Blue Owl Life Coaching

Look up!
I had the pleasure of walking under 13 trees in blossom yesterday on my way to the Square! It’s a wonderful time to slow down and appreciate nature, don’t wait another day…

Morning dew sparkles on cohosh plants enjoying the sunshine before the canopy leaves burst.
This week I’ve watched myself judge myself, others, a situation. I know that allowing the voice in my head to keep on complaining only makes it stronger. Sometimes I can let it go, sometimes I can divert my attention to something else and other times I need to sit with the feelings and find the root of my complaint… this often shrinks the judging ego.

The first crocuses popped up at the Library.
Impermanence is a word used frequently in Buddhism. Everything is impermanent, changing… sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse from the perspective of our constantly evaluating minds.
In our western culture we romanticize situations, assume that happily ever after is real. It’s not, all situations change. I’ve experienced that life become smoother when I expect and allow change/impermanence, understanding that when I stop clinging to wanting things a certain way, I make room for something new.

The value of “awareness”….This week, I noticed the voice in my head complaining about a change in procedure related to a event I participate in regularly. I watched myself grumble just as I did last week and the week before. Watching myself I recognized that I can’t influence these changes. I could let go of my wanting things to be the way they were and enjoy the new flow -or- forever resist! It was easy to let go when I saw the change from this new perspective.

mindfulness # awareness # nature # self awareness #

During a meditation we think we’re getting nowhere, feeling sleepy, bored because we can’t feel anything special. But CHANGE is happening. We might be looking in vain for this change during a ten minute meditation sit, while the real change is happening after our sit! We don’t notice when we don’t get so worked up about a mistake or that we are genuinely listening to a conversation rather than being self-absorbed. This is how meditation works… quietly changing us over time when we persist in giving ourselves time out to sit.

Imagine trees standing together in a forest. They don’t talk, but they feel each other’s presence. When you look at them, you might say they aren’t doing anything. But they are growing and providing clean air for living things to breathe. Instead of describing meditation as the practice of concentration, looking deeply, and getting insight, I like to describe sitting as enjoying doing nothing! Primarily, sitting (in meditation) is to enjoy the pleasure of sitting, being fully alive and in touch with the wonders of our working bodies, the air, the sounds, the sky” …. Thich Nhat Hanh. A walk in the woods can be the same as “sitting” for me.

My grandkids had a meltdown this weekend, missing thier mom at bedtime. I responded habitually, with shushes, back rubs, “Mom’s on her way”. After a longtime, we connected with Mom (who was driving), they expressed themselves with emojis, very sad faces with long tears.
Anytime we can’t be real/ present with “what is” we cause ourselves suffering. The kids needed to be with mom, I needed them to be happy, sleeping. Clarity for me came after the turmoil.

Turmoil. I am reactive lately. Holiday fun has interrupted my meditation sits. My attention to my thoughts and feelings improves with longer daily sits. It’s taken years of experimentation to recognize what works best for me.

Wishing all some quiet reflection time and space on this longest night… Solstice 2022
Thanks to Artist Mika Ah-Kim-Nachie

, , solstice, , in nature

I watched this very buzzy bee yesterday. I’m joining the NoMowMay movement to support this busy bee and other
pollinators.
I’d like to turn parts of my lawn into a meadow… I’d feel better about this if I could be part of a “meadow support group”. Are you out there? Please…. anyone?

https://globalnews.ca/news/7847490/no-mow-may-campaign-biodiversity/
🐝

The Maitland River is clear now, a few days ago it was clouded with silt. My mind is like the river unclear and then clarity happens. My meditation practice helps me to settle the turbulence of ordinary life.

delicate snowdrops unfazed by the ferocious wind this morning