At COR, the March theme has been Presence and Mindfulness.
To recap: Presence is bringing awareness to the moment at hand, keenly attuned in “real time” to ourselves, especially our physical sensations, and to who and what is around us without being pulled into the past or future. Simple, but it’s a habit that must be cultivated.
Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment without judgment or criticism. It is a way to accept what is here and now. It can also be understood as coming to our physical senses or, very simply, waking up.
You’d think this would be so simple, but for most people, this is a lifetime practice. It sure has been for me. After more than 30 years on the path, however far, wide and deep I might have traveled within, I still come back to the basics over and over; simply reminding myself to be here now and “let it be”.
I invite you, along with me, to make presence and mindfulness an ongoing practice. You may think you’re not so good at this yet and might be frustrated by the many tricks your monkey mind plays to distract you from the present moment, but I promise you, the more you practice it, the more it will grow in you. That’s how it continues to be for me.
To assist you, I made two Getting to the CORe Podcast episodes this month about presence and mindfulness:
Episode 8 is a recorded coaching session about self care and the blocks and challenges that can arise from this important theme. Listen to how the caller Natalie applies the qualities of presence and mindfulness to distinguish between the different inner voices that play a part in her desire to take better care of herself.
Episode 9 is a guided 15-minute Body Scan Mindfulness Exercise, designed to help you get in touch with the movement of your breath, and become aware of the sensations in your body just as they are arising in each moment. The intention is, as best you can, to bring awareness to any sensations you notice, as you focus your attention on each part of your body in turn. Practice this body scan mindfulness anytime you want or need more presence and mindfulness, especially if you are feeling any kind of distress and wish to approach a situation in your life with more mindfulness. Each time you practice it, it will become more and more natural and you are training your mind to better pay attention to the present moment.
I hope both these episodes help you make presence and mindfulness an even greater part of your life. Both episodes will give you plenty of proven tools. The question is will you actually use the tools and practice them? I hope the answer is a self-loving Yes.
To your ever-growing ability to truly be here and fully show up, no matter what!
Much love,
Britta