Being open to opportunities requires quieting our wants and expectations. When we release what we think we know about a situation, we find all kinds of possibilities we never considered. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
—Dalai Lama What if we didn’t cringe when we think about being patient? What if patience is just resting into the moment without wanting anything different? Patience might no longer feel like a chore but a welcome relief. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush One who is patient glows with an inner radiance.
—Allan Lokos You are one tiny expression of life on this small planet in the immense vastness of the universe. Yet all the wonders and possibilities of the universe vibrate within you. Let go of small thinking and feel the fullness of life moving through you with each breath. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush You are not a drop in the ocean. You are the entire ocean, in a drop.
—Rumi Sometimes our best way through difficult situations is to find distractions from the pain. This can be a helpful coping skill, especially when it is intentional. If avoidance and distraction becomes a habit, however, we may find ourselves sleepwalking through life. At some point, we must wake up, pay attention, and make healthier choices. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush Awakening is not changing who you are, but discarding who you are not.
—Deepak Chopra Life is such a balancing act of self-care and caring for others. We build strength and resilience both by managing our own needs and by supporting others. In fact, being there for others helps us find resources we never knew we had. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.
—Mahatma Gandhi Each of us lives by our own value system. Values motivate our choices and actions. Perhaps we value authenticity, kindness, community, determination, humor, or peace. What are your core values? When we live in alignment with our values, we are of value to all we encounter. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.
—Albert Einstein As we move into autumn, we feel the days getting shorter and the approach of the dark cold days of winter. Yet each day—each moment—is an opportunity to begin again. Plant the seeds today that you’d like to see sprouting in the spring. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.
—Robert Louis Stevenson When we live in the present moment, there is a timeless quality to our awareness. No longer bound by a timeline, we find freedom. Take a breath, refresh, and see the open space of possibilities. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush Today, you have 100% of your life left.
―Tom Landry This very moment, as you are reading these words, is the present moment. It is the only moment we can smell, see, hear, taste, and touch. It is a powerful practice to pause, even just for one inhale and one exhale, to be exactly where you are, as you are. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush Be where you are, otherwise you will miss your life.
―Buddha We are a goal-oriented culture. The message is often, “Buy this and you will be happy; achieve that and you will be happy.” Progress is about celebrating the tiny wins along the way. Life is about progress, not perfection. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on.
―Robert Frost We are each a singular personality—an integration of our unique life history and values exhibited in our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It is easy to sleepwalk through life, blindly moving through patterns and habits. It takes awareness to live in alignment with our values, continually shaping our character. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush Watch your thoughts. They become words. Watch your words. They become deeds. Watch your deeds. They become habits. Watch your habits. They become character. Character is everything.
—Frank Outlaw It’s pretty amazing that this glob of stuff in our heads we call a brain can gather and process information, communicate, create art and music, and take in the wonders of life. It can solve problems and help us survive. The brain sometimes overshadows the equally important wealth of information coming from the body. Turning down the volume of thinking and turning up the volume of sensing can help us learn to be in the present moment, build resilience, and experience life on multiple levels. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced. —Søren Kierkegaard
To be confident is to be sure of something. Our nervous system believes what we think and feel. What story are you telling your nervous system today? In mindful presence, Lori Furbush Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right. —Henry Ford
Challenge and suffering are surely a part of life. While our world is full of horrors, it is also full of astonishing wonders. We just need to look for them and celebrate. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush May you take time to celebrate the quiet miracles that seek no attention. —John O’Donohue
We describe something as tranquil when it exudes an air of peace, calm, and deep stillness. This quiet serenity lives underneath the chaos if we’re bold enough to let the noise settle. We might even try moving through the world from this place of stillness. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush Tranquility is contagious, peace is contagious. One only thinks of the contagiousness of illness, but there is the contagion of serenity and joy. ―Anaïs Nin
Each of us is one miniscule part of this boundless universe. Yet the boundlessness of the universe expresses itself through you. Rest the mind and the body long enough, and you will feel your immensity. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush May you awaken to the mystery of being here and enter the quiet immensity of your own presence.
John O’Donohue As we well know, the only constant is change. But some changes are beyond our control. All we can really change is our relationship to the situation, and to embody that change within. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.
—Viktor E. Frankl There are many opportunities to put up a good fight and take action...but not every minute of every day. Peace is what we feel when we stop fighting what is around us and within us, and just rest. Letting go of resistance and avoiding allows space for peace. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush Happiness depends on conditions being perceived as positive; inner peace does not.
―Eckhart Tolle Even when life is one big challenge, there are many small blessings to be found. Whether it is a simple kind word from a friend, a quiet moment in the chaos, or the nourishing feeling of a deep soulful breath, there are always pleasant experiences available. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush Sometimes I need only to stand wherever I am to be blessed.
―Mary Oliver The mind is a storehouse of information gathered over a lifetime. We need our thoughts, preferences, opinions, and wisdom to help us survive. The body is another great source of information. The “gut instinct” and sensory experiences are also vital. The balancing act is listening to both thoughts and sensations without being overpowered by either. In mindful presence, Lori Furbush You don’t have to control your thoughts. You just have to stop letting them control you.
—Dan Millman |
AuthorLori Furbush teaches Qigong, Yin Yoga, & Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). She weaves MINDFULNESS & RELAXATION into every moment. Archives
October 2024
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