Kindness is Always There

We recently lost a legend whose songs touched many of us. Thank you for the reminder I am here to embrace both my feminine and masculine nature, Mr. Prine.

I want to lean back.

I am trusting you.

I create space for things to unfold.

Noticing that when the mind takes hold, it can cause myself to retreat, I feel it in my body. I feel the sensation in my body like I want to run away when I feel fear and uneasiness.

Lean back, watch it. Let go of it.

I am grateful for this body. I am thankful for every breath.

Relinquish the desire to control the outcome. I feel it in my body.

Acknowledge thoughts and feelings, trust, and let go. Return to love and trust. Kindness is there all along.

Don’t hold back with giving and expressing love. Just witness your breath.

Your love is boundless. It is there all along. When our mind gets caught up in fear, we lose sight of it. It is okay.

I feel it in my heart. I want to embrace you. You come to meet me halfway.

Takeaway:

During these unprecedented times, we will experience uncomfortable emotions and thoughts coming and going. This is okay. These feelings of grief, fear, anxiety are opportunities to notice that kindness and appreciation are there. Kindness is allowing things to unfold, be expressed without judgment, trust. Meditation is the gateway to realizing this innate nature.

From my current experience, meditation has allowed me to see my mind wander. Many thoughts come and hang out. I do see I can get caught up in emotions and thoughts of those around me at times especially when my body is tired and hungry. At the same time, I appreciate seeing the brilliance of the rays of the sun filling me and those around me. I do recognize what Andy says during the guided meditations, that the blue skies are innate within us all. We don’t have to “do.” The clouds may be there, rain, thunder may strike, but beneath it, all are the blue skies.

If you have been reading my blog, you know how I have been using Headspace for mindfulness. I am marking my 237th day of non-stop Headspace use. I will be forever be humbled by how meditation has touched me that I cannot just keep it to myself. I hope the world discovers the power of witnessing our breath, the life force within us. We remind you more than ever before of how mental health is a fundamental force within us all that can aspire remarkable change within ourselves and cultivating health and happiness beyond ourselves.

Thankful that Headspace has opened tools for us to tap into our innate nature. I have included “Weathering the Storm” in the link below for you. I have shared this with friends, to my community, and hope this reaches you, your loved ones, and our community and the world.

Headspace is here to help YOU: https://www.headspace.com/covid-19

Rest in Peace, John Prine. Your songs celebrate life in all it’s shades of colors. Thank you for gracing this world with your melodies. I always get happy when I listen to your songs. I never knew why, but I don’t need to know. Thank you. xox

Provided to YouTube by Atlantic Records Sweet Revenge · John Prine Sweet Revenge ℗ 1973 Atlantic Recording Corporation for the United States and WEA Internat...

The sunshine is always beneath the clouds

Where Paradise Lay - Written by Joe Wilkins

Happy April Fool's Day 2020

What better time it is than to post something for April Fools. This reflection is all about our body, the mind, the sensations, and how we imagine and put us in an illusionary state of being as we are facing the reality of global health crises. If you don’t pay close attention, to pause, lean back, surrender, and be self-aware, we can fly off into Lala Land. I documented it through a playlist of love songs.

The Coronavirus came just in time to fool us to believe that everything is over for the future, for love, for opportunities. Of course, all our emotions will come and delude us, so it is more crucial than ever to check in with ourselves, use our power, and get real. It is April Fools, after all, so why not just lean back and surrender and let go.

This isolation and social distancing turned out to be a major blessing and I feel a little tug in the heart. I hear it sound like the Magnetic Fields song “Chicken with its Head Cut Off” a time for me to experiment with romanticism and get caught up in our heads, overthinking and losing touch with the feminine. I am so happy to be able to take a pause and allow time to play with imaginations and fantasy. I was curious and went on a trip to explore the mind, body, and soul for a few weeks now. I allowed myself to experience the endorphin and oxytocin rush, believing in a feeling of something that seems real but not. It was opening. It was lovely. I made a playlist out of it and sent all sorts of fun messages and created some things along the way. I didn’t receive the feeling of musical and playful resonance. It is okay. I am thankful for the experience. No judging but just observing not seeing it as good or bad. It was a meditative journey. The work is a surrender into love. I call it Quarantine Imaginations and a written memoir by a girl who loves to imagine, loves people, claiming she loves ramen and music.

I cannot express enough how important it is to develop a relationship with oneself. Before even going into a relationship with someone else, it is always a powerful opportunity and a great time to lean back and step into your beauty and mystery and take a deeper look at what you really want in life. This time of quarantine due to this very hungry Coronavirus is a time to take a look at the mirror. Take time to play, find joy, not take yourself too seriously. Have a little fun with art. Get tuned in with your body. Meditate. Befriend your emotions during this time.

I am thankful for all the people that show up in my life and put me in places of discomfort so that I can blossom and grow. I realize this is a vulnerable time for everyone. You are not alone. Seek guidance. Check-in with loved ones and offer support when needed.

Headspace has created a space for us during this time of uncertainty and challenge. It is called “Weathering the Storm.”

You can check it out here >> We're here for you - Headspace.

In the next few days, because we need to take care of our mental health, more than ever before, I will take this time to record my experiences using the Headspace app on “Navigating Change.” I hope these videos inspire you to seek meditation as time and space to care for yourself. Thank you for visiting and going on this learning journey with me.

Self-isolation can be hard. It’s okay.

Also, if you are feeling like you need to reach out to your community to help in some way, there is hope. You can call and check on your elder neighbor, get their groceries, with the proper physical distancing of course. You can get creative. Be safe. Stay the distance. Wash your hands. Don’t touch your face, especially, your nose, eyes, mouth. Keep your spirits lifted by listening to music, talking to friends you trust and get vulnerable.