Hello friend,
I hope today you can take a meaningful deep breath to recenter. There are many ways we get swept away from taking the effort to care for and love ourselves as we are.
Maybe today, now, in this very moment you can recognize something pretty amazing.
You are loving yourself the best way you know how to.
And even better, every moment is an opening to meet yourself where you are with a little more compassion than before. “A meditator is both an artist and a warrior.”, said Thich Nhat Hanh. Nothing seems more true these days.
As you put out the welcome mat to how you are feeling and what you're experiencing right now in your life, I invite you to embrace the idea of meeting yourself with compassion. This is the artist in you. To meet your difficulties and the way you offer yourself love and kindness is unique to you. Only you know of the perfect gentle phrase to whisper to yourself when you’re feeling anxious. There’s a lovely memory only you can recall when faced with difficulties. How to water the seeds of joy, happiness, and gratitude within are only known by you. It’s an art to meet yourself where you are, “to make use of the mud of our suffering to grow lotuses of love and understanding.”
When you open your arms to yourself, I think of the bravery and courage it takes to face what keeps you from being happy and free. That’s no small task. You are a warrior. If you ever wanted to help the world rest assured you are doing it every time you find peace in your pain.
This week I wanted to share an inward reflection and meditation practice to help you meet yourself where you are; to live open.
Love you dearly,
Lauren Lee
Meditation Practice: Join a 10-minute meditation practice. This practice introduces a technique called “noting”. I’ll gently guide you through this with both an explanation and space to practice. The insights to this practice are to help you gently name thoughts and/or feelings as they arise and pass. This is to help you meet yourself where you are, untangle, and offer moments of freedom.
Meditation Tip: When using the noting meditation technique, try to not get overly attached or rigid to the practice. When you are able to sit in moments between thoughts simply allow yourself to be fully there. If another thought arises, name it, gently release it, return to your breath, and reside in the present moment. Repeat as needed. An example is, you begin to focus on your breath, a thought about your schedule arises into your awareness, you notice it, and name it “planning”, and gently release the thought to rest again on the awareness of your breath. Remember to be kind to your mind. Try this practice with me here- I’ve got you.
Deepen your artistic and warrior spirit with the following exercise.
Happiness List: On a piece of paper or journal list all the conditions of happiness you have. (i.e. Sunshine, dog cuddles, my breath, the warmth of a cup of tea, a fabulous book, a dear friend, a kind remark, and so on…) Feel free to invoke your artist within and decorate it, use beautiful colors, cut-out magazine words, frame it, or follow any inspiration that comes from the process. Happy creating!
Letting Go List: On a piece of paper or journal list, everything that you need to let go of. Anything that stands in the way of your happiness and freedom. Just naming it will help you to untangle from it, just like naming our thoughts in the meditation practice helps you to release them. Easy does it. Invoke your warrior-like spirit, enlist a close friend, or supportive partner to walk with through challenging moments of letting go.
Inspiration: The human spirit. In a gentle way, you can shake the world. This prayer helps guide me.
Insight: A dear friend shared a quote by Mary Oliver about joy and I wanted to share it with you too. Listen to the quote here. Bonus: You’ll also learn how to cut a mango like a little hedgehog. ;)
Interest: Offering myself relief when I’m overwhelmed. Check out my practice here.
This week’s meditation practice is available here. Love to hear from you. Please share your thoughts and connect with me at @laurenlee.love and @calmpoint_.
You can now read Calm Point on the Substack app. Be sure to check it out below.
Living Open