Day 10 - All Fulfillment Comes From Peace

“Each one has to find his peace from within.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

We all know the peaceful, settled contentment that comes from being fulfilled. Today we learn that peace comes first. It isn’t the result of fulfillment, it’s the source of fulfillment.

In meditation we discover that peace is our true self. In that state of peace, there are no cravings and no lack. Needs are life-affirming and arise not out of lack, but out of abundance. 

In reality, our true self is simple contentment.

From choprameditation.com

Day 9 - Practice What You Believe

“What happens when people open their hearts? They get better.” ― Haruki Murakami

In today’s meditation, we discover that when you activate a positive belief, your cells get the message. By intending to heal, you do heal.

We proceed with small steps by taking a few moments every day to be kind to yourself, forgive yourself, repeat your belief in healing, and enjoy your recovery.

From choprameditation.com

Day 8 - Making Lightness the New You

“Renewal requires opening yourself up to new ways of thinking and feeling.” ― Deborah Day

The burdens we carry around with us have become part of our attitudes, habits, beliefs, and behaviors, but they are not permanent. Habits are the outcome of old decisions and they can be changed only through new decisions and choices.

In today’s meditation, we discover that the most important decision we can make is to embrace the possibility of our true self. When we let higher intelligence do the work, getting rid of burdens isn’t a burden.

Day 7 - Total Balance is Natural Balance

“The road to health for everyone is through moderation, harmony, and a sound mind in a sound body.” ― Jostein Gaarder

In these first few days together, we have realized we lighten our burdens by coming into balance. But even if we understand that balance is desirable, it will elude us if we approach balance with different parts of our life separately. Because all the pieces are interconnected, it’s better to “shed the weight” by looking at the whole mind-body system. Our aim is total balance. You can’t achieve this by struggle, effort, discipline, worry, or fighting with yourself. Total balance is achievable by going to a place of total balance – your true self. In meditation, you find your true self, and as you continue the practice, you identify with it more and more. In time, you discover that you were whole all along.

From choprameditation.com

Day 6 - The Key to Positive Input

“Making each moment count positively is all that life demands from you.” ― Edmond Mbiaka

We learn in today’s meditation that every experience influences our life. We metabolize everything we encounter – physically and emotionally – so each experience becomes a part of our minds and bodies. Negative experiences are metabolized differently than positive experiences. If you overload the system with negative input, it goes out of balance.If you substitute positive inputs instead, these also get metabolized into your overall wellbeing, energy level, and health. The best inputs are any experiences that make you feel lighter physically and emotionally, from the freshest organic foods to laughter to the beauty of Nature. Positive input strengthens you on every level, making it much easier to rid your system of toxins.

From choprameditation.com

Day 5 - Getting Out of the Hunger Dilemma

“When you are in a fix, often the fix is in you.” ― Ashok Kallarakkal

When any hunger or need doesn’t get satisfied, our bodies keep asking for more. Today’s meditation explains this dilemma: The hungrier you are, the hungrier you stay, no matter how much food you eat. 

Mentally, we are hungry for nourishing experiences. If you are emotionally nourished, the physical cravings stop. However, you can’t change what you aren’t aware of. This means that you must connect your hunger to a real need that can actually be satisfied. That is how we end the hunger dilemma.

When you apply self-care to your real needs, life becomes much lighter.

From chopra meditation.com

Day 4 - Fulfillment Holds the Key

“We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.”― Hilaire Belloc

Everyone can feel the difference between emptiness and fullness, and it is this experience that allows us to feel our way to better lifestyle choices. Today we learn that there are many kinds of hunger, but only one state of fulfillment. When you give yourself what you really want and need, unhealthy habits, such as overeating, cease to be a problem. Instead of fighting against a habit that always fights back, ask yourself, “What am I hungry for right now?” then seek to satisfy that hunger directly.

From choprameditation.com

Day 3 - Begin with Emotional Balance

“Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance, order, rhythm, and harmony.” ― Thomas Merton

In today’s meditation, we learn that we can restore emotional balance and equanimity by returning our attention to the still awareness in the background of our minds. When we act from a feeling of lack, we remain out of balance and stuck in our old unfulfilling habits. But emotions are meant to flow freely, to rise and fall without being held. In meditation, we reach the calm, centered place inside that doesn’t hold on or get stuck to toxic habits and old memories, so shedding emotional baggage happens naturally.

From choprameditation.com

Day 2 - Transforming Heavy Into Light

“When you allow your ways to be light you go high.” ― Raphael Zernoff

In today’s meditation, we explore how to transform the heaviness in our lives to our natural state of lightness. The heaviness of our burdens comes from our attachment to past pain and trauma, as well as anxiety and fear of the future. As we learn to live consciously in the present moment, we find we don’t have to do anything to let go of burdens of pain and fear – they let go of us. Our natural state of balance in life is lightness and ease.

From choprameditation.com

Day 1 - Finding the Lightness in Your Life

Today we begin another 21 day meditation with Deepak Chopra. The focus will be on shedding weight. I hope that you enjoy.

“Lightness and weightiness… are both choices in life.” ― Erik Pevernagie

Welcome to our 21-Day Meditation Experience, Shedding the Weight: Mind, Body and Spirit. We are delighted you are joining us on this adventure to transform all of our heaviness and burdens in life to lightness and fulfillment. Together we will understand that “shedding the weight” is not only an issue for our bodies, but that we are also weighed down with emotional, mental, and spiritual burdens. 

Today we discover that we don’t have to struggle to shed our burdens – all we need to do is expand our awareness. In that awareness we find the inner fulfillment that is our true self. This state of expanded awareness is the lightness in your life, and allows you to effortlessly let go of heaviness that doesn’t serve you. As we continue this Meditation Experience over the next few weeks, we will explore all the ways to shed our weight, whether it is physical, mental, or emotional.  

From choprameditation.com

Lost

A

Being lost is a scary thing. Whether you are lost from love or mentally lost from life. Finding hope is the thing that keeps us moving and seeing the path again. Love, hope and peace always find their way back.

Namaste

Spring

Enjoy today! Without dark there is no light. Without negative, positive can not be found. Without winter, spring would not mean as much. Drink in the beginning of Spring.

Tranquility

Find peace within yourself. It will then appear in things around you. Seeking it in things only brings temporary peace. Search for harmony within yourself and allow it to spring from you.

Namaste

Chill

Yep, everything the quote says! Deep breaths and become clear!

Namaste

Irish Blessing

In honor of St. Patrick's Day, I offer to you this blessing. Take a moment today to think upon your blessings and breath deeply.

Pool Noodle

All good dreams having some silly to them. For a life long dream to come true you have to enjoy the thought of it. It is not a dream if it is boring. Be silly! Dream big! Find your own pool noodle.

Namaste

Bubbles

Meditation is a way to help diffuse anger. Taking slow deep breaths can clear your system and slow down your angry heart. So when you are upset take a moment to close your eyes, breath deeply and just say bubbles over and over. You will probably laugh and that will get you past it. 

Bubbles

Because of You

Look around. If you have parents, children, siblings, other family, and/or friends. Then someone is happy because of you. So be happy because of them. Your existence means something. I truly believe we all chose to be here for a reason. We are all either learning something or helping someone else to learn. So find happiness just because of you.

Namaste

Happy

So are you happy? It is a choice not a feeling based on others. Your happiness can make others smile and find their happiness. Even in pain and struggle, be happy to be alive. Find the one thing that doesn't hurt or gives you peace and envelop yourself in that and be happy. I have pain today but my eyes can see so I can be happy seeing the face of my daughter. Be happy!

Namaste

Reused 6/22/17

Help

Today is a good day to help someone else. Everyday is a good day for that matter. It can as simple as opening a door for someone or allowing someone ahead of you in line. Considering others opens your heart.

Namaste

Drama

Does there always appear to be some problem or issue in your life? Are you always dealing with things that you feel are not in your control? Maybe you have drama disease. You can help heal this disease by finding a purpose, setting goals and moving toward them. Get out of yourself. Because drama disease is usually caused by a complete woe is me attitude. Help someone else. Get control of the things that you can. With deep breathing and a focus on others you too can help cure drama disease. (Just a bit of levity today.)

Namaste

Awareness

Again be in the moment and aware of the joy in just that moment. Leave your past and any anger behind. Allow the future to come with anticipation not fear. Look for the positive and you will find it. Awareness helps you to be more healthy and to have an open heart to others. Meditating today on seeing, listening, and sensing all that is around me.

Namaste

Live Everyday

So how are you living? As if every moment matters or as if you are dead already? It is important for us to be mindful as much as we can of the importance of each moment, breathe, and thought. Even during times of stress and struggle, seeing the beauty of just simply breathing can reduce the stress. Live each moment because you will die only one time. 

Namaste

Develop

In your darkest times remind yourself of this quote. It will be difficult but try to look for what you are gaining instead of what you are losing. Take a brilliant picture of your life and never stop learning.

Namaste

Roll Over

Stay positive. Don't let life get to you. Look at the stars or the things above to clear your mind so you can pick yourself up. The stars can guide your way.

Namaste

Are you the Jerk?

So how many jerks did you meet yesterday? Did you later figure out that you were the one with an issue? As we have continued to say, your thoughts are your world. If you are seeing negative then it is because you are thinking negative. Don't be a jerk, find the positive.

Namaste

Listen

When we are young we think that we know it all. I worked with someone recently who truly had this feeling down. When I mentioned that sometimes you need to listen to the experience of others. The response I received was well they don't know everything either. I had to give up at that point and let them learn the hard way. It is important for us to take the time and really listen to what our elders have to tell us. We need to ask more questions before they are gone and we have to face things alone. See the miracles around you and learn from those who have been there before.

Namaste

Worries

Do you waste the present with worries about tomorrow? Tomorrow is not guaranteed to you so worrying about it is a waste of time in the present. Trust in yourself and that you can handle what comes your way. 

Namaste

Under Pressure

How much pressure are you putting on yourself to be the perfect spouse, parent, friend, child, worker, student, human? Are you constantly anxious because things aren't just the way you think they should be? As with most of the things we discuss, you and you alone have the ability to make changes for the better. Let go of perfection, it doesn't exist. Instead find the beauty that is you and grow it with patience and understanding. 

Namaste

Your Dreams

Keep trying. Many people over the age of 70 have written books, finished college and created new lives for themselves. You can always fulfill a dream but you have to move not just think about it. Write it down, note what you need to do to make the dream happen and follow the course. Stop complaining and start doing. 

Namaste

Time to Relax

It is important to make time for yourself. Even if it is just 10 minutes a day in meditation. Make it a part of your routine and you will do it. When you are at your most stressed just take a couple of minutes to breath deeply. Stress causes so many of our chronic conditions that it is in our best interest to create the time needed to relax. 

Namaste