Starting 2014 with a Joy Jar

This is an extract from today's Monday Meditation Musing .. our free e-news each Monday morning straight to your inbox. Bringing a meditative thought to your week. If you would like to join the 'tribe' you can sign up through the link below.

THE JOY JAR

At the start of 2013 I shared with the Monday Meditation Musing 'tribe' the wonderful New Year practice of starting a Joy Jar .. a daily practice of writing a note of events, occasions, successes, things to be grateful for .. and popping them into a jar. 

While it takes a little commitment to remember to make your notes .. the joy of opening the jar at the end of the year and reliving all the happy occasions, the personal and professional 'wins', the moments of deep reflection and times of thankfulness, make this a wonderful new version of a gratitude journal. 

The practice teaches us to acknowledge (and honour) all the many (small and large) moments of joyfulness that happen as part of daily life .. providing us with a unique opportunity to witness the true wonders and magic of life across a busy year (when we often forget the simple and profound in the race of time). 

The jar is also a wonderful antidote for those times when negativity threatens or when you need a gentle reminder that there is much in life to be grateful for. 

At the end of the year you can then open the jar and find a wealth of memories to reflect on and enjoy again. .. alternatives could include making one for the whole family, having both a work and personal jar, include photo's or little tokens picked up along the way, drawings or cards. The options are endless. 

STARTING A JOY JAR

1.Start with an empty Mason jar, bottle or small box .. you may decide to decorate with positive quotes, stickers or ribbons
2.Keep the jar on your desk or bedside table, along with some pretty notepaper or sticky notes and pen
3.Starting on January 1st, every time something inspiring, positive, happy or awesome happens ~ make a note and place it in the jar 
4.Try to build the habit of adding at least one note every day, a gratitude practice that nourishes our awareness of all that we have to be thankful for in life
5.Include a date with each entry so you can remember the smaller events across the year 
6.On December 31st 2014 celebrate the year by opening the jar and reading through all the awesome events, occasions and 'wins' that presented themselves

And again, give thanks for full and bountiful life.. 

2 Days to JOIN our Meditation E-Course

Meditation as a Habit

Current thinking holds that it takes between 25-30 days to establish a HABIT .. and to establish that new habit we need repetition and consistency. 

One of the first hurdles when starting anything new .. like learning to mediate .. is remembering to do it. 

JOIN US ON 1st JANUARY 2014 

The Quiet Mind Meditation E-Course is designed around a daily email that acts as a trigger (or reminder) to continue with your learning .. and your sitting. 

And then .. there is a Theme

Another tool we provide is a daily theme .. because we love a simple word or phrase to summarize our focus for the day .. somewhat like a mantra. Themes include .. the Breathe, Listening, Sensing, Habits and Rituals.

The Quiet Mind Meditation E-Course is designed to build on your knowledge and understanding of meditation each day for the month of January (31 days in total). 

We start with Meditative Exercises and gentle build our practice from there. 

In the beginning it is more about setting aside the time and turning up .. starting to make your meditation practice a daily habit. 

Quiet Mind Meditation E-Course starts 1st JAN 2014

Wishes ..

Wishing you a gentle, happy and peaceful Christmas

Scheduling Silence

I am very lucky .. and very grateful .. that I have the opportunity to escape to the water when I need to.

I often need to.

I have always enjoyed time alone .. time in silence .. and time by the water.

I love silence. My life and my SOUL need it.

At certain points (when life just+gets+too+busy) I find myself pulling away from the edge, holding back and closing down .. and I know it is time again for a personal retreat.

Time for silence.

Who would have thought that just a couple of days before Christmas the Universe put in place the structure I needed .. to allow me to escape.

A window of opportunity presented itself .. 

And the moment I hit the road .. I allowed the silence to start.  

And as the miles ticked over I felt my body soften, my breathing relax and my mind start to unfurl.

All the 'fluff and bubble' of the lead up to Christmas just seeped away on the highway (don't pick that old package up if you see it in the ditch).  And as the road passed under me, and the landscape changed to hills and the horizon gave me glimpses of water .. thoughts came and went in silence.

So that when I arrived at my destination.  I felt free again.

And here I am.

Plans? I have a few.  Rest.  Silence.  Writing.  Planning for 2014.

And the first entry in my beautiful new journal (that I gift to myself before the start of each new year) .. 

#1 personal well-being retreats: one weekend (minimum) every two months

Have you scheduled some time out for you year ahead?

Do you schedule SILENCE?

Nourishing ones Soul

Music feeds the soul. 

Tonight .. my soul has received a mighty good nourishing. 

Firstly, I am totally TOO excited to have purchased tickets to the artist that speaks to me more than anyone else .. Ludovico Einaudi who early in 2014 will be appearing in concert for the first time in Melbourne (Australia). 

I am taking some family and friends .. my Christmas gift to ME. 

And this evening, a hot and balmy summer night in Melbourne, I have some time alone .. time to nourish myself listening to his music once again. 

Have you taken some time today (or scheduled some time 'soon') for nourishing yourself?

Life Breath Meditative Exercise

Life Breath Meditative Exercise 

For twelve breath cycles (inhalation and exhalation = one breath cycle) we shall rest our awareness on our breath; 3 breaths with our hands gently across our belly; 3 breaths with hands at the chest/heart; 3 breaths just feeling the touch of air at the nostrils, and 3 breaths observing the natural & momentary pause that occurs at the end of the exhalation. 

Instructions 

* Take a moment to settle into a comfortable position either in a chair or lying on the floor. Make sure your back is straight and body relaxed. You may like to close your eyes - this allows us to feel a little more removed from the chaos around us and assists us in gently turning our attention inward. 

* Place both your hands on your lower belly and for 3 breaths (breathing in through your nose and out through the mouth) simply rest into the feeling of the slow rise and expansion of your belly through your hands. Take gentle un-rushed breaths and feel the gentle movement of your expanding then contracting belly (perhaps imagining a small balloon expanding deep inside your belly). This is diaphragmatic breathing which tells the body ‘all is ok, you can relax’. 

* When exhaling (through the mouth) allow the breath to ‘fall out’ of your body. You could also try gently engaging your abdominal muscles at the end of the exhalation to release the very last bit of air from your lungs. 

* Don’t rush to the next inhalation .. just wait. 

* For the next 3 breaths place your hands on your upper chest/heart area feeling the rib cage widen and the chest lift, noticing how your shoulders, chest and upper back move slightly as you inhale. Keep your shoulders relaxed and try not to hold your breath at the top of your inhalation (which signals to the body that danger is imminent). 

* Next rest your hands in your lap and for 3 breaths hold your awareness at the nostrils feeling the cool stream of air as you inhale, and the warmer breath as you breathe out. 

* Finally, for the final 3 breaths place all your attention on just the exhalation and the very slight pause that appears at the end of the exhalation (before the body asks you to breathe in again). Simply notice that momentary pause ... the stillness and emptiness of that one moment. 

Before finishing the exercise allow yourself a few moments just to sit and breathe normally, listening to the sounds around you and enjoying the quiet before you return to your day.

This Meditative Exercise is introduced in our Quiet Mind Meditation E-Course as a starting practice.  To teach us how to feel and observe our breath.

The E-Course starts 1st JANUARY 2014 with 31 daily emails designed to gently build on your knowledge and understanding of meditation. PLUS we are there to motivate, encourage and support you along the way .. it's the perfect start to a new year and you can participate while at the beach, at a ski resort or in the office.  EARLY BIRD SPECIAL until 22nd December.

Loving Kindness .. to you!

At our next Simply Silence Meditation Session - Monday 23rd December - I am going to share a wonderful Metta 'Loving Kindness' Meditation practice.

Always .. at this time of year .. it seems the perfect meditation practice to share with a group, to bring into our practice our heartfelt concern and care for others in the world around us.

Metta is a Pali word translated as ‘love’ or more often ‘loving kindness’ .. and this meditation is one where we offer unconditional well-wishes and openhearted gentle nurturing .. first to ourselves and then to others .. just as we are!

In the traditional practice of metta meditation we systematically offer loving-kindness to ourselves, and then to a selection of others, through the silent repetition of some classic phrases. In the Buddhist tradition we practice metta meditation to methodically cultivate the quality of loving-kindness ..

.. and we began by offering metta to ourselves:

May I be happy
May I be peaceful … at ease
May I accept myself just as I am
May I be free to live and love fully

We then extend the same wish to others .. a loved one .. a dear friend .. a neutral person (such as your barista who makes your delicious latte each morning, or the lady who takes your dry cleaning) .. and finally someone we find a little difficult..

May you be happy
May you be peaceful .. at ease
May you accept yourself just as you are
May you be free to live and love fully…

One of the true blessings of metta practice is that it puts us in touch with how many people we truly love and care about (an immediate source of joy and nourishment when you are feeling crappy or stressed) .. and it also helps build the connection we have with ALL people .. those in distant lands, different tribes, far off places .. it opens us to others and brings us all together.

Please don't worry if you don't truly feel the hearts warmth extending out .. it is much more important that our intention is there to begin to open the circle ..

and in this way Meta meditation helps us shift our focus from getting love to creating it, from fixing life to embracing it ..

May you be happy .. May you be peaceful .. at ease ..

Silence .. wise words from Rumi

Secretly we spoke, that wise one and me. 

I said, Tell me the secrets of the world. 

He said, Sh... 

 Let silence tell you the secrets of the world. 

 ~ Rumi

Shall you include some silence in your plans for the Summer? 

I have a personal ritual of taking a day or two in silence.  Usually between Christmas and New Year. 

Sometimes if the timing is right (and family members engaged with their own adventures) I may find myself silent for a full day .. sometimes just a few hours here and there. 

But even if not alone I shall include a personal commitment to inner silence. 

Seeking to listen more than talk. 
Pause more than rush. 
Open more than closed. 

This is where I find magic happens.

Quick .. Quick

I have thoroughly enjoyed (and yes, admittedly been challenged on occasion) by the fantastic My 15 Minutes program that I jumped into ~ out of shear desperation at the pile of things I wanted to get done before the end of 2013.  And I did achieve a lot, but not everything .. so I am planning to go over the whole program again in the New Year.

But now the girls have gifted us all with a 12 Days of Christmas program.

And its FREE!

A FREE 12-days of Christmas MINI COURSE designed to deliver some super-quick doses of self-care, love and organisation to boost you through the last few days of the year. This is ALL fun stuff (because you don't have time right now to do anything too complicated). Think of it as a small, daily gift to yourself - right when you most need it. 

AND, DRUM ROLL… Every day, for the next twelve days, they will be announcing one winner of a free place in the My 15 Minutes program, which kicks off again on 6 January. That's over $1000 in prizes to give away over the next twelve days!

SIGN UP HERE for the FREE MINI COURSE

Keep Calm

what fun I have been having this evening .. getting some Christmas emails polished up with some fun graphics .. 

if you haven't yet heard of Canva (www.canva.com) and you are interested in exploring a fun and simple graphic design program .. check it out!

Dive In. Meditate in 2014.

GROUNDING

Grounding is a very simple and popular practice that reconnects us with our body, our mind and the world around us. 

This practice can be even more powerful when taken outside, into nature as studies have shown that being barefoot on the grass can trigger a fall in blood pressure and heart rate, igniting our senses (which refreshes and invigorates) and providing us with a deeper sense of being ‘grounded’. 

In this exercise your task is to spend a few minutes without your shoes, connecting with the grass and earth beneath you. You imagine that through your feet are roots that extend and anchor you deep into the earth below you.

~ find a patch of green grass and remove your shoes 

~ take a moment to notice the broad sky above you 

~ notice the weather, the floating clouds, sunshine or wind 

~ close your eyes and really feel the breath of the day on your face 

~ smell the world around you and open your ears to your unique sound-scape ~ bring your awareness to your feet, the touch of the earth and grass beneath you 

~ imagine roots extending through your body and feet reaching deep into the earth below 

~ notice how the grass feels .. ticklish, coarse, wet, soft, squishy 

~ wiggle and swish your feet around .. delighted in the playfulness of the moment 

~ simply enjoy the touch of the grass beneath you and breath in the air for a few minutes 

~ when ready to finish .. make sure that you smile inwardly aware of just how wonderful it is to be part of the greater natural world in this moment.

Is it time .. to learn how to meditate?  

This January (the 1st of January actually) join in with our 31 Day Meditation E-Course where I shall guide, support and motivate you in your journey towards a regular, personal meditation practice.

Don't allow another year to pass.

Dive in and let's start together.

This New Year .. take the plunge and start meditating.

CHRISTMAS E-COURSE SPECIAL $50 (normally $62) TILL 22 DEC 2013

Focus On: Jenni from Ihana Yoga

One of the delights for 2013 .. was meeting Jenni Morrison-Jack from Ihana Yoga.  

I had watched with interest the opening of a new yoga space in my local neighbourhood .. and I felt drawn to introduce myself.  It has been an absolute joy to share meditation at the studio .. and we will be back again in 2014.  

The 'Focus On' articles are designed to share individual journeys in meditation, an opportunity to listen and learn from others.

Name: Jenni Morrison-Jack, Founder of Ihana Yoga
Special Interest: Yoga 
Email: jenni@ihanayoga.com.au 
Website: www.ihanayoga.com.au 

Tell us about Ihana Yoga:

"At Ihana Yoga you can practice Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga in its two traditional forms and its modern spin-off Vinyasa Flow. We are committed to providing high-quality yoga teaching based on solid anatomical understanding. At Ihana Yoga you will learn safe alignments and healthy movement patterns in physical yoga practice.

Through the philosophy and practices of yoga we aim to inspire, motivate and empower you to live the healthy lifestyle you dream of. Our mission to raise consciousness is based on the core philosophy of yoga; Union or Oneness with all of life".

Tell us about your Special Interest

My special interest is Yoga in the full meaning of the word; psycho-spiritual tradition. All yoga traditions tell us that there is something beyond the body-mind complex, which has always intrigued me. Living in this fast paced modern society, we need this age-old tradition more than ever. Yoga helps us heal the body-mind, and then fine-tune it in order to lead a more conscious life.

How long have you been practicing, or working in this area? 

I started my asana (postural yoga) practice 14 years ago, but I feel like I’ve done yoga all my life. I was a rhythmic gymnast all my childhood, so an individual physical practice that requires concentration has always been in my life. More importantly, I’ve always been drawn to the yogic way of thinking; at around the age of 10 when I had read all the kids books at our local library, I started going through all the spiritual books the library had to offer – from Eastern tradition of reincarnation and soul travel to astrology, angels, and out-of-body experiences.

How did you ‘find’ meditation, and how long have you been practicing meditation 

I’ve always needed alone-time, and even as a young child I used to sit on the window ledge by myself staring at the sky, doing nothing. Formal meditation didn’t come til much later when I attended a couple of Reiki courses in 2005. The love for my inner experience grew and I was introduced to different types of meditation on my travels. I attended a couple of 10-day silent Vipassana meditation retreats in India and the Himalayas of Nepal, which gave me a good kick-start to meditation in 2007 and 2008. 

Do you have a regular practice – daily, weekly, other? 

Yes. I wouldn’t go a week without meditating, but I still go through stages of more or less meditation. Longer periods of daily meditation always show that I am happier and my life feels more purposeful when I meditate every single day.

What inspires you to keep meditating .. returning to your practice? 

At first the benefits of meditation weren’t clear to me. I felt good, but I couldn’t pinpoint it to meditation only. The more regular my practice became, and the more I got used to feeling good, grateful and happy, the more I started noticing the lack of meditation as a lack of what my family calls the ‘happy-life syndrome’. 

Why meditate? 

It allows me to tap into the unlimited source of universal energy. After sitting for 30min in a strong energy flow, I feel completely re-energised and recharged. No matter what the form of my meditation is on any given day, my intention is to raise the level of consciousness to remember our origin as well as understand our true nature. 

Do you have a particular technique(s) that you have found most suitable for you? 

After the Vipassana meditation retreats I’ve attended, it still is easy to go back to a body scanning technique that emphasises equanimity towards all sensations, whether pleasant or unpleasant. On some days, I feel I need to keep my awareness in the physical body and observe bodily sensations to stay grounded, whereas on other days I enjoy scanning the energy body around and inside the physical body, which feels like a more healing and clearing meditation. 

AM or PM? 

AM ideally as it sets the intention for the rest of the day. However, if I miss a morning when I teach at 6am, I enjoy sitting before lunch. My preferred meditative position is sitting on the floor cross-legged on a beautiful meditation cushion that a dear friend has given me. 

Have you a dedicated space for your practice? 

My favourite place to meditate is at our yoga studio, where we have created a strong energy grid with selenite, rose quartz and clear quartz. Otherwise, I sit at home in any empty room.

Have you attended a meditation retreat? 
Yes. Two 10-day Vipassana meditation retreats. 

Any favourite books/CDs/Resources that you might share with others? 

As simple as it sounds, my favourite meditation resource is the Internet. There is so much info online, including guided meditations. 

Any thoughts you might share with those who are new to meditation? 

Don’t set yourself unrealistic goals, like meditating 1h twice a day. Meditation seems more accessible when you start with little 2-5min meditations. 

7 Random things about you? 

* I baby talk to all random dogs coming my way. 

* My fingernails and toenails are matching colour 95% of the time. 

* I have a Master’s degree in Finance and even worked in the corporate world for a while.

* 
I don’t like watching the news, but love getting hooked on TV series and watching episodes back to back without commercials.
 

* I love studying and learning new things. 

* I’m proud to be a book worm and a geek!
 

* I have designed our mosaic table after my favourite constellation, Orion’s Belt.

Thank you Jenni :)

Greeting the day with rituals

I am currently sharing some of my morning rituals .. interspersed with some rituals that I hope to find in my morning routine next year.  Daily rituals connect us with the moment, and support our best intentions for ourselves.

Modern life seems to be lacking rituals and yet they can be so profound and magical.

*Be Grateful

Before I get out of bed I also mentally create a morning gratitude list. By focusing on what I am grateful for I 'know' on a deeper level how well supported and loved I am. I take amoment to be grateful for all the love, nourishment and gifts that fill my world. Silent thanks for the wonderful people, opportunities and magic that I connect with each and every day.

*Get Moving

Our bodies need to move after long periods of rest. Morning exercise allows us to reconnect with the body, a mindfulness of body meditation, and aids the flow of chi/prana or life enery. You could start with some slow stretches, set up a personal morning yoga practice, walk the dog and take in some fresh morning air, or hit the gym. Exercising first thing in the morning moves and feeds our energy levels. Find something you enjoy and do it.

*Energy Up

The first food we put into our bodies each day sets the tone for our day. Over the years we become more finely tuned into our bodies needs, likes and dislikes .. we build a library of knowledge about what are the best choices for our personal health and wellbeing. Eating wisely is empowering. A day that begins with a little fruit, yogurt and grains won't overload the digestive system (which doesn't' peak until noon).

*A Not-to-Do List

Breaking old habits is hard work .. so it is useful to reflect on what you intend 'not to do' during the day so you don't fall back into habitual patterns that are just time wasters and negative stresses. For me, this includes not watching the morning news (all negative), not reading my blog feeds (that's a joy and gift I give myself during my lunch break), not oversleeping (because it leaves me feeling sluggish and I miss the best part of the day), or drinking more than my one latte in the morning (which makes me jumpy and nervous).  Actually, I have to remind myself about no more coffee many, many times during the day.

*Greet the Day

Stepping out into the day, bowing to the sun, sitting and just witnessing the quiet of a brand new day .. is inspiring. If you can't get outside, open the window and gaze at the sky. Beathing in the fresh morning air awakens our senses and charges up our energy for the day ahead. Research shows that people who appreciate nature are generally happier and calmer, and morning light is recognised as essential for the regulation of our internal clock which then controls our hormone production, sleep and energy levels. Sunlight, fresh air and greenery nourish our body and soul. Taking our meditation allows us to witness the subtle change of season, to nourish our senses and restore our connection with the web of life.

*Be Creative

To open up our right-brain .. the mind space where creativity exists - is a great way to start the day.  Try listening to some inspiring music, reading some motivational words from a highly regarded book, or putting pen to paper yourself. Julia Cameron in The Artists Way encourages us to start our day with the Morning Pages to reconnect with our creative self .. "three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages -- they are not high art. They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind-- and they are for your eyes only." 

Your turn now .. do you have any morning rituals to share? 

Christmas "Chill"

I shall be leading the two December guided meditation session
at Simply Silence (Elwood) on:

Monday 9th December
&
Monday 23rd December

from 7.30pm-8.30pm
by donation (suggested $15)

Join me for two guided meditations 
and room for some silence

a casual meditation group

an hour

a comfortable seat

taking a breath

easy

no stress

:)