Friday, November 19, 2010

Weekly Reflection (week 43): This Moment




In the spirit of THIS Moment, the ecourse I am taking with Mindy Tsonas of Wishstudio, I revisited the practice of taking a photograph every hour for one day. I am thinking of it as my mid-month mindfulness practice as it really helps me to slow down and recognize the details that one day I know I will miss and right now probably take for granted. Like bath time with Cowgirl or my morning commute.

So with little fanfare ... a few details from a typical day:



7 am: feeding Moose on a chair in an attempt to keep him from gulping his food; yes, we are still tired and blurry




8 am: morning commute




11 am: at work (banks of slide cabinets)




2 pm: grocery shopping



4 pm: snack time



7 pm: bath time



Mindy's ecourse has reminded me of the need to return again and again to how I am feeling in each moment. The impulse of the season - and my natural tendency - is to be continually rushing forward. Often while seemingly engaged in a task, I am really thinking ahead to what I want/need to do next. So the next five weeks is an invitation to repeatedly return to the moment I am in, pause, take a deep breath, and notice.

While working on this blog post, I recognized a tightening in my navel center and a kind of breathlessness as I frantically tried to pull the words out of me and onto the keyboard. Realizing a griping within my body, I got up and walked away. My mind needed space to open up. My spirit needed to relax and be. I decided to put the kettle on and take a moment to have hot cocoa with my girl.

Our main task in Mindy's course is to work with daily practice pages. Each day we are to take a moment to turn to our pages as an act of grounding within our lives. The page is small and we can do whatever it is we feel called to do in that moment. The point is not about the finished page, but about the conscious choice to pause at least once in my day and notice and be. The page itself is like a snapshot - one moment of my being captured and preserved.








I've already enjoyed coming home and knowing I will have a moment when I can spill myself onto the page. After my terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day (wow, that book takes on new meaning for me now!) my practice page ended up being a healing way of honoring my feelings while also letting go and moving on. I've started many a gratitude journal, but I think this practice suits me better. It is a more the flexible format, and the the practice is open to whatever I feel call to use: words, images, collage, doodles, whatever is appropriate in that moment is spilled onto the page.


Of course my mind is already jabbering away, thinking about future projects that emerge out of this: a journal with words, thoughts, wisdom for Cowgirl; a holiday journal; a Our Year scrapbook ...

Okay, I am pausing, breathing, and allowing the flow of thoughts to travel on by ...

Maybe later, but for now ... this day, a new page.







8 comments:

  1. Well, I never did sign up for that course. Between the cost and the giving over of time, right now it was something I knew I wouldn't dedicate myself to or get the most out of. But, all that said, I think the idea of cataloguing a day at regular intervals is an intriguing idea. I love you you feed your dog up-level! and that you call him Moose! Wonderful details of your life. Thanks for sharing them.

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  2. Wow! These pages are gorgeous and so expressive! Thanks so much for sharing them with us.

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  3. Reading this post made me slow down a bit and be more aware of what I'm experiencing!

    Those pages are beautiful.

    (Hope Moose is doing well!)

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  4. I love the pictures of your day. (The one of the dog and trying to keep him from gulping his food definitely hits home!) Anyway, I so need to try this - thanks for always inspiring me when I get a chance to stop by. Miss you!

    Hugs,
    Lily

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  5. Received the most beautiful card and art postcard in the mail today. Nathan and I got a good laugh from the comic strip that was included, too. It was quite nice to find something personal AND beautiful amongst the junk mail.

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  6. I always enjoy your photo's - they are so expressive. What an interesting experiment to take a snap each hour. Mine would probably involve being infront of this computer! running a business online is both a blessing and a frustration at times. I try to go for a walk each day (or as often as I can!) to connect with nature :) I've just finished an intense week of running a journal your dreams workshop and I did it alongside participants. so many things were revealed. It is a great way to be in the moment. Gosh, this is getting long! I am off to heed your words of honouring feelings and letting them move on by: I really need to do this right now with something that's happened! :)

    Amelia.x

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  7. Ohh, yes. There is so much wisdom here in this post. I am so grateful I popped by... in the midst of a very hectic November, this feels so grounding!

    (and the odd bird, how well I relate to that!)

    Big hugs....

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