How do we know if and when to make a change that’s certain to shake things up for ourselves and others? And when we feel an inner pull toward or away from something, can we trust this inner knowing, even when it feels scary and uncertain?
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Last Sunday, Monterey Bay Meditation Studio celebrated 6 years of Being Aware and Being Kind in community! The years have brought inspiration, learning, and changes aplenty, and we arrive in 2022 with gratitude.
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Topophilia (coined by Yi-Fu Tuan) means love of place– our mental, emotional, cognitive (and, I would add, spiritual) bonds to our surrounding environment. Biophilia is our “urge to affiliate with other forms of life” (E.O.Wilson). These inherent loves are wired right into us, as human beings on earth. So when we are separated from the land and all its beings, there is just something missing. Have you felt this – a sense of malaise, a deep longing, an unnamable sadness or loneliness?
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A couple of weeks ago, I returned from vacation— a blend of car-camping, hiking, and backpacking where I was fortunate to spend most or all of every day outdoors. I was fortunate in this, and I was intentional. This trip was big for me: like many of us, a trip away from home is more special and rare now than it has ever been — we treasure times away and plan them with care… and we hold plans lightly because we have seen them change in the blink of an eye.
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Recently, Marianne and I wrote our story, the story of a vision, of two teachers, of our callings to be of service in an ever changing world, and of what happens when intention meets the power of community. You are a part of this story, see, because here you are!
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Creating connections, renewing and deepening these connections is crucial for feeling supported, sensing meaning and belonging that we so deeply need.
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We invite you to join us in celebration and service of the Earth throughout April, with recognition that she is part of us and we are part of her.
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As we enter March, this is a season of wild weather, a hint of spring on its way. What is it "a season of" for you?
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Bringing the lessons and inspirations from 2020, we move into 2021 with energy, clarity, and commitment to catalyzing and cultivating new ways of being together in community and in the world. Looking forward to Being Aware & Being Kind with you in the coming year!
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The heart of the Studio is community, and the heart continues to beat and thrive. Whether or not we are in the same room, we continue to share and cultivate the intention of being aware and being kind.
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Happy holidays to one and all! We wanted to take an opportunity to share with you our excitement. Marianne and Katie (founding teachers) and Jennifer (Studio teacher) have been reflecting, dreaming, and planning for 2020, and it’s almost here!
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Here, as I sit under this canopy of trees, I breathe in deeply the scent of this space. Here, I feel I have entered a safe and sacred place. To me, it is as holy and hallowed as any church in which I’ve ever been. Maybe even more so.
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It sometimes feels so easy to notice what’s “wrong,” while what’s “right” in this moment slips by without any fanfare. Sometimes it’s hard to see what’s right in front of you! This is where our practice of mindfulness in tiny moments can begin to shine. We can find little sparks throughout any normal day (yes, even today!) when we can choose to open our eyes, ears, and all of our senses, to engage more fully with what’s happening.
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We find ourselves with a choice— an opportunity to find our own ways of creating meaning, of finding a sense of belonging, of connecting with folks who help us to grow in the ways that we want to grow, to come alive, to feel alive, people who inspire us to show up with more awareness and kindness. We can create our own rituals and ceremonies to bring us closer. In short, we have the opportunity, and the need (can you feel this desire?) to form our own communities.
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Marianne explores the possibility of shifting our perspective from assuming Separation to assuming Connection… and what that might mean for our lives and the world
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What would it mean for you to be fully and authentically you in your life? What would you say yes to? What would you say no to? What gets in the way of being fully and authentically you? If we can practice being aware of the breath as it is...can we practice being aware of ourselves as we are?
Not so long ago, I thought of the Wild as a forest or ocean or mountain or desert— an element of natural terrain that I could enter and exit pretty much as I chose. Now, I’m discovering that every day and every where I am invited to engage qualities of the Wild— the Unknown, the Mystery, the Energy of Being Alive, the Unpredictable, the Uncontrollable.
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Marianne offers a trip of setting intentions in service of living life the way you want to be remembered
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Oxford Dictionary defines anxiety as “a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome.” But you didn’t really need me to tell you that, did you? If you’re like many people, you already know anxiety very well. Perhaps you have been experiencing anxiety for a while, maybe even for as long as you can remember.
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When we open to and engage curiosity with what is beyond our own point of view, we discover untapped resources for creativity, compassion and caring, as we expand our understanding and we access more dimensions of solving problems.We are surrounded by guidance and teachings from all humans and from all beings.
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