Author: valeriecameronmerritt

“There is nothing better than a friend, unless it is a friend with chocolate.” -Linda Grayson 

Hope you can make time for both this weekend!

– Jessica &Valerie

 

The mind is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master.     -Robin S. Sharma

Meditation on quieting the mind:

I breathe in, and notice thoughts passing.

I breathe out, and let the thoughts go along without me.

Slowly inhale and exhale for counts of 5 while mentally repeating these words.

Everything seems to be attached in some regard or another.  We want to welcome commonality and unity, but these may lead to feelings of attachment if sought for more than their offering in the present moment. When caught in analyzing our minds can go deeper into layers of control and perhaps obsession.  Expecting fulfillment through people, places, or things can be a hindrance.  We may understand the concept of non-attachment and even find ourselves committing to the idea, but an active practice takes diligence and patience in realization.

When it is time to detach, these flowers will know it, the branches will know it, and they will surrender to their cycle.

Depression and Spiritual Awakening

Ted Talk with Lisa Miller

 

Any pace is a good pace. Be gentle with your soul and steady your heart.

 Trust your process.

When you are outside in the coming days, in your garden or on a city street, practice a feeling of appreciation for all that you observe.  To the plant: you are my favorite plant.  To the bird:  you are my favorite bird.  To the car passing:  you are my favorite car even though you are rattling or blowing smoke, you are still my favorite car.  To the crack in the sidewalk: you are my favorite winding crack in the cement. To the cloud: you are my favorite fluffy cloud in the sky.

This practice will assist in uplifting you and you will in turn be better able to uplift others.

 

Placing a smile on your face, even when you may not feel like smiling can be the fastest path in spiraling upwards.  Lift yourself and others with a smile!

In loving, we offer trust and space.  Letting go of control and practicing patience are acts of love.

A short meditation for love felt as space:

I breath in, and with this breath loving space fills my lungs.

I breath out, and this loving breath spreads into the space around my body.

-repeated until there is a quiet loving presence surrounding you and occupying the space of your body.

 

Reflect on the way you speak to yourself.  Does the internal conversation you have with yourself offer the same kindness you would give to a friend?

I used to speak to myself in an incredibly critical way, but have found that it’s much more productive to talk to myself as I would talk to a friend.  If I need to take time before I’m ready for something, instead of, “what’s wrong with me – why am I not ready to take an action here”  I’ll now say, “that’s OK, take as much time as you need and movement will come when you’re ready”.  Another example lives in picking apart interactions with others. I might have specifically focused on worry over how something I did or said may have been interpreted. The difference between how I feel speaking to myself as I would speak to a friend is worlds away from the analytical and anxiety ridden past.

Why not be your own friend?  Speak kindly to yourself.  Whatever it is that’s going on, isn’t worth beating yourself up over or letting an unfortunate pattern get the better of you.

Photo by Rachael King