My exact meditation & journaling practice
Over the years I’ve meditated and written in my journal. As a yoga teacher, I dipped my toe into meditation because that was part of the whole picture.
As I’ve traveled through life, I can’t say how many times the importance of meditation has come up for me: from business heroes and mentors, from athletes, from ALL sorts of people.
As an ex-yoga teacher, mom and entrepreneur, I now view meditation as the most important part of any self-care practice. Why? There’s lots of science behind it! I’m not a science writer BUT I’ll get to that later. And from experiencing my own .
Now let’s just clarify - I am not an expert. I am not a guru or even an accomplished meditator! I meditate 10 -15 minutes a day. Anyone can do that. I am not special!
So here are the steps to get you going:
1) Set a time each day that will work for you. Before bed (this is me), when you wake, during your lunch break.
2) Start with 1 minute. Or 2 minutes, if you’re really feeling mighty. Seriously! Do it.
3) Each day, add a minute until you’re up to your desired time limit.
4) After you meditate, pull out your journal and set your timer again. Journal for the same amount of time as you meditate.
5) Start your journal with 3 Good Things (just write down three good things from your day). This gets the pen moving quickly.
6) Next, show appreciation to those in your life, starting with yourself. I know there are lots of people to feel appreciation for, but just choose 3-4 per day, STARTING WITH YOURSELF.
Actually write out: “I appreciate myself for writing and publishing that blog post I’ve been thinking about” OR “I appreciate my husband for serving me a coffee on the couch this morning” (yes, this actually happens to me!).
7) Then just write. About feelings and observations. About epiphanies had during your day or during your meditation. About something you’re working through. About a new belief you want to have about yourself or someone else. Just to give you a few ideas.
8) Tools to make all this easier and more fun? There’s an app for that! Insight Timer. It’s amazing.
9) Insight Timer favorite meditations and content creators to follow:
Dr. Karolien Notebaert. Listen to her TEDx Talk (available on InsightTimer). So this is where I get back to the science part. Listen to this TED Talk to get the low down on what’s really happening in your brain! Then meditate to her “Body Scan to Let Go of Thoughts & Rise & Shine”.
Jack Kornfield. Listen to his “Breathing Meditation” and his “Loving Awareness: Mindfulness of Breath and What is Present”
Sarah Blondin. Listen to her “Loving and Listening to Yourself” and “Remembering Your Worth"
10) Don’t get lost in the app - find and follow a few people (like my favorites above) and stick with it.
11) And finally, anyone can meditate. Everyone’s mind wanders constantly. The practice is acknowledging the wandering and then redirecting it back to your body or your breath.
Ok, now you’re ready to go.
Comment below to let me know how your practice is going. And remember it’s called a practice because it IS a practice.
Some days suck.
Some days you feel amazing.
But I know from experience, this will take you places.
How to be in harmony with the dark
Harmony:
noun
An orderly or pleasing combination of elements in a whole.
A relationship in which various components exist together without destroying one another.
A relationship characterized by a lack of conflict or by agreement, as of opinion or interest.
Well, let’s be honest, it’s dark out.
It’s cold out too.
I was thankful to be on a zoom meeting with some parents from my son’s school recently as we labored together through a meeting.
The best part of the meeting? Folks were given the opportunity to share what’s been nurturing them through the darkness of winter.
I’m sharing this in hopes that you will love these ideas as much as I did. And be inspired to find a way to be harmonious with the dark as opposed to fighting it or dreading it, or complaining about it (as I have been guilty of).
Here’s what came up:
Reach out and call friends and family.
Cook and then have a dance party.
Go to bed early.
Check-in with friends.
Slow down.
Light candles have fires.
Practice the 4-7-8 breathing exercise (inhale for 4, hold for 7, exhale for 8). Oh man, do this ONCE and you’ll feel a difference.
Enjoy lots of coffee and cats.
Do some yoga. This woman specified doing yoga online with a dear friend who had moved away (which I thought was so lovely)
Go to the Russian Jack greenhouse aka Mann Leiser Greenhouse (or if you’re outside Anchorage, your local botanical garden greenhouse - most larger cities have them!)
Journal about feelings and observations (Here’s what I journal about every night: I start with 3 good things from the day, then give appreciation to people in my life - starting with myself. I literally write out: I appreciate myself for….. OR I appreciate my husband for…..
Get outside in the light.
Walk.
Run.
Get your nails done.
Find a place in the woods to sit and draw and write.
Meditate and write. I have a daily practice of a 10-15 minute meditation and 10-15 minutes of journalingl. It’s amazing and I’m sharing my exact practice HERE.
Until then, comment below to tell us how YOU get through the winter in harmony with the dark and cold.