Coming Home
What lies behind you and what lies before you are tiny matters compared to what lies within you.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
As we move into the holiday season, we are reminded of the importance of slowing down and connecting with the people and traditions that matter most to us. If we are lucky enough to have some quiet time to ourselves or in nature, we may also find that we are able to find and nurture our own true center.
What does this even mean? How do we know if how we spend our time is in alignment with who we really are?
So many of us continue to refine the story of our lives as we navigate a very uncertain world situation where divisiveness, uncertainty and fear seem to dominate the landscape. Yet, we still have to do the daily work of waking up and being human, which requires us to care for ourselves and those in our lives. But to do so with grace and authenticity depends on our ability and willingness to take the time to pause and come home to ourselves.
If we spend all of our waking hours responding and reacting to external forces, we lose the opportunity to listen to our internal compass. This often results in feeling frazzled, anxious, confused, overwhelmed, or frustrated. It might also be more difficult to create and maintain healthy boundaries, even and especially with people we love.
Meditation is one of the greatest gifts you can offer to yourself.
As a college professor, I have heard all the best excuses in the world for why there is no time to meditate. But it is even more important to carve out time for yourself when things feel extra busy.
If you already have a meditation practice, use the holiday season to reinforce what you already do and to support your practice with other nourishing modalities like taking yoga classes, signing up for sound healing or getting a massage or reiki session.
If you are new to meditation, perhaps you are ready to make a commitment to yourself by exploring the idea of meditating in the most gentle way possible.
In just a few minutes each day, a simple gratitude meditation can be life-changing, as practicing gratitude can improve sleep, increase energy, and shift the mind away from negative thinking.
How to do a simple gratitude meditation (10-finger practice)
At the end of each day and before you go to bed, find a quiet place to sit or lie down.
Take a few deep breaths and gentle movements to allow the body to settle and find stillness.
Mentally move through each finger to identify a different thing you are grateful for. You can also physically touch or squeeze each finger as your awareness shifts from one finger to the next.
Use language that resonates for you, such as Thank you….. or I appreciate….
If you have trouble identifying different things, it is okay to repeat anything you are especially grateful for.
Some ideas include people in your life, places in your community, foods you like to eat, activities you like to do, or skills that you have.
Eventually, practicing gratitude will become a habit that rewires your brain towards genuine appreciation for the smallest blessings.
Let me know how it goes and THANK YOU for being in my life.
xo Kika