In my awake times when I am surrounded by responsibilities and timelines day after day, I often feel the weight of life’s challenges. A therapist suggested years ago to take a moment and play a simple game of Solitaire for a few minutes. One might think this mindless game is a useless task, but think again. Playing solitaire is a manageable activity that helps me feel in control in an uncertain world. Playing solitaire allows me to occupy my mind so I can explore what I’m feeling. I realize the importance of not living in Solitaire but using it as a respite.
I need space to unfold.
Taking time to daydream, unplug, zone out, unwind, helps me assimilate everything I am processing. Taking five minutes can make a crazy day tolerable.
Taking time out amidst a busy day allows me to regroup, reset, relax by using my mind. I choose the activity. Something I thoroughly enjoy. I imagine it into being. My imagination makes it real in my body.
Years ago, when I competed at the amateur racquetball level, I worked with a sports psychologist who was teaching a groundbreaking theory. “What we are thinking influences our emotional/chemical responses in our body… all the time!”
I learned to use my mind to create outcomes in my game. My brain doesn’t know the difference between what I imagine and what is real.
“There is much research out there showing that if you envision making a free throw in proper form, it will help your accuracy. Research at the Cleveland Clinic showed that subjects that imagined doing biceps strengtheners in fact tested stronger at the end of the study – and kept their results for 3 weeks. This was strengthening through thought alone!” excerpt from an article on the bodyseries.com.
Imagine the influence negative thinking has on our mind and bodies! By choosing thoughts designed to inspire and comfort for five minutes, two minutes or even one minute, it’s an opportunity to gift ourselves a good, positive enhancement of wellbeing. I know it gives me comfort in my day and allows me to unfold more fully back into the world.
Participants’ Reflections:
Thank you. It’s a good reminder about how important my mindset is for anything that I do. It is all about mindset because I can create a negative feeling about myself and then I will be negative. Or I can feel positive. I’ve been abstinent in my addiction for over a year now. But I realize I have to do more and I’m starting a group. I am glad and grateful that people want to join me in exploring this. I am nervous about it. It scares me to be in the unknown. I choose to look at it with expectancy instead of fear. I can’t control what’s going to happen, I can only be present in where I’m at. Thank you.
Thank you. I have to admit that’s me. There are times in the day where I look at nature or my pets. But other than that, twenty-four seven, I’m feeling sad and overwhelmed about how am I going to make things better for the future to help myself and my family member. It’s good to try, even for a minute, to picture something positive for the future. I’m grateful for the new group because I’m totally out of control with eating. I know why I’m doing it. I’m grateful.
Something energetically happened to me during the meditation. From almost throwing up to moving these bands of tightness around me that went through me and out my feet. I don’t know what it was. As is my experience, I have to let it be and let it go, and move through it and trust that I will understand at some point and not jump on a fear of what it could be, what it might be. Because there is a greater power working through me as is through you beyond our understanding. In those moments of just glancing at nature and seeing the beauty of sunshine and the birds and the trees and the blooms—all those are many blessings that have an affect on us. And I trust that they do and trust that this does. I’m going to keep trusting as I breathe and let it move through me. We are all clearing.
It’s strange. As good as I feel when I think about how well or not well I’m doing, when I get in touch with my body, I can feel a tense vibration. I think it’s there all the time now through Covid. Whatever I am becoming through this, I don’t know what’s coming out of Covid. The not knowing is so hard. I’ve had enough experiences, I know I’ll come through in some form. Hopefully for the better. The not knowing part is so hard. Have faith.
Thank you. That was an amazing reading. Initially, you said ‘what a blessing.’ We all feel that same way, what a blessing the group is and what we are to each other. We thank friends for being there for us. It’s true here as well. I read an article about the power of what we think and imagine and even what we fantasize about. (Some similar articles are here and here.) I remember watching the results of the election one year with friends. We had a group agreement to imagine our candidate being elected and we asked all our friends to imagine it with us. The article said that, when watching a sport, our brain chemistry is the same as the players. If that’s true, it gives me thought for how to think about Congress and doing their positive work. There’s a lot of power in not just thinking positively, but envision an outcome. It may not go our way, but we still persist. The activity of knowing that we and others are working on Congress to be inclusive.
James Twyman, film producer, authored a book entitled Emissary of Light. He’s a musician who was guided to Serbia and Bosnia and share his music of peace and love. It’s about using the mind to create ways of being. He started a foundation for his work. This reminds me of that.
Thank you. I’ve shared about my cheerleader dream and I was a cheerleader and I believe that. In the last couple of weeks, it occurred to me that it’s not exactly linear. It’s like planting a seed and not knowing when it will sprout. It can be wonderful or painful depending on the energy I put into it. I just dealt with termites in my house. I can see a seed I planted a few weeks ago. I did it with worry and anger. I don’t know if that moment created my termites, but it is a coincidence. I can look at moments in my life when I’m feeling fearful and I can go back to them and send healing energy before they sprout. It’s not too late. I can be afraid of something but I can go back and send it healing energy.
Jean Houston says ‘it’s never too late.’ We can go back and send healing energy.
Thank you for the courage to start the new group. I’ve been debating about joining because I’m aware that I am addicted to people. During the reflection time, I asked the pendulum whether I should participate or not. It said no. So I will use the power of my mind and wish for goodness for all of you in this new endeavor. I also liked the idea you spoke of about Solitaire. I take time for an activity I enjoy which is ping-pong. I set it aside during the pandemic. But I realize I’d be six feet apart from my opponent. The gifts are many. It takes things out of the mind and into the body. I am reminded of it. And when you get a good volley going, we are cheering for each other. Thank you.
What you experienced during the meditation may have been something you are needing to heal in yourself or else maybe you are picking up on someone who is struggling, and your experience may be helping them.
I have strong enough boundaries that I don’t pick up anything that I don’t want to. I don’t let anything wander in that isn’t invited. That’s the power of working with and getting to know energy. The level of my empathy is so open that I consciously choose to not be open unless I open to it because it is overwhelming. We all have that ability. It’s just a question of becoming aware of it and educating ourselves how to use it.
Thank you. Thank you all for being a witness to each other and how we live our lives and what we think and what we feel. Just showing up and seeing ourselves, hearing ourselves, there’s so much to it, it’s an incredible blessing. And as it is, when we go out into the world and we view and see other beings, like trees and birds, and everything that makes up our world are all living, breathing beings and we can feel the delight and blessings from those as well. I hope you all have a gentle day in mindfulness.