Tag: meditation

Be Still.

On By Heather Wiest

Be still and know that I AM God. ~ Psalm 46:10
Be still and know I AM.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Our intention this week is to explore MEDITATION. In the classical yoga tradition, asana yoga is practiced as a preparation for seated meditation. Yoga Nidra, Restorative, and Yin Yoga are also wonderful meditative practices. What exactly is meditation? The definition is “to think deeply or focus for a time for spiritual purposes or to relax. To think deeply or carefully about something.” Whatever we think deeply or carefully about becomes what we meditate on. What fills your mind, my friend? The Hebrew word for meditate is DOMAH, and is literally translated as “to liken, compare, to make oneself like.” Whatever we meditate on, think deeply about, is what we become like. The more we sit with our thoughts, the more likely we are to act on them. Are we carefully and deliberately choosing what we meditate on? I choose to meditate on pure, positive, present thoughts, connecting with the Peace within me. What’s the best that can, and will happen? ❤️

Meditation 101
By: Claudia Cummins

To give meditation a try, sit comfortably, set a timer for 10 minutes, and explore one of the following strategies. And consider yourself forewarned: Meditation is a delightfully simple practice, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy!

Just Sit: Commit to doing nothing more than sitting quietly and watching what happens. Don’t pick up the phone, don’t answer the doorbell, don’t add another item to your to-do list. Just sit and observe the thoughts that arise and pass through your mind. You will likely be surprised by how difficult it is to sit quietly for 10 minutes. In the process, though, you may learn something important about the qualities of the restless mind and the ever-changing nature of life.

Listen to the Sounds of Life: Close your eyes and tune in to the sounds percolating both within and around you. Open your ears and adopt a receptive attitude. At first, you’ll likely hear only the most obvious noises, but over time, you’ll discover new layers of sounds that you had previously tuned out. Challenge yourself to observe what you hear without clinging to it or resisting it. Notice how the world feels more alive as your awareness of the present deepens.

Practice Bare Attention: Notice the raw sensations of the present moment—feelings of warmth and coolness, hardness and softness, pressure and ease. Which parts of your body are in contact with the earth? How does the shape of the body shift with each inhalation and exhalation? How does your experience change over time? Cultivating an awareness of the present moment will foster a more serene and attentive mind, one that is able to settle into the here and now.

Follow the Breath: Attach your mind to the breath. While you’re breathing in, note that you’re breathing in, and while you’re breathing out, focus on the exhalation. Don’t manipulate the breath in any way; simply watch it with your mind’s eye, just as you would follow a tennis ball bouncing from one side of the court to the other during a particularly engrossing match. When you find that your mind has strayed, as it inevitably will, gently refocus it on the breath and begin again.

Use a Mantra: Choose a favorite word, phrase, prayer, or fragment of a poem, and repeat it slowly and softly. Let its rhythm and meaning lull you into a quiet, contemplative state of ease. When you notice that your mind has wandered off to other thoughts, simply redirect it back toward the words you’ve chosen as your touchstone and rededicate your awareness to them.

Practice Kindness: As you sit quietly, focus your inner attention on someone you know who might benefit from an extra dose of kindness and care. In your mind’s eye, send this person love, happiness, and well-being. Soften your skin, open the floodgates of your heart, and let gentle goodwill pour forth.

The Weaver and the Loom, by Danna Faulds

Sit here for a bit. Place yourself
outside the frenzied pace of life.
Slow down long enough to 
appreciate birds in flight, water 
drops like prisms in the grass and 
countless shades of green. Step
off the fast track and listen to the
sound of breath and birdsong. Take
a moment to just be, and in the being, 
know the whole of this creation, 
mystery and madness, passion and
profanity, know it all as one, stunning
tapestry. Sit still and the thin line
between sacred and profane simply
fades away. There is nothing then
to reconcile. All the disparate threads
are woven on the loom of life. Sit here
for a bit and your unique place in the
pattern becomes clear. Take the still
point with you when it’s time to walk
away. Make the choice to see affinity, 
to watch the picture taking shape as
thread joins thread. Dare to be the 
weaver and the loom, creator and
creation, the sower and the sown.
In a moment of stillness, all that 
came before is seen as one.

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious — the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Philippians 4:8-9, The Message

May you incorporate some new meditative practices into your busy life this week. Begin to crave the calm connection — just be. “Show up for what’s up, so it won’t keep showing up! When you think you’ve surrendered, surrender some more. Be the humble witness of what will unfold.” ~ Gabby Bernstein

What’s the best that can, and will happen? ❤️

IMG_9466

“May my meditation be sweet to Him.” ~ Pslam 104:34 NKJV

Be Still.

On By Heather Wiest

Be still and know that I AM God. ~ Psalm 46:10
Be still and know I AM.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Our intention this week is to explore MEDITATION. In the classical yoga tradition, asana yoga is practiced as a preparation for seated meditation. Yoga Nidra, Restorative, and Yin Yoga are also wonderful meditative practices. What exactly is meditation? The definition is “to think deeply or focus for a time for spiritual purposes or to relax. To think deeply or carefully about something.” Whatever we think deeply or carefully about becomes what we meditate on. What fills your mind, my friend? The Hebrew word for meditate is DOMAH, and is literally translated as “to liken, compare, to make oneself like.” Whatever we meditate on, think deeply about, is what we become like. The more we sit with our thoughts, the more likely we are to act on them. Are we carefully and deliberately choosing what we meditate on? I choose to meditate on pure, positive, present thoughts, connecting with the Peace within me. What’s the best that can, and will happen? ❤️

Meditation 101
By: Claudia Cummins

To give meditation a try, sit comfortably, set a timer for 10 minutes, and explore one of the following strategies. And consider yourself forewarned: Meditation is a delightfully simple practice, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy!

Just Sit: Commit to doing nothing more than sitting quietly and watching what happens. Don’t pick up the phone, don’t answer the doorbell, don’t add another item to your to-do list. Just sit and observe the thoughts that arise and pass through your mind. You will likely be surprised by how difficult it is to sit quietly for 10 minutes. In the process, though, you may learn something important about the qualities of the restless mind and the ever-changing nature of life.

Listen to the Sounds of Life: Close your eyes and tune in to the sounds percolating both within and around you. Open your ears and adopt a receptive attitude. At first, you’ll likely hear only the most obvious noises, but over time, you’ll discover new layers of sounds that you had previously tuned out. Challenge yourself to observe what you hear without clinging to it or resisting it. Notice how the world feels more alive as your awareness of the present deepens.

Practice Bare Attention: Notice the raw sensations of the present moment—feelings of warmth and coolness, hardness and softness, pressure and ease. Which parts of your body are in contact with the earth? How does the shape of the body shift with each inhalation and exhalation? How does your experience change over time? Cultivating an awareness of the present moment will foster a more serene and attentive mind, one that is able to settle into the here and now.

Follow the Breath: Attach your mind to the breath. While you’re breathing in, note that you’re breathing in, and while you’re breathing out, focus on the exhalation. Don’t manipulate the breath in any way; simply watch it with your mind’s eye, just as you would follow a tennis ball bouncing from one side of the court to the other during a particularly engrossing match. When you find that your mind has strayed, as it inevitably will, gently refocus it on the breath and begin again.

Use a Mantra: Choose a favorite word, phrase, prayer, or fragment of a poem, and repeat it slowly and softly. Let its rhythm and meaning lull you into a quiet, contemplative state of ease. When you notice that your mind has wandered off to other thoughts, simply redirect it back toward the words you’ve chosen as your touchstone and rededicate your awareness to them.

Practice Kindness: As you sit quietly, focus your inner attention on someone you know who might benefit from an extra dose of kindness and care. In your mind’s eye, send this person love, happiness, and well-being. Soften your skin, open the floodgates of your heart, and let gentle goodwill pour forth.

The Weaver and the Loom, by Danna Faulds

Sit here for a bit. Place yourself
outside the frenzied pace of life.
Slow down long enough to 
appreciate birds in flight, water 
drops like prisms in the grass and 
countless shades of green. Step
off the fast track and listen to the
sound of breath and birdsong. Take
a moment to just be, and in the being, 
know the whole of this creation, 
mystery and madness, passion and
profanity, know it all as one, stunning
tapestry. Sit still and the thin line
between sacred and profane simply
fades away. There is nothing then
to reconcile. All the disparate threads
are woven on the loom of life. Sit here
for a bit and your unique place in the
pattern becomes clear. Take the still
point with you when it’s time to walk
away. Make the choice to see affinity, 
to watch the picture taking shape as
thread joins thread. Dare to be the 
weaver and the loom, creator and
creation, the sower and the sown.
In a moment of stillness, all that 
came before is seen as one.

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious — the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Philippians 4:8-9, The Message

May you incorporate some new meditative practices into your busy life this week. Begin to crave the calm connection — just be. “Show up for what’s up, so it won’t keep showing up! When you think you’ve surrendered, surrender some more. Be the humble witness of what will unfold.” ~ Gabby Bernstein

What’s the best that can, and will happen? ❤️

IMG_9466

“May my meditation be sweet to Him.” ~ Pslam 104:34 NKJV

Cutting Cords ✄

On By Heather Wiest

In every relationship, people are constantly exchanging energy that can become a cord connecting two people. This energetic cord forms just below the breastbone and can remain long after a relationship has ended. This unbroken cord may leave an open channel between you and another person, through which emotions and energy can continue to flow. If you are unaware that the cord exists, it is easy to feel the other person’s emotions and mistakenly think that they are yours. Besides the fact that this can limit the amount of closure you can experience in a relationship, letting this cord remain intact can leave you with a continued sense of sadness while creating feelings of lethargy as your own energy is sapped from you. Cutting the cord can help you separate yourself from old baggage, unnecessary attachments, and release you from connections that are no longer serving you.

Finding and cutting unwanted cords is a simple, gentle process that is best done alone and when you are relaxed. It is important that you are strong in your intention to release the cord between you and someone else. To begin, breathe deeply and perform a simple centering meditation. When you are ready, visualize or sense the cords that are connecting you to other people. Run your fingers through the cords to separate them until you find the cord you wish to sever. There is no need to worry, because the cord you need to sever will feel just right. [Or, there may be no cord to sever at this time.] [If and] When you have found it, determine where the cut should be made and then visualize the cord being cleanly cut. Afterwards, if you feel that cutting the cord has left spaces in your energy field, visualize those spaces being filled with healing light.

There may be times where cutting a cord can help free a relative or loved one to reach new stages of growth. You’re not severing a relationship, but you are severing the cords that are no longer serving you both. At other times, a cord may simply refuse to be cut because it is still serving a higher purpose. It is also important to remember that cutting a cord with someone is not a replacement for doing your emotional work with people. It can, however, be an enactment of that work upon its completion. In any case, cutting a relationship cord should always be viewed as a positive and nurturing act. By cutting the cords that no longer need to be there, you are setting yourself and others free from the ties that bind. ~ Madisyn Taylor

INTIMACY = In To Me See
How we look at others and treat them is often a reflection of how we see and treat ourselves.

I let go of the cords keeping me attached to ______________ (a person or situation). 

I release all that no longer serves me to embrace positive change in my life. 

I breathe love into myself. I can do what is required with love. 

Cord Cutting Exercise for Solar Plexus Chakra

This exercise is perfect for times when you are feeling energetically drained by someone or a situation. 

Think of a person you wish to let go of, or cut off from, or forgive. It might be someone who is presently in your life regularly, or not so frequent. They might be near to you or far away. Or it might be someone from your past. Visualize the person standing in front of you. Think of your reasons for letting this person or issue leave your life. It may be because the person or situation harms your well-being or causes you to feel negative emotions, or simply because it is time to let go of the situation once and for all. Let yourself feel all the emotions attached to the situation and the person.

Now bring your attention to your Solar Plexus, your stomach area. Visualize a fine silvery energy cord that reaches from your solar plexus to their solar plexus, this silver cord that creates the link, the attachment to each other. See it radiate and pulsate as it feeds the energy connection. Every time you even think about this person or be in contact with this person, the link between you is being strengthened.

Now imagine that you have a big pair of golden scissors in your hands–visualize yourself cutting through this energy cord with the scissors. If it does not cut through the first time, do it again with emotional strength behind it. Detaching yourself from this person [or situation]. Dissolving the connection. 

You are now completely detached. I invite you to surround the person [or situation] with healing light, wish them well, bless them with love and forgiveness for their journey, and watch them turn around and move off on their path.

Feel the release around your solar plexus. I encourage you to pull any remaining energy back into your solar plexus–by simply telling yourself “I bring all my energy back to me.” Now cover and seal your solar plexus chakra with thick yellow light. You are safe and protected. You hold your own energy with love.

I don’t depend on my own strength to accomplish this; however I do have one compelling focus: I forget all of the past as I fasten my heart to the future instead. ~ Philippians 3:13 TPT

 

Be Still.

On By Heather Wiest

Be still and know that I AM God. ~ Psalm 46:10
Be still and know I AM.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Our intention this week is to explore MEDITATION. In the classical yoga tradition, asana yoga is practiced as a preparation for seated meditation. Yoga Nidra, Restorative, and Yin Yoga are also wonderful meditative practices. What exactly is meditation? The definition is “to think deeply or focus for a time for spiritual purposes or to relax. To think deeply or carefully about something.” Whatever we think deeply or carefully about becomes what we meditate on. What fills your mind, my friend? The Hebrew word for meditate is DOMAH, and is literally translated as “to liken, compare, to make oneself like.” Whatever we meditate on, think deeply about, is what we become like. The more we sit with our thoughts, the more likely we are to act on them. Are we carefully and deliberately choosing what we meditate on? I choose to meditate on pure, positive, present thoughts, connecting with the Peace within me. What’s the best that can, and will happen? ❤️

Meditation 101
By: Claudia Cummins

To give meditation a try, sit comfortably, set a timer for 10 minutes, and explore one of the following strategies. And consider yourself forewarned: Meditation is a delightfully simple practice, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy!

Just Sit: Commit to doing nothing more than sitting quietly and watching what happens. Don’t pick up the phone, don’t answer the doorbell, don’t add another item to your to-do list. Just sit and observe the thoughts that arise and pass through your mind. You will likely be surprised by how difficult it is to sit quietly for 10 minutes. In the process, though, you may learn something important about the qualities of the restless mind and the ever-changing nature of life.

Listen to the Sounds of Life: Close your eyes and tune in to the sounds percolating both within and around you. Open your ears and adopt a receptive attitude. At first, you’ll likely hear only the most obvious noises, but over time, you’ll discover new layers of sounds that you had previously tuned out. Challenge yourself to observe what you hear without clinging to it or resisting it. Notice how the world feels more alive as your awareness of the present deepens.

Practice Bare Attention: Notice the raw sensations of the present moment—feelings of warmth and coolness, hardness and softness, pressure and ease. Which parts of your body are in contact with the earth? How does the shape of the body shift with each inhalation and exhalation? How does your experience change over time? Cultivating an awareness of the present moment will foster a more serene and attentive mind, one that is able to settle into the here and now.

Follow the Breath: Attach your mind to the breath. While you’re breathing in, note that you’re breathing in, and while you’re breathing out, focus on the exhalation. Don’t manipulate the breath in any way; simply watch it with your mind’s eye, just as you would follow a tennis ball bouncing from one side of the court to the other during a particularly engrossing match. When you find that your mind has strayed, as it inevitably will, gently refocus it on the breath and begin again.

Use a Mantra: Choose a favorite word, phrase, prayer, or fragment of a poem, and repeat it slowly and softly. Let its rhythm and meaning lull you into a quiet, contemplative state of ease. When you notice that your mind has wandered off to other thoughts, simply redirect it back toward the words you’ve chosen as your touchstone and rededicate your awareness to them.

Practice Kindness: As you sit quietly, focus your inner attention on someone you know who might benefit from an extra dose of kindness and care. In your mind’s eye, send this person love, happiness, and well-being. Soften your skin, open the floodgates of your heart, and let gentle goodwill pour forth.

The Weaver and the Loom, by Danna Faulds

Sit here for a bit. Place yourself
outside the frenzied pace of life.
Slow down long enough to 
appreciate birds in flight, water 
drops like prisms in the grass and 
countless shades of green. Step
off the fast track and listen to the
sound of breath and birdsong. Take
a moment to just be, and in the being, 
know the whole of this creation, 
mystery and madness, passion and
profanity, know it all as one, stunning
tapestry. Sit still and the thin line
between sacred and profane simply
fades away. There is nothing then
to reconcile. All the disparate threads
are woven on the loom of life. Sit here
for a bit and your unique place in the
pattern becomes clear. Take the still
point with you when it’s time to walk
away. Make the choice to see affinity, 
to watch the picture taking shape as
thread joins thread. Dare to be the 
weaver and the loom, creator and
creation, the sower and the sown.
In a moment of stillness, all that 
came before is seen as one.

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious — the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Philippians 4:8-9, The Message

May you incorporate some new meditative practices into your busy life this week. Begin to crave the calm connection — just be. “Show up for what’s up, so it won’t keep showing up! When you think you’ve surrendered, surrender some more. Be the humble witness of what will unfold.” ~ Gabby Bernstein

What’s the best that can, and will happen? ❤️

IMG_9466

“May my meditation be sweet to Him.” ~ Pslam 104:34 NKJV

Be Still.

On By Heather Wiest

Be still and know that I AM God. ~ Psalm 46:10
Be still and know I AM.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.

Our intention this week is to explore MEDITATION. In the classical yoga tradition, asana yoga is practiced as a preparation for seated meditation. Yoga Nidra, Restorative, and Yin Yoga are also wonderful meditative practices. What exactly is meditation? The definition is “to think deeply or focus for a time for spiritual purposes or to relax. To think deeply or carefully about something.” Whatever we think deeply or carefully about becomes what we meditate on. What fills your mind, my friend? The Hebrew word for meditate is DOMAH, and is literally translated as “to liken, compare, to make oneself like.” Whatever we meditate on, think deeply about, is what we become like. The more we sit with our thoughts, the more likely we are to act on them. Are we carefully and deliberately choosing what we meditate on? I choose to meditate on pure, positive, present thoughts, connecting with the Peace within me. What’s the best that can, and will happen? ❤️

Meditation 101
By: Claudia Cummins

To give meditation a try, sit comfortably, set a timer for 10 minutes, and explore one of the following strategies. And consider yourself forewarned: Meditation is a delightfully simple practice, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy!

Just Sit: Commit to doing nothing more than sitting quietly and watching what happens. Don’t pick up the phone, don’t answer the doorbell, don’t add another item to your to-do list. Just sit and observe the thoughts that arise and pass through your mind. You will likely be surprised by how difficult it is to sit quietly for 10 minutes. In the process, though, you may learn something important about the qualities of the restless mind and the ever-changing nature of life.

Listen to the Sounds of Life: Close your eyes and tune in to the sounds percolating both within and around you. Open your ears and adopt a receptive attitude. At first, you’ll likely hear only the most obvious noises, but over time, you’ll discover new layers of sounds that you had previously tuned out. Challenge yourself to observe what you hear without clinging to it or resisting it. Notice how the world feels more alive as your awareness of the present deepens.

Practice Bare Attention: Notice the raw sensations of the present moment—feelings of warmth and coolness, hardness and softness, pressure and ease. Which parts of your body are in contact with the earth? How does the shape of the body shift with each inhalation and exhalation? How does your experience change over time? Cultivating an awareness of the present moment will foster a more serene and attentive mind, one that is able to settle into the here and now.

Follow the Breath: Attach your mind to the breath. While you’re breathing in, note that you’re breathing in, and while you’re breathing out, focus on the exhalation. Don’t manipulate the breath in any way; simply watch it with your mind’s eye, just as you would follow a tennis ball bouncing from one side of the court to the other during a particularly engrossing match. When you find that your mind has strayed, as it inevitably will, gently refocus it on the breath and begin again.

Use a Mantra: Choose a favorite word, phrase, prayer, or fragment of a poem, and repeat it slowly and softly. Let its rhythm and meaning lull you into a quiet, contemplative state of ease. When you notice that your mind has wandered off to other thoughts, simply redirect it back toward the words you’ve chosen as your touchstone and rededicate your awareness to them.

Practice Kindness: As you sit quietly, focus your inner attention on someone you know who might benefit from an extra dose of kindness and care. In your mind’s eye, send this person love, happiness, and well-being. Soften your skin, open the floodgates of your heart, and let gentle goodwill pour forth.

The Weaver and the Loom, by Danna Faulds

Sit here for a bit. Place yourself
outside the frenzied pace of life.
Slow down long enough to 
appreciate birds in flight, water 
drops like prisms in the grass and 
countless shades of green. Step
off the fast track and listen to the
sound of breath and birdsong. Take
a moment to just be, and in the being, 
know the whole of this creation, 
mystery and madness, passion and
profanity, know it all as one, stunning
tapestry. Sit still and the thin line
between sacred and profane simply
fades away. There is nothing then
to reconcile. All the disparate threads
are woven on the loom of life. Sit here
for a bit and your unique place in the
pattern becomes clear. Take the still
point with you when it’s time to walk
away. Make the choice to see affinity, 
to watch the picture taking shape as
thread joins thread. Dare to be the 
weaver and the loom, creator and
creation, the sower and the sown.
In a moment of stillness, all that 
came before is seen as one.

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious — the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.

Philippians 4:8-9, The Message

May you incorporate some new meditative practices into your busy life this week. Begin to crave the calm connection — just be. “Show up for what’s up, so it won’t keep showing up! When you think you’ve surrendered, surrender some more. Be the humble witness of what will unfold.” ~ Gabby Bernstein

What’s the best that can, and will happen? ❤️

IMG_9466

“May my meditation be sweet to Him.” ~ Pslam 104:34 NKJV