Freedom
Welcome to my monthly newsletter, ATTUNEMENT!
Each month we “tune into” a theme related to mindfulness and
explore a creative practice and tune based on this theme!
This month of July we’re TUNING INTO the frequency of:
FREEDOM.
Mindfulness gives you time. Time gives you choice. Choices, skillfully made, lead to freedom.
― Bhante Henepola Gunaratana.
Image by Gautam Krishnan
July always gets me thinking a lot about freedom in its many dimensions. This year I'm especially preoccupied with thoughts of it due to the encroaching presidential election and what the result could mean for various groups' freedoms.
I have to believe that whatever the result, peace, civility, decency, and love will triumph in the end. Because, as concentration camp survivor and psychologist/author Victor Frankl wrote,
"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way."
Mindfulness (the awareness that arises when we non-judgmentally, curiously pay attention to our present-moment experience) helps us achieve a sense of internal freedom by reducing the power of our automatic reactions, negative thoughts, and emotional distress. By being mindful, we can observe our thoughts and emotions without being overtaken by them, which then enables us to make conscious, skillful decisions that align with our values.
We can't afford to operate reactively in these critical times. We need all of our wits about us in order to respond compassionately and resolutely to what (or who) comes.
Reminding myself I that can practice "the last of human freedoms", no matter the conditions, is empowering and leaves me hopeful that others like me and you can rise to the challenge, act with integrity, choose kindness, work for justice, and keep the faith that better days are ahead.
Creative Mindfulness Practice: Acknowleding Our Freedoms
Grab a journal and make a list of all the freedoms you enjoy--the big and the small ones. You could also write a poem, draw a picture, or create a collage.
When we acknowledge the many freedoms we have, we tend to treasure them more. We're then also apt to reflect on those who don't have these freedoms, either in our own country or elsewhere in the world.
This awareness gifts us with the ability to then choose our actions in response to it. Perhaps that means making a donation, participating in a form of social justice activism, or simply spreading kindness in any infinite number of ways.
Image by Kristina V
Upcoming Events
"Mindful Moments" Mini Forest Retreat @ Moon Creek Zen Resort - Friday, July 19, 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Mindfulness yields a host of benefits for business leaders, impacting both their personal wellness and their professional effectiveness, including improved decision-making, increased emotional intelligence, enhanced focus and productivity, stress reduction, better work-life balance, enhanced creativity and innovation, improved relationships and team dynamics, and resilience and adaptability.
In this 3-hr retreat (open to business leaders and anyone interested in integrating mindfulness into their life) you’ll explore a variety of mindfulness-based practices through the modalities of creative self-expression, sound and silence, nature, and connection. Enjoy this unique opportunity to “go on retreat” close to work and home, and to immerse yourself in the peace of a forested creekside sanctuary while you are guided in restorative practices that support your personal and professional well-being.
Details: Friday, July 19 from 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Moon Creek Zen Resort, nestled in Muirfield Village in Dublin, OhioInvestment: $149
Summer Creative Mindfulness Retreat @ Sackett Flower Farm - Sunday, July 21, 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Spend a magical summer afternoon at the beautiful Sackett Farm Flowers in Delaware, OH. Enjoy a SoulCollage® session, guided nature therapy experience, and restorative sound bath. There will also be time for journaling and meditation, and refreshments will be served! Come connect with kindred spirits and care for your soul in this creatively mindful retreat.
Details: Sunday, July 21 - 1:00-5:00 p.m.
Sackett Flower Farm, 2826 Curve Road, Delaware, OH 43015Investment: $99
Summer Wellness: Movement, Music, & Yoga Nidra @ GoYoga Worthington - Friday, July 26, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Immerse yourself in a gentle flow of yoga postures with instructor Susan Gladden, complemented by live vocal/guitar music (by me!). Then enjoy a restorative sound bath (by me!) while you are guided through a yoga nidra session with Susan.
Details: Friday, July 26 from 6:30-8:30 p.m.
GoYoga, 105 W Wilson Bridge Rd Suite 195, Worthington, OH 43085Investment $40 GoYoga members / $50 non-members
Guided Forest Bathing @ Smith Nature Park in UA - Saturday, June 29, 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Shinrin-yoku (translated as “bathing in the air of the forest”) is a Japanese practice which guides you to mindfully immerse yourself in nature. Benefits can include improved physical and mental health. The practice focuses on cultivating a sense of reciprocity between you and the forest. I'll facilitate a sequence of invitations that allows you to enjoy both structure and spontaneity in your experience. The practice ends with a sharing circle and tea ceremony.
Details: Saturday, June 29, 9:00-10:30am
Smith Nature Park, UA /Investment: $20 (UA resident) / $24 (non-UA resident)
Image by Diana Olfert
This Month’s Tune:
Each month I share a tune that resonates with the newsletter theme.
For this month’s theme of FREEDOM I've chosen "Freedom" by Grammy Award winning artist Jon Batiste.
Have a lovely month of July!
