Last week in our mindfulness practice we were tasked with becoming more aware of our posture. How did you do?
Proper posture has been an issue for me since I was a little girl. I remember my mom putting a hardcover book on my head to get me to stand up straight. I was an introverted kid with low self-esteem. I’m sure that was evident in my posture.
As I got older and my self-esteem improved, my posture issues were compromised by other bad habits. Slinging a bag full of books over one shoulder (using backpacks in school wasn’t very common then), weight bearing more on one leg than the other, a couple car accidents, desk jobs, and lugging around therapy materials.
Eventually I learned that my back issues & hence my poor posture could be traced back to weak abs and a tendency to weight bear on the outer aspect of my joints versus the center. It only took 40+ years, sciatica & SI joint pain to figure out that one. So let’s just say that postural awareness is a daily factor in my mindfulness practice. If I don’t pay attention to my posture, my body will eventually remind me in sometimes uncomfortable ways.
When I keep my body in alignment, I feel better.
This Week’s Practice: Gratitude
Gratitude is a great practice and should not be limited to this one week. A few years ago, Gratitude was my word of the year.
For this week, the practice is fairly simple. At the end of each day write a list of 5 (or more) things that happened during the day that you are grateful for. If you’re concerned you might forget, carry a small notebook with you and write down the event immediately after it happens.
Practicing gratitude is an antidote to the negative mind or voice. It helps us see the upside of many events in our lives.
Reflection: Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you. -Eileen Caddy
Musings from the Moonroom 