Having taken a much needed break from routine over the summer, it feels good to be back in touch with you.
I’m here, wondering how this reaches you today, and as usual I find myself wanting to share some mindfulness goodness with you as a way of reconnecting.
I feel really blessed to teach within a kind community of friends who love the accountability each week to practise implementing the transformative practice of mindful self-compassion AKA how to be your own best friend, (the most overlooked formula for increased resilience in the face of our stresses and anxieties). Knowing how valuable this is for everyone I chat to, makes me want to spread its care and kindness further.
INVITATION: As a way of thanking you for being part of my wider email community, I invite you to join me every weekday morning at 9am. It’s a 10-15 min meditation opportunity that can help you remember how it feels to be warmly wrapped in kind friendship, support and encouragement before you even start your day.
My meditation style follows what Jeff Foster calls 'true meditation' which is all about meeting what you notice within yourself with kind presence and interest rather than trying to change how you feel or how you are in any particular moment. When I guide you, its important to remember we aren't trying to seek an experience, we aren't trying to manifest any special state, nothing is 'meant to happen'. There is no 'right' way to feel, only the way you do, and give yourself some space to practise allowing this without judging yourself harshly.
He reminds us that 'stress' is a tension between how you are in any given moment and how you think you SHOULD be. This need for things to be different from how they are, creates increased suffering. Instead we can begin to offer some understanding for ourselves because its hard being a human being facing the things that rattle us. When we find it hard to be kinder to ourselves in these moments, we can offer some kindness to the part of us that struggles to show any kindness to ourselves.
For those of you more attuned to Buddhist practice, Vipassana may be the closest example.
A great example of what meditation is for me and what my intention is to share, is illustrated in the quote by Bob Sharples, he says:
"Don't meditate to fix yourself, to improve yourself or to redeem yourself. Rather do it as an act of love, of deep warm friendship to yourself. In this way there's no longer any need for the subtle aggression of self-improvement, for the endless guilt of not doing enough. It offers the possibility of an end to the ceaseless round of trying so hard that wraps so many people's lives in knots. Instead, there is now meditation as an act of love...
How endlessly delightful and encouraging". Your link to join a morning class is here so save it because it’ll be the same one every time you want to use it.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6252396717?pwd=VWhrb3EwMnpTTFgyMjRFMGRiMHdMdz09
Meeting ID: 625 239 6717
Passcode: MINDFUL
Quick tip:
Set a 9am reminder on your phone
copy and paste the link below to your phone
and meet me whenever you can.
Sending you love,
Fiona
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