Tag: meditation

Wednesday, December 16

Today is Wednesday, December 16, 2020.  Holly is one of the Flowers for the month of December.  Holly symbolizes many different things to different groups, among them: inner strength, peace and good will.

Delights in December. This month use the Daily Gift of Vitality, to allow a moment to pause and connect with what delights you. We will provide prompts and ideas along the way.

Inviting joy and being captivated by an activity can bring Delight.  Explore a new game you have never played. 

    • Board games like backgammon, checkers, chess, scrabble, Go
    • Card games like solo, cribbage, hearts, bridge, solitaire
    • Paper and pencil games like dots and boxes, hangman, tic tac toe, categories, sim

You can find instructions and free online or app versions of many of these games.

An inspirational quote by Isaac Asimov: “The true delight is in the finding out rather than in the knowing.”

Photo by: Airam Dato

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am human. My mind, my body, and my spirit are connected, and I am a part of a global community. I love myself and others because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people. As humans, we can create positive energy together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.    
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.   
    • Flex and release your calf muscles, seated or standing.
    • Lift your heels off the ground and feel your feet stretch and your calves tighten.
    • Slowly release and flex your feet by bringing your toes up towards your shins. Feel the stretch in the calves. Then release and shake out each foot.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

 

Friday, December 11

Today is Friday, December 11, 2020. Leading into the last 20 days of the year, it is a good time to reflect to close out this year stronger and wiser than when it started.

Delights in December. This month use the Daily Gift of Vitality, to allow a moment to pause and connect with what delights you. We will provide prompts and ideas along the way.

Allow quiet. Relax your eyes and close your eyes if it feels comfortable. Be present with yourself. Shift your thoughts to the word “Delight.” What images come to your mind? Think of times when you felt delight. What comes to mind? Are there people, places, things, or times of the year that are associated with delight for you? Jot down some notes that you can return to in the future when you want to reconnect with those thoughts of delight. Consider ways to add moments of delight for you or others this weekend.

An inspirational quote by George Henry Lewes, “Books have become our dearest companions, yielding exquisite delights and inspiring lofty aims.”

Photo by: Lester Salmins

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am human. My mind, my body, and my spirit are connected, and I am a part of a global community. I love myself and others because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people. We are all human. We can create positive energy together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
    • Relax your jaw. Gently bring your chin down to your chest, release your jaw muscles. Your mouth may open slightly.
    • Lift your head back up, leaving your jaw muscles loose and down towards your chest. Your mouth may open further.
    • Gently, lift your jaw up to close your lips and let your jaw stay relaxed. Smile and let your calm jaw muscles rest a bit more.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Wednesday, December 9

Today is Wednesday, December 9, 2020. Middle of the week reminder to allow some quiet space for thoughts.

December Delights. This month use the Daily Gift of Vitality, to allow a moment to pause and connect with what delights you. We will provide prompts and ideas along the way.

Create a space of delight.

    • Create a way to experience visual delight whenever you want. It might be a photo collage, scrapbook or posterity box filled with memories or things that delight you and cheer you up to see it.
    • Consider preparing options for aromatherapy using scented delights such as a scented candle, essential oils, potpourri or put favorite fragrances in hot water like a bath or boiling water.
    • Find ways to incorporate sensory delights for the skin. Silky undergarments or pajamas. Furry blankets or fuzzy slippers. Soft and fluffy scarves, earmuffs and socks are lovely too.
    • Surround yourself with delightful sounds. Create a playlist of your favorite uplifting pieces, record yourself or someone you love, singing or serenading you, capture the delight of a baby’s or small child’s peals of uncontrolled laughter.
    • Draw or write down thoughts and images that delight you and collect them in your journal over time.

An inspirational quote by Lisa Lieberman-Wang, “When life brings big winds of change that almost blow you over, close your eyes, hold on tight, and believe.”

Photo by: Yuiizaa September

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am human. My mind, my body, and my spirit are connected, and I am a part of a global community. I love myself and others because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people. We are all human. We can create positive energy together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
    • Relax your jaw. Gently bring your chin down to your chest, release your jaw muscles. Your mouth may open slightly.
    • Lift your head back up, leaving your jaw muscles loose and down towards your chest. Your mouth may open further.
    • Gently, lift your jaw up to close your lips and let your jaw stay relaxed. Smile and let your calm jaw muscles rest a bit more.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Monday, December 7

Today is Monday, December 7, 2020. It is International Civil Aviation Day, a day to thank all those who make it possible for us to fly.

Delights in December. Use the Daily Gift of Vitality, to allow a moment to pause and connect with what delights you. We will provide prompts and ideas along the way.

After allowing moments of quiet, close out the moment with a smile & put your arms outstretched, overhead. Think about and recognize a gift of kindness from someone. It can be a stranger or someone you know.

    • Holding the door open.
    • Letting you go ahead in line.
    • Sending you a note of gratitude.
    • Picking up something you dropped.
    • Cooking or sharing a hot beverage with you.
    • Forwarding a funny meme or cartoon.
    • Texting or calling you to check in and see how you are doing.

Focusing on how others share kindness can generate more random acts of kindness towards someone else.

An inspirational quote by Maya Angelou, “When you learn, teach. When you get, give.”

Photo by: Vitaly Sacred

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am human. My mind, my body, and my spirit are connected, and I am a part of a global community. I love myself and others because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people. We are all human. We can create positive energy together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
    • Relax your jaw. Gently bring your chin down to your chest, release your jaw muscles. Your mouth may open slightly.
    • Lift your head back up, leaving your jaw muscles loose and down towards your chest. Your mouth may open further.
    • Gently, lift your jaw up to close your lips and let your jaw stay relaxed. Smile and let your calm jaw muscles rest a bit more.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Friday, December 4

Today is Friday, December 4, 2020. On an island off the coast of Australia, there are Maremma sheep dogs protecting a colony of the smallest penguins from extinction from foxes.

Delights in December. This month use the Daily Gift of Vitality, to allow a moment to pause and connect with what delights you. We will provide prompts and ideas along the way.

Engage in your hobby or create a new one:

    • Sketch, paint, color in your coloring book
    • Create music, listen to music or record your practice
    • Knit, crochet, needlepoint or sew
    • Sculpt, carve or engage in woodworking
    • Invent recipes, cook favorite foods, make beer
    • Add to your journal, write a blog post or work on a book
    • Fix an engine, build that model trainset, launch the model rocket
    • Go fishing, hiking or take time for bird watching
    • Learn about the night sky using an app to help you identify what you are seeing
    • Take photos, create a photo album or scrapbook
    • Explore a museum (even online), read a book, learn a new language
    • Play solitaire with real cards, work on a puzzle, etc.

An inspirational quote by Colin Wilson, “The mind has exactly the same power as the hands: not merely to grasp the world, but to change it.”

Photo by Hudson Hintze (NOT a Maremma sheep dog)

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am human. My mind, my body, and my spirit are connected, and I am a part of a global community. I love myself and others because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people. We are all human. We can create positive energy together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
    • Open hands and rotate palms out and shake out and shimmy your shoulders. Smile.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Wednesday, December 2

Today is Wednesday, December 2, 2020. The “Forest Man of India,” Jadav Payeng (1963-) has been planting trees for over 40 years since he was a teenager and he has created a forest of over 1,360 acres on once barren land. Tigers, elephants, rhinos, monkeys, deer, birds, and various other animals now call Molai forest “home.”

Delights in December. This month, use the Daily Gift of Vitality, to allow a moment to pause and connect with what delights you. We will provide prompts and ideas along the way.

Do something that makes you giggle. Here are some ideas to get started:

    • Spend time with a young child.
    • Play with a loving pet.
    • Talk to your funny friend, family or coworker.
    • Listen to a favorite comedian, funny podcast or audiobook.
    • Check out the “Humor” sections of websites that have fun visual posts like Pinterest.
    • Watch a movie or show that is listed in the “Comedy” genre.
    • Watch a baby or child giggling uncontrollably; there are many clips online.

An inspirational quote by Heidi Wills, “We can choose to be affected by the world or we can choose to affect the world.”

Photo by: Trevor Pye

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am human. My mind, my body, and my spirit are connected, and I am a part of a global community. I love myself and others because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people. We are all human. We can create positive energy together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
    • Open hands and rotate palms out and shake out and shimmy your shoulders. Smile.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Monday, November 30

Today is Monday, November 30, 2020. It is the beginning of the week and the end of the month. Getting back into the groove.

November is for nesting, nourishing, and nurturing. With changing seasons, nature reminds us to slow down and recharge in more quiet ways. As November is complete, with some holidays behind us, we find ways to continue to feel the connectedness with other loving beings and smile. Here’s a start. Add to the list and keep it handy.

  1. Talk to someone who is calming for you.
  2. Reach out to someone special.
  3. Play with a pet.
  4. Provide a charitable contribution.
  5. Send a warm note to someone you appreciate.
  6. Share reflections about what you have been thankful for.
  7. And of course, re-read the Daily Gift of Vitality.

An inspirational quote by John Joseph Powell, “It is an absolute human certainty that no one can know his own beauty or perceive a sense of his own worth until it has been reflected back to him in the mirror of another loving, caring human being.”

Photo by: Dan Deziel, “Awaiting Winter”

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am human. My mind, my body, and my spirit are connected, and I am a part of a global community. I love myself and others because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people. We are all human. We can create positive energy together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
    • Open hands and rotate palms out and shake out and shimmy your shoulders. Smile.

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Friday, November 27

Today is Friday, November 27, 2020. Appreciating how a child’s innocent, uncontrolled giggling and joy brightens the day.

November is for nesting, nourishing, and nurturing. While the winter approaches in the northern hemisphere, nature reminds us to slow down and recharge in more quiet ways. As we continue to explore nourishing activities for your mind and body, we resume with our series of prompts to create your personal list of activities that shift your energy and are relaxing or calming for you.

Today, we focus on a list of ways to provide sensory breaks, moments of rest, away from our high tech devices.

  1. Soak in a hot tub. Add aromatherapy with a pleasant scented candle or essential oils to the experience.
  2. Pamper yourself with a facial mask, painting your nails or soaking your feet in warm water.
  3. Enjoy a nice shave and soothing aftershave.
  4. Relax with a hand or scalp massage or by simple resting with warm towels on the face, hands or feet.
  5. Apply scented lotion or oil to your skin.

An inspirational quote by Toba Beta, “Memories establish the past; Senses perceive the present; Imaginations shape the future.”

Photo by: Zoltan Tasi

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am human. My mind, my body, and my spirit are connected, and I am a part of a global community. I love myself and others because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people. We are all human. We can create positive energy together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
    • Repeat to yourself, “I can have a moment to be calm. I can have a moment of peace.”

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Wednesday, November 25

Today is Wednesday, November 25, 2020.  Taking a midweek pause, sipping tea, being thankful. We are grateful for the many ways we can connect with each other. Share in the connection with a cup of tea. It turns out that tea is the most common drink in the world after water.

November is for nesting, nourishing, and nurturing. While the winter approaches in the northern hemisphere, nature reminds us to slow down and recharge in more quiet ways. As animals hibernate or move to warmer climates, we invite you to explore nourishing activities for your mind and body.

Today, we offer a recipe for a warm and cozy Lemon Ginger Turmeric “Tea.”

Ingredients

      • 5 cups of water
      • 2 inch (5 cm) piece of fresh Ginger-peeled and sliced
      • 1 inch (2.5 cm) piece of fresh Turmeric-peeled and sliced
      • Juice of ½ a Lemon
      • Optional 1 Cinnamon stick

Directions:

Place water in a saucepan, add the ginger and turmeric to the water. If using a Cinnamon stick, add this now.  Bring to a boil and the reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.  Add the Lemon Juice.  Enjoy~

Recipe notes:

This recipe does not use actual tea leaves and does not have caffeine. If you like a spicy tea add more Ginger and Turmeric.  Be aware that when working with fresh Turmeric it can color the skin or counter tops for several days and it will wash off.  When you add the lemon juice, the tea will turn the beautiful yellow color.  This tea is also delicious served cold over ice.

An inspirational Quote from Mother Teresa “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless”

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am human. My mind, my body, and my spirit are connected, and I am a part of a global community. I love myself and others because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people. We are all human. We can create positive energy together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
    • Repeat to yourself, “I can have a moment to be calm. I can have a moment of peace.”

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP 

Monday, November 23

Today is Monday, November 23, 2020. Along the morning walk, the quiet of the night still lingers. The ducks are taking it easy today.

November is for nesting, nourishing, and nurturing. While the winter approaches in the northern hemisphere, nature reminds us to slow down and recharge in more quiet ways.

We continue to explore nourishing activities for your mind and body with our series of prompts to create your personal list of activities that shift your energy and are relaxing or calming for you.

As we begin this week, we focus on a list of ways to refresh the mind. Organize the list in order of easiest to incorporate or shortest amount of time to longest amount of time required. That way, when you need a quick reset, the items you see first can be implemented with the most ease.

    1. Journal.
    2. Read an inspiring blog or book of poetry.
    3. Listen to an uplifting podcast or audiobook.
    4. Listen to soothing music or music without words like classical, jazz, new age, ensembles or drums.
    5. Sing your favorite songs with emotion.

An inspirational quote by Toni Morris, “If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.”

Photo by: Sharon McCutcheon

Recharge yourself when you repeat:    

“I am [*Name*]. I am human. My mind, my body, and my spirit are connected, and I am a part of a global community. I love myself and others because I have kindness and love in my heart and soul. As I think about those I love and care for, I send loving kindness and compassion to all people. We are all human. We can create positive energy together.”

The Mindfulness Activity to practice this week to create Calm Moments:  

    • Straighten your spine. Roll your shoulders back and down, smile to yourself, & relax your jaw.
    • Take slow deep belly breaths, allowing your stomach to rise with each breath in and relax with each breath out. You may find that each breath gets better and better. Allow your shoulders to relax on each exhale.
    • Repeat to yourself, “I can have a moment to be calm. I can have a moment of peace.”

With gratitude and appreciation for all beings,

Naomi Parrella, MD & Fran Lee, FNP