Ro H.

Recently came across The Mind, Explained - it's a documentary series currently available on Netflix (of 5, 20 minute episodes) that examines what happens inside human brains when we dream, have anxiety, practice mindfulness, and so on. One of the episodes focuses on mindfulness and shares the story of Yongey Rinpoche ... here's a quick description from IMDB I thought some may be interested, so I'm sharing here in case you happen to have Netflix!

Hmm, what do you look for (or prefer) when selecting the music for mindful dancing?

I believe that course/program would be beneficial to so many, and you may discover new things about yourself as you create it. Thank you for sharing your confession, and I'm hoping 2020 will bring forth the increased healing, mobility, and strength.

I don't have a website, just a student myself but I'm loving that this thread was started - following! It would be great to visit the sites of other members & support within the community here. Great reminder about the Offerings group, too!

I'm INFP-T I've just explored an enneagram test to learn my primary #, and I'm delightfully intrigued by how spot-on it seems to be so far. Thank you for the book recco, I'm adding it to my kindle list!

I hear you Paige. I've had years where my only "resolution" was to take life day by day. I actually enjoy resolutions now, however, I like to make them on my birthday (so my personal new year, if you will!). I also only set 1 or 2. One always being something for earth (like reducing waste in my household), and the other being for myself /my spirit. I feel refreshed and I enjoy having a solid - but totally obtainable - goal to help keep me moving forward.

I am fully focused and present in my interactions.

What a fantastic question to think on! I think I'd spend it traveling the world with my mother, because she's never left the west coast although she has wanted to. It would give us the opportunity to have those shared experiences, and allow us plenty of time to bond and reflect throughout.

hehe I'll let you know, for sure! I just picked up lemon balm and I'm excited to try it next week.

Oh I'll have to look into that, thank you for sharing! Back when I practiced Buddhism locally I remember how amazing the vibrations felt during chants with the group.

I can get both of those brands you've mentioned here, thank you! I'm also tempted by the flowering teas, that I can observe while brewing, but I'm unsure about the actual flavor. Have you tried those?

Most evenings I end my evening with tea, and occasionally I practice simply: going through each step of making my tea (all the way to drinking) in mindfulness. But in this thread I have a question for tea drinkers out there - are there any teas you'd like to recommend? I enjoy hibiscus and jasmine teas, but I'm new to the world of tea, and would appreciate any suggestions for caffeine-free blends.

A barrier for me was the unrealistic expectation I set to do too much in my mornings. but over time (and recently) I've found that evening practice just fits best with my flow, and I've come in to a regular practice to end my day/evenings. It just feels natural there.

From Brown University: Mindfulness training may help lower blood pressure As someone who has a family history of hypertension (I caught on early & have been able to control my BP with diet & exercise), I found the study enlightening, and it's just plain ol' good to know that practicing can help benefit my health in various ways, considering I I came to practice for other reasons. From the study:

That was an excellent resource, Gillian, thanks!

My aunt shared this article with me today, perfect for this thread. Neuroscience Reveals: Gratitude Literally Rewires Your Brain to be Happier Some of the studies you'll find at the link.... A study that looks at the physical outcomes of practicing gratitude. Research into the physical effects of gratitude report even more tangible results. Focusing on the positive and feeling grateful can improve your sleep quality and reduce feelings of anxiety and depression. levels of gratitude correlate to better moods and less fatigue and inflammation, reducing the risk of heart failure, even for those who are susceptible. The positive influence of gratitude on mental health continues past a particular event if the emotion is relived: “…a simple gratitude writing intervention was associated with significantly greater and lasting neural sensitivity to gratitude–subjects who participated in gratitude letter writing showed both behavioral increases in gratitude and significantly greater neural modulation by gratitude in the medial prefrontal cortex three months later.”

I've definitely been guilty of falling asleep with the phone next to my pillow I appreciate this reminder to recharge yourself, not the phone. I recently shared something similar when I realized that I was allowing my phone (& all the notifications that come with it) to set the tone of my morning. Thank you for this tip

Nice! I recall your post last week about your upcoming opportunity to teach, and I'm so thrilled to hear you had a rewarding experience. Stepping out of our comfort zones is a challenge of its own, not to mention doing so in front of an audience. I applaud you, and all of us!

This past week I tried both walking meditation and mindful walking for the first time. I've been struggling with stillness of my body this week, so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to try something new-to-me. I'm not exactly sure if walking meditation will be a regular practice for me, it's much more difficult for me (vs. mindful walking) but I've been practicing very short periods (around 5 minutes) inside my home.

Hi @Jess Marie! I'm actually on a very similar path re: anxiety! There's actually a category here in the forum focused on mindfulness techniques for anxiety where I think we'll both find some tips and support