Bitter cold outside. I stretched for 25 minutes. Then made myself a cup of hot chocolate, drank about half of it, and then set my timer for 5 minutes of meditation. The time went by really fast. Oh yeah, I finished the hot chocolate afterwards.

We had a great question in class yesterday about the different body positions we can practice in. The one in question was lying completely flat on the back. Now, it can be done of course, but the challenge will be remaining focused (not falling asleep) during the meditation. To remedy the call for a little more comfort during our practice, I present a back supported seated position. I will include a picture from my practice today at the Spa. Here you can see I am seated in an arm chair, but what you might not be able to see is the small pillow behind me at mid back. This allows me to keep the spine straight while sitting in the cushioned chair. I really encourage this type of meditation if you are: a.) Finding seated position on the floor to be too challenging… at this beginning part of the journey. Again, with the stretching practices, I know this will become easier over time. b.) You are practicing new or more dynamic breathwork routines. This ensures comfort and safety during the practice. Giving our bodies grace and comfort as we grow through these practices will unlock new levels of mindfulness. Quote of the day: "Meditation is a surrender, it is not a demand. It is not forcing existence your way, it is relaxing into the way existence wants you to be." - Osho

With a windy, winter day, let’s bring a candle into play. I will invite us to keep our eyes open for this next path. The practice will include us staring at a lit candle seated in front of us. I can hear the question now. Why? The reason being, is very similar to yesterdays use of internal dialogue, the candle flame will give the mind a focal point. This style of practice is really helpful if you are meditating before sunrise or after sunset, while the home is still dark. You will be staring at the flame with a soft gaze, and again, drawing mindfulness to the breath. One addition to this practice will be the use of an intention. Put something into the flame, like a stress you’ve been feeling. Put a worry, or something you’ve held onto that no longer serves you. Meditate, gaze at the flame with this intention, and finally by blowing out the candle, give yourself permission to let go. Surrender and feel the peace that follows. Amazing to think, we are only just scratching the surface of our practice! Thank you all for presence and patience. Daniel

Today, we will visit one of the most effective tools in our meditation practice. Our own, internal voice. By using key sounds, words, or phrases, we can give an anchor to the mind. It can be thought as a focal point on the floor when we are doing balance exercises. Gives the brain something to do, while the body completes its task. So, what sounds, words, or phrases work best ? The short answer, is the one that works best for you as an individual. You may find that a sound works best, like “om’” or “shrim”. Here the internal sound can be used in coordination with the inhale or exhale. Some may want to use a word like “peace” or “surrender”. Here again, using it in coordination with the breath. Or maybe a phrase like “here I Am” or “I feel peace”. Again, all these options give our mind a focal point and something we can return to when we get lost in our racing thoughts. There are endless options here, and so give them a try without any judgement of choice. Let me know what you find through the addition of this tool, Daniel.

So far we have navigated the daily why of our meditation, along with the inner landscape of where we take our selves. Today, I would like us to think about the space outside of our meditation, and how we can bring mindfulness to the mundane. How many have experience the complete gap in time when we are driving a familiar route in our vehicle. Take that drive to your local grocery store for example. You get in your car, start driving, and magically get to the store without being able to remember anything you passed along the way. It’s not to say you were not driving safe, it’s more that your brain turned off the, “notice the world around you” mode while you drove down the familiar streets. We often go through much of life without being mindful. We are not stopping to take in the view, to smell the flowers, or to engage with the world. We get wrapped up in doing and forget the joy of just being in each moment. I challenge us today, to find moments of mindfulness. Slowing down to savor the simplest task, like washing some dishes, going for a walk, or maybe enjoying a cup of coffee or tea. Take a breath into one of these moments and become consciously aware of what you are doing, and how much of a gift it is. I find it helpful to make a simple phrase internally. Example: “Right now, I get to clean these dishes, what a gift it is to have dishes to clean” “I am drinking this tea, how nice is it to have something warm to drink on a cold day” By giving a moment our attention, I think you will find a certain level of joy can be discovered. Have fun with this one, and let me know in the comments what you found. Daniel