Morning Practice

Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony. - Thomas Merton

Waking up early to allow myself time to align my body, mind and spirit with my morning practice is the greatest gift that costs nothing. This small amount of time management reinforces my ability to optimize my energies and to approach being how I wish to be in the world. In the words of Robin Sharma it is matter of mind over mattress.

Home and work are connected. My morning practice of journaling, Qi Gong and Mindfulness Meditation is what sets my day up to have balance and order; and ensures my sense of rhythm and harmony. As I have mentioned in class, during my 9-5 work years, I had a morning practice, would leave my home in great shape and then get lost in the challenges of work. The pressure, people, problems and projects would overwhelm my energy. My emotions would surge and lessen my performance, thus compounding both energy and time constraints. Anxiety, impatience and even fear would engage a cycle of less than productive habits energies and day by day the pressure mounted. This is why I had to learn to bring mindfulness into my work space.

Morning practice is where I learn about myself, cultivate calm, insight; and transform my habit energies. The serenity generated provides a balanced lens to reflect on thoughts and actions. Pausing at work allows me glimpses and further opportunities, but without the energy cultivated in morning practice, I may have too little to work with.

During my practice I cultivate groundedness. I work on my balance and flexibility. Then I am as free as possible for the coming hours of work and life. My negative habit energies may overrun me again and again; but each day I devote myself to morning practice those habits are weakened. I water positive seeds in my heart and mind. I awaken my spirit. I establish the possible here and now knowing, that the roots of my ability to be mindful at work is watered by my morning practice.

Photo by amrufm

Happy New Breath

On average we take 25,000 breaths per day. Fortunately, thanks to our autonomic nervous system we do not need to be aware of those breaths, we do not need to remember to breath. But what happens when we do bring awareness to our breath is transformative. Our bodies and mind arrive here and now. Perhaps we notice our thoughts, feelings or physical state. Real choice becomes an option for our next steps. Peace comes to us and spreads to others. Truly vital and powerful.

With each new breath we can let go of our past stories and habits.

With each new aware breath we leave the prison of our future concerns.

Connecting here and now with those around us, we learn ways to recognize, release and retrain our stressors.

Life is just a breath away.

Learn how your your job to can help you wake up to the present moment. Class begins January 8th click here:

HAPPY NEW BREATH

Now is the time we have been practicing for.

If Not Now - When?

Now is the time we've been practicing for. - Zenju Earthlyn Manual

Distractions, deadlines and delays drive me throughout my day. How often do I pause to notice where I truly am? When I do pause I become alive, noticing if my body is relaxed, my heart aflutter and the state of my mind. Are my feelings driving my actions? How has this worked out in the past? Is my mind rehashing old tales about individuals and institutions? Does my body need a stretch and release?

Through practice I can gather information about my present state and altar and adapt to the situation at hand tuning body, mind and feelings. Communication clears; creative options arise and connections with others deepen. All of this is possible by pausing throughout the day. How do I remember to pause while moving at full speed ahead?

The big pause is my morning qigong and meditation practice. Practicing while my energy is fresh assures that I leave home with courtesy, kindness and love etched into my being. Over time I have developed nudges related to my professional tasks to invite me to become present. Telephones, hand washing and certain individuals serve as possible reminders to pause and waken to the here and now. My day planner not only guides me to my goals and appointments but helps me attune to this precious moment.

Want to explore the power of pausing and aligning with the present moment in your life? Is taking better care of your health in the New Year when of your resolutions? If so - click here and sign up now for Minding Our Business right here and now!

Photo by Gerd Altman

What Was I Thinking?

You are what you think.

Everything arises in the mind.

With our Thoughts we make the World. - The Dhammapada

I have heard that we have 64,000 thoughts a day! How many of these go unnoticed, repeated and manifested in ways counter to who I want to be? On and on, over and over, day after day I think and think and think. Occasionally I observe my thinking; every morning when I journal and meditate and then throughout the day when I remember to pause. These moments when I pause provide insight, hope and transformation.

Over the years I have developed reminders or nudges to wake me up during the day. Once my attention has been attracted by one of these, I have a choice. Do I plunge forward as I am despite what I may be thinking, feeling and maybe even doing, or do I find my breath and take a few moments to calm and re-calibrate. I align with my intentions and aspirations, attune to where I really am and begin again.

Are you observing your thoughts? Practice mindfulness as if your life depended on it. Because life does depend upon us - with our thoughts we make the World.

Need help practicing and pausing throughout your day? Bring your New Years Intentions into Action with Minding Your Business.

Class begins January 8th at the Takoma Park Community Center- Register Here Now

Are You Dying for a Paycheck?

Recently Stanford’s Jeffery Pfeffer has elaborated on studies showing that workplace stress is the number 5 cause of death in the US.  Number FIVE!
This fact alone is enough to do something to relieve your on the job stress.  

What does this do to one’s focus, productivity and teamwork?

“People can only do effective and productive work when they know how best to manage energy, time and attention. All three are vital if one wants to be productive on a daily basis and succeed in their endeavors.” (Tony Schwartz, author of  The Power of Full Engagement).  In our new class Energize Your Work, we will focus on managing energy and attention with proven practices and strategies, which allows for a better use of time.  Drawing from our personal experience with mindfulness traditions & the healing art of Qi Gong*,  we will guide participants to cultivate positive responses and serenity to ongoing professional pressures.  By nourishing energies with Qi Gong and mindfulness practices throughout the work day benefits will extend throughout participants lives and the lives of those they serve. 

By learning how to improve responses to stress, better decisions are made, more effective leadership is developed and a longer healthier life becomes available..

Think you're too busy to take this course? Think again.

Think you’re too stressed?  Probably. 

There’s good news for you - Energize Your Work class begins in May and will be useful to you and your colleagues, no matter what type of work you do.

Class begins Wednesday May 2 at 7 pm at the Takoma Park Community Center. For more information and to register.