Dare to Be Aware

"Whatever you are doing, ask yourself, 'What's the state of my mind?'" - Dalai Lama

I am finding the topics I share with you each month are practices I am personally working on. Here we are in the middle of September and I have noticed over the past two weeks of hiring and training instructors, getting school schedules set, working on a DVD, hiring an administrative assistant and doing it all with an intention of ease and grace, I have to slow down and practice awareness or mindfulness. With so many things going on I find I can get overwhelmed and consumed with all I need to get done and I forget to do those things which ground me, such as taking time to nurture myself or make calls to my family or friends. I find I feel most successful when I am able to take one day at a time or one moment or task at a time.

A friend of mine is reading Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh and we were discussing mindfulness and enjoying the moment. We were talking about how easy it is to get caught up in our own life with our wants, needs, dislikes, and desires and forget to be mindful of the moment or the appreciate the people around us. Life can be much sweeter by slowing down and practicing awareness of how we are acting, what we are saying, what and how we are eating, how we are feeling, and even what we are thinking.

Here are some examples of ways you could practice Awareness or Mindfulness:
- Take a few moments to focus on your breath, pay attention to how it feels as it moves in and out of your body
- Meditate (even if it is for five minutes)
- When in nature, stop and pay attention to everything around you (colors, smells, and the wind)
- Practice awareness while you are doing household chores. For example, if you are washing the dishes, focus on washing the dishes, try not to think about other things.
- When you feel angry or upset, recognize how your are feeling and take a few deep breaths before reacting, or overreacting
- Watch a sunset
- When someone is talking or sharing something with you notice if you are really listening or waiting to say what you want to say next, see if you can listen without an agenda of what to say next
- At the beginning or end of the day take a moment to state 5 things you are grateful for
- Go for a walk (wisdom from my grandmother-in-law)

Take the time to slow down, appreciate life and what is happening around you. Doing so allows you to re-group, de-stress and find peace in the moment.

"The moment we give close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself" - Henry Miller