WEEK 13
Meditation Practice
This week, we’ll increase our time in daily meditation by a couple of minutes. See if you can take a moment to reflect on how much calmer your mind has become over the last few months. Remember how it felt on day one when you attempted to focus on your breath for one minute and how wild your mind was back then.
Monday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Tuesday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Wednesday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Thursday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Friday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Saturday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Sunday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness + 5 minutes Loving-Kindness
Monday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Tuesday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Wednesday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Thursday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Friday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Saturday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Sunday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness + 5 minutes Loving-Kindness
Mindful Living Practice — Practise Intentional Meandering
There is a lot of talk at the moment about advances in AI and concerns about machines becoming more like humans — but what about humans become more like machines? Productivity and efficiency seem to be the skills that dominate the workplace but we are not meant to live at the same speed as machines — we are more than flesh robots.
As humans, we have emotions and needs beyond those of machines — the need for beauty, for nature, for solitude, for connection and community, for play, for silence and stillness. But most of us find that whenever we are forced to slow down (because of illness or loss or simply getting stuck in a traffic jam), we find ourselves getting frustrated at not being able to live life at break-neck speed.
This week, focus on slowing down by practising intentional meandering. Go on a daily gentle, mindful walk with no agenda other than to go for a gentle, mindful walk. Feel your feet connect with the earth and the breeze on your skin and notice the sounds of birds and nature. Pause and look at the flowers growing through the cracks in the pavements, catch eyes and smile at a stranger, and allow yourself be fully present in this magical, messy world.
As humans, we have emotions and needs beyond those of machines — the need for beauty, for nature, for solitude, for connection and community, for play, for silence and stillness. But most of us find that whenever we are forced to slow down (because of illness or loss or simply getting stuck in a traffic jam), we find ourselves getting frustrated at not being able to live life at break-neck speed.
This week, focus on slowing down by practising intentional meandering. Go on a daily gentle, mindful walk with no agenda other than to go for a gentle, mindful walk. Feel your feet connect with the earth and the breeze on your skin and notice the sounds of birds and nature. Pause and look at the flowers growing through the cracks in the pavements, catch eyes and smile at a stranger, and allow yourself be fully present in this magical, messy world.
If you can, see if you can keep up the mindful living practices from the last few weeks too. If you need a reminder, I’ve popped them below.
Week 1 -- Don’t Scratch the Itch
Week 2 — Non-Harm
Week 3 — Non-Stealing
Week 4 — Speak Only Kindness
Week 5 — Take a Break From Intoxicants
Week 6 — Conscious Relationships
Week 7 — R.A.I.N
Week 8 — Send Happiness
Week 9 — Let Someone Else Be Right
Week 10 — Wash Up
Week 11 — Play
Week 12 -- Practise the Pause
Week 1 -- Don’t Scratch the Itch
Week 2 — Non-Harm
Week 3 — Non-Stealing
Week 4 — Speak Only Kindness
Week 5 — Take a Break From Intoxicants
Week 6 — Conscious Relationships
Week 7 — R.A.I.N
Week 8 — Send Happiness
Week 9 — Let Someone Else Be Right
Week 10 — Wash Up
Week 11 — Play
Week 12 -- Practise the Pause