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A Mindful Vacation – Part 2
This is part 2 of 2-part series on Robert’s attempt at a mindful vacation. Part 1 was all about the planning and build-up to the vacation. You can read part 1 here. I am back! And I bring a mix of mindfulness, stress, and lessons learned – back with me. Let me tell you all about it.…
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The Boldness To Be Who You Are
There are moments in life when we are called. We are asked. We are told. We hear that little voice, and we are nudged (or shoved!) in the direction of our dreams. Just around the bend, we see a clearing. A new direction presents itself, and we must choose. When we choose the way of…
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Stressed Out? Research Reveals Near-Instant Stress Relief
Last month an interesting story was written by J. D. Heyes of The Epoch Times, detailing research done at Carnegie Mellon University which demonstrated how just 25 minutes of mindfulness meditation a day, for three consecutive days, can mitigate psychological stressors. The study was conducted on 66 healthy subjects, split into two groups. One group underwent mindfulness training…
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The Balance Within
Until we know better, our time is spent wrapped in the pursuit of more, better, different, new – a hunger fed by the people around us, what we see on TV, the promise of a brighter tomorrow. We grasp for this expectant fortune of tomorrow. We’re told it can save us. As we reach and…
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Letting Go With Julia Roberts
Ever seen the movie “Eat Pray Love”, or perhaps read the book? It’s about a woman, played by Julia Roberts, who ends up on a around-the-world journey after ending an unhappy marriage – wanting her life to go in a different direction. While it is a great movie to watch (or book to read) in full,…
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Permission Granted
How often do you trust yourself? Every once in a while? Always? Never? Do you find yourself second-guessing, wondering if you made the right decision? Do you make decisions with fingers crossed, hoping that when things shake out, you’ll still be ok? From a very young age, we are taught to look outside ourselves for…
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MISSING! The Search For My Lost Friend…
I have a friend that likes to cuddle me with a warm embrace while whispering calm and peace into my ears. A friend that is always there, yet sometimes hidden between my own mist of thoughts and the thick bush of stress. Who is this friend…? Silence! I befriended silence as a baby, and it has kept with…
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More Than Ordinary
Every day, we are offered an opportunity to interact and connect with our lives in a fresh and authentic way. Each aspect of our day offers this chance if we are open to it. Take that tree in the front yard. The one you’ve seen who-knows-how-many-times leaving for work, coming home, going for a walk,…
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Meditation Quote 73: “When the mind is left without anything to cling to, it becomes still.” – Ramana Maharshi
There lies great beauty in the monastic life. Daily religious rituals, chanting, mundane chores – a simple life of selfless devotion or unwavering spiritual pursuit. Yet there is a reason most of us don’t chose this life… We are too afraid of leaving all our possessions, addictions and distractions behind. For that is one of…
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Stress Only In The Mind
You’re standing in line at the grocery store and the lines are long — blocking the aisles long. Plus you’re running a bit behind. The woman in front of you has at least 20 items, isn’t this the express lane?! No one’s going anywhere. There’s some smell in the air. You try distracting yourself with…