We can feel so small and fractured when we’re just trying to get through the day. It is such a powerful practice to pause and remember the bigger picture. You are a unique collection of energies that has come together to create a healing body, a discerning mind, a kind heart, and a wondrous spirit. The same energies that live in the trees, the ocean, the mountains, and the stars. Take a moment to breathe, allowing the internal and the external to blend through the breath. Breathing and being all that you are.
 
In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

​We view every experience we encounter through the lens of our personal lifetime history—accumulated information stored in the brain that carries preconceived notions, judgments, and preferences. What might it be like to remember that perceptions may not be truths? What perceptions have been limiting you? What other options open up as you let these perceptions go?
 
In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

Imagine that the immense energy of the universe is at your fingertips. You are as bright and powerful as the sun. You are as steady and grounded as the mountain. You flow as easily as the ocean waves. When we see in our mind AND sense it in our body, we go from imagining into becoming.
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In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

​In a world where people are constantly vying for control and power, it is easy to become swept up in the maelstrom, the anger, and the fear. What an act of courage it is to rest within your own gentle self, modeling true presence, grounding and centering. This is the real power.
 
In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

Even the simplest things can awaken awe within us. While enjoying a moment of warm sun on our skin, we might then ponder how immense and powerful the sun must be to bring light and life to this planet. While watching ocean waves, we might imagine the countless multitudes of life forms swimming and growing under the surface. While resting the body, we might wonder at all of the involuntary process happening within to keep us alive, like the heart beating, blood circulating, cells repairing, and lungs breathing. Every day offers magnificent moments of awe if we’re open to noticing.
 
In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

​In its purest sense, potential can be defined as unformed, unmanifested possibility. It is the action that arises from stillness, the inspiration that arises from nothing. To rediscover our unlimited potential, we rest into ourselves and remember that we live and breathe all the magic of the universe.
 
In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

We tend to be swept away into waves of thought and emotion, often feeling adrift at sea. To feel more empowered, it can help to remember that you are the entire ocean of awareness—observing surface waves yet deeply calmer within.
 
In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

Enlightenment is not a goal or something to strive or hope for. Enlightenment is fully and completely being who you are, where you are. You are already the entire universe, the macrocosm within the microcosm.
 
In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

​Being might be described as "resting in your essential nature." Letting go of wanting some other moment—some other reality—opens the space for being. Being and your essential nature contain unlimited potential for doing.

In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

It takes such courage to declare within ourselves that we’d like to learn new ways of being. Is there some aspect of life or yourself that is calling for change? What might you release in order to take that next bold step forward?
 
In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

Lost within the machine of doing, we spend countless moments on autopilot. Driven by thinking, we scurry from task to task. There is so much simple richness to be experienced—the smell of your coffee, the warmth of your shower, the sound of the breeze. Practicing presence helps us notice the little wonders of life.
 
In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

To have a purpose is to have an intention, determination, and commitment. We must know where we are and where we are going. Time spent in quiet reflection can often spark that burst of inspiration—the something that emerges from nothing. And in the process, you may just find your purpose is to be…whether you are taking action or resting.
 
In mindful presence,
Lori Furbush

Sometimes we find ourselves waiting for everything to fall into place—our hopes, our dreams, our expectations—to then be at peace. Inner peace might instead be experienced when we finally let go of wanting something to be different or wanting to be in some other moment. We choose to cease contributing to our own suffering. And even in the swirl of chaos, we tap the wellspring of peace within.
 
In mindful presence,
Lori Furbush

Wanting to belong is a deeply held survival instinct. We often feel safer when we’re a part of the herd or even just connected with another person. That feeling of safety allows us to explore, to learn, and even to be vulnerable. Where or with whom do you experience a feeling of belonging?

In mindful presence,
Lori Furbush

One of the most effective ways to practice mindfulness is to experience your senses. Notice colors, shapes, and patterns of light. Listen to the symphony of sounds and the silence underneath. Feel the textures. Taste and smell this moment. Sensing reconnects us with the body and the present moment.

In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

Perhaps it is our fast-moving, multi-tasking nature that keeps us skimming the surface of life. If we cannot find what we’re seeking with a quick fix, we get frustrated, become distracted, and eventually give up. Is there something calling you to make a deeper dive? Is it possible the answers lie within?

In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

You might say that wisdom is not just accumulating knowledge but also the ability to synthesize information, insight, and experience to gain clarity of thought and action. Wisdom is knowing when to speak and when to remain silent; when to move and when to be still. Wisdom also allows space for the unknown; space for other perspectives.

In mindful presence,
Lori Furbush

What are you choosing to carry through life, day after day? Anger can be a useful energy, inciting us to take bold action. Fear can also be useful, reminding us to protect ourselves. Guilt can be useful, nudging us to realign with our integrity. Carrying these powerful emotions long after their shelf life can be exhausting and futile. Perhaps it is time to clear space for other powerful energies like joy, gratitude, and compassion. This may even help us to see these qualities in others and everywhere we look.

In mindful presence,
Lori Furbush

Having a sense of choice can feel good, like we are in control. Yet many situations leave us feeling like we have no choice, which can be frustrating and disheartening. Even when there is no particular action that can be taken, we do have choices in how to handle the physical and emotional toll. After taking action where action is appropriate, we can then work toward processing our residual emotions and stored tension. Talk to a friend. Watch a fun movie. Breathe. Move your body. Give it time. There are many choices.

In mindful presence,
​Lori Furbush

It may feel counterintuitive to “meet” this moment, exactly as it is. If it is a difficult moment, our usual reaction is to want to push aside, stuff down, or fix the problem. What an act of courage to turn toward the discomfort with presence, compassion, and curiosity. If we can observe the discomfort, we are no longer lost in it.

In mindful presence,
Lori Furbush