Everyone needs to engage in a form of daily meditation in order to maintain mental wellbeing. We spend our days on a hamster wheel, trying to conquer mountains. We encounter personal stress and pain, as well as work related stresses. Stress is so unhealthy especially since it causes us to respond and react in an unproductive, and sometimes even volatile manner. We need to ensure that we give ourselves time to “stop and smell the flowers”. Quiet time of reflection allows us to ponder our thoughts in a rational manner.
As an educator, I have needed to overtly teach my students how to ‘bring their engines down’. I have a chair in my office called “the dog chair”. It’s a place of absolutely no judgement. When the kids come in “for a big talking to”, the immediately plant themselves there and I continue to go about my business until they’re in their “calm place”. They all know that they are safe there, but bringing their anxiety down is often extremely challenging. They need scaffolding to breathe and come to their place of calm. Coaching countless “high running engines” to slow down resulted in the birth of S.P.A .
Stop (take a big breathe and blow out slowly as if you are blowing up a balloon)
Pause/ (take a moment to think about the situation and different reactions… take Ponder 5-10 deep tummy breaths while thinking carefully)
Act present your response (in a rational manner)
A few weeks ago I was chatting to one of our parents. She was talking about changes she has made in her lifestyle and in turn, parenting, which have resulted in home becoming a place of peace and serenity. She has developed startegies to alliviate her levels of stress when dealing with parenting — an arduous task, at times! I was asked if I meditate, and initially I responded no, because I don’t engage in a conscious daily time of reflection doing yoga or formal meditation. I do, however, try to practice mindfullness throughout my day — if time allows!
When I get home from school, I immediately complete my daily rituals of laundry, putting away dishes, cleaning counters etc. (Yes, my children DON’T always do their chores either, and I’m somewhat obsessive). Once done, I grab a glass of vino and I head directly outside to my garden. As I’m mindlessly deadheading, weeding, nurturing, watering and planting, I find my calm…suddenly I practice daily mindfulness! I’m a knitter in the winter, and a knitting-gardener in the summer. My garden is my sanctuary. It is my very special place which I thoughtfully and personally created.
The Bangles are playing “Manic Monday” right now, even though it’s actually Tuesday, and I’m feeling Zen. Here I am doing what I love, and loving myself just the way I am.
Get It Done with Joy 