MPDR Archives Blog Post #180 - January 31, 2015

Step out of auto-pilot mode

and into this present moment

by enjoying 3 mindful breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman

If you are interested in learning about how meditation affects the brain, here is a link to a 3 minute video in which neuropsychologist Rick Hanson explains how mindfulness meditation can strengthen our brains and help us focus our attention:

http://youtu.be/bmJgfxBD7FQ

Warm wishes for a mindful day

Lee

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

MPDR Archives Blog Post #179 - January 30, 2015

Pause

Bring awareness to the experience

of the inhale, the exhale

and the spaces between

for the following three breaths

I am delighted to be resuming the mindfulness practice daily reminders after a brief hiatus. 

I chose to pause from emailing the reminders while I was in Montreal to attend to my father and uncle who were in need of my support, help and compassion amidst challenging conditions.  

I did not however pause from reminding myself to return to my breath and to the present moment with curiosity and kindness during many challenging moments.  It is during difficult times, that I am most reminded of the value of my mindfulness practice, and am very grateful to everyone who has been instrumental in supporting my practice.  It is also during difficult moments, that my heart is warmed by the support and kindness of most people I encounter.

During my yoga practice this morning, my yoga instructor provided me with a new perspective on using supportive props such as blocks in the practice. Rather than viewing them as a crutch, she suggested that they are a lovely reminder that even if you are able to do something on your own, you don’t always have to. She went on to say...

“While asking for help can feel challenging, it can often lead to greater strength.”

-Sarah Brose 

image by M. Lee Freedman

Wishing you strength, support and a warm heart on this cold sunny day

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.

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 me directly.

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

Lee

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

MPDR Archives Blog Post #178 - January 24, 2015

Pause for 3 Mindful Breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman

“It is indispensable to have a habit of observation and reflection.

–Abraham Lincoln

Wishing you many moments of mindful awareness

Please note that I will be out of town for a few days. 

The mindfulness practice daily reminders will resume when I return.

Lee

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

MPDR Archives Blog Post #177 - January 23, 2015

With an attitude of kindness and curiosity

Direct your attention

to feeling the sensations

of your next 3 breaths

 image by M. Lee Freedman

"Like You" by Roque Dalton

Like you I

love love, life, the sweet smell

of things, the sky blue

landscape of January days.

And my blood boils up

and I laugh through eyes

that have known the buds of tears.

I believe the world is beautiful

and that poetry, like bread, is for everyone.

And that my veins don't end in me

but in the unanimous blood

of those who struggle for life,

love,

little things,

landscape and bread,

the poetry of everyone. 

Wishing you love of life

Lee 

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

MPDR Archives Blog Post #176 - January 22, 2015

Bring your attention into this moment

By noticing the next 3 breaths 

 image by M. Lee Freedman 

“Our bodies are always in the present. Our sensory data continually reports whether our current experience (either inside or outside of ourselves) is perceived as good or bad for us. If an experience is initially felt as positive we tend to move toward it, if aversive we tend to move away. Experiences we find neutral may escape our conscious awareness altogether. These tendencies are often the first step into our habitual reactions of clinging, avoidance, rumination, or anxiety depending on the nature of what is showing up.

Mindfulness is the awareness that emerges from intentionally training to regulate our attention and affect and a willingness to encounter, at least temporarily, whatever is arising so we can come to fully know our direct experience. Why develop this capacity? Because we can then choose to de-fuse or get some distance from difficult thoughts and feelings that may often overwhelm, or in which we become immersed. We can make more skillful choices about how to respond to life challenges and disturbing emotional states.”

-Dr. Patricia Rockman

excerpt from post “Dealing with Difficulty”

to read the full post, please click on this link:http://www.mindfulnessstudies.com/blog/page/13/

Wishing you a mindful evening

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.

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

Lee

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

MPDR Archives Blog Post #175 - January 21, 2015

Step out of auto-pilot mode

and into this present moment

with 3 mindful breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman

 Congressman Tim Ryan shows how the benefits of mindfulness apply to the current challenges that affect each of us in our own lives and in our communities, and thus have implications for our society as a whole.  

For your interest the 7 minute video link is: http://youtu.be/3sZDM93HFGs

Although this is the perspective of one American politician,  the essence of what Congressman Ryan is conveying is applicable to Canadian society as well.  I look forward to Canadian politicians opening to this perspective.

 Wishing you a peaceful and mindful day

Lee 

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

MPDR Archives Blog Post #174 - January 20, 2015

Bring curious attention

to the sensations of the breath

flowing in and out of your body

for the next 3 breaths

 image by M. Lee Freedman 

 "Developing mindfulness in everyday life takes effort. Many related practices (meditation, yoga, some martial arts, time spent away from media and technology, time spent in the natural world) will help to cultivate mindfulness. But the mind needs the focus and consistency of a regular practice if it is to undo old neural patterns and learn new ones.

For many, the workplace is one of the most stressful places in their lives. Pressures are constant. Differences, even non-conflictual ones, among people requires lots of neural energy to manage.  Most people in this culture work too many hours, often without any breaks.  Many workers operate in a low – level flight or fight mode. Out of touch with feelings and the thinking patterns that reinforce stress and anxiety, many people constantly “re-trigger” those negative habits throughout the day. Mindfulness practice offers the possibilities of mental and emotional rest, despite the events that surface in the average workday.  - Louise Altman

(Excerpt from 10 Ways to Bring Mindfulness to Your Work Day)

Here is the link, if you are interested in reading the full post, including ten practical strategies

http://intentionalworkplace.com/2010/11/11/10-ways-to-bring-mindfulness-to-your-work-day/

Wishing you moments

 to pause and consciously respond

to the experiences of the day

Lee

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

MPDR Archives Blog Post #173 - January 19, 2015

Pause for 3 Mindful Breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman

Here is a 3 ¾ minute you-tube video of anchorman Dan Harris discussing the “compelling science” of mindfulness as his motivation to meditate, and why he predicts that meditation is going to be the next big public health revolution. http://youtu.be/FAcTIrA2Qhk

Wishing you a mindful day

Lee

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

MPDR Archives Blog Post #172 - January 18, 2015

Pause

Be aware of the sensations

of breathing in and breathing out

for the following three breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman

“Every hour of your life that ticks by, there are numerous points and moments when you can choose to pause - and be aware of your mental and physical state. At any given point, you can freeze the flow that is your life, and be fully conscious for a moment.”

 Kevin Michel

Wishing you many moments

to pause and be fully conscious

throughout this day

Lee 

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

MPDR Archives Blog Post #171 - January 17, 2015

Connect with the Rhythm

of your next 3 breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman 

“Breathing involves a continual oscillation between exhaling and inhaling, offering ourselves to the world at one moment and drawing the world into ourselves at the next...” 

― David Abram 

Wishing you a peaceful day

Lee 

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

MPDR Archives Blog Post #170 - January 16, 2015

Bring full attention to 

the inhale

the exhale

and the spaces between

for the next 3 breaths

 image by M. Lee Freedman

“When you find yourself speeding up and stressing out, pause, and take a deep breath.

Take a couple more.

Really feel the air coming into your body, and feel the stress going out.

By fully focusing on each breath, you bring yourself back to the present, and slow yourself down.”

-Leo Babauta 

(one of 10 suggestions excerpted from the post The 10 Essential Rules for Slowing Down and Enjoying Life More)

To read the entire post, including the other nine suggestions, please visit http://zenhabits.net/the-10-essential-rules-for-slowing-down-and-enjoying-life-more/

Wishing you more moments in this day to

pause,

breathe,

slow down,

and enjoy life

Lee 

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

MPDR Archives Blog Post #169 - January 15, 2015

Pause to FEEL  the next 3 breaths flowing in and out of your body

 image by M. Lee Freedman

How about a 3 minute breathing space guided by Dr. Mark Williams (co-developer of MBCT)?

Here is the link:  http://youtu.be/CVW_IE1nsKE

Wishing you moments of compassionate awareness this evening

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.

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 me directly.

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

Lee

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

MPDR Archives Blog Post #168 - January 14, 2015

Pause for 3 mindful breaths

image by M. Lee Freedman 

“Oftentimes the world inside our heads is far more chaotic than the world outside it. We have immense power to calm it by remembering to just breathe.” 

-Lori Deschene

(excerpt from post “Tiny Wisdom: Just Breathe”)

 To read the entire post, please visit http://tinybuddha.com/quotes/tiny-wisdom-just-breathe/

  

Have a mindful evening and a restful sleep

Lee

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