Pic of the week: Dusty, the man in the window

THE MINDFUL GALLERY'S PIC OF THE WEEK

Dusty, the man in the window. Photo by Christine Eaton

The mindful anchor in this photo: Humor, or in this case Dusty, the man in the window

(What is a mindful anchor? When we practice mindfulness we want to have an anchor, notice when we stray from it, come back to it, and doing so over and over again. This is oftentimes the breath in sitting meditation, but it can be nearly any point of focus that allows us to find stillness and peace)

I was driving around Essex, MA near the antique shops and parked across the street from this fellow. I was having a particularly "off" day and remember being grateful for the laugh this gave me. Finding humor and, more importantly, setting an intention to bring more amusement into your life may make guys like Dusty stand out. There are sprinkles of opportunities to laugh all around us, but we so often choose to stay more polarized towards the negative. Next time you're out and about, challenge yourself to find humor in at least one thing. Did you ever play that game "I Spy"? Now's your chance!

Pic of the week: The sun setting, upside down

                           THE MINDFUL GALLERY'S PIC OF THE WEEK

Sunny Side Up: Photo by Christine Eaton

The mindful anchor in this photo: The setting sun, upside down.

(What is a mindful anchor? When we practice mindfulness we want to have an anchor, notice when we stray from it, come back to it, and doing so over and over again. This is oftentimes the breath in sitting meditation, but it can be nearly any point of focus that allows us to find stillness and peace)

The photo this week leads us to an abstract way of utilizing awareness/mindfulness. We've all seen sunsets and know that they range of a scale of beautiful, natural phenomena. When I was up in Burlington VT a couple weeks ago I watched the sun set on Lake Champlain. As I took photos I wanted to play with lighting and perspective. And, as a student of mindfulness, later understood that in doing so I was literally reinterpreting my relationship to the natural world, slowly. When you practice mindfulness regularly, shifts in perspective do happen. Sometimes grandly and sometimes gradually. Appreciation deepens. Understanding occurs. What I love most about this photo is that when you first see it you may not think anything is off. But, look closer and you see the ocean above the sun and the sun setting into the sky. If you look deeper, you see it. 

Try looking deeper into the natural world and discover how it then unfolds in other ways, relationships, decisions, etc. Perspective happens. Life awakens. 

Pic of the week: A turning leaf

THE MINDFUL GALLERY'S PIC OF THE WEEK

                                                       Lifecycle: Photo by Christine Eaton                                                                  

The mindful anchor in this photo: A turning leaf.

(What is a mindful anchor? When we practice mindfulness we want to have an anchor, notice when we stray from it, come back to it, and doing so over and over again. This is oftentimes the breath in sitting meditation, but it can be nearly any point of focus that allows us to find stillness and peace)

The beginning of Fall is my favorite time of the year. I often think, "if only the leaves could stay pretty like that all the time". The leaf above is unique in that it's really beautiful, but it's also very much decaying. In the past I feel as though I've really only noticed the leaves when they're either at peak or brown crispy remnants of what was, piling up and blowing around. This leaf is special to me because it asks us to embrace the fullness of a life cycle, the fullness of life. It may not all be pretty, but it's yours.

Within the next few weeks we'll see this transition of nature all around us. Take a moment each day to appreciate the colors and the cycle of life.

Mindful Reiki: The anatomy of a session

Image by johnhain

In an earlier post I wrote about integrating mindfulness and Reiki in a session where both myself and the client are mindfully meditating. In this post we'll take a look at what you could expect during such an appointment.

1) You may not know it, but before you even enter the room I've been practicing some form of mindfulness, whether breathing, body scan, or in setting up the room (because you can be mindful doing just about anything). I do this to get grounded, to calm down, and to prepare myself for "healing mode". Imagine if I were frantically rushing to get to our appointment and how that could transfer on to you. We are talking energy here, and everything counts. If you come in frantic, stressed, etc (of which at least one is likely), I'm more equipped to handle it if I'm working within a framework of mindfulness. 

2) Once you arrive there is the intake process which can last up to 15 minutes. This is where I'll want information about why you're coming for Reiki/Mindfulness and answer any questions you have.

3) You would then lay on the table and we'd begin with a short breathing meditation to draw awareness to the body, laying the groundwork for relaxation.

4) Depending on what the issues were that you expressed in the intake, I would place my hands in various positions on the body to help facilitate the letting go of anything (energetically) that is contributing to any physical or emotional pain. If you're not in any discomfort and are getting Reiki as an upkeep, preventative measure or to help recover from a strenuous physical or emotional event (I work with athletes, for example) I will of course work with that as well.

5) As I place my hands I would ask that you draw your attention to that area of the body as I work on it. As thoughts come and go, you would note those thoughts and then come back to that area. As I move around the body I would ask that your awareness move as well. I may also ask you to reflect on questions like, what does this area of the body feel like? is there stress or contentment? I may prompt you to have gratitude for your body. I may ask you to consider having compassion for those areas that are painful or heavy.

As you can see, it takes work on your part and is very engaging.

6) At the end of the session I will offer feedback and make recommendations on a personal practice based on your situation/goals.

Image by johnhain

If you're familiar with mindfulness techniques you'll notice that this is a modified body scan, with Reiki. At the end of the session you're likely to feel more grounded, literally. Your body might feel a little heavier because we've taken a bit of your awareness and brought in back into your anatomical home.

If you're interested in discussing or trying a session,contact me at christine@themindfulgallery.com or 508-934-6040

30 and 60min sessions are available on a sliding scale.

Be well

Pic of the week: Rain

THE MINDFUL GALLERY'S PIC OF THE WEEK

Rain. Video by Christine Eaton

The mindful anchor in this photo: The sound of rain, lots and lots of rain.

(What is a mindful anchor? When we practice mindfulness we want to have an anchor, notice when we stray from it, come back to it, and doing so over and over again. This is oftentimes the breath in sitting meditation, but it can be nearly any point of focus that allows us to find stillness and peace)

For those of us in the Northeast US today there's a good chance we awoke to the sound of rain. We've had a little dry spell, and so it was welcome. As I did my morning meditation my attention kept wandering to the sounds of the rain, which I find incredibly soothing. I decided to make the sound my anchor instead of the breath. I then went to the porch and took a video to capture the sound for this week's "anchor" installation.

When you find yourself in nature, make an effort to hear the birds, the wind, the rain, the rustling leaves. An alternative to "smelling the roses".

Mindfulness & Road Rage

Photo by Meme Binge

Ok so we've all been a little aggressive at the wheel. Sometimes the nicest, sweetest people become their alter ego in the drivers seat. Road rage, our attention and noticing of it, and our transformation away from it is low hanging fruit when it comes to applied mindfulness. It's as though we take all that has us worked up at home or work and channel it to every other driver who does even the smallest thing to annoy us. Heck, sometimes they even drive the speed limit and we're furious, "it's called a pedal, use it!". Usually on our daily commute we are alone in the car and transitioning from one element to the other (work to home, vise versa). Sometimes we are rushed, in traffic, still tired, cranky, or maybe we're really happy and excited (it's possible). No matter the situation, if you find that you are a road rager, practicing mindfulness WILL reduce the rage triggered by traffic and they way others drive. If you set the tone for the day in the car by practicing mindfulness, it will probably make your day go a little smoother in terms of your re-activity to things that may go wrong.

So there are two opportunities for mindfulness practice here. Both are challenging if the concept of mindfulness is totally new to you, but if you make a commitment to try this for one week I think you'll see enough reward that you might keep doing it (not all the time, but a decent amount). Mindful driving takes your experience and turns it into a meditation, while metta driving offers an opportunity to "say" something nice back to the person you just gave the finger to. Metta driving is a real game changer and has an incredible amount of potential to ease reactive responses.

Mindful Driving

1) Make a commitment to not listen to music, audiotape, etc or to be on your phone (that's right, no!)

2) As you drive, keep your attention on all aspects of the driving experience. For example,

• Feel your hands on the wheel. Are you holding tightly? If so, lessen the grip.
• Notice your posture. 
• Watch your speed and how close you are to the car behind you. 
• Notice how often you're putting your foot on the brakes and consider having more space between cars. Allow yourself more space and slow down the rush. 
• The temperature in the car

3) As thoughts distract you from your driving, note the distraction and come back to just driving and the environment around you.

Metta Driving

The key with metta driving is noticing when you're getting annoyed with other drivers and offering them a gentle wish for a good day. Even if they legitimately do something that is worthy of a negative remark, the point is that it doesn't do you any good to drive up your heart rate and blood pressure over it. This isn't about liking them or feeling like what they did was ok, it's about calming down, letting go, moving on, and practicing compassion. It's about tempering YOUR reaction to the situation. So, the next time someone's driving skills (or lack thereof) trigger the finger, note the frustration and take one second to (in your mind, of course) send them a well wish. I know it sounds a little nuts if you're new to this. But, it works. You just have to be open! 

Pic of the week: Wolfie the spider

                                     THE MINDFUL GALLERY'S PIC OF THE WEEK

Wolfie the spider. Photo by Christine Eaton

The mindful anchor in this photo: A spider I named Wolfie, who's been living on our back porch

(What is a mindful anchor? When we practice mindfulness we want to have an anchor, notice when we stray from it, come back to it, and doing so over and over again. This is oftentimes the breath in sitting meditation, but it can be nearly any point of focus that allows us to find stillness and peace) 

Wolfie isn't a small breed of spider, but he's no tarantula either. He's big enough to make you jump back and start looking for flammable liquid and a torch. He's been hanging out on our back porch for probably over a week now. At night he spins his web and just sits there like this (and as spiders do). During the day he's somewhere else. Initially I wanted him gonzo, out, see ya! BUT a couple of days ago I just allowed myself to stand there and look at him. Each night I got a little closer. I allowed the fear he triggers deep inside me to surface and I just came back to my breath and to watching him. I came to understand that he wants nothing to do with me. He's interested in what flys into his web. He's no threat. Not in that space and time. Not in that moment or series of moments. It's actually to the point now where I go and make sure that he's there each night, as our resident spider doing his part to control the insect population. I think I may even be sad when he's gone. I guess now I've formed an attachment, and that's for another blog post discussion :)

Now, I'm not advocating that everyone go and expose themselves to fear. What I am trying to point out is that many, many things scare us and that mindfulness is a tool to help us sit with those things when they arise. It doesn't mean we still aren't scared or anxious. It means that we're making an effort to have a different kind of relationship with what freaks us out. And in doing so can come great insight, wisdom, and a reality check.   

Next time you're scared, try to take a few moments and sit with the feeling and try to soften around it without bolting from it. See what happens. You may be surprised (or not).

Pic of the week: The heart leaf

THE MINDFUL GALLERY'S PIC OF THE WEEK

The heart leaf

The mindful anchor in this photo: A leaf in the shape of a heart

(What is a mindful anchor? When we practice mindfulness it is all about having an anchor, noticing when we stray from it, coming back to it, and doing so over and over again. This is oftentimes the breath in sitting meditation, but it can be nearly any point of focus that allows us to find stillness and peace) 

I must have passed these leaves several times before I actually noticed them. How can that be? These leaves are fairly big and wrap around the fence on my back porch. The day I took this I was paying attention, that's why I saw it. Seems like it's not a big deal, but when I take the time to slow down and notice, certain things will show themselves that were unavailable to me because I was too busy thinking about where I was going and what needed to be done. The brain can only be doing so much at once. I believe it also stuck out because I was in need of seeing it, as a reminder. I have a strong affinity for nature and sometimes undervalue the healing potential it has. Taking moments to observe it in both its beauty and it's demise is an important part of mindfulness, and of being human. So the next time you're out for a walk, consider paying attention to what you're seeing and notice what reveals itself, what you're drawn to, and reflect on why it's meaningful to you.   

Mindful Reiki Sessions: Healing With Awareness

As a Reiki practitioner, I always practice mindfulness during a session with a client. What that means is, I am as present. I use my breath and the touch of my hands on the body as my anchor. When thoughts arise that have nothing to do with the healing interaction going on, I notice them, and come back to Reiki. I probably do that a hundred times in a session. Why is this so important? Well, let me first tell you that it's not something we as Reiki students are taught to do (usually). The idea is that once someone has been attuned to Reiki, and once the hands go on the body, Reiki is there no matter what. Now, that may or may not be true. I have no scientific way to prove it. I do know that intuitively, it would seem that if I were thinking about work, sinking into bad feelings, caught up in fantasy, going through my to do list etc, as I give Reiki, the quality of that Reiki session would be compromised. When I make an intention to be with the client as much as I possibly can, the healing potential that Reiki has is magnified. Why? Common sense would say that it's because I'm working to constantly remove any blockage between myself and the client. Think of thoughts overtaking the mind as a clogged drain and water as Reiki. Some water can pass through a clogged drain, but not much. Mindfulness is like drano. It acknowledges the clog, and by noticing it and taking steps to let it go, the drain becomes free-flowing again. Reiki works the same way.

Now, imagine if the client was practicing mindfulness as well. How much greater might the healing experience be?

Beginning this month I am offering Mindful Reiki Sessions. These sessions are meant to guide the client through a mindfulness meditation (focusing on the breath and the body) while giving Reiki. What we find when we pay attention in this way is that there can be pockets of emotions stored in the body that need awareness to be released. If someone were to come in feeling very anxious, for example, it is possible that in a guided mindfulness session they would be able to discern where in the body it's stored on their own. The addition of Reiki assists in letting go of that energy, along with awareness. There is often such a disconnect between mind and body, that by paying attention to the body during the healing process, you're building a bridge of awareness and communication. If you can imagine and are willing to attempt befriending that which is causing you emotional or physical pain, this is probably for you. 

Christine Eaton, RMP

Would you like to take Reiki to the next level? These sessions are available Saturday mornings at the Cummings Center in Beverly, MA. I offer a sliding scale for both 30 and 60min sessions.

If you're a Reiki practitioner who is interested in a 4-wk Mindful Reiki course to be held in Beverly, MA, please contact me.

You can contact me at christine@themindfulgallery.com or 508-934-6040 for more information or to book the table. 

Much Love. 

Mindfulness Studies Weekly Reflection

This was the first week spent in my mindfulness studies graduate program at Lesley University. My class, Mindfulness Theory, Practice, and Science is off to a powerful start. As it's online, I've met several kindred souls from across the US and Canada. I've never experienced an online class before, and was a bit apprehensive about it. Would I feel like I could connect with these people? Would the dialog flow and be engaging? Well, YES! While I'm still navigating the discussion board threads and how to keep track, I'm head over heals for my classmates, professor and of course, the content. Having practiced mindfulness in various ways for a few years now, it feels spectacular to be in this setting, with these folks who are as passionate (at least) as I am. This week we practiced the body scan, mindful eating, and reflected on a Poem by Rumi called The Guest House. That poem essentially defines mindfulness. Another on point definition was shared with us by Christina Feldman - Mindfulness is the willingness and capacity to be equally present with all events and experiences with discernment, curiosity, and kindness. 

I'm in for a great ride.

Pic of the Week: Pumpkin, our cat

THE MINDFUL GALLERY'S PIC OF THE WEEK

Mindfulness in the eyes of Pumpkin

The mindful anchor in this photo: The cutest face I see nearly every day! Pumpkin, our cat.

(What is a mindful anchor? When we practice mindfulness it is all about having an anchor, noticing when we stray from it, coming back to it, and doing so over and over again. This is oftentimes the breath in sitting meditation, but it can be nearly any point of focus that allows us to find stillness and peace)     

And Now…onto Pumpkin (and pets in general)

Pets have a fantastic way of bringing your focus to them. Have you ever noticed that when you come home and see your pets, hardly any other thoughts bust in take you away from those few moments? I mean, LOOK at that face!! Animals are very good at being present, and they are great teachers for us. There is a great graphic novel called Guardians of Being by Eckhart Tolle that is a simply told story about how are pets help us be mindful. So the next time your with your pet or another's, take note of how you feel when you're with them and relish those moments with gratitude.

The Body Scan: What do helium balloons have to do with it?

When learning about mindfulness, one of the first things you come across is the body scan, not to be confused with muscle relaxation. While relaxation is inevitable with the body scan, its primary point is to bring awareness to body, body part by body part. Some scans are three minutes, others are 40 minutes or longer depending on how part-icular you get  (see what I did there:). Here is a link to a twenty minute scan that I really like because it also includes gratitude.

Kernal of Wisdom Mindfulness Meditation

I'm guessing that most of us, though I can really only speak for myself and others I've sat with during meditation, spend a lot of time during the day out of our body. No, not in an astral out of body experience kind of way, but rather running around in our mind either in the past or present. If you imagine that your head is like a helium balloon that goes higher and higher throughout the day, you can either choose to bring it back down to the ground and anchor it, or it will just lose helium and sink to the earth looking very sad as it whimpers down a side street or gets caught in a tree. Have you ever just felt as though you were so emotionally and/or mentally stressed that your body also felt like a sad, whimpering balloon with no air left? If you want to be the balloon that stays anchored to the party table with a flashy little anchor weight to stay grounded, then give this body scan a whirl. Do it once and you'll think "ok, that was nice", do it twice and think "wow I never noticed how tight my hamstrings are, I better stretch!", do it three times and you start to recognize that you don't swear as much in the car anymore, do it at least four times a week and you'll change your body, your mind, and your life to some degree. Insight is key, and every mindfulness practice gives you more than your thoughts alone can.

Pic of the Week: The mighty, mindful Niagara

The Mindful Gallery's Pic of the Week

 

"The Mighty, Mindful Niagara"

The mindful anchor in this photo: You guessed it! The Niagara Falls.

(What is a mindful anchor? When we practice mindfulness it is all about having an anchor, noticing when we stray from it, coming back to it, and doing so over and over again. This is oftentimes the breath in sitting meditation, but it can be nearly any point of focus that allows us to find stillness and peace)     

And Now….About the Mighty, Mindful Niagara

Have you ever been to Niagara Falls? Most of the time the answer I get to that question is, "Yes, but a very long time ago!". I've been there several times this past year in preparation for my wedding. The longer I spent there, the more I realized it to be a display of the relationship between chaos and peace, and how mindfulness is a bridge between both.  As you face the Falls they grab your attention like a hot torch (only not painful!). The roaring waterfall produces misty clouds and often rainbows. Across the street are towering hotels, casinos, numerous fast food joints and a museum for just about any silly thing you can think of. One side is chaotic, and the other, peaceful. While there is plenty in Niagara Falls to distract from the actual Falls themselves, they remain THE focal point. They will draw you in no matter what. So if you’re looking for a mindful vacation destination, you’ve got a great one here! And be sure to drop by Journey Behind The Falls, where this photo was taken. It’s quite breathtaking.