is Empowering Presence, LLC
Practicing mindfulness is like seeing life a little more – one little light at a time.
With each new sensation, emotion, or thought we become aware of, we can see the whole of our life a little more clearly.
And then we start making more informed decisions.
And one day we realize that life is different – brighter, perhaps – because we notice it more…one little light, one little breath, one little moment at a time.
I can access a sense of connection and loving kindness any time I choose.
Whether or not I’m with anyone; or feeling like there’s anyone loving me – I can access loving kindness from within. And I can reach out to others I want to express loving kindness to.
Continue reading “Connection and Kindness are Always “Here””
The love is within. It’s not conditional.
So many of us grew up thinking that love was conditional. On our good behavior. On our doing good for others. on us not “causing trouble.” Sometimes even on our just being invisible – because being visible felt like it made us a target for un-love.
Phones ringing. Beeping with tweets. Tweeking with texts. Computers flashing ads. Buses with marketing. Facebook updates like 1000 per minute.
No wonder so many people have trouble focusing. Or feel hyper. Or stressed. Or anxious. Attention is constantly being pulled in this direction and that. Constantly. Even by other peoples beeps and dings and makarenas. And it’s tiring.
Here are some things that I think will help make the world a more peaceful place to be. And more productive. Continue reading “Stop the Beeps: Start to Focus”
We create a protective bubble around ourselves. That bubble helps us survive and navigate the world. But it also becomes an inhibitor to experiencing what really is in the world, because what we end up experiencing is always through the filter of our bubble. The true experience, therefore, is influenced by our bubble.
Interestingly, the bubble keeps us from fully experiencing ourselves, as well.
I’ve lived my life predominantly under a cloud of self-protection. In some darkness. Some hiding.
It’s a natural response to the world for some people. As kids, particularly sensitive children, we hold our breath or body to protect ourselves from the bombardment of stimuli from the world, including arguing parents or unexpected barking dogs, etc.
Constriction is not bad. Left unconscious, though, it can leave patterns of stress and pain in the body-mind.
When I feel an ache, I could be angry with my body for not feeling “good.”
That’s not particularly helpful, because then I’m feeling achey AND angry.
So I looked for another perspective, and it came to me. When I’m feeling an ache or a stretch, that’s because my body is opening. The ache or stretch feeling lets me know my body is opening.
And then I feel grateful!
PRACTICE: The next time you feel an ache, slow down, breathe, noticing the ache, and imagine the area opening and stretching. Choose gratitude!
I practice yoga and each day it seems I discover a new ache. Yoga helps to alleviate a lot of my run-of-the-mill aches, thank goodness. But once in a while this idea comes to me that I’m “getting old.” More and more people I see in public seem to be getting younger, too!
I’ve realized that age is relative and somewhat flexible. Continue reading “My Body Is Not “Old” – it’s Well Enjoyed”
Is there anything more valuable than presence?
Actually BEING here. Experiencing life. Rather than experiencing what we “think” about life; what we think about the past; our future thinking…
Presence. It’s so fundamental. So easy to overlook.
And so important….
I’ve found that, as I pay more attention to the present moment, the question of “Why?” has become less important.
Why is the sky blue? Why does this flourless chocolate cake taste so good? They can be helpful questions to explore and many such questions have probably launched whole lifetimes of discovery.
But for me, now, I find that I’d rather explore:
What does this cake taste like?