Posts tagged Mindfulness
Loving Touch

When my beloved Zen teacher, Katherine Thanas, passed away twelve years ago, I booked a session with energy healer Hilary Nichols to help me process my grief over this significant loss. After guiding me into a deeply relaxed state, Hilary asked me to think about Katherine and identify a quality of hers that I loved and wanted to always remember by fostering it within myself. Katherine’s hands instantly came to mind—hands that touched everything with full attention and gentle reverence.

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Earth Day 2023

I’ve been trying to channel my eco-anxiety into reducing my environmental impact and doing more to support the Earth’s restoration, but prolonged anxiety is never the best solution. Not only does it feel terrible, it activates our stress hormones, drains our vitality and optimism, narrows our vision, and causes mental and emotional paralysis.

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The Letting-Go Breath

Today, during the peak of the holiday season, I’m happy to share a Take a Moment micro-meditation called the “letting-go breath.” This slow inhale through your nose, followed by an even longer, slower exhale through pursed lips sounds deceptively simple, but it will quickly leave you feeling more relaxed and settled in both body and mind.

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Tune Yourself to Nature's Rhythms

Memorial Day weekend signals the launch of the summer season. With long, warm days beckoning us outside to exercise, play and simply relax, now is the perfect time to consciously reconnect with the beauty and healing energy of Mother Nature. I’m thrilled to mark this occasion by sharing one of my all-time favorite meditations: “Connect with the Natural World”—a 20-minute guided outdoor meditation led by Katie Dutcher, a seasoned meditation teacher and certified Mindful Outdoor Guide.

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Rewiring Wonder

I recently had a magical experience. While being guided through a 10-minute “Outdoor Refresher” mindfulness meditation, I was able to see everything with fresh eyes and became completely enchanted by the world around me. It felt as if my senses had been reawakened, and my childlike awe rekindled. Remarkably, I still feel a positive shift two weeks later. It’s as if after many decades of neglect, some of my essential wiring has been dusted off and is coming back online—wiring that connects me to the innocence and openness of my inner child.

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Plug into Presence

Every Tuesday morning I receive an email with an intriguing writing prompt from my writing mentor, Laura Davis. I always respond to them in my head, if not on paper. A while back, the prompt was, “Write a letter to a great, great, great, great grandchild, or to another child living far off in the future. Impart your hard-fought wisdom about what truly matters in life.” My response surfaced at lightning speed: “I hope you’re not spending your life glued to a screen.”

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Savor the Present Moment

I have had two clear “awakening” experiences in my life. The first was as a third grader in Brooklyn when my class took a trip to tour Pete Seeger’s boat. As I lay on the deck with my eyes closed, palms resting against the polished wood, a strong sense of awe and reverence filled me. The sun warmed my face as the boat rocked gently on the water, and I suddenly had the best feeling of my entire life: CONNECTION.

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