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Mindful musings

A shared journey is a pleasant journey

Show Up (Just Do It)

12/11/2013

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The view from my run this week
I'm not an athlete. I don't win medals, and I have weeks where my run total is exactly didn't-even-put-my-shoes-on. However, running has helped me develop a more regular meditation practise. The great thing about running for me is that it's addictive. Every time I go through a period of time without a run, I get to a point where I need to run. And come rain, snow, or shine, I just gotta put on the running shoes and get out there. 

Moving from Australia to the northern hemisphere two and a half years ago meant encountering cold weather. Real cold weather. I had never really experienced anything below zero degrees (32F), and my first English Christmas was a horrible shock to the system. I had a slightly bizzare, self imposed, rule that if the temperature was below 8C (46F), it was too cold for a run. The thermometer continued to drop. My runs became less frequent.  The temperature hit zero... And my addiction kicked in. I headed out for a jog dressed in two pairs of socks, thermal tights, beannie, gloves, and a windbreaker. 

It was cold. Within a few minutes I couldn't feel my face. I kept going. My run time was decent, mainly because I was trying to get through the kilometers and back inside! But it did teach me a valuable lesson. Just show up. It could be bad. It could be good. It doesn't matter. You showed up to the practise. This week saw me heading out for my run with the temperature reading a balmy -11C (12F). I never imagined I could run when it was that cold. And yet, I could. 

Some practitioners will tell you that when you least feel like meditating, that is the best time to meditate. It's so easy to make excuses. I'll do it later, I'm too busy, I don't feel like it, it's too cold... 

Whatever your practise is, as the slogan goes, JUST DO IT. Just show up, and the rest will follow. 
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The Black Dog

12/9/2013

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I highly recommend this excellent video about depression, what it is, and how we can learn to live with it.

​The illustrator, Matthew Johnstone, is creative director at The Black Dog Institute in Sydney. Learning mindfulness at The Black Dog Institute literally saved my life. I am immensely grateful for their work. 
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The Silly Season 

12/3/2013

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Pointy head
We cannot deny the festive season is upon us. The fairy lights are up, every store is reminding us that Christmas is drawing ever closer, and the present buying and baking has begun. 

In Fort Collins, we’re in the middle of a delicious snow storm. It is seriouslycold outside. It wasn’t until I moved to London two years ago that I was able to appreciate the magic of snow. And it really is magical. The way the world turns into sparkling white, the way air smells crisp and fresh. You come across snow-people built into the footpath. Grown-ups are outplaying. It’s awesome. 

In London, snow brings an element of inconvenience too. The lack of regularly falling frozen precipitation means the infrastructure can’t really cope. Public transport becomes a nightmare as train lines are closed, and buses become overcrowded and slow. If you’re lucky, a snow day will be called, and you can skip school for the day or “work” from home. 

There is something to be said for a season that simultaneously demands stillness and quiet, and play and frivolity. After all, ‘tis the season...!  These kind of opposites are the heart of meditation. In meditation we’re actively doing nothing. It’s a fascinating contradiction. Yet the practise comes in finding the space in the contradiction. 

May you be able to find some stillness in the hectic pace leading up to the festive season. Hopefully, at least for most of my northern hemisphere readers, you'll have some snow to help you find it. 

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Sunrise/Sunset 

12/2/2013

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Tonight's sunset in Fort Collins
When I first started blogging about moments of lovely a few years ago, over at Breathe Just Breathe, I promised myself I would never write about something as cliched as a sunrise or sunset. Puhleeese! 

Living in London for the past two years has meant I haven't seen all too many sunrises or sunsets, as the sky is usually covered in grey clouds. When I did happen to catch a sunset, it almost always blew me away. The colors in the sky, the glow of the city skyline, the fleeting nature of being able to witness those moments between light, twilight, and dark. 

Something my sister posted on facebook yesterday caught my eye and attention. She had posted a gorgeous picture of a Sydney sunset, captioned it with "sunset report," and tagged a few of her friends. The idea of checking in with a lovely sunset, observing the end of daylight hours, and reveling in the loveliness of something as everyday as a sunset is a pretty profound meditation. And without getting too existential, meditating on the fact that we are on a life-supporting rock rotating around a giant ball of gas is fairly phenomenal. 

What moments of magic can we find in the everyday? How can we use the everyday to support a regular meditation practise? 

I would love to hear your thoughts. 
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