Cut the B.S Wednesday – Mindfulness Matters
This week on Simplicity TV, we are joined by guest expert Mickey Eves. We interviewed Mickey for Episode 14, and with such a great response from our curious viewers, she is back! This week we discuss Mickey’s new program Mindfulness Matters – a family-friendly program that teaches the importance of mindfulness, to help both kids and parents better understand their stressors and how to better respond.This program launches TODAY! If you would like to sign up or learn more information, go to www.healingsprites.ca, or visit Mickey on Facebook. Here is our latest episode:
Mindfulness Matters
Though Mickey’s program dives more deeply into different facets of mindfulness, and how it can work for you and your family, I wanted to share a bit about my journey with meditation and mindfulness. Believe you and me; I have had a love/hate/need it so bad/can’t make it happen battle with meditation for years. Initially my attitude was that I didn’t have time for it and what was the point, I could be doing so many other more ‘important’ things. It wasn’t until I stopped putting so much pressure on myself for ‘how’ the meditation or mindfulness had to happen that it just started to happen. I began to sneak the moments of quiet, with my eyes closed and focused breath, when I could, I chose meditation through movement by walks, my yoga or through my music which is very important to me; it feeds my soul and my spirit.
I also stopped worrying about what I was thinking about and quieting my mind, instead I simply chose to notice what I noticed and to remember something very important… ENERGY FLOWS WHERE ATTENTION GOES.
I will not tell you that I do a daily form of meditation, it wouldn’t be true. I do however, give something back to me daily, even if its itsy bitsy. Most days I journal, some days I doodle and other days its just a word I focus on, there are many days where the people I choose to be around and the conversations I have with them become my meditation. When I create greater space and feel like I truly need it, I practice this below and it makes me feel calm and happy.
If you’re interested, try this beginners guide to meditation:
- Sit or lay down in a comfortable position and in comfortable clothing. You may want/need blankets, pillows, bolsters or blocks to support you.
- Close your eyes and begin to focus on moving your breath through entire body. Breath into your belly, your heart, your throat and your head.
- Notice and put equal amounts of energy and effort into both your inhale and your exhale. If it takes you 5-6 seconds to breath in, then take 5-6 breaths to breath out.
- Now move your breath into your belly, your ribs, your chest, your throat and head, now into your shoulders, down your arms, into your wrists, your palms and your fingers. Smile.
- Breath down into your belly, your low back, hips, fronts and backs of your thighs, your knees, calves shins, ankles, feet and toes. Smile
- Take 5 full breath through your ENITRE body now. Inhale through your nose and exhale through your nose.
- Draw in one slow long breath through your nose and a deep exhale through your mouth.
- Softly begin to wiggle your fingers and toes, let the arms and legs move into a hug gently rocking from side-to-side.
- Roll to your right side for 3-5 breaths, slowly rising when you are ready. Take a deep breath in, palms together at your heart. Soft exhale and bow.
Namaste
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