photo credit: Susie Baer, (full moon at National Airport)
Monday, October 14, we will meet online.
Dear Friends,
This week we will meet Monday evening, Oct. 14, from 7-8:30PM EDT online, Wednesday morning, Oct. 16, from 7-8AM EDT in person at our meditation space (3812 Northampton Street NW), and Friday, Oct. 18, 12-1PM EDT online.
Our Monday night sangha will be facilitated by Susie.
Susie shares:
“Love is the capacity to take care, to protect, to nourish. If you are not capable of generating that kind of energy toward yourself—if you are not capable of taking care of yourself, of nourishing yourself, of protecting yourself—it is very difficult to take care of another person. In the Buddhist teaching, it’s clear that to love oneself is the foundation of the love of other people. Love is a practice. Love is truly a practice.” – Thich Nhat Hanh from the Plum Village website. Full interview is here.
I can be my own coach, my own healer, my own friend.
If I sit quietly, I can listen to my needs and emotions, calm my breath, and tap into the resources within. Writing helps my mind unwind, my body unfurl, my heart open.
There are times I seek help and expertise from coaches, doctors, and friends. But I realized I can be my own best coach, potentially my own best healer, and the one who speaks kindly to myself, as a good friend or caring person would.
I hired a business coach earlier this year. It was great. I received insights and suggestions for how to work smarter. I learned from the experience, but I found that I was working too hard on the assignments, and it was pulling me off track. I use the skills she gave me to be better at what I do. Now I am my own best coach – listening to the voice inside to get the next assignment.
Recently, I had been having an ache in my knee, and began worrying about how I would live out the rest of my days with the aches and pains of aging. The thought of not being able to climb every mountain in my aging body was getting me down. I saw a doctor who recommended an MRI, but before I made the MRI appointment, I made an appointment with my healer. We had a video call, and she told me I was pushing back on my knees when I stood, and that this was the cause of the pain in my knee. She recommended adjustments to my posture, plenty of stretching and breathing, and standing with more care. I felt better that day, and my worries about being incapacitated disappeared.
While traveling for ten days with twelve people earlier this month, I knew that practicing mindfulness, meditating every morning, staying positive, and having gratitude were my best tools. I regularly remind myself of the positive parts of me, and when someone is self-critical, I remind them of the positive. I try to remember to be grateful for what is easily taken for granted: though the face is aging, I have a face; though the hair is graying, I have hair; though the stomach protrudes, I have a body; though things may not always go my way, I am surrounded by kind people.
Questions to ponder:
What do you do for self-care?
What unexpected healing have you experienced?
When have you noticed that you have the answers inside and you are a valuable resource for life’s difficulties?
Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us about healing in each moment in this video
We look forward to being together virtually with you on Monday at 7pm. Please join us.