Tag Archives: meditation

Bit Post: Hooray for Our Inner Cheerleaders

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Seoul, South Korea

Hey, hey, it’s okay,

We all fuck up anyway!

Hey, ho, let’s go now,

We learn and move on anyhow

Hey now, let’s take heart,

Each of us can do our part

To give each other a new start

Ok so, here we go,

On this journey, ebb and flow

Boo, hiss, our Critic yells, 

Anxiety and blame it sells

Hello no, Cheerleader beams,

We’ got strengths galore in reams

Integration’d be ideal, it seems?

Both perspectives offer truth

Bitter swill and sweet vermouth 

But Critic’s voice too often wins

Harshly calling out our sins 

So let’s give joyful Cheers the mic

To let our spirits get a hike

And give self-efficacy a spike

Humility and confidence 

Both are virtues, both make sense

Our critical and cheerful sides

We need them both to ride the tides

To stay aware and make our strides

In our chaos world of me before all

Critics and Cheers both heed the call

To live our values and when we fall

Stand up again with integrity tall

So no need to silence the Critic, friends 

It plays a role in our best ends

Just make sure to bring Cheers along

Like a playful partner in attitude ping pong

To keep perspective clear and strong

Inspired by Manifesting Success by Elisha Ainsley, narrated by Steve West

Meditation on the Sleepiest app

On Setting Intentions

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NaBloPoMo 2016, Letters to Patients, Day 9

To Patients Seeking Bearing and Beacons

Set your intentions for the day.

In the aftermath of the election…  I feel an intense need to self-soothe and focus.

A wise friend recently introduced me to a morning practice that has impacted my days in wonderfully tangible ways.  He describes a 5×5 grid which he pencils in his journal each morning.  He fills each box with a word that he wants to hold in intention for the day.  For each word, he meditates on its meaning, then what it would feel like.  Then he meditates to feel it and live it already.  Throughout the day he then recalls the words and their sensations.  He started with a 2×2 grid (four words), then gradually increased it to 5×5.

I have had 9 (now 10) presentations to prepare between mid-August and the end of this month.  My practice continues to grow.  The kids’ schedules and activities multiply proportional to their heights.  Learning this anchoring method from him has been a Godsend for focus and grounding, and I am so grateful.

I started with 3 words, and have practiced inconsistently (this appears to be a pattern for me).  But each day that I take time to determine the words and sit with them a while, I notice a remarkable steadiness throughout the day.

Patience.  Compassion.  Focus.  Love.  Empathy.  Ease.  Generosity.  Equanimity.  Joy.  Fun.  Peace.  Forgiveness.  More Love.  Connected.  Center.  Openness.  Curiosity.  Engage.  Movement.  Lightness.  Ground.  Calm.  Acceptance.  Non-judgment.  Happy.

It’s really amazing:  Just a few minutes in the morning are all it takes to frame my mind and resolve my heart.  I feel steadfast as I walk out the door.  I go about my day and forget.  Then, in those unfocused moments, the words rise to conscious awareness and I remember, reset, and re-center.

Maybe you’re feeling a little unsteady now, also?  Give the Word Intention practice a try.  It can’t hurt.  It costs a few minutes of time.  You can start with one word.  You can write it on your hand.  There is no such thing as cheating, only seeking and centering.

Best wishes and peace to you.