March 2017 Dreamers & Schemers

Lots of learning around how we hold #fear in our bodies, hearts, and minds today. So much #gratitude for what was shared and for the gamely way everyone jumped into the exercises. On a mission to prove that #mindfulness and shadow work can be a lot of fun! #restorativejustice #selfcare #selfcareforsocialjustice #meditation #dreamersschemers

THREE AGREEMENTS

Dreamers & Schemers kicked off our March session, as always, with an overview of the Three Agreements that uphold our sacred space. This month, since we were about to delve into the topic of fear, I really wanted to emphasize the importance of honoring the self by being gentle and self-compassionate in our self inquiry. In terms of honoring other, I wanted to introduce the idea that sometimes the best way of honoring someone else is by trusting that person’s strength rather than rushing in to comfort at the slightest show of tears. Sometimes the rush to comfort victimizes the other or distracts us from what’s going on inside ourselves in reaction to external distress. Being a compassionate witness is being able to remain centered and expansive in the face of another person’s discomfort, trusting that if the other truly needs help, she will ask for it. As for beginner’s mind, it would come in especially hand during our guided visualizations. To get the most out of them, we have to be able to step out of all our judgments and expectations, effectively emptying ourselves out so we can receive what we can through our intuition rather than being bombarded with messages from our critical voice.

 

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

The questions I put into the circle today were: What fear have you overcome? and What fear are you currently grappling with? (more…)

Shielding

WHAT IS SHIELDING? Earlier this year we went over grounding and centering as basic meditation and energy management practices. This month we added shielding to our tool belt. What is shielding? It’s something I believe we all learn to do instinctively when we are young. There are many ways to Read more…

February 2017 gathering

Our space tonight is extra pretty with #orchids! #dreamersschemers

Our space tonight is extra pretty with #orchids! #dreamersschemers

This year I’ve decided to structure our gatherings along with the seasons and the chakra system, so February was the time for us to “make like plants” by turning inward to feed our roots (and root chakra) in preparation for spring. (more…)

Winter assessment

This is a process that will help you lean into each area of your life and decide for yourself whether (or in what respects) it is nourishing or draining you. As with any tool, please take what serves you and modify or adapt as you wish.

The goal is to be able to take the information and knowing you get from charting out and feeling into each area of your life so you can bring your life further into balance and alignment with your values.

Remember to approach this with beginner’s mind. Your monkey mind / ego will want to take over this work, and you can give your left brain a wide berth for the first few steps of this process, but once you start the work of “leaning in,” you will want your intuition to lead.

(more…)

Grounding yoga

theoret

I admire yogi Michele Theoret for many of the same reasons I admire Noah Karrasch: both are on a mission to increase awareness around the mind body connection, so we can move through life with grace, vitality, and equanimity. I brought Theoret’s book, Empowered Body, to our last Dreamers & Schemers gathering on roots and grounding because she writes very clearly about what it means and why it is so important to be physically, mentally, and emotionally grounded: (more…)