Dandelion Resilience Resilience, the ability to bounce back from adversity, is the mindfulness practice word for the week. The goal is to intentionally notice resilience in ourselves, others, and the world. I can’t think of a better example of resilience in the plant world than dandelions. And with Denver’s recent 60 degree days, I’ve sighted … Read more
I am loving the paper mache dragon that is slowly taking shape in my house. This is only a first edition. The ultimate goal is to create a weatherproof dragon that will live in my garden. But what, you might ask, does a paper mache dragon have to do with mindfulness? Well … Read more
The Waxing Moon Noticing the waxing moon (1) in its journey toward wholeness… that is my mindfulness focus for the week. The moon was new on Friday evening, but already it has become a crescent in the sky. Paying attention to the increase is this week’s practice. I like weaving back and forth between … Read more
Courage, my mindfulness focus for the week, was partially inspired by the first sprigs of yarrow in my garden. Yarrow (Achillea millifolium) is an ancient healing plant with the magical properties of protection and courage. Discovering the yarrow confirmed something I’d been feeling since midweek, as I was practicing invoking joy. After a heartbreaking conversation with a … Read more
Invoking joy – My mindfulness focus this week is inspired by my Corgi, Luna and my grandson, Leo. This is Luna sitting by the tunnel which allowed her to run under the pumpkins to a formerly blocked part of the yard. See that smile on her face? It was delightful watching her run … Read more
A State of Wonder The focus word for this week is wonderment – a state of awe, joy, and wonder. It is funny in a way that we need to be mindful of wonder. We are traveling on a large rock through infinite space, kept alive by an intricate balance of oxygen, nitrogen, and other … Read more
“We shape clay into a pot, but it is the emptiness inside that holds whatever we want.”(1) Emptiness, spaciousness, openness – that’s the focus of this week’s mindfulness practice. A room is filled with space, but we focus on the objects. A doorway is simply space but we focus on the wood that frames it. … Read more
Breathing Peace I participated in the Denver Women’s March yesterday, along with over 100,000 other people. It was a beautiful event focusing on justice, human rights, dignity, and respect. It reminded me that there are many of us on the planet who believe in those values, even if some in high places do not. But … Read more
Mindfulness Experiment Week 3 “There is a journey between our steps that we always miss.” This idea was provided to me by Grand Master Samuel Copeland(1) and it led to my week three focus words. What is the space between our steps? Last week’s mindfulness focus was to be aware of each … Read more
“Walk as if you are kissing the earth with your feet.” (1) I’ve chosen this idea from Thich Nhat Hanh as the intentional focus for the week. It is a body centered practice and can be a movement meditation. Focusing deliberately on the feet’s connection to the earth can take us out … Read more
