Mindfulness, Focus, and Choice

Mindfulness is an awareness practice. When I'm feeling anxious, scattered, and ineffective (like I have been), then I can go back to the moment I'm in. Take a deep breath, look around, notice the people, the room, the weather. Touch my heart and notice my feelings in this moment. Just BE for a minute, awake and calm.   

"When I am present centered and mindful rather than in my head (comparing, judging, planning, hoping) time slows down. I am grounded. Living becomes more interesting. I feel my feet as they touch the floor. I notice the sounds, the details, and the nuances. I notice this moment as unique- not part of a pattern, and I feel the inherent joy of being alive."

Agenda:

1. Read "Perspective"
2. Ongo journal

3. Love meditation

Retreat for Creative Perspective

Perspective is my way of viewing or thinking about something, shaped by my experiences, beliefs, and values. When I adopt beginner's mind and become more curious and open-minded, I am able to shift my perception to see things in their true, relative importance.

Then I might be able to accept what is and stop obsessing, and enjoy my life in the moment.

The third step is to choose creativity; once I am able to let go of trying to control a situation or how I feel, I will open space for intuition and inspiration. I can begin to visualize a way forward. 

Today I will begin a 3-day retreat for creative perspective for my life, my priorities, and my leadings. 

Agenda Today:

1. Read "The Creativity Book"

2. Evaluate my creativity habits

3. Craftivism plans

4. Preschool plans

5. Studio

6. Do the smallest thing

Forgiveness Thoughts

Forgiveness is a tedious topic. I try not to give it too much thought, but it is the topic that is coming up today. I will try to focus on freeing the resentments I cling to, because these are a burden, and I want to return to dignity and a ground of love. "Though the action itself may remain forever unforgivable, the human is always forgivable."

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health and home, and prepare for Grandson fun.

 

Agenda:

1. Ongo journal

2. Read "The Sweet Spot"
3. Fall Cleaning and Home projects

4. Leaf School plans

5. Creative visualization

Transformation

I'm working a transformation: Turning myself into a patient and wise person, who exercises persistently; and also a magical transformation of our home into a tidy and ship-shape space (with a hot tub)!

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health and home, and prepare for Grandson fun.

Agenda:

1. Read "The Sweet Spot"

2. Ongo journal
2. Fall Cleaning and Home projects

3. Halloween School plans

Monday

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health and home, and prepare for Grandson fun.

 

Agenda:

1. Read "The Sweet Spot"
2. Fall Cleaning and Home projects

3. Skeleton School plans

Indigenous People's Day and Third Quarter Moon

Happy Indigenous People's Day! Some people celebrate the second Monday in October as Columbus Day, but many of us prefer to honor instead the people who were here in the Americas for centuries before Columbus "discovered" it. 

Many cities are finally making the name change official, adopting Indigenous People's Day to celebrate the people and their culture, and also to reflect on their ongoing struggles in this land. The celebration today includes powwows, drumming, dancing, Native American foods and crafts.

And today is the third Quarter moon. This waning moon energy is yin - quiet, internal, heart-driven, intentional Being-ness. At this phase we can ease off a bit on actively pursuing goals, slow down, go within, and attend to inner work, renewal, and self-care. This isn’t a moment for starting new projects but for finishing up old ones, making peace with the past, and preparing for a fresh start at the next new moon.

Agenda:

1. Read "The Sweet Spot"
2. Fall Cleaning and Home projects

3. Pumpkin School plans

4.

 Ritual for Release and Realignment

5. Meditation and Evaluation Journal

6. Monthly journal brainstorm

7. A note about appropriation

Reset on the Road

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health and home, and prepare for Grandson fun.

Agenda:

1. Read "The Sweet Spot"

2. My Exercise Script

3. Home projects

4. Bird School plans

Routine

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health and home, and prepare for Grandson fun.

Agenda:

1. Read "The Sweet Spot"

2. My Exercise Script

3. Home projects

Doing Without Trying

Monday is my day to reset for the week and get my ducks in a row - make some plans for health and home, and prepare for Grandson fun.

Agenda:

1. Read "The Sweet Spot"

2. Home projects

3. Plan for Nature-Culture flow

4. Creative visualization

Transformative Habits

I've been reviewing some of the transformative habits I've developed over the years. Last week I wrote about the journal-brainstorm process, and a vision walk, which are steps in discernment. Today I'll write a bit more about discernment, and some of the steps after discernment.

Agenda:

I. Read PowerHunch

2. Visualization

3. Review intentions

4. Morning ritual

August Deep Dive

My theme this month is Depth - following the deep water flowing within, cutting a natural path, the true course of my life. 

I've developed many tools and practices for this process, and this month I'll take an analytical look at how I'm doing. Am I still on the right path and are my tools in good order?

Agenda:

1. Read Total Chakra Energy Plan

2. Solar plexus chakra practice

3. Review transformative habits

4. Deep clearing the kitchen