…don’t. Just be with the practices that you are receiving and allow the program to unfold for you in your own unique way.

This week you will also find a short Conscious Breathing guided practice. As I begin to introduce more practices it will be up to you to decide how much you will practice and which practices resonate with you the most. It is possible that you find 1 that doesn’t feel right, please honor those feelings and stay with a practice that feels better for you at this time. You can also alternate practices as we move forward. I would recommend that you do 2 short practices twice a day. It is best if you don’t skip a day as you are in “mindfulness training”. I will also say though, if you do skip a day just let it go, there truly are no rights or wrongs on this journey, just allow it to be whatever it will be. You will get to where you are meant to be in exactly the right time! Please let me know if you have any questions or need additional guidance this week.

“Breathing in, I calm body and mind. Breathing out, I smile. Dwelling in the present moment I know this is the only moment.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

Hello friend and welcome to Lesson 3 of your Mindful Life program. At this point you have had quite a lot of practice with the basics of mindfulness and your breathing. We will now dive more into understanding mindfulness and the body.

Again, mindfulness is simply defined as paying attention, on purpose, in a particular way without judgement. Remember in week 2 we discussed the science of mindfulness and understanding how the stress response affects our ability to stay in the present moment. It is our practice of mindfulness that gives us the tools of awareness in moments of anxiety or stress to calm down the fight, flight, freeze response and move into the calm and rational part of the prefrontal cortex giving us the ability to respond rather than react.

Becoming attuned to what is happening on the physical is a key component to living a life of mindful awareness. Understanding the system of how you operate on any given day provides clarity when you find yourself in stress induced situations. You have a 3 part system of thoughts, feelings and actions that are constantly working together (see graphic below). When you practice mindfulness you develop a keen sense of awareness around your emotional state, which then gives space before acting out in a habitual pattern that may cause more stress, anxiety, anger or fear. The process of understanding and developing a new way of viewing and experiencing the body is a critical piece to the puzzle of awakening.

As we know modern culture is pre-occupied with the appearance of the human body. Think about the human body in the media. Consider what we are conditioned to think is acceptable and beautiful. This is a modern preoccupation. We want to break free from the modern preoccupation with the external and operate with attention and awareness of the internal. Understanding your feelings within the body is to become more powerful and aware. EXPERIENCE the body. FEEL the body. LOVE the body.

HOW do we experience the body? Learning to tune in to the frequency of the body puts you in the drivers seat. Learning to notice and listen to the body creates a whole new relationship. The practice of the Body Scan assists in connecting to the body in a whole new way.

As we develop and become more attuned to the body we develop an incredible awareness to our emotions, where we feel them and how they feel.

Consider physical experiences of emotions:
– “I have a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach”
– Feeling weight on our shoulders from stress
– Our pounding heart when we are scared.
– The heat and tightness of anger.

Paying attention to the body gives us an opportunity to address moods & emotions in more loving, gentle ways. Mindfulness helps us to tune in to the subtle happenings within continuing to develop a new way of being with the body and with the emotions.

We want to create a new kind of relationship with our body.

How do we do this?

We sit in a chair or lay down quietly and comfortably for a formal body scan practice as we are guided through parts of the body and we are asked to just BE with whatever the experience is. This reinforces the notion of us being the WITNESS of this human experience.

Understanding the body/mind connection builds a deeper level of connection with ourselves, giving us a more attuned sense of the emotions and tensions stored throughout our body. Through the body scan we can observe them with our awareness, we can BE with what we observe, we can breathe into what we observe, but we don’t immerse ourselves, because that causes a reaction. Instead we bring clarity and awareness to the truth of what’s going on in our body. Awareness brings light to the darkness of a mindless reaction. Once you witness your inner workings more clearly, you can CHOOSE TO RESPOND MORE SKILLFULLY!!

This brings balance to the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Always have the mind of a new student, ‘a beginners mind’. Through practicing simply for the sake of doing it, we release expectations, and we just see what happens. Therefore accept (be curious and in the moment without expectation) and do not strive (don’t TRY to release tensions). Remember the wisdom of Yoda “There is no try, just do” ☺

When we release the outcome, we enjoy the journey. We are students of mindfulness to learn how to enjoy the journey. When we try to ‘get somewhere’, we are rejecting present-moment reality without ever really understanding it.

“Wherever you go, there you are.” – Jon Kabat Zinn

This is one of my favorite quotes as it shows the simplicity and truth of living in the present moment. You cannot run from yourself so spending the time and energy working on you is the most important and powerful work that you will do not only for yourself but for those you love and for humanity as a whole.

Remember your outcomes are directly tied to your effort and dedication to practice. Put yourself first and your payoffs will be immense. This week I recommend that you practice the Body Scan daily. I am including a short practice and a little longer practice, still only about 15 minutes so definitely easy to incorporate. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

“The Body Says What Words Cannot.”
-Martha Graham

Hello friend and welcome to Lesson 4 of The Mindful Life program. I hope that you have had the opportunity to continue along your path of practice with little interruptions, however I completely understand if you have fallen off a bit. No matter what the last few weeks have looked like for you remember to give yourself a lot of grace and love throughout the journey no matter what each day brings.

This lesson we are going to stick with mindfulness and the body and continue to cultivate the relationship with your body. Having the ability to truly feel what is happening within and have loving awareness for all that is occurring in the present moment with your body is a key part of living a life of mindful awareness. Developing a relationship and an understanding of any pain or tension that your body experiences will continue to assist your own growth and healing.

During this lesson I would like for you to slow down and practice 2 important aspects of mindfulness. Mindful walking and mindful eating. Please add these practices to your ongoing work. For mindful eating I recommend starting with a small snack for practice, something healthy like fruits or vegetables, then you can use the practice for a larger meal after practicing. For mindful walking you can start in your backyard or a small area in the front of your home. Both practices are rather short and are to be used as an introduction. I would love it if you continued to practice the Body Scan 2-3 times a week (or more if you are loving it). Please listen to the attached guided practices at least once and then you can simply bring awareness in your daily life when you are walking or when you are eating using meditative music or silence while your breathe. As we have discussed in the past the changes that you will ultimately experience are woven throughout your life not just when you are sitting in a formal practice.

Here are some prompts for you to work with if you feel called to journaling.

Where do you feel stress in your body? What does it feel like? Do you usually notice your stress first in your mind (thoughts), feelings, or body?

What areas of the body do you find stir up emotion or positive/negative thought?

What is it like to bring awareness to these areas?

Describe the difference you experience when you are aware of your body vs. not aware of it?

What is the one thing you noticed about your body this week that you’ve never really noticed before?

“Suffering is Suffering” – Pema Chödrön

Welcome to Lesson 5 of your Mindful Life Program. By now hopefully you have a consistent daily (or most days) practice with the meditations that I have shared so far. Keep going with those practices or even begin to try to sit in silence for a few moments with The Mindfulness App as a guide. I highly recommend to continue practicing your Body Scan as often as you feel called, this practice will serve you well.

This lesson we dive into understanding Mindfulness and Emotions. It is time now to dive a little deeper within to understand what is happening on the emotional level. The included poem by Rumi illustrates perfectly a mindful relationship with emotions. Emotions are an important part of the human experience and are available for us to learn and grow through. So often we may push “bad” feelings away however living a mindful life asks you to let go of identifying emotions as either good or bad and learning to just be with the emotion to open to greater understanding of ourselves.

So often we will compare ourselves to others experiences or chastise ourselves for feeling bad about something that we “shouldn’t” feel bad about. We want to honor all emotions and all experiences through the process of learning to love ourselves. As Pema reminds us in the quote above, suffering is suffering, it is all the same in the experience of the person that is perceiving. What we begin to learn is that most of our suffering is an inside job brought about by habitual thought patterns.

Typical sources of overwhelm/internal suffering:

– Revolving worries about a situation that has already happened or about situations that may/may not happen in the future.
– Conversations about what we ‘would of’ or ‘could of’ said or having future conversations that probably will never happen.
– Acting mindlessly on emotions, creating conflict.
– Dwelling, mulling, rumination. Having trouble ‘getting over’ things that happen and other people’s behavior, how we have been treated. Expectations of others actions and behaviors.
– People in survival mode.. food, water, shelter, safety.

What’s going on here?

The universal strong human tendency to focus on negative experiences, which includes negative thoughts and emotions. WHY? Because we are programmed to preserve and defend this human (ourselves) and its offspring, so we are always looking to keep ourselves on the top of the food chain. It’s part of our survival programming – the brain looks for negative experiences for self-preservation. It has been very effective in keeping our species alive, but times have changed and it is time to evolve and transcend.

Reminder: You Are Not Your Thoughts And So You Are Not Your Emotional Suffering

It is important to explore how often we are assigning meaning to other people’s words and actions through our own perception. So often we end up renting out rooms in our heads to people that have in some way wronged us or done something we don’t agree with. We spend time and emotional energy replaying scenarios about people we don’t really want to be with and most often they are busy going on with their lives as we continue to ruminate about them or the situation.

Paying attention to the thoughts and the emotions within gives us the opportunity to let go of others actions and behaviors. We are learning to release attachment and using the experience to learn and grow for ourselves. Remember you are not your habitual thoughts. You are a spiritual being having a human experience, therefore all people and all circumstances are simply an opportunity to experience growth and move closer to remembering the truth of who you are. We can begin to differentiate between the Ego and Awareness by seeing them clearly for what they are.

‘EGO’ = ‘me’ ‘I’ ‘self-protection/defense’, what’s mine is mine.
‘AWARENESS’ = ‘All that IS’, being one with all things, the higher self, connection, clarity.

Being mindful and releasing attachment does not mean that you don’t care or are indifferent it simply means that you are experiencing circumstances and people in a new way, seeing things with more clarity and learning not be be dragged down by others.

This lessons practice is designed to explore emotions within the body and will assist you in learning to pay closer attention to what is happening within. You will want to have a journal and pen nearby. As we move into this part of the mindful life program some practices may stir feelings of anger, sadness, or deep rooted emotional trauma. Trust that everything is happening in divine order and you are experiencing what you are experiencing for a reason. Just be with it, notice it and breathe. If you feel called please practice this emotional exploration several times this week in addition to your regular breathing meditation or body scan. Honor where you are in the process and trust your own internal guidance with all of the information that is shared. If the timing for this practice doesn’t feel right, let it go for another time, when you feel called to it. Listen, acknowledge and trust yourself above all others.

“Live the actual moment. Only this actual moment is life.” – Thích Nhất Hạnh

Welcome to Lesson 6 of The Mindful Life. In this lesson we will continue to work with emotions and introduce a practice on working with judgement. Obviously this is a very big part of understanding ourselves and learning to live a Mindful Life.

Being mindful of emotions as they arise or even afterward can help interrupt stress, worry, anxiety and habitual thought patterns. Through the body scan you feel into different parts of the body and become aware of stored emotions. The practice introduced in the last lesson of feeling into specific emotions and how they appear in the body will assist you in the awareness of emotions before they become reactions. Just as your alarm clock signals you when it’s time to get up, using the body as a signal of your emotional wellbeing throughout the day will keep you connected to yourself with mindfulness.

Notice when you are experiencing non-acceptance, rejection of something that has already been said and done or wanting things to be some other way, more to your liking, or more under your control. Just notice these things as they arise, release judgement and simply see them as you would see something very interesting. Remember this is simply the science experiment of YOU. By understanding our emotions AS THEY START TO HAPPEN, we begin to know how to work with them and regulate them.

HOW DO WE BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND OUR EMOTIONS?

We spend Mindful Quiet Time observing how emotions feel.
We name what we see ‘I am feeling guilty’ or ‘guilt is here’. As the witness, you see your body creating a feeling of guilt, and you ask, why is that? We are curious and observant as we look with fresh, beginners eyes at how we feel an emotion and where it is coming from. We do this without creating commentary in our head or judgment in our hearts.

We ENTERTAIN the emotion because it is a MESSENGER filled with information about the truth of how your body is working and what it is feeling. Using curious observation, noticing and accepting.

Without mindfulness we experience:

STIMULUS with immediate REACTION

WITH Mindfulness we experience:

STIMULUS a pause MINDFULNESS then RESPONSE

Strong emotions can be tricky to navigate however with practice you gain skills that strengthen your awareness and your ability to respond rather than react.

Use ANGER as an example = frequently we fall into our personal reaction pattern, such as lashing out, retreating, denial, overreacting, sulking, bullying. We might recognize the pattern but feel helpless to change it. Things can happen so quickly it can be hard to differentiate between the emotion you feel and your reaction to it… reactions can be quick and unconscious, and only afterward do we feel remorse.

Turning into difficult emotions is foreign because we so often emphasize eradicating pain in our culture. It’s time to start acknowledging these parts of ourselves rather than avoiding them. If you bury emotions at some point they will come to the surface one way or another.

Please note that strong emotions can be a very powerful force for good as they create change when there is wrong happening in our world. We are not trying to eradicate all emotions, we are becoming mindful of the emotions as to understand what they have to teach us.

This simple practice can be used anytime and anywhere. The acronym of R.A.I.N

R – Recognize when a strong emotion is present.
A – Allow or acknowledge that it’s there.
I – Investigate the body, emotions, and thoughts.
N – Non-attachment with whatever is there.

Throughout the next week, bring recognition to any strong emotion and allow it to be present. Investigate what you feel physically, mentally and emotionally and see where it takes you. Non-attachment is very useful because it helps to deflate the mind’s stories and cultivates the understanding that strong emotions are just another passing mind state and not a definition of who you are. It’s like going to a movie, where you sit back and watch the actors play out the drama. By seeing your story as impermanent and not identifying with it, you’ll begin to loosen the grip of your own mind traps. This will help create the space for you to be with things as they are and deepen your understanding for what drives, underlies or fuels your fears, anger and sadness. It also grants you the freedom to look at the situation differently and choose a response other than what may be dictated by the story.

In this lesson practice I have included a guided meditation on bringing awareness to judgements. You may feel called to wait on this meditation and continue with the practice of clarity of emotions. This is completely up to you. There is a lot of information coming each lesson so I encourage you to practice what you feel called to practice.

You are doing incredible work!!

Here are some prompts for journaling if you feel called.

What are your patterns of judgment?

What emotions have you noticed the most? Including the positive ones.

Write about a time this week that you remembered to use your mindfulness when experiencing a strong emotion.

Write about a time you forgot to use your mindfulness. Why do you think it was hard to remember? How did you work with that strong emotion?

“You need to be your own cheer squad not your own worst enemy.” ― Miya Yamanouchi

Welcome to Lesson 7. In this lesson we are going to begin to dive into understanding our thoughts and the impact that our thoughts have on us. First step in this journey is recognizing and re-writing negative self-talk. Most of us experience some form of negative self-talk; there are some lucky ones that have been blessed to maintain the self-love that we are born with into adulthood; if you are one of the lucky ones you can skip this part of the program ?. If you are anything like I was however the “silent assassin” of the mind was always out to get me and conquering the negativity towards myself was a huge stepping stone in my own healing process.

One of the first steps to heal the wounds of negative self-talk is to bring awareness and understanding to what we say to ourselves. This takes a bit of time and conscious effort. If you have been practicing diligently over these previous weeks you have probably already started to notice these thought patterns. This week I want you to begin to pay close attention to the self-sabotaging thoughts that you have coming up on a consistent basis. You will begin to notice a difference from the ones that are repetitive and insistent and the ones that are simply passing and don’t hold much weight for you. Each time that you notice a thought that is negative towards yourself write it down. As I said this will take some time and diligent effort on your part. For the first 2-3 days simply write down what you are saying to yourself about yourself. Write down as much as you possibly can remember to write down. For the first couple days just write them down. I would recommend starting a note in your phone that you can easily access wherever you are and make a note each time you have conscious awareness of a self-degrading thought.

After you have developed a list of these thoughts it is time to begin to process and change the thought into a loving, supportive thought. A thought that you would offer to a friend or a loved one. It is very interesting to notice the things that we say to ourselves that we would never say to another person. This is an important step in learning to love yourself unconditionally. When you are feeling ready to dive into these thoughts gather together the thoughts that you have noticed and begin to filter them. As I said you will know which ones have caused you the most pain and which ones have very little consequence or don’t seem to come up very often. I want you to choose the top 5-10 thoughts from your list that seem to be the most damaging. This is a beautiful practice in self-awareness and a practice of self-love so take your time and take it seriously. If you feel called to dive into the thought you can ask yourself some questions.

Is this true?
Where did this thought come from?
How has this thought harmed me in my life?

If you don’t want to dive that deep don’t. It isn’t necessary. You can simply take each thought and turn it into something uplifting. Remember the easiest way to do this is to think about what you would say to a person you care for that has shared with you that they think this way about themselves. Take your time and be thoughtful and kind to yourself.

The third part of this week is to put it to work for you. After you have spent time re-writing the thoughts it is time to bring awareness and change to the habitual thought patterns that are not supportive or loving. When you notice one of the thoughts arise remember what did I change about this thought. What is the truth about myself? A good practice is to remember yourself as a young child or a teenager and imagine that you are speaking goodness into the heart of your young self. So much of these destructive thought patterns come from our early life. Usually from well-meaning loved ones that didn’t realize or have the capacity themselves to know that they were causing harm. During this work it is also a good time to practice forgiveness. When writing about these thoughts you may be reminded of the person or the circumstance where the thought pattern originated, if this comes up do you best to send love and forgiveness.

This part of the journey is a very powerful and important step towards self love and acceptance. Be gentle and kind with yourself throughout and honor where you are on any given day and any given moment. If the practice is stirring up a lot of strong emotions set it aside if that feels best or if you are feeling strong dive into those emotions and simply allow them to arise and be.

Remember this is a journey so if you are not quite ready to step into this part of the practice simply let it be for awhile and come back to it when you are ready. You are your greatest teacher and you know yourself better than anyone.

I am including a Self-Love meditation here. This is a beautiful meditation to show yourself a deep sense of loving kindness.

“To forgive is the highest, most beautiful form of love. In return, you will receive untold peace and happiness.” – Robert Muller

This lesson as we continue on our path of learning to fully love ourselves and others it becomes necessary to explore the topic of forgiveness. First and foremost forgiveness for ourselves and then we expand this into forgiveness for those that have caused us harm or pain. As we walk into the journey of becoming we quickly realize that every situation that arises in our lives is providing an opportunity for our highest growth and evolution. This is a challenging concept to accept for some and it becomes even more challenging when we have experienced a painful trauma that was perpetuated against us. We don’t necessarily forgive for the one that has caused us pain, we ultimately forgive for ourselves. The beautiful way that the flow of Universal Life Force energy works is that within the forgiveness for another we break the ties that have bound us to this person freeing us from the pain and the suffering that may have lingered for many years

The practice of forgiveness has the potential to cause you temporary pain as you recall memories that you may have buried and hidden for some time. Understand that this is part of the healing process, we must at times step into the darkness of our own pain and suffering to ultimately clear out the mind and allow the heart to open more fully to love and acceptance of what is. I recommend that you listen to your own guidance for incorporating this practice. If you do not feel in a space right now to explore this topic set it aside for now. As I have said many times you are your greatest guide and teacher so allow yourself the respect and honor of listening. You cannot force forgiveness, it can only be truly known when your heart is ready. In the same breath I will also say however to notice if you are hiding from the forgiveness out of fear as this may hinder your path. Wisdom will show you the truth for yourself. Sit with this practice when you are ready and allow it to unfold for you naturally and authentically. Notice within any holding or resistance and if necessary simply stop and come back to it another time.

More than anything as always offer yourself grace. There is no time limit on your own healing and awakening. It is the journey of learning to love and it is a journey of a lifetime. Allow yourself to step into this practice with honor for where you are right now. You will find a recording of this practice as well as the script in case you want to read it over and use the questions within for your own practice in anyway.

I have personally found on my own journey that when working with difficult practices it causes me comfort and I usually find more clarity when journaling. Here are some journal prompts for this practice that you may find helpful:

1. What does forgiveness mean to me?
2. What would it feel like to forgive this person?
3. Why am I holding onto this? What is the benefit for me?
4. Why is this difficult to forgive?
5. What emotions am I experiencing when I consider forgiveness?

“When you plant a seed of love, it is you that blossoms.” – Ma Jaya Sati Bhagavati

Welcome to Lesson 9 and to one of the more beautiful practices that has been gifted to us through the Buddhist tradition. The practice of Loving, Kindness; also called the Metta Meditation. This is a practice of developing a deep sense of love, kindness & compassion for ourselves and others through repetitive mantras of goodwill and warm wishes. This is the practice that shows us how to live and love with an open heart. It is our willingness to open our heart in a completely new way that will awaken the truth for us. It is ultimately the journey of opening the heart where we find the connection with All That Is.

Through practice and what we now know in science as neuroplasticity; our ability to actually change the neural pathways in the brain therefore changing deep held thoughts and beliefs; we can completely alter the way that we think about ourselves and about others. Even if someone has deep held negative thought patterns we know that it is possible to become more loving and kind through practice. As I always say this is a simple process, not always easy but it is very simple. Through simple, repetitive actions with consistent action and dedication you begin to see yourself and others in a completely new way.

This practice may seem contrived at first; you may need to employ the old adage “fake it until you make it” for this one. Do your best to release judgment for yourself and notice the feelings that arise during this practice. This is a practice that you will want to utilize throughout your day. I recommend the formal practice only to get comfortable and to feel the feelings of love and kindness and then take the practice into life. Learn the loving, kindness mantra and employ it throughout the day. Notice when feelings of judgment, irritation or anger arise either for yourself or for another and tap into these words to rewrite and rewire the patterns of the mind that may have kept you closed off from real love, pure kindness and true happiness.

May you be happy.
May you be well.
May you be safe.
May you be peaceful and at ease.

We usually begin with ourselves and then those that are close to us that we can easily offer heartfelt words of loving, kindness; we then move onto those people that we have no real connection (think of a grocery clerk for example). Ultimately, when ready, we offer loving, kindness to those that we do not like or those that bring up intense feelings. We are here to love and to serve and this love and service reaches out beyond those that are easy, the real challenge arises when we are asked to love those that we feel we cannot. This is the real work and this is the work of our lifetime as it is never ending. We are always given opportunities to practice loving, kindness. The flow of people in and out of our lives continues day in and day out, giving us many chances to learn to truly love others. Trust me when I say this is a practice and you will fail many times as other people are here for this ultimate lesson. Other peoples actions are designed to trigger and challenge us, this is the great mirror for us to see within our own hearts and to learn to live from a real place of compassion, kindness and love. I have come to find that this journey of becoming leads us to the deepest kind of love, a love that radiates from within and this love shows us the way when we feel lost, confused or weak.

This practice has the power to break down walls that keep us from experiencing this love. It is this love that has the power to heal and awaken our world and it starts within each one of us. Each time that you plant the seeds of loving, kindness you are offering a blessing to humanity and are placing a call out into the Universe expressing the light of love that is within. This expression of love draws to you an army of angelic beings that sense the path that you have chosen and stand at attention for you. You have a power within that will continue to grow and you have legions within the unseen realms ready to assist. You are only bound by your own mind, by your own thoughts and beliefs about what is real and true. Practice with an open heart and experience the real magic that is surrounding you every moment of every day.

Here are some journal prompts for this practice that you may find helpful:

1. What is holding me back from opening my heart fully?
2. What are behaviors of others that trigger me?
3. Do I know what it feels like to really love myself? To love another?
4. Do I find this practice difficult? Easy? Why?
5. What emotions arise when practicing loving, kindness?

“There are two ways to live your life; One is as though nothing is a miracle, the other is as though everything is a miracle” – Albert Einstein

As we begin to free our mind from the chains that have kept us bound in limiting thoughts, beliefs and habits we are able to experience and know that there is so much more than what most of us have ever considered; there is magic and miracles all around us. As we begin to tap into understanding this magical and mystical Universe we unlock a power within our own heart that we never even knew existed.

One of our most powerful tools for tapping into the heart is the act of gratefulness. This is a widely misunderstood practice and people barely scratch the surface of what is possible with gratitude. As we look back into some of our greatest spiritual texts this practice is central in all of them. Giving thanks and allowing ourselves to see the good unlocks a connection with Divine Presence that ultimately opens up so many possibilities within our lives. In our society gratitude has become a platitude and it is brushed over with little real feeling or energy invested into it. It is when you learn to come from a deep well of loving gratefulness that you can literally feel gratitude pulsing in your veins. It becomes a deeply spiritual experience to allow space for living in gratitude. The practice becomes a non-stop prayer and fills your entire being with a sense of support and love that you may have never even tapped into.

We learn over time and with diligent, loving practice to give thanks for it all. The good, the bad and the ugly. We learn over time and with practice that within a simple prayer of thank you our heart expands in ways that are truly miraculous.

For most of us living in a state of gratitude takes a lot of practice, there are the lucky ones (maybe that is you) that simply know intuitively how to live in a deep state of gratitude. In todays world more often than not we may think positively in our lives and feel like we are pretty grateful however there is more to experience with this practice. When we make a conscious effort to draw gratitude closer it becomes etched within our minds and becomes a new pathway towards something greater and richer to be experienced.

As with all things within this program it is all about awareness and practice. Taking the time and energy needed to shift focus and attention to what is really important and fruitful rather than just the ramblings of an untrained mind. At this point it isn’t about adding more and more, it is about integrating what you have learned wholly and completely into your life. As we embark upon these final weeks of the program we explore what living a mindful life really looks like. We become more attuned and in-tune with what our heart requires to stay at the forefront of our everyday. This can sometimes prove to be challenging as we live in a world that is constantly pulling us back into old habits and thought patterns.

As I always say it is about the practice and it is the practice of a lifetime. Your life will always be moving and shifting and your need and dedication for practice will always be changing. The practices however always remain the same, remember to keep it simple. During this intense time of diving deep for yourself it is the everyday, diligent offering of space for yourself that is needed more than anything. It doesn’t matter if you have an hour a day or hours a day to dedicate it only matters that you have intention and awareness present. These practices don’t have to take long they just have to be honest and heartfelt.

Take dedicated time first thing in the morning and last thing before you drift off to sleep as sacred time for just you. Simply breathe and be during these times. It may help to use music. I always have a pair of headphones by my bed that if needed I can use first thing in the morning or right before bed.

In the morning when you awake remember to Just Be before getting out of bed. Give yourself time and space before moving into your day. Place one hand on your heart and the other hand on your belly and breathe. Allow feelings of gratitude to easily surface. Whatever bubbles up simply allow. Give thanks for the struggles and the joys. Be open to whatever the day brings. You may even drift in and out of sleep this is fine, each time that you have awareness give thanks and feel your body breathing.

Before bed simply allow yourself more time and silence before sleep. Obviously the longer you are able to dedicate at this time the better. I have found that these times of practice while still lying in bed to be the most important for me. No matter what I have happening during the day these 2 times are always present and serve as powerful practices.

{An end of day breathing technique for calming is to inhale through the nose for a count of 5 and to exhale purse the lips as though you are drinking through a straw exhaling through your straw for a count of 5, continue this way possibly increasing the count to 6 then 7 then 8 or just stick with 5. Whatever feels best.}

Some days you may find gratitude difficult, this is normal as we experience many different emotions in our lives. If nothing comes easily focus on those things that are glaringly apparent; a warm and comfortable place to sleep, an abundance of food and a shelter to protect you. Remember as long as you are breathing there is more right with you than wrong; there is ALWAYS something to be grateful for. On these days that you may struggle know that even the difficult times are important and there is just as much growth (if not more) in the challenging moments of our lives.

On days when you are feeling so beautifully connected and joyful in gratitude drink it in. Experience it fully and allow your heart to expand into the space of gratitude that has the power to fulfill you through the hard times. It is our own personal experiences of feeling connected with Divine Presence that will continue moving us forward in our own work. It is the moments of bliss that serve as a tether to All That Is.

You may find it helpful to write down what you are grateful for at the end of the day, this is a powerful practice of intentional focused gratitude.

To continue to deepen and strengthen your practice remember during the day to give thanks as well. Pause before you eat and give thanks for the people, the animals and the plants that have offered up the nutrition for your body. When in nature remember to give thanks to Mother Earth for all that is provided to you to survive and thrive. Give thanks for your body throughout the day. Give thanks either silently or out loud to all the different people throughout your life that provide services for you. And of course give thanks to those that are closest to you for the love and support that they provide each day.

As you draw gratitude closer and make it a living and breathing part of many moments throughout your day you will experience even more ease and grace. You will begin to truly feel what a grateful heart means and more and more live in the flow of a well-lived, mindful life.

“Those who flow as life flows know they need no other force.” Lao Tzu

As you come closer to the end of this program, it time to do an honest assessment for yourself. Did you do the work you wanted to do? Did you commit to the program and the practices the way you intended? What is the answer that you find for yourself arising? Simple yes and no questions help in learning to listen and trust our own intuition. We always will receive the true answer of our hearts on the first try if we are intentional about our question. Whatever your answer, grace is a most important lesson throughout this journey. As we learn to trust that we cannot do this work wrong, we understand that we cannot awaken before we are meant to and it is never too late in our lives. We come to awakening exactly when we are meant too. Each obstacle, each seeming failure is simply an opportunity to understand ourselves and this world better.

Remember the still, quiet voice never will chastise or question or doubt your progress. The wisdom that lies within will always remind you that your life is the journey and this being human is all about the journey, there is nothing to achieve. We may begin to believe that awakening is our goal, however the truth is that awakening is simply a by-product of letting go. It isn’t something you can attain, it is who you are therefore it is through the practice and the inner and outer reflections where you remember. No matter what your experience has been over this time honor it and find the good for you. If you feel as though there is more for you here then dive back in starting from the first week. Go back through and see what may still be calling for attention and practice. This is the beauty of the work that we do, it is never ending.

As we learn the gift of grace it becomes clear how important it is for ourselves and for others. Even as you awaken and remember truth you will still experience this Being Human. Even after you have become self-realized you will still be around people and circumstances that will provide you opportunity to practice. Just know that you will “fail”, you will have moments where you react rather respond. In those moments you simply acknowledge that you have missed the mark (this time) and you give yourself grace and love. We are not perfect…we are human. If we remember that each and every person and interaction is simply opportunity to connect and to grow we release our attachment to the outcomes and our expectations of others. It is through grace that we are able to soften for ourselves and others. It is through our ability to give love, acceptance and forgiveness that we experience these things for ourselves more fully.

Grace may be a completely foreign concept to you if you have always been someone that has high expectations for yourself and others. Simply recognize this truth for you and turn to prayer. Ask for grace to blossom within your own heart. Ask for grace for yourself and for others. Our connection to Divine Presence through prayer is truly a most powerful ally in this human experience. You may find yourself back in places of weakness, pain and suffering even after you have experienced profound awakening; this is when you turn to the power of prayer. Ask for these struggles to be seen for what they are…ask for clarity in all of your pain and suffering. There is always more to be discovered and learned in awareness.

Remember the journey is never-ending…it is the journey of a lifetime. As you continue practicing to quiet the incessant chatter of the mind the truth of YOU continues to spring forth. Prayer and gratitude will simply become a part of your everyday; a part of your every moment. This is who you are.

For this week continue to focus all of your attention and energy on gratitude and bring grace fully into your awareness.

“Your heart is the size of an ocean. Go find yourself in its hidden depths.” – Rumi

Congratulations! You made it through all 12 lessons! How are you feeling? Of course this is not the end, in so many ways this is just the beginning. The beginning of a mindful life, the beginning of a self-realized and awakened life. Our practice NEVER stops as long as we are breathing and living on this planet and in this body. Unless you have decided to disappear to some remote and far off destination away from it all (maybe a good idea ?) you will be called to mindfulness day in and day out. You will be given opportunities to simply be and breathe in the midst of what may feel like complete chaos. As we have discussed this is a journey of grace and of love. As you fall off, get lost, forget all that you may have already seen or experienced through this time simply breathe and remind yourself that there is no perfect journey, it is your journey therefore you cannot do it wrong and you cannot miss some timeline. There is no timeline, you are eternal and this life is simply a part of the story of you.

A YOU which expands far beyond this life, this personality & these experiences. A YOU that is timeless and boundless. A YOU that knows the truth of All That Is and holds the spark of Divinity within. This is the same of us all, there are none among us that are any more or less. Remember this and experience love and understanding, compassion and grace for all others expand and grow within your own heart. This my dear friend is the journey of living a mindful life. The truth blossoming and awakening within your own being, giving you experiences that you simply cannot deny. The truth of BEING. This may seem very far from your own understanding at this point (or maybe not!) just allow me to serve as a mirror for you. My own knowing lights up deep within you the seed of your own knowing. Allow my words to gently seep into your own heart and take root, allow them to grow and feel the remembering come back to life fully for you.

This is the journey of being human, remembering who we really are. A divine spark in the ocean of consciousness. A beautiful being of light and of love having a human experience. As always each day the choice is yours for how you want to experience life, you can fall back into old habits and old routines and very quickly and easily live once again mindlessly – OR you can choose to continue forth diligently practicing and learning to quiet the mind and allow your own still, quiet voice to guide you in all things and in all ways. This is the choice of freedom and ultimately JOY.

I will not lie to you and say it is easy, as it is not. You will come against challenges within your own mind and of course from other people and our society as a whole. You will question and you will doubt, just keep going. Keep putting your work and your awakening at the forefront of everything you do and you will be rewarded in beautiful ways. Keep exploring other practices and paths to assist you in breaking free from the chains of the mind. There is so much that we have been gifted in this life to assist us. I have explored so much and have found value in nearly all of it!

Each morning that you awake choose to continue on the journey of you and for you. Choose gratitude & choose to see the good. As you direct your mind in these ways the whole of the Universe steps in to greet you and guide you to experience more to be grateful for…more good. You may experience fear as you step further into the understanding of you as it calls for you to continually let go of what you think you know and who you think you are. In these moments give it up to the grace of God. In our moments of weakness, fear and doubt we have the opportunity to release it and allow ourselves to be carried and nurtured by the beautiful beings of light in the unseen realms that are by our side each and every moment.

You are NEVER alone, you simply must remember to seek guidance & support. Remember that prayer is your greatest ally on this journey. Continue to explore and open yourself up to other resources and guides when you feel called; however always put your own internal work above and beyond anything that you read or hear. It is easy to get caught up in all of the beautiful information that is “out there”, remember this is the awakening of YOU therefore you are searching for the wisdom within. From this program take the practices that most speak to your own heart and continue practicing. If you feel you are ready to release the guided work you may be called to find music that will assist. I personally was always called to sound and continue to use sound to guide me back into the stillness within. Below you will find a link to my own YouTube playlist that I utilize in my practice and in my sessions. You can also find music such as this on all other music platforms.

I am a huge fan of chanting to assist in clearing the mind chatter. I have always used Sanskrit chanting as my work has come from the Indian yogic traditions however there is a beautiful album that Leann Rimes has created that is a beautiful option in English. You will find links below for her album as well as a couple of my favorite Sanskrit offerings. Om Mani Padme Hum is an ancient mantra that literally mean “Praise to the jewel in the lotus”. You can find more about this mantra from the Dalai Lama at the link below. I also love anything by Snatam Kaur & Deva Premal. If you feel called to Christian chanting simply google “christian chants for meditation”. There are some beautiful options available for you. This is your journey so make it your own, listen to your guidance for what is best for you. Remember this isn’t about simply practicing when you are sitting in a formal meditation, this is about practicing throughout your day. Find peace and stillness in all of your chores…doing laundry, cleaning the house, yard work. These are all wonderful moments to practice quieting the mind. Be mindful as you walk or workout. If you find yourself in your car make it your rolling meditation space. You are only limited by the forgetfulness of not practicing. You have learned simple practices that can be taken with you anywhere and practiced anytime. The more that you interrupt the old habitual thought patterns the more the mind will learn to be still. Just notice with love and acceptance what is happening within the mind space several times a day…this awareness will strengthen daily and you will become more attuned to the internal workings of you.

As the mind quiets, the heart expands. As the heart expands the connection with your higher self becomes the guiding light in your life and you will experience more and more peace and freedom. You have done beautiful work and I honor your commitment to YOU. Keep saying yes and keep moving forward!