What’s happening…
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Recently, I wrote in my newsletter that one of the cruel lessons I’ve learned on planet earth is that the world doesn’t care about your poetry. If you want to prove me wrong :) - you can follow me on Substack.
Photo by Danie Franco on Unsplash
I am so grateful to be back offering sessions to Johns Hopkins University: this time on Gratitude: What, Why and How. Details here
Not only have I been up to writing poems, but I have been having tons of fun turning them into videos…
Women’s group in Vienna starts on 22 Sept 2022!
Contact me for more information.
I’m excited to be leading a virtual workshop on Mindful Communications with a public school in Brooklyn this spring!
Trust, a poem….
one day I wrote this little poem; another day I decided to turn it into a video
When the world feels broken, let’s bring the wholeness….
Hey you… yeah you… you’re the best.
Really, you are!
To prove it yourself, practice with this free 15 minute meditation on self-appreciation.
What’s coming up:
Two virtual Zoom sessions
June 27: Forgiveness
June 20: Connecting with Creativity
Thanks to the @viennafamilynetwork for featuring this blog post, co-written by myself and @mindfullifeskills on how to stay mindful with the kids... after ONE LONG, HARD year!
"Practice forgiving yourself when you fall short. Not only is this good for you and your mental health, it’s also good role modelling for your kids."
Know someone who “hates” mindfulness? That’s actually what brings a lot of people to my website. They end up reading an essay my sister wrote, but I wanted to throw in some of my own thoughts on it. So if you know anyone who hates mindfulness, this post is for them…
Every parent is a leader, and we actually have a whole lot more power than we give ourselves credit for, at least as far our kids are concerned. It’s become relatively accepted (at least among experts) that spanking is bad for kids. So what’s left? Many people turn toward yelling. But is that really so much better? Research would indicate generally not. Fortunately humor, empathy and a whole lot of deep breathing can go a long way. Check out my blog post here.
Meanwhile, I wrote another piece called A Regular Day in Vienna, which is the whole Mindfulness journey, from ME to WE, lived in one Viennese morning.
Did you ever feel like the right things just happen at the right time, and what you need shows up exactly when you need it... I have been racking my brain for how to take my career as a #mindfulness facilitator and trainer to the next level, and just received a scholarship to be part of a three month leadership #accelerator with Europe's female founders. I have a lot of exciting ideas and am looking forward to bringing them into the world, but also to being part of a community that I can support and help grow.
This is Vira, a mindful self-compassion instructor. When I first started the Mindful Goods, I imagined sharing beautiful writing about living mindfully. These days, training and facilitating have captured all my time, but every once in a while I come across a practitioner who also happens to be a gorgeous writer and the itch to share something beautiful comes back.
Click here to read Vira’s essay on #livingmindfully.
Admittedly, I am not the best sleeper, and the last half-decade with small twins hasn't helped. That's part of the reason Dr, Yishan Xu wanted to interview me for her podcast Deep Into Sleep, and hear some mindful ways I manage my insomniac phases. You can find the whole episode here, but here's the lowdown:
1) Don't catastrophize. If you're not sleeping, make sure the voice in your head acts like a friend, NOT imagining the worst case scenario.
2) A gratitude practice at bedtime associates bed with something positive.
3) Meditation is a form of rest and it's good for your body. If you're not sleeping, try it. It may even put you to sleep. Practices that often work for people: body scan and progressive relaxation.
Oh and number 4) if you have toddlers, tie a water bottle to their crib!
Anyone looking for a language partner?
My colleague Jean-christophe Trentinella and I just completed a wonderful Search Inside Yourself session with NaTakallam. (Many thanks to Melody Owen Woolford for this connection!)
NaTakallam has an amazing concept : virtually connecting language learners to refugees, who teach them the ins and outs of Arabic, French, Spanish, Persian and others. What a privilege to train their staff in mindfulness and EQ competencies.
If you know anyone interested in a unique way to learn a language, while providing important livelihood support, pass it on!
As some have requested, I have begun to put some meditations on youtube. At the moment, I am just playing around, but would love your feedback! These meditations are under 10 minutes. Longer ones are available for purchase here.
(Many thanks to Marc S. Wold for the use of his beautiful photo! )
Every week, we gather. We connect, reflect and breathe.
We find meaning in challenging times
We offer each other support and insight
We tune into our inner wisdom
Ideas are exchanged, energy shifts. It’s the best kind of gathering.
Excited to join my fellow Johns Hopkins alumni for another three part mindfulness series in February! This time around we will be looking at: tuning into the body, developing a mind of gratitude and cultivating resilience. All alumni and guest are welcome.
The sessions will be on Feb 4th, 11th and 18th and 8am EST (2pm CET).
There are so many adventures and misadventures in mindful parenting (or attempting to), I thought I would write some of them down, vignette style. As I try to pull my thoughts together for something that will hopefully someday soon be called a book, here’s a peek at what it will look like.
Wrapped up a wonderful 8 week journey with a group of amazing women. Here are some of their comments:
“The content was terrific. There were many useful nuggets of information that are worth retaining.”
“The fact that I looked forward to these Saturday mornings is already a sign that the classes were valuable for me. They made me feel less vulnerable and more empowered during this stressful time.”
Read more here.
I am excited to announce my collaboration with the US and India based company, Roundglass on their Meditation Collective. My Roundglass courses will specifically be directed toward Parents of small children and Parents-To-Be. Because parents have such an integral role in shaping the next generation, I am really excited to be working with these two groups. Please spread the word among parents and parents-to-be!
