Labyrinth

The image above is a finger labyrinth similar to a labyrinth you might find to walk in a cathedral or out in nature.   Using the finger labyrinth is a mindfulness practice you can print out and carry with you.  Simply use your finger to trace the path beginning at the opening at the bottom.  

The labyrinth differs from a maze in that you do not need to figure it out.  Simply by being present to the path you will arrive at the center, the core.  Enhance your mindfulness experience by using conscious breathing, being aware of your breath as it moves in and out.  

The labyrinth can be used over and over as a daily practice or at a time when you feel you need to re-center.  

This and more printable labyrinths can be found at http://www.quietmeadows.org/finger_labrynth.htm

This is one of the most helpful and most difficult things I have ever learned.  It is incredible how powerful it is.  It isn't in our nature to lean towards discomfort of any kind.  What I have learned is that it is the quickest route through the pain.

Right or Happy?

Let go of your ego’s need to be right. When you’re in the middle of an argument, ask yourself: Do I want to be right or be happy? When you choose the joyous, loving, spiritual mode, your connection to intention is strengthened. -Wayne Dyer

Years ago a friend asked me if I would rather be right or happy. I honestly had to stop and think. Having been raised to believe that being right was happiness I had never considered otherwise, and I was embarrassed to admit it. Now, all these years later, I am amazed at how often I observe the desire to be right in myself and all over our culture. I am also amazed how incredibly freeing and peaceful it is to know that I can admit when I am not right and in fact let go completely of the need to be right.

This is definitely one of those journeys of progress not perfection for me. In fact, I crack myself up when I want to be perfect in this place. I catch myself, "Oh there I am wanting to be right again." I notice that it is really tied to thinking that when I am right I am safe. Being present to this awareness helps and I have found a little humor, mindfullness and a whole lot of patience and unconditional love go a long way on this journey.

Re-membering to Re-lease

While re-flecting on an Abraham Hicks video I watched yesterday, I had an awareness I am grateful I re-membered. The topic was how children with special needs can teach us that we can not change them - we cannot control them. As I thought about it I was thinking of all the times I have tried to control someone else, and failed.

I was re-minded of how miserable I was when I tried to control people, places and things around me. As I sat there pondering I had an "aha moment." Recently I have been experiencing a lot of serenity in my life, and every time I have been tempted to "figure it out," I have re-minded myself to just be. I have re-minded myself that if there is information for me to be aware of concerning this serenity it will come to me. That is exactly what happened.

Sitting there considering my serenity and the thoughts I had about trying to control things making me miserable I realized that lately I had let go of a lot of control. I had been catching myself when I want to control people places and things, and although I had not done it perfectly I had made the choice much sooner to re-lease control and let it be.

Ahhhhhhh, peace of mind.........

A Little + A Little = A lot

And....

A little minus A little = NONE!

I was inspired to start Re-minderz because I am always amazed at how something I have known forever can slip my awareness and then turn out to be exactly the wisdom I need in a particular situation. Again this is true for me...

I often don't think of the little things. I have a commitment to myself to take a 20 minute walk 3 times a week. It usually turns out to be 5 to 7 times a week, and often it is more than 20 minutes. I learned a long time ago that a small commitment usually leads me to more action, and the commitment stays there in the background as the bare minimum that I know is necessary for sanity in my life. This works for me. Even though often times I am only getting that small amount of exercise, I am almost always consistently getting exercise.

Interesting thing is I've notice that sometimes A little minus A little = Less Than I thought! This is true for exercise. When I get into a place where I am getting even less exercise than my commitment the first place I begin to notice it is not in how I feel physically, but emotionally! I guess I am a slow learner in this place because the awareness creeps back to me very slowly, and usually right in the middle of some melt down I wish I weren't having.

What I have found is the more I re-mind myself about this when I am on track the less I slip back into the less than zone!

Hmm, what other area might these simple mathematics be playing a role?