🌎“If you develop a strong sense of concern for the well-being of all sentient beings or in particular all human beings, this will make you happy in the morning, even before coffee. This is the value of compassion, of having compassionate feelings for others. Even 10 minutes you see, or 30 minutes of meditating on compassion, on kindness for others, and you will see it’s effects all day. That’s the way to maintain a calm and joyous mind.” -Dalai Lama
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We may be temporarily under the weather but life is great. It’s been wonderful to slow down and experience the beauty of time, meditation, spiritual texts, and prayer.
I have made it a point through out my journey to meditate over the past few years. I used to sit still and meditate daily and felt numerous physical and emotional benefits, but then life happens. It becomes a practice done only in spare time.
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I have to work 5-7 days in a week, fit in a cardio routine with day light savings, walk my fur baby, teach on the weekends, get groceries, do laundry, make lunch, be on time to work, be available for my family, loved ones, and my community, and on and on. The internal dialogue cues...am I doing enough, am I the best clinician, family member, friend, student, community member, yoga teacher, and lover that I can be.
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I’m beyond blessed that I get to practice compassion as a function of my career providing community mental health, but it is easy to fall out of balance when you confront human suffering. There are significant problems within our systemic and societal fabric and the only way we can solve it is compassion for ourselves and others. I have heaps of time and energy and compassion for others, but self compassion falls by the wayside when shit hits the fan.
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And then I remind myself that it’s the human condition to have all of these thoughts and worries. When it finally becomes a problem that I can no longer ignore I sit still and tune in, peeling away layer after layer of mind chatter.
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It’s too often I’ve set this reflective time as optional and not a priority, but this time is EVERYTHING! It’s the road to; self peace, a clear mind, less stress, gratitude and deeper compassion and joy. Feel free to join as I continue to bring consistency to my meditation practice.🌻
Helpful apps I have use in my meditation journey have been Insight Timer and Headspace. Feel free to reach out if you would like support on how to start your own practice.
-Quote taken from The Book of Joy by Douglas Carlton Abrams, Desmond Tutu, and Dalai Lama
