Let Us Slow Down
Guide: Caryl Featured song: Take It Slow, Ayla Nereo Featured practice: Let us slow down. Bayo Akomolafe says, “The times are urgent, let us slow down.” Let us slow down. Often the demand of urgency requires rapid, habitual responses that create tension and stress. There is an unwritten contract in urgency that says get it […]
Mindfulness in the Youth Garden
I was up unusually early this sunny Saturday morning, having invited myself on a field trip with my daughter, who was meeting my sister for a garden tour. There was a time years ago when I was always up and out of the house early on Saturday mornings. My husband was traveling weekly back and […]
Letting Go of Fixing
Guided audio practice from the 8/18/21 Connect In virtual community mindfulness practice. Guide: Linda Snyder Opening song: Epiphany by Riopy Featured practice: It is in our nature to fix things, to problem solve. On days where we may have a problem, practicing mindful meditation may be challenging. Our minds’ natural tendency to wander and problem […]
14 Ways to Take Your Mindfulness Practice Outside
Instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell about it. -Mary Oliver, poet The beloved Mary Oliver wrote volumes of poems and prose that reflect her intentional and mindful engagement with the living earth. In her poem, Sometimes, she leaves us these instructions for living a life: Pay attention. Be astonished. Tell […]
Connect In Audio Practice 07/14/21
Please enjoy the recording of our guided mindfulness practice from July 14th, 2021. Lead guide: Caryl Opening song: Hiddensee by Ceeyse Featured poems/excerpts: Walking Slowly by Donna Faulds It only takes a reminder to breathe, a moment to be still, and just like that, something in me settles, softens, makes space for imperfection. The harsh […]
Pause. Notice. Adjust. Navigating Transitions
Many of us are drawn to a good transformation story. A dramatic before and after shot can spur in us a bone deep knowing that life is cyclical and changes often. Often we are shown images of a caterpillar transforming into the butterfly to illustrate how change is natural. What we don’t often see is […]
Calm in the Face of Change
This last year tested me. It tested my patience, values, self-control, and boundaries. It reignited the big transcendental question, “What’s the point?” It also caused me to contemplate and take action on things I never guessed I would need to act upon. In some ways, I’m curious: Are all major life changes a test? Are […]
Start Your Day Mindfully-Before Your Feet Touch the Floor
If you have arrived at this post you may be one of the 2 million Americans looking for ways to incorporate mindfulness into your daily life. This certainly makes sense, a consistent mindfulness practice has been proven to improve sleep, reduce stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, and reduce depression. As defined by Jon Kabat-Zin, […]
5 Ways to Decrease the Stigma of Mental Health
Introduction by Annamarie Fernyak In the following blog post, Erin talks about the stigma of mental health and common biases toward people who may be suffering from mental illness. Before Erin’s thoughtful essay, I never considered that I might have biases. After reflecting on Erin’s words, I came to realize that some biases were just […]
Perfectionism, Rewired.
In my quest to write a perfect blog, while procrastinating with a slight fear of failing before I even get started, I will review with you a couple of ways to look at perfectionism. And perhaps through exploring those with you, I can help you and me identify some things we can both do to address […]
