Elephant

It has been 26 days since my last post and my blog is metamorphosing into a dearly loved friend who I think about, very briefly, every day and then miss out on phoning or contacting. The illuminating thoughts that flicker into my consciousness, that would flow very nicely into a blog, slip away as easily. There is a marvellous meditation exercise : Tonglen - touch and let go - which encourages you the meditator to notice the thought(s) that slip in and out of your mind and to almost greet them and acknowledge them in a light and gentle way, an allowing sort of way, to quote Pooh bear and then allow the thought to slip away or dance away or fade away. And this seemingly is what is happening with me and my shadow, I mean my blog.

Breathe - don't forget to breathe

A quintessential buddhist meditation practise, vippassana - awareness of the breath, your breath and a phrase we heard so many times on our psychotherapy training course and one which I use with my own clients. It always brings a smile and a shrug, as if we could forget! Our bodies very obligingly do it for us so we can get on with the business of being anxious or angry or confused or happy! When we are experiencing distress fear or shock our breath comes  in short, shallow bursts and I know, through my personal experience of panic attacks, that focussing on my breath helped to calm me and bring me back to reality. So it was truly extraordinary breathing that we all enjoyed on Saturday at the beautiful Westernburt Arboretum. To be amongst so many TREES (and they all so deserve capitol letters) was heady and calming and balmy and joyous.