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Writer's pictureShirley Riga

Self-care


What do I need is a common inner question.

The world is demanding even in times of the coronavirus.

My inner voice is reciting the should’s and have to’s.

I tend to adopt what I did yesterday instead of choosing something new today.

I am a creature of habit and habit is comfortable.

Yesterday I chose to step out of my scheduled day and did something different.

The energy in my body protested as I felt like I was walking through mud

But I persisted and felt the refreshing feeling of change.

A change in perspective alters my path

Changing my perception changes my viewpoint.

Stuck in the mundane makes for a stale existence

Adding in tiredness or feeling ill changes my whole canvas

Years ago when I chose to wear a watch on my wrist

I was challenged to switch wrists every day

I grumbled and resisted the idea of change in general

Daily practice of switching wrists did settle into a routine over time

Initially it made me feel upside down.

Change is healthy

Life is based on birth and erosion

I am at the helm of my existence

I can steer myself into a different lane

I can look for a different view

I learn new things about myself when changes occur

Even with illness I learn about myself

Even in celebration I learn about myself

Even in loss I learn about myself

I am safe changing my routine

I always learn something about myself when I change what’s expected

Participants’ Reflections

  • My meditation has gotten deeper over the past 10 days. It’s still work to sink deeper into my body, but I’m making progress.

  • Thank you for this opportunity every day and thanks to everyone that's here.

  • I have moments of monkey mind and moments of peace. It's great to be a part of this community.

  • So important to remember we always have choices, especially to do with our own comfort levels.

  • My monkey mind is going a million miles an hour. This meditation forced me to calm down.

  • Monkey mind was strong. I kept going back to attention. I accepted the back and forth. Some days I’m in nirvana, other days it’s choppy waters. Here in this daily meditation space, I experience a continuous flow of meditations with the group. Being with the group keeps me in it. I am grateful. There is a lot of power here.

  • Our group energy buoys everyone. It’s good you didn't abandon self.

  • When I'm peaceful, my meditation is peaceful. Yesterday was hard. Things touched my vulnerability. My mind gets busy. It comes and goes.

  • I focused on ‘self-care’. I saw an image of it. Your journaling was about change. I have resistance to that. I wanted to stay with the image of self-care. I didn’t settle down for some time.

  • Flowing with change is the gateway to self-care and ease.

  • Change. I am experiencing a paradox. I’m living and working in Massachusetts and the state is opening up. I am feeling calmer and safer, but at the same time, I am feeling more stress and anxiety about going out in world. My monkey mind is alive and well. During the meditation, I had some deep moments. I felt grounded.

  • Even as the state opens up, we don’t have to give up awareness of our self-care and safety. We introverts are feeling discomfort about the state opening up.

  • My monkey mind has been well. I am having appliances problems and deliveries. I start worrying, will they fit? It’s my active monkey mind. I was able to bring myself back to breath for a few seconds.

  • You are getting closer. Feeling you are off the path means you are on it.

  • My monkey mind was everywhere. Last night, in my dream, I was crying really hard, and then I felt better. It was like I went through something.

  • Everyone’s monkey minds run amok. It’s why guided meditations, music, and mantras are there to bring us back. We practice bringing ourselves back.

  • I am using a rock from my garden, passing it back and forth between my hands, to help me stay centered. I had a peaceful meditation.

  • Great. It’s like rocking in a rocking chair.

  • I sat in a different space today. And realized there was no setup necessary. It was easier and my thoughts flowed. When I opened my eyes at the end of the meditation, I saw green leaves. I felt better.

  • There are lots of tools and resources out there to use to learn self-care and staying centered and grounded.

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