#MBSR

Resistance and Surrender

One thing about the new year is that the beginning of 2017 combined with the darkness of the season just naturally invites inner reflection.

I sometimes wonder about how much we miss because we are in the habit of saying “no”. No thats not the way I do it, No, I don’t like it that way, No, I don’t care for that or her or him or them….etc

It can be refreshing to pause for a moment when “No” arises and check it out, not with any expectation of change but just with curiosity. How does “No” feel in the body, notice especially the jaw, the belly, the shoulders, the forehead. Maybe there is tension in the brain. It can be helpful to be aware of how different states of mind feel in the body. Simply gathering information to be able to see and then to choose.

We can use “No” to keep the status quo in place or we can use “No” to give ourselves a sense of safety or boundries. Those boundries can turn into walls and those walls not only keep others out but keep us locked within.

I offer this poem for your reflection…..

The Healing Time

Finally on my way to yes
I bumped into
All the places
Where I said no
To my life
All the untended wounds
The red and purple scars
Those hieroglyphs of pain
Carved into my skin, my bones
Those coded messages
That send me down

The wrong street

Again and again
Where I find them
The old wounds
The old misdirections
And I lift them
One by one
Chose to my heart
And I say holy
Holy
-Peshawar Bertler-

Simple…just need to remember

At a teacher’s retreat last Friday a friend shared this morning practice.

Upon awakening and before getting out of bed she acknowledges “Here for another day”

Might sound weird but it is so easy to forget this gift, yes, the day can be challenging at times but not to be missed.

May we all use wisely this gift of time we are given

Why won’t other people change???

*”When I was a young man (woman), I wanted to change the world. I found it was

difficult to change the world,so I tried to change my nation. When I found

I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town. I couldn’t

change the town and so I tried to change my family. Now, as an old man (woman), I

realize the only thing I can change is myself, and suddenly I realize that

if long ago I had changed myself, I could have made an impact on my family.

Then my family and I could have made an impact on our town. Their impact

could have changed the nation and I could **indeed have changed the world.”*

*~ Unknown monk*

I have noticed that in interpersonal relationships there is often a rub. That rub in my experience has to do with my own wanting things to be a particular way, as though there was one right way for things to be. I find no peace when I persist with this and my relationships suffer. If, instead, I become an observer of my own desires and attachment to having things be a certain way, I can relax, respond and let go.

Observations…

Ok, it’s the Holiday season. Families gather together to enjoy each other’s company and to remind each other of all the gifts we have to be thankful for despite the challenges and disappointments.

But I am aware of some anxiety and trepidation. How will it be to all be together? While we may wish for a perfect scenario, the reality is that if we persist in that delusion we may create what looks perfect from the outside but is hollow inside. True intimacy is fraught with edges, lumps and bumps and witnessing unhelpful habitual patterns.

So I guess that resting in reality or as Pema Chodron says “relax into the groundlessness” is more vibrant and alive, even if it is sometimes messy, uncomfortable and unattractive. There are movies made about family holiday gatherings and what I love about them is that they make us lighten up and laugh. There is a lot of joy in imperfection.

My wish for all of us this season is that we don’t so much relax in our own good fortune but include in our thoughts and actions others whose lives are far short of anything to be grateful for. What good are gifts if they are not to be shared.

Mothers (and Fathers)…Be Kind to Yourself

I have often thought that being a Mother is one of the most amazingly wonderful gifts of life. I have also thought about how much work and challenge the journey of parenting can be.

I began my meditation practice 20+ years ago and I began because I had 3 children and a full-time job as a midwife; I needed some skills! My daily practice has served me well bringing less reactivity and a more of calm perspective. I like to think it served my children as well.

So I offer you this beautiful mediation from:

Dr. Sona Dimidjian is Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Colorado, Boulder

http://www.mindful.org/a-loving-kindness-mediation-for-moms/

Comfort Zone

If the point of life were to sink further into well-worn grooves of comfort, this would be a perfectly acceptable approach. But our job is to move beyond these grooves.

The same is true of your meditation practice.

We need to know how to return to a place of ease but we also benefit from moving outside of our comfort zone. Here in this place of challenge we find new opportunities and refreshing views. Try it today…consider doing something differently! Or changing your point of view.

2018 St John Retreat at Concordia Eco-Resort

Took place – January 27th – February 4th 2018: Mindfulness and Yoga Retreat

With retreat leaders Kate Mitcheom and Ellen Saltonstall

Enjoy a nourishing, restorative vacation and mindfulness retreat all rolled into one!

Message about the Retreat from Kate Mitcheom:

This past January, eighteen of us spent a week in Retreat at the Concordia Eco-Resort on the Island of St. John, Virgin Islands. We enjoyed morning yoga that was adapted for any body, followed by breakfast, then a couple hours of Mindfulness and meditation followed by lunch and then an excursion either hiking, snorkeling or just hanging out at the beach or pool. At the end of the week we had connected and made new friends, strengthened our bodies, eased our minds and replenished our spirits. I do hope you can join us this coming year!

All the best, Kate

Last year’s participants had this to say about their experience:

“Thanks for a transformative adventure!!”

“It was really a life altering experience for me on many different levels.”

“A time to breathe, work out the knots and find the joy.”

“To be on an island that is so much National Park was a true privilege.”

Sound good?

Cost of Retreat = $2094.

Price includes lodging/travel/excursions on the island/ yoga workshop… Does not include airfare/ground transportation/ferries or food.

Consider….

Grounding yourself in sustainable eco-lodging, close to the earth, the warmth of the sun and the steady gentle breezes, go to sleep with the lapping of the waves.
Exploring ruins, hiking the national park trails, snorkeling with through colorful coral with rays, sitting by the pool or a moonlit stroll on the beach.
Nourishing yourself with fresh and easy meals from the Cafe Concordia or making your own in the kitchenettes provided.
Bringing along a friend or meeting new friends at the outdoor cafes and dancing into the evening with the locals.

This retreat at Concordia Eco-Resort from Jan. 27th – Feb. 4th 2018, includes daily sessions of yoga, meditation, and Bodymind Ballwork. Afternoon activities will include a range of water sports, with the opportunity to relax and reflect in an unforgettable location where tree frogs and hummingbirds feel as comfortable as you do.

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Explore….

Concordia Eco-Resort’s

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Traveling With Us

Stress free logistics
Amazing community of folks
Time alone whenever it beckons
Opportunities to practice mindfulness on and off the mat
Sense of adventure

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You’ll Love

Well organized travel and itinerary
Stunning destinations/exciting side trips
Deep yoga and mindfulness teachings
Skilled facilitators
Sense of being fully present

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Experience Counts

Over 40 years teaching yoga and meditation
Savvy travel guide
Dynamic community builder

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	Sample Schedule: Daily Classes & Workshops
7:00 – 8:45 am	Yoga

	Breakfast

10:30 – 12:30 pm	Mindfulness Workshop

	Lunch

1:30 – 5:00 pm	Afternoon of swimming, hiking, snorkeling, napping

4:40 – 5:30 pm	BodyMind Ballwork (none on Sunday, Monday or Thursday)

5:30 pm onwards	Dinner

More testimonials from previous participants:

I really loved this retreat!!! I feel so much more centered and calm since coming back. I find myself back in the magic of St. John every morning when I meditate. Every part of that week was so wonderful!! I did so much more than I had expected to do with regards to the yoga and swimming. (I can still see the Eagle Ray in my mind). What a great experience! There were so many interesting people on the retreat and I felt a special connection to many of them. [My roommate] (best roommate ever) and I have already gotten together. What a great match!!

Thanks so much to both you and Ellen for putting this whole thing together! It was really a life altering experience for me on many different levels.

A really wonderful week of spiritual enrichment and growth both for those with some experience with yoga and meditation and those just getting started in an amazing setting. A time to breathe work out the knots and find the joy.

It was great—the morning meditation and ballwork /yoga were really well done, and the opportunity to see such beautiful places, fish, turtles and coral reefs are amazing. I might emphasize that a lot in telling folks why doing this in St. John’s was SO worth the travel, cost, etc. To be on an island that is so much National Park was a true privilege.

I am so calm about my torn up tire from driving to Newark airport and getting the rim repaired and getting the new tire and riding on a donut and I have stopped cursing potholes and have accepted that I am throwing away gelt hard earned and staying mellow and mindful all day at work. Haven’t even put all my clothes away from trip. Thanks for a transformative adventure!!

Introduction

This particular practice involves working with the energy that is naturally present in the body. Sometimes, through our life experiences, our energy decreases or stops flowing easily. This can lead to dis-ease in the body, mind or spirit and we notice that we are not feeling our best.

At the start of the session it is helpful for me to gather some information that would be relevant such as significant medical history, and current issues or problems. People without a significant problem may also benefit.

Usually this holistic, integrated approach is done with the hands on or just above the body, often starting at the feet and balancing energy throughout the body. There is no need to remove any clothing or wear anything special. Taking one’s shoes off is helpful. When receiving an energy session, the recipient may feel the flow of energy or just feel relaxed, each person is different. If there is a particular area that is causing a problem, that part of the body will be attended to in addition to the body balance.

Kate attended the Institute of Healing Arts and Sciences, a four-year program in energy medicine. She is open to questions and discussion with those who are interested.