‘Meditation is about the awareness of what is going on — not only in your body and in your feelings, but all around you.’
~Thich Nhat Hanh
We are on the last day of the course. Congratulations for making it this far with me and for your commitment to working on your own wellbeing. I hope you’ll remember to celebrate this achievement with a nice reward of some kind!
There’s something important I want to tell you.
While mindfulness is an excellent tool for reducing stress and building a stronger mind it’s also a practice which helps us cultivate greater compassion for both ourselves and the world around us.
As we become more calm and mentally resilient in our own lives, we develop our ability to be more responsive rather than reactive in our lives. We also deepen our understanding of the fact that everyone suffers in some way- it's part of the human condition. All of us -everyone, everywhere - want to be happy and we all struggle in this endeavour in some way.
Mindfulness meditation practice helps deepen our awareness of this- nourishing our self compassion and compassion for others and deepening our desire to contribute to others. We become better equipped to support the people around us. The stronger we are, the more strength we have to prop others up.
Over the many years I’ve been teaching mindfulness my intention was to help individuals achieve greater self awareness, focus and calm in their lives. My vision from the outset was that by helping individuals in this way - there would be a ripple effect as they would be more empowered to be of greater service to their families communities and the planet. I’m sure you already know that research shows volunteering makes you happier.
develop resilience
There has never been a more vital time for us to develop resilience.
Each year I run a program called Mindful in May that not only teaches people how to meditate in a thorough month-long course, it also functions as an opportunity for my participants to fundraise for a global cause. We’ve raised close to $1M for charity: water to build wells in developing countries, to give people in need the gift of clean, safe drinking water.
My vision is that, through helping people strengthen their minds, we can create a better world. We don’t open registrations until March 2021, but if you can’t wait that long, I offer a 6 week course called the Power of Presence that is similar to the course you’ve just done with me, only much more intensive and transformative – and a full 6 weeks in length. Details can be found here.
Don't miss listening to how mindfulness can transform you from one of the world's leading scientific researchers Dr Richie Davidson.
Dr Richie Davidson is a researcher at the University of Wisconsin and a pioneer in the exciting frontier of mind-body medicine. He was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by TIME magazine for his research. His best-known work focuses on neuroplasticity, the capacity of the brain to develop and change throughout life. Find more of his work at including his book The Emotional Life of Your Brain.
One of my all-time favourite meditations
It’s called the Lovingkindness meditation. Not only is it an excellent self-care technique to reduce stress, but when practised regularly, it will help you grow your empathy and capacity for forgiveness of both yourself and others, as well as strengthen your connection to others. It’s pure magic.
You can find Loving Kindness meditation below and as a download on the Meditation Dashboard here.
Day 5: Loving kindness meditation
Oh, and there’s one more thing
Remember day one of your Meditation Workbook? I asked you to do an exercise to measure your stress and mindfulness levels. After you finish the Lovingkindness meditation, please revisit the PDF and compare your day five results to day one.
I hope there has been a shift for you. If not, do not despair. Change takes time and ongoing dedication. Remember that the more meditation you do, the more results you will experience.
I wish you all the very best in your mindfulness journey and hope we’ll cross paths again soon!
Warmly,
Elise
P.S Now that you’ve completed the course, maybe you’ve thought of someone who might like it. Please help me spread the word so we can continue to raise funds for Wildlife Victoria while creating stronger minds for a better world.
STAY ON TRACK:
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