These days not a week passes without more news of mindfulness entering the mainstream, is it possible it's here to stay? Wouldn't it be lovely... You can get a glimpse of the article by clicking on the image to the left, for the full article you'll need to subscribe, but you can get a quick look at an intro to Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction, and the famous raisin exercise.
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Rather than using my newsletter to review 2013 and look for take-aways (which is always valuable, mind you), I chose to focus on the turbulence we've been experiencing in one of the more mundane areas of life - the weather. I simply could not pass up the opportunity to address such cool weather occurrences as the Polar Vortex and the Bombogenesis, and of course, make some observations on how similar turbulence can exist virtually unnoticed in our energy fields and thoughts. Click below to find out what vortexes may exist in your life and what you can do about them, then share some of your vortexes in the comments section! Read the 2013/2014 Winter Newsletter The Vortexes of our lives... Some common vortexes observed in clients and others: Facebook Vortex – Being sucked through the portal of an endless newsfeed to a virtual reality free of the constraints of time and space. Sugar Vortex – The magnetic force in your hand that attracts all things sweet, often unnoticed, only to be discovered mid-bite. Vortex of Despair – The stirrings of panic that explode if given too much attention, accompanied by thoughts of ‘this will never work’ ‘I’ll never get it all done’ ‘my life will never change…’, etc. - note the prominence of ‘always’ and ‘never’ in these moments. Sent in by a reader: The Vortex of Frustrating Board Volunteering with the message: "your tips have arrived at just the right time as I'm composing my resignation" Share some of your vortexes below! http://ideas.time.com/2014/01/17/we-need-to-take-meditation-more-seriously-as-medicine/ Time magazine presents some of the latest research and questions about the effects of meditation on overall health. Greetings! The arrival of autumn and the hint of a chill in the air reminded me that it was time for another seasonal newsletter! Seasons change from one day to the next in the south, it seems like we were just sweating our way through the Indian Summer... The turning and falling of leaves brings a theme of letting go of the past and clearing the way for future growth. Exploring this theme from the perspectives of Mindfulness, Coaching and Energy Medicine led to some interesting overlaps and distinctly separate insights. At the link below you'll find my latest newsletter with three takes on the theme of 'Letting Go.' In it, you'll find pratical advice on approaching this topic from the perspectives of Mindfulness, Coaching and Energy Medicine, as well as exercises to try yourself. VIEW NEWSLETTER Don't forget to savor the good things that the year has brought you before you move into winter hibernation and preparation for the new spring! I just returned from a vipasssana meditation course. I lived in silence for 10 days in the sweltering heat of the South Georgia woods, and meditated for 10 hours each day. I am amazed at my own accomplishment, not having realized until I was well into day 3 exactly what I had gotten myself into. At that point I had already spent upwards of 20 hours focusing all of my attention on my nose. Before I left, I thought that I would have some wonderful insights to share in this blog post. I eagerly anticipated the earth-shattering awareness that would flood my consciousness, completely alter my perception of myself and the world, and solve all the unresolved issues in my life as an added benefit. But, that didn’t happen. Ok, maybe I was being just a tad unrealistic. Maybe on some level I felt I deserved this complete and total transformation as reward for the hard work of sitting for hours on end. Yes, I know how ironic that sounds. Some of you are probably smiling, thinking ‘Since when is sitting hard? Try running a marathon!’ My answer to you is simple – “Try it, you’ll see what I mean.” A good friend commented today that the unique subset of the population willing to do this kind of thing must be quite small. “I’d compare us to marathon runners” I said,“except that we run mental marathons, you’ll never see us out in action.”
Don’t get me wrong, insights did come, but not in the way I’d expected. As the focus of the practice was to remain unattached to what arose, they became fleeting glimpses of wonder that drifted through my consciousness, tempting me, but I did not indulge. Not most of the time, at least. The most stunning part of this experience was the altered state of consciousness brought on by the combination of extended periods of meditation with the lack of interactions or distractions. The silence was beautiful, comforting and so incredibly peaceful. I resisted leaving this place of deep internal peace and ‘rejoining the world,’ reluctant to re-enter the environments of noise and chaos that typically surround us. But, alas, such is life. After ten days of silence, I have only this to offer: In the very early morning, from the chill in the air, the energy of the new day slowly emerges. As unique as a fingerprint, as impermanent as a breeze, it arrives, only to leave again. If you are not aware, you will miss it. You will be there, but not there, in it, but not of it. So be aware, be very aware! Lest it pass you by and be just one more moment, one more day, one more year, one more lifetime, lost to you forever. Always arriving, always leaving, always impermanent. |
AuthorPaige Apgar is an Energy Medicine Practitioner, Channel, and Transformational Life Coach. Archives
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© 2013, Paige Apgar, CPC, EEM-AP
Soul's Light, LLC All Rights Reserved 347-724-2254 Tallahassee, Florida This website, www.soulslightenergyhealing.com, (www.tallahasseeholistichealth.com) does not purport to diagnosis, treat, operate on, or prescribe for any human disease, pain, injury, deformity, or other physical or mental condition. Paige Apgar is not a licensed mental health professional and does not practice, or purport to practice, medicine. |