meditation

What Does Grace Look Like?

Posted by Barbara Techel

This morning listening to a meditation by Sarah Blondin that accompanies her book, Heart-Minded, I was guided to imagine what grace looks like to me. Once the image was in my mind’s eye Sarah then invited me to feel worthy of that image.

How often it is we don’t feel worthy or worthy of grace, isn’t it? I certainly understand this as it was my journey just a few short years ago and one in which I chronicled in my newest memoir, I’m Fine Just the Way I Am.

So perhaps it will come as no surprise that the image that came to my mind of grace is one of my dog, Gidget, and the image I saw of her resting in her dog car seat as she lovingly looks over at me.

But today, with this sweet image in my mind, Sarah guided me to a deeper understanding of grace. For me, when that actual moment occurred with Gidget (which happened more than once) while so very sweet, I didn’t recognize the full impact of its meaning then. But I was reminded during this meditation time of how far I’ve come and the teaching Gidget instilled in me.

This moved me to tears because in one way I wish I could have recognized this moment of grace with Gidget when it was actually happening. But you see, this is the gift of Gidget that keeps expanding in my heart even though she’s now been gone for over fourteen months.

My little Buddha Dog, so very wise in such a tiny body, was looking at me in this way because she wanted for me to really see myself – to see what she saw – and to accept that I indeed was worthy – she knew this and she took it upon her sweet and wise knowing self to reflect this back to me often in hopes that eventually I’d come to see and accept this.

There were so many moments of grace with Gidget and the one that will remain forever embedded in my heart is her gift in helping me know that I was always worthy even when I’d lost my way. Now living from this new awareness, I experience so many more moments of grace.

As I was writing this post I was nudged to look up the symbolism of the meaning of the name Gidget which is:

Gidget means Small Girl and is of American origin. … Name created for the main character in Frederick Kohner’s 1957 novel “Gidget, The Little Girl With Big Ideas.”

She was indeed the little dog with a big mission that guided me to feel so much more whole. 

xo,

Barbara

Windowsill Meditation

Posted by Barbara Techel

Teach us the delight of simple things. ~Rudyard Kipling

Most Fridays I try to set aside as my self-care and errand day, though I do sometimes sprinkle in a bit of work, too.

But part of my self-care of what I titled this post as “windowsill meditation” is that I take delight in my ever-changing windowsill in my kitchen because it is like a form of meditation to me.

This time of year I’ve taken back out of storage from the blue curio cabinet in my living room a few of the small vases I’ve collected over the years. This vintage one in the photo is one I’m particularly fond of.

I knew it would be perfect to hold a single ranunculus flower I cut from a pot of them I’m growing. And after placing it in the vase, I moved a few things around on the windowsill to create this little vignette.

Something so simple that produced so much joy and gave my mind a rest. 

There is so much we can’t control, but how often I continue to be pulled back to the simple things and how it doesn’t take much to remind me what matters most.

xo,

Barbara

Putting Myself Back Together Again through Meditation

Posted by Barbara Techel
I took this photo mid-morning today. I love the blue hues I see in the snow.

I had some interesting insight yesterday morning when I sat in meditation. The more I’ve pondered it the more I’ve come to appreciate what it did.

First, a little of the back story. On Saturday afternoon my father-in-law was admitted to hospice and by 10:30 pm that evening he had made a peaceful transition. While he’d not been well for a few years now, it still felt unexpected and it all happened quite quickly.

It brought back many memories being inside the hospice facility where I paid many visits with my special wheelie dog, Frankie when we were a therapy dog team many years ago. We volunteered there for three years and the perspective I gained there was life-altering in a beautiful and profound way. One of the key lessons I learned was to ‘leave my baggage at the door’ before entering. Our job was to be one hundred percent present for the patients and families we met.

I remember how scared I initially was to do this type of work – to be with those that were dying. But what I’d come to understand, which was vital, is that they were still living. I’d come to experience being part of hospice as a true honor and privilege to be allowed into the rooms of those that were in their final stage of life.

Now I was on the ‘other side’ of things as my father-in-law was making his transition. I was among the family members as we sat vigil in his room. At one point, witnessing the deepest of compassion and caring the nurses were lovingly extending to my father-in-law and the family, I was overwhelmed with emotions. It truly is such sacred work they do.

As to be expected with all the emotions flowing it leaves a person drained of their energy. Along with the family activity the next day at the home where John grew up, the energy was running high with much that needs to be done as a funeral is planned.

Being one who needs lots of quiet time, and sensitive to energy, by Sunday evening when we returned home my energy was depleted. I was eager for Monday morning to get in some meditation time as one of my go-to’s when I need to refill my well.

I chose a meditation called, Whispering Thoughts on Inside Timer which provided ambient sounds that said it would “guide you into a state of inner calmness and bring you back to your true nature, your inner self.”

Once my thoughts quieted down, I saw my spine in my mind’s eye. It was crooked with many zig zags. I then saw my hands on either side of my spine. They started at the bottom near my tailbone and began to gently compress inward on either side of my spine. As they did this, I saw my spine begin to relax and straighten.

After several rounds of this, I then saw my hands gently smooth out my spine beginning at the top and running them along the top of my spine and extending this motion all the way to the bottom of my tailbone. This happened for several minutes.

As I’ve pondered this and how I feel today, the straightening of my spine as it came to me through meditation, which was so relaxing and soothing, was a way in which I was calming my nervous system. It also helped to restore some of the energy that had been depleted.

My meditation practice evolves and continues to teach me new things and this one I’m feeling much gratitude for. The difference in my practice these days is I have learned to trust that what is happening is real and I’ve learned that tuning into my body and taking note of how I’m feeling is a guide to help me during difficult times.

xo,

Barbara