No matter how I turn
the magnificent light follows. Background to my sadness. No matter how I lift my heart my shadow creeps in wait behind. Background to my joy. No matter how fast I run a stillness without thought is where I end. No matter how long I sit there’s a river of motion I must rejoin. And when I can’t hold my head up it always falls in the lap of one who has just opened. When I finally free myself of burden there’s always someone’s heavy head landing in my arms. The reasons of the heart are leaves in wind. Stand up tall and everything will nest in you. We all lose and we all gain. Dark crowds the light. Light fills the pain. It’s a conversation with no end, a dance with no steps, a song with no words, a reason too big for any mind. No matter how I turn the magnificence follows.
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1. Centering
7. Napping Comment on this post in regards to the following questions:
I note the obvious differences
in the human family. Some of us are serious, some thrive on comedy. Some declare their lives are lived as true profundity, and others claim they really live the real reality. The variety of our skin tones can confuse, bemuse, delight, brown and pink and beige and purple, tan and blue and white. I've sailed upon the seven seas and stopped in every land, I've seen the wonders of the world not yet one common man. I know ten thousand women called Jane and Mary Jane, but I've not seen any two who really were the same. Mirror twins are different although their features jibe, and lovers think quite different thoughts while lying side by side. We love and lose in China, we weep on England's moors, and laugh and moan in Guinea, and thrive on Spanish shores. We seek success in Finland, are born and die in Maine. In minor ways we differ, in major we're the same. I note the obvious differences between each sort and type, but we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike. We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike. We are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike.
This is a guided mindfulness practice designed to bring us firmly back to the present moment, with kindness, as many times as we need to, without judgement, allowing the moment to unfold. Together, we will bring a kind focused attention and curiosity to this practice and life itself.
Comment 2-3 sentences on this post in regards to the following questions:
What is Mindfulness?
Paying attention to the present moment, in a particular way, without judgment. (Jon Kabat Zinn) What is Trauma? Exposure to actual OR threatened death, Injury, sexual violation or abuse. Repeated or extreme exposure to the conditions of trauma. -DSM-5* (incomplete) What is Resilience? Moving on in life after a trauma. (Boris Cyrulnik) What is Integration? The linkage of differentiated elements of a system (Siegel) What are Somatics? Bodywork and movement studies that emphasize physical perception and experience. We would like to thank Kurien Thomas, Host of SeroTunein, for providing this track. For more information, please visit: https://podlink.to/s2nin No one said building a company is easy. During these turbulent times, understanding how to tackle the uncertainty all around us has never been more important. For insight about how to do that, this track invites you to gain inspiration and explore how other entrepreneurs have learned to operate under conditions of extreme uncertainty. This track is designed for anyone, whether you’re already a seasoned entrepreneur or you’re just looking for the best ways to manage during today’s trying circumstances.
We would like to thank Contemplative Sciences Center at UVA for providing this track. For more information, please visit: https://csc.virginia.edu/ We find ourselves in an unprecedented time in human history facing a new reality of social distancing, fear and anxiety over a highly uncertain future, and concern for the health and well-being of ourselves, loved ones, and society. The situation is rapidly changing and evolving globally in front of our eyes as we watch the news and respond to pings from our phones throughout the day. As individuals and as a society, now more than ever, we must draw upon our innate capacity for resilience and cultivate an ability to be deeply present, calm, and grounded when faced with the challenges this pandemic presents daily. We must bring forth the best qualities of our human nature: our kindness, care, and compassion towards ourselves and our loved ones, classmates, co-workers, neighbors, and fellow global citizens. DAY 3
Our social connections matter. Research shows that happy people spend more time with others and have a richer set of social connections than unhappy people. Studies even show that the simple act of talking to a stranger on the street can boost our mood more than we expect. Over the next four days, you will try to focus on making one new social connection per day. It can be a small 5-minute act like sparking a conversation with someone on public transportation, asking a fellow student about his/her day, or even chatting to the barista at a coffee shop. But you should also seek out more meaningful social connections, too. At least once this week, take a whole 30 mins to an hour to connect with someone you care about— a friend who’s far away or a family member you haven’t talked to in a while. The key is that you must take the time needed to genuinely connect with another person.
DAY 4
PRACTICE THANKSGIVING
Gratitude is a positive emotional state in which one recognizes and appreciates what one has received in life. Research shows that taking time to experience gratitude can make you happier and even healthier and positively impact flourishing. For the next four days, you will take 5-10 minutes each night to write down five things for which you are grateful. They can be little things or big things. But you really have to focus on them and actually write them down. You can just write a word or short phrase, but as you write these things down, take a moment to be mindful of the things you’re writing about (e.g., imagine the person or thing you’re writing about, etc.). This exercise should take at least five minutes. Do this each night for these next four days.
DAY 6
Much of our time is spent rushing from place to place, so preoccupied with our next activity that we don’t really notice what we’re doing now. We risk not really experiencing our life as we live it as we are so concerned about the future or caught up in the past. Our minds therefore are routinely disconnected from our bodies and the reality that surrounds us in the present moment. Practicing mindfulness can help. Mindfulness helps us tune into what we’re sensing and experiencing in the present moment—it’s the ability to pay more careful attention to our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations, without judging them as good or bad. Research suggests that it can not only reduce stress but also increase our experience of positive emotions and our ability to be resilient. One of the basic methods for cultivating mindfulness is a “walking meditation,” which involves focusing closely on the physical experience of walking, paying attention to the specific components of each step. With practice, an everyday action that you do automatically, even mindlessly, can become an opportunity for greater focus and awareness. Walking meditation can help increase awareness both of our internal sensations and our external surroundings, tuning us into experiences that we often miss when we rush on autopilot from place to place. Paying closer attention to the process of walking can also increase our sense of appreciation and enjoyment of our physical bodies. By heightening awareness of mental and physical states, walking meditation can help us gain a greater sense of control over our thoughts, feelings, and actions, allowing us to respond in more constructive ways when we experience negative thoughts or emotions. DAY 7
There are many reasons that self-care is important. Research shows that self-care helps to keep you healthy, helps you recharge and helps to improve your overall well-being. Self-care is more than an occasional treat, but a way of living each day that incorporates practices and behaviors that help you feel refreshed, re-energized, and rested. Self-care helps you deal with the daily stresses in your life—from academic pressures, to interpersonal relationships, to future plans, and others. Everyone deals with stress differently, and everyone's preference for practicing self-care is different as well.
We would like to thank Church on Grounds at the University of Virginia for providing this plan. For more information, visit: http://churchongrounds.com/index.html This 3 day plan focuses on navigating phases in our lives that are out of our control. What is productive when it seems like you can’t fix them on your own? Is everything in our lives really as DIY as we seem to make it? In this plan, Church on Grounds at the University of Virginia gives us insight on understanding our own worldview and handing some of our burdens to a higher force in our lives. Day 1
Day 2
Jesus delivering us from the Wrath of God
Day 3
Trinity/Deity of Christ
DAY 4
Bible as God's Word
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