"There is more to life than increasing its speed."

 The title ~  "There is more to life than increasing its speed." is a quote by Mahatma Gandhi.  I wonder what he would think about the frenetic multi-tasking pace of today's world?  What does it bring up for you? 

Are you tired of trying to accomplish more in the same 24 hours that you've always been allotted?  Tired of being "on call" 24/7 due to cell phones, text messaging, and social media?  Do it yesterday, fax it now, make every conversation about how you can promote a new business deal?

Today is Sunday, March 20, the first day of spring.  Have you noticed the blooming trees and daffodils?  REALLY noticed?  Today, I hope you took some time out for yourself to recharge and renew.  Notice the little things, spread the light by paying someone a compliment, and give yourself permission to unplug for a while.  Last night we had the wonder of the big beautiful moon.  If you missed it, quick go look now. Just standing in your own back yard under the moon-shine connecting with all of life can be quite an enjoyable experience if you allow it.

What do I mean "if you allow it"?  Surrender all thoughts about what you could, should, or feel you need to be doing right now.  In the words of Ram Dass, "Be here Now".  Spend some time in meditation, reconnect to your inner self, and spread that connection to the Universe.   Giving yourself more time is precisely that~giving your "self" more time (Eckhart Tolle). Get to know yourself again (or maybe for the first time?) by reconnecting with the beauty and wonder of the world.  Embrace your inner creativity without any particular goal in mind.  Eek!  Does that feel scary? 

Get some watercolors and paint like you did as a child.  Remember dipping your brush in a cup of water then rolling the brush in a dry color until it looked just the right vibrancy? Swirling your brush over the clean white surface of paper?  How proud you were to show your masterpiece to your mom, dad, or siblings? 

Did you write stories or poetry? How would it feel to try that now?  If it seems difficult, write from your 15 year old heart, then progress slowly to the present.  You don't have to show it to anyone unless you want to.  Do it for the joy of it.  No judgement. Just the desire to connect with your heart.  The Spirit Within.

Do this regularly.  It may be just sitting and communing with nature or taking pictures.  Don't make it a struggle-just allow yourself some time and space to be or engage in a creative outlet. Your family and friends will begin notice a difference and I think that you will to.

"There is more to life than increasing its speed."  What could that look like for you? 

In connection, peace and joy ~ Inner Peace Warrior for the Soul ~ Jude

Under Stress? Just Breathe!

Are you a teacher or in the education field? Do you feel harried by the principal coming in with her checklist? Under pressure to get the kids to "perform" during testing season?

Maybe you are in another helping field or job where the expectation to achieve results is breathing down your neck, or you'd just like to learn how to act instead of react in stressful situations in order to be your best self always.

I recently held a call where we discussed what happens when we're stressed and what to do about it:

 What's working for us now and what isn't working.  What are the effects on our lives when we continuing reacting the same way as always?  I guided the attendees through the steps of a one minute meditation moment.  We brainstormed when and where we can use this technique.

I challenged us to try this technique at least once a day for 30 days to see what happens.

If you missed the call, below is a brief synopsis--

I have a technique I use to relax in the moment whenever I'm faced with a situation that I feel myself tensing up against. In my mind I visualize myself standing on a mountain top facing a lovely sunrise. I open my arms out wide and soften my heart,breathing in the wonder of that moment and breathing out any tension within.

I drop my shoulders as I take a few deep belly breaths and remember this situation does not define or control me. This person speaking to me is coming from a place of need within them. It's less about me and more about them. This helps me see that I can hear what they are saying without reacting to it in a way that closes me off. I can then act in a way that expresses my highest self more completely.

Recently I read about Martin Boroson's One Moment Meditation: Stillness For People on the Go - He describes his version of obtaining the same benefits from a minute (eventually, a moment) of stillness, thereby helping us achieve the same peaceful, calm centered feeling that puts us in that OM zone.

It's all about being able to quiet the mind in a stressful situation or tensing when we are multitasking,and pushing the reset button on life in the moment. Embrace the feeling of what is happening now and allow it instead of resisting it. When practiced enough you can learn to detach, step back out of the stress, and act from a place of grace and compassion.

If you'd like to try this practice of meditation in the moment:commit to a minute a day (when you are not stressed) for 30 days. Use a kitchen timer. As you get comfortable, count the number of breaths you take in one minute, then you will be able to do this anywhere by taking the same number of breaths to relax. Then try reducing the number of breaths by one and see if you still get a sense of calm from it. Eventually you will be able to De-stress in a moment and come up with your own moment of meditation.

Try it stuck while in a traffic jam or while on hold on the phone.
*Disclaimer* Keep your eyes open in traffic! My average when deep breathing is 8 complete breaths or 10 if I am breathing normally. When someone says something at work and you feel that burn creeping up on you--excuse yourself for a breath of air or slip into that quiet spot within.

So right now, scan your body. Are you tense any where? Does your back or neck hurt? On a scale of 1-10 what is your stress level?

• Set your timer for one minute.
• Sit up straight yet relaxed. Lay your hands in your lap comfortably in your lap.
• Put your feet on the floor to ground yourself to the power of the Earth.
• Close your eyes.
• Think of the top of your head as being open to all the Cosmic energy and wisdom of the Universe.
• Settle in and just notice your breath.
• One minute elapses--DING!

Now scan your body again--From 1-10 how stressed do you feel?
What did you notice? Please comment and let me know what worked - was there an resistance? Continued practice of just one minute will make this an automatic response when you need it.

Listen in real time and do 1 minute of meditation now.
Tap the volume button to increase it.