As this time of quarantine continues, I notice that it is sometimes difficult to focus and begin my day. I also experience excess energy at the end of the day that makes it challenging to sleep well. As part of my morning routine, I use a tapping practice to energize Read more…
Self-Care Houston, Episode 15: Micki Fine joins Jennifer in a conversation about the importance of developing mindful daily living: “Waking up to life and what it means to be fully human.” Micki is the founder and director of Mindful Living and pioneer of mindfulness in Houston, Texas. She is the author Read more…
A friend of mine recently recommended visiting labyrinths throughout Houston as part of my “healing space” journey. Houston has a number unique labyrinths, located all over the city and surrounding area. I visited the Labyrinth at St. Thomas University, a replica of the labyrinth in Chartres, France. I was deeply moved by Read more…
The light stream is a relaxation meditation used to calm distressing sensations in the body. It is also a body scan that allows you to be compassionate and mindful of what you are experiencing and feeling in this present moment. This is an adaptation of Francine Shapiro’s original Light Stream.
A loving kindness prayer uses words and images to evoke feelings of loving kindness toward oneself and others. According to the article, “18 Science-Based Reasons to Try Loving Kindness Meditation Today,” a consistent practice of a Loving Kindness meditation can decrease symptoms of PTSD, improve wellbeing, and bolster the immune system. The Read more…
Last week, I had a dream that I was caught in a blizzard. A blanket of swirling white surrounded me. My mind raced to discover some sense of direction. I was disoriented and frightened. Paralyzed. Where was I? Where was the path home? And, then it was as if everything Read more…
Mark Williams, a professor at Oxford University, offers a collection of free audio meditations. All of the meditations are taken from the book he wrote in collaboration with Danny Penman: Mindfulness: Finding Peace in a Frantic World. I have used a number of these meditations with my own clients over Read more…
Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire. If you did, what would there be to look forward to? Be thankful when you don’t know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn. Be thankful for the difficult times. During those times you grow. Be thankful for Read more…
Zindel Segal’s TED talk is an excellent resource for understanding depression and the beneficial impact of a mindfulness practice. The following is an excerpt of Segal’s talk: “When people are depressed and they are feeling sad. This is a symptom. But, when they are no longer feeling depressed, sadness can function Read more…
The light stream is a relaxation meditation used to calm distressing sensations in the body. It is also a body scan that allows you to be compassionate and mindful of what you are experiencing and feeling in this present moment. This is an adaptation of Francine Shapiro’s original Light Stream. Read more…
A breathing space meditation is a brief meditation used several times each day to gently create a new habit of mindfulness. The four minute breathing space is simple and easy to use two to three times a day. Breathing Space Practice: Two or Three times each day Each day, notice and jot Read more…
A loving kindness prayer uses words and images to evoke feelings of loving kindness toward oneself and others. The following Loving-Kindness meditation is in the form of a prayer that focuses on God’s loving kindness toward us and how we then become a vessel of His love toward others.
Wired for Danger We have a natural tendency to focus on what goes wrong. Over thousands of years we have developed a built-in survival mechanism wired to detect danger. Our minds know that learning from negative experiences is a matter life or death. Our brains are like velcro for anything negative that Read more…
