Grounding Meditation:

This is a great practice for when we are feeling out of balance, confused or depressed. It's a good to have tools or resources that we can turn too. It's normal to feel anxiousness within our own bodies and from the people and environment around us. But without mindfulness and grounding, we can feel as if we are being swept away by these emotions and sensations. I offer this simple grounding meditation. Remember, we are not trying to get away from the unpleasant feelings, we are using this to be with. Enjoy.

1.Find a safe and stable place to sit. It can be the ground or a chair.

2.Begin by feeling your body connected to the ground or chair, especially the pelvis, legs, and feet. Allow the ground or chair to support the weight of your body.

3.Begin to inhale, filling and expanding the whole body with air, from the toes to the top of the head. Exhale very slowly letting go of tension in the body as the breath moves out. Do this several times.

4.Bring in the image of a tree, a tree you like from your memory or imagine a tree, a Giant Sequoia, Redwood or Oak tree. 

5.Now imagine that you are resting with your back against the tree, Feel the bark, feel what it's like to be supported by the tree and the ground. Embody this experience. 

6.Now imagine that you merge with the tree, become the tree, you and the tree are one. Feel your roots, deep and long, stable and strong. Embody this.

7.Begin to sense you branches, strong but fluid. While the roots are strong and solid the branches can sway and move with the strongest winds. 

8.Let your arms and hands begin to rise above your head like the mighty branches of a tree. Let them move back and forth while feeling the stability of the roots, your roots.

9.Let the arms come down, touching the ground or the chair, representing the warm earth. Feel the stability and stillness. Embody this.

10.Eventually come back to the breath as it comes into the body and leaves the body. When you're ready you can open your eyes.

Seeing Through Depression

Whether or not depression can be passed genetically is still somewhat of a mystery, what's more important is how we see and relate to depression in this moment,, now. Depression means to depress or push-down. When we push anything away we can become stuck. When we can sit w/o needing to do or undo anything in the light of an unbiased pure awareness we can start to see clearly and see through what is happening and to feel what needs to be felt, not because we want to avoid anything but because it is the natural way of being,, to heal,, to be whole. We just step out of the way and let the process of unfolding happen.

Stepping Out 

Because of the neuroplasticity of the brain we now know that we can create more contentment in our lives by stepping out of our comfort zone and touching in to fear and discomfort. Each time we meet fear and discomfort we enhance the minds capacity for freedom and joy.

If I Had My Child To Raise Again:
I would finger paint more and point the finger less. I would do less correcting and more connecting. I would take my eyes off my watch and watch with my eyes. I would care to know less and and know to care more. I would take more hikes and fly more kites. I would stop playing serious and seriously play. I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars. I would do more hugging and less tugging. I would be firm less often and affirm more often. I would build self-esteem first and the house later. I would teach less about the love of power and more about the power of love. -Diane Loomans

Playing The Field

I’m not much of a sports oriented kind of guy, but I recently noticed some similarities between playing Basketball and moving forward with an intention or goal we might want to accomplish. Achieving what we want in life, our goals and dreams, is a lot like playing basketball. When a player gets the ball and needs to get the ball up the court and into the basket (our intention or goal) he has to start right where he is. He or she has to be present and grounded. At some level of consciousness the player also knows that anything can happen between him and the goal and isn’t even sure if his journey up the court will achieve the outcome he desires. But he also knows that there is no chance of fulfilling his goal if he doesn’t take the first step. As the player moves up the court things begin to move very fast and he has to rely on his experience, instinct and the ability to let go and move with the spontaneous flow around him. Confidence in his skill helps him to make clear and quick movements. But of course very few things can be accomplished alone. As well as his own skills he also has others on his team that he can rely on to help get the ball up the court. To achieve our goals and intentions we need to be willing to accept help from others. In the end whether he makes the basket or not he has gained experience during the journey and is more prepared and skillful for the next goal. He has also made a few friends along the way.

So how do we create a plan to move toward our goals and dreams? First we need to create an intention, one that can shift and move with the changing nature of life. Next we need to ground ourselves, know where we are and our capacity. We need to be willing to take the first step and open to any fear or resistance that may arise. We need to be willing to accept help and support from others. We need to let go and move in a different direction when life seems to be pushing us in that direction. We may not always get what we originally wanted but if we are willing to be fluid and spontaneous we will surly be ok with whatever outcome arises and have fun doing it. There are infinite ways to any destination. Enjoy the ride.

Nature is the silent healer 

Take a walk in the woods and notice the natural flow around you, go out into the grass, take your shoes off and feel the ground below you, walk barefoot on the beach. There is an invisible healing power in the simple act of surrendering to nature. We can't explain it nor should we. Just know that you're supported. 

The Bodies Story

The story your mind is telling about an event is gone, it's the past, but the story your body is telling through sensation, emotion and movement is "now". Listen closely and allow the body to move and express itself however it needs. Surrender to this organic process, your bodies natural intelligence knows what to do.