What are we trying to get at when we sit down, pay attention to our breath and our body and stay with ourselves, moment-to-moment? Is there a goal? Is there a wrong way to do it?
An Experience of Mindfulness
I am lucky enough to have a part time job that includes sitting quietly in the woods for thirty to forty-five minutes. I lead or co-lead a group to a location with a stream or waterfall, an overlook or rocks to perch on. Everyone spreads out and finds their own place to sit quietly with themselves, pausing, reflecting, listening and being still.
The other day after the group split up, I sat down, leaned back and looked up at the trees. I appreciated the beauty of the green leaves and the sunlight shining through, but I also felt disconnected. It felt as though I was floating above my body and I had a sense of being "gone."
Connecting to the Earth
Two of the things that help me come back into myself and calm down are meditation and imagery. I often use these tools when I feel stuck and do not know what to do with myself. In this blog, I will walk you through one of the guided meditations that I find helpful. It is a combination of various teachings I have experienced in mindfulness meditation, qigong and somatic therapy.