How many daily nudges do you receive to remind you to be mindful or present? I know, for me, I could count at least one for every minute.
It can be as simple as the jet that just flew over our neighbourhood, bringing me back to my favorite outside ‘office’ in our back yard. What a simple reminder to take a breath and listen, for a moment, to the gentle morning breeze rustling the leaves. Even as I write this blog.
As our human family traverses the current enormous evolutionary nudges, we need to remember one important thing in this growth:
Most of us are still toddlers when it comes to watching, understanding, and mastering the flow of constant chatter and thought in our busy minds.
This is an enormous challenge. You may have noticed this if you tried to sit still for a few minutes and calm your mind.
After a moment to say good morning to a magpie that just landed on the lawn beside me, I continue…
The mind has two halves and is constantly polarized. There is always yes and no, right and wrong, up and down, hot and cold, worried and calm, happy and sad. Becoming friends with this constantly moving companion is no easy feat.
And it is essential to realizing your full potential.
That said, our greatest and most rewarding experience is to connect and unify the mind with the heart.
When you do this, the mind comes into resonance with the heart. And you take your first steps into mastering this busy companion.
When your heart and mind are working together, calm mindfulness is more accessible. You open the brain and mind to its role as receiver and transmitter. This harmony brings inspiration and guidance from that beautiful inner you that is connected to everything. This state is called heart and mind/brain coherence.
Use some of those nudges you receive throughout your day to remind you that with a few breaths, or sounds, you can shift your entire state.
If you aren’t sure what these nudges look like, here are a few from my morning as I write this blog:
- Someone just walked by whistling a friendly tune.
- The jet plane that just flew over.
- The magpie that chirped, “Good morning” from the fence beside me.
- Bumping into the chair as I set up the umbrella.
- Stepping on a stone in bare feet that sent a moment of ‘ouch’.
- A sneeze.
- The sound of flapping wings.
- Putting my shirt on inside out.
When you notice one of these nudges, take a few moments to breathe deeply, feeling the breath as it moves in and out of your body.
At this point, I invite you to explore the following simple exercise to create coherence between your heart and your brain.
- Begin by focusing on your heart allowing your awareness to settle there. Place your hand or hands over your heart, if you wish, to help you bring your awareness there.
- Now imagine your nose is in your chest in from of your heart. Breathe at least 5 deep, slow breaths in and out of your heart.
- As you continue to breathe in and out of your heart, add a gentle hum on the outbreath. Do this for at least 10 to 15 breaths. More is better.
- As you continue to gently hum with your focus on your heart, allow the sound to nourish your heart.
This simple exercise of the breath and sound at your heart gently brings your heart and brain into coherence.
You may notice that your mind has become quieter as you focus on your breath and your heart. You may notice that you are feeling calmer and more relaxed. You may notice that your quiet mind is more focused and clear.
You may also notice the quiet, peaceful voice of your soul. I encourage you to continue breathing in and out of your heart as you welcome that inner voice. Write down what you hear, feel or sense.
As we learn how to manage our busy companion, the mind, we begin to grow from toddler, to child, to adolescent and to adult. And we step into the full light and brilliance of what it means to be human!
In Health and Harmony,
