MPDR Archives Blog Post #208 - February 28, 2015

Pause

Take a moment to step out of the auto pilot “doing mode” 

into simply being here and now 

by bringing awareness to the sensations of 

your next three breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman

"Applying a moment of mindfulness before sending an email can save a lot of time and effort clearing up misinterpretations. Similarly, being mindful after reading an email can reduce stress and prevent escalation.

Every time you have finished writing an email, before you send it, why not try pausing and asking yourself:

• Does this email need to be sent at all?

• Does it contain the message and the necessary information that I want to pass on?

• How will the recipient perceive this email?”     

-The Potential Project

excerpt from post “Mindful Emailing” A short reflection courtesy of The Potential Project to help you be more present when sending an email.

To read the full post here is the link:  http://www.compassionandwisdom.org/news-and-events/blog/192-mindful-emailing

Wishing you many moments of 

kindness, peace and joy

as you move through this last day of February

Lee

 M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/

MPDR Archives Blog Post #207 - February 27, 2015

PAUSE

for 3 mindful breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman

Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn

A cool breeze in summer, snow in winter.

If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things,

This is the best season of your life.

Wu-men       

Wishing you joyful moments this evening

Lee 

M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/

MPDR Archives Blog Post #206 - February 26, 2015

Pause in this moment

 Bring awareness

 to the sensations of your next three breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman

Here is a link to a hopeful and helpful 2 minute video “Change is Possible” describing the phenomenon of neuroplasticity through interesting visuals and clear explanations of the power of experience to change the structure of the brain and its implications for changing habits 

https://vimeo.com/70572720

Wishing you mindful moments in your day

  

Lee

M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/

MPDR Archives Blog Post #205 - February 25, 2015

Pause in this moment and bring awareness to the next three breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman

“Don’t mire up in self despair of your losses, learn from them and move on to other good things in life. Don’t stop allowing the sunshine in because of the fear that winter will come and engulf the warmth. Hold it close to you to help you through those cold winter days.” 

~ Belinda Taylor

Warm wishes for a mindful evening 

Lee

M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/

MPDR Archives Blog Post #204 - February 24, 2015

Pause in this moment and bring awareness to the next three breaths 

image by M. Lee Freedman

Here is a link to a practical and helpful article

11 Ways to Bring More Mindfulness Into Your Life Today:

http://mrsmindfulness.com/11-ways-to-bring-more-mindfulness-into-your-life-today/

Wishing you some mindful moments in your evening

Lee

M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/

MPDR Archives Blog Post #203 - February 23, 2015

Bring your attention

to the flow of

the following three breaths 

 image by M. Lee Freedman

 

"We think that by protecting ourselves from suffering, we are being kind to ourselves. The truth is we only become more fearful, more hardened and more alienated. We experience ourselves as being separate from the whole. This separateness becomes like a prison for us - a prison that restricts us to our personal hopes and fears, and to caring only for the people nearest to us. Curiously enough, if we primarily try to shield ourselves from discomfort, we suffer. Yet, when we don't close off, when we let our hearts break, we discover our kinship with all beings."

~ Pema Chodron

Have a mindful day

 

Lee 

M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/

MPDR Archives Blog Post #202 - February 22, 2015

Pause

And become aware of your next 3 breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman 

Here is a link to a practical 4 minute video  

"Power of the Pause"

http://youtu.be/kYfn0JZNR1E

Wishing you many benefits 

from pausing regularly today

Lee

M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/

Welcome to new recipients of Mindfulness Practice Daily Reminders

As many of us have experienced, mindfulness is pretty simple, but not so easy and remembering to practice mindful awareness can be quite challenging. 

These daily reminders are intended to help us remember our intention to practice present moment awareness through formal and informal mindfulness practice.

Opening a reminder email represents a decision to pause, step out of automatic pilot mode and into the here and now by intentionally bringing attention to the sensations of three breaths. Then proceed with your day.

You may choose to treat this as an experiment by noticing if and how this brief pause impacts on the next moments of your day.

The second part of the reminder email consists of a quote, poem, image, link to article and/or link to short video relevant to the practice of mindfulness. The images included in the emails have all been created from my mindfulness practice with a camera. 

I suggest consciously choosing whether you have the time and/or the interest in reading/watching anything further, rather than automatically clicking on the link.  In this way you are practicing bringing mindful awareness practice into conscious decision making and action.

The mindfulness practice daily reminders that have been sent out since July 2014 are now archived on a blog called MPDR Archives.  Here is a link to the first entry that describes the history of and intention for the reminders.http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/2015/01/welcome-to-archives-of-mindfulness.html.

Please feel free to share these reminders with others who may be interested.  If you know anyone who would like to be included in the list of recipients of the reminders, please ask them to email my assistant at drmlfreedman@hotmail.com.

Please let me know if you would like to remove your name from the email list at any time.

MPDR Archives Blog Post #201 - February 21, 2015

Enjoy the blessing of your next 3 breaths 

by attending to the bodily sensations 

of breathing in and out

 image by M. Lee Freedman 

Earth teach me stillness

    as the grasses are stilled with light.

Earth teach me suffering

    as old stones suffer with memory.

Earth teach me humility

    as blossoms are humble with beginning.

Earth teach me caring

    as the mother who secures her young.

Earth teach me courage

    as the tree which stands all alone.

Earth teach me limitation

    as the ant which crawls on the ground.

Earth teach me freedom

    as the eagle which soars in the sky.

Earth teach me resignation

    as the leaves which die in the fall.

Earth teach me regeneration

    as the seed which rises in the spring.

Earth teach me to forget myself

    as melted snow forgets its life.

Earth teach me to remember kindness

    as dry fields weep with rain.

By Nancy Wood

Untitled ["Earth teach me stillness"] by Nancy Wood,

 from Earth Prayers from Around the World: 365 Prayers, Poems and Invocations for Honoring the Earth,  © HarperOne, 2009.

Wishing you many moments

of learning from Earth today

  

Lee

M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/

MPDR Archives Blog Post #200 - February 20, 2015

Pause

Breathe

When you inhale, notice you are breathing in

When you exhale, notice you are breathing out

Continue being aware of inhaling and exhaling for 2 more breaths

And Perhaps Choose to 

Continue with mindful awareness of breathing

for another minute

or 5 minutes

or 10 minutes

or longer

 image by M. Lee Freedman

 "Millions of items of the outward order are present to my senses which never properly enter into my experience. Why? Because they have no interest for me. My experience is what I agree to attend to. "  

-William James

Wishing you moments of choice in what you attend to and experience today

Lee

M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/

MPDR Archives Blog Post #199 - February 19, 2015

Pause for 3 Mindful Breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman

“When we lose awareness of the present moment, our minds get stuck in maladaptive ways of thinking. For example, you might be trying to go to sleep but your mind gets lost thinking about all the groceries you need to buy. Deep, relaxed breathing is forgotten. And once you realize sleep isn’t happening, your muscles tense and your thought process quickly shifts to “I’m not falling asleep! I have XYZ to do this week and I won’t be able to function tomorrow.” The body seizes up, breathing and heart rate can both quicken, and falling sleep becomes more difficult.

Newer models of insomnia treatment are beginning to incorporate mindfulness.  Here’s a grounding exercise to help you get some quality shut-eye.”

-Shelby Freedman Harris

(excerpt from post 5 Steps to Wind Down and Fall Asleep)

If you are interested in reading about the grounding exercise to help get quality sleep, here is the link to the full post:

http://www.mindful.org/mindful-magazine/5-steps-to-wind-down-and-fall-asleep

Wishing you a restful sleep

Lee

M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/

MPDR Archives Blog Post #198 - February 18, 2015

Pause for 3 Mindful Breaths 

image by M. Lee Freedman

“Let’s be honest: Being present is not easy nor does it come naturally to those of us raised in a productivity-oriented culture. From the minute we are born, we learn that our value is measured by what we accomplish, the items we check off on our many To-Do lists. Life moves so fast, we spend much of our time processing what happened in the past or stressing out about what is coming up in the future………

……Before you get too hard on yourself about what a failure you are at being present, it is helpful to look at the obstacles you might be experiencing.”

-Savannah Mayfield (excerpt from post Obstacles to Being Present)

If you are interested in reading the full post including a description of common obstacles to beng present here is the linkhttp://www.nurturelifecoaching.com/blog/obstacles-to-being-present/

Wishing you moments of being present this evening.

Lee

M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

To access past mindfulness practice daily reminders please visit http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/

MPDR Archives Blog Post #197 - February 17, 2015

Notice how the breath feels

as it moves in and out of your body

for the next 3 breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman 

Today’s mindfulness practice daily reminder offers a link to a video featuring youth and young adults discussing their experiences practicing mindfulness, and how mindfulness has benefited different aspects of their lives. The video also features youth practicing mindfulness, and includes insights from a health professional and mindfulness teacher.  To view this inspiring 3 minute video, click on this link:  http://youtu.be/kk7IBwuhXWM

Enjoy the benefits of intentionally

 returning your attention

back to here and now

Lee

M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/

MPDR Archives Blog Post #196 - February 16, 2015

Enjoy 3 Mindful Breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman 

“Enjoy the little things for one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.”

—   Robert Brault

Wishing you a Happy and Mindful Family Day

  

Lee

M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/

MPDR Archives Blog Post #195 - February 15, 2015

Pause for 3 Mindful Breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change.”

-Charles Darwin

Have a mindful evening

Lee

M. Lee Freedman, MD,CM, FRCP(C)

http://mpdrarchives.blogspot.ca/