 I don't know anyone who doesn't wish to be more loving. A loving attitude is difficult to access, however, if we are being assailed by other emotions, especially those that we might deem negative.
Today, I share a Guided Practice with you that can help you turn your attention away from difficult emotions to refocus on the love that lives in you and can be transmitted through you. I call it "Leaning into Love." Attending well to our emotional selves is an attribute of Presence. Taking good care of ourselves—our moods, thoughts and feelings—ultimately enables us to be more present and loving toward others. I hope you find it helpful. (Mp3 is 5 min. long.) http://www.awakenedliving.com/podcasts/LeanintoLove.mp3
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 We continue to live in uncertain times. There is not a single community in the world that is untouched by the choices being made by human beings today. In the U. S. where I live, we are faced with decisions about direct governance. As I listen to the rhetoric of politicians and views offered by various organizations, one potent question keeps coming up for me, "How shall we live?" I've asked this question of myself ever since a radical awakening in 1994, "How shall I live?" What are my deepest values? What are the truths I hold dear? What choices do I need to make to ensure that I am living these values? Perhaps it all comes down to self-governance. Knowing that, even though we live in a society that dictates much about how we live, ultimately, the final decision about how is up to each of us. Governing ourselves, in my view anyway, has to do with the thoughts that occupy my mind and the feelings that rule my heart. I can't control everything I think or feel, but I can govern wisely and make healthy and sustainable choices that foster my well-being—physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. No one can tell me what to think or feel. I get to choose these for myself. Holding presence for oneself has everything to do with self-governance. Being present for oneself you bear witness to what is stirring inside you; you acknowledge and tend to it well. You take care of yourself from the inside out, being non-judgmentally and compassionately present to everything that's there. Welcoming. Open-hearted and curious. Warm and kind. Wise self-governance helps us be someone who can participate in the world with a heart that bears witness to it all—the pain and suffering, the blessings and joys. Presence for self leads to an increased ability to be purely present for others just as they are—just as the world is—because we have done so for ourselves first. A Little GiftEnjoy this 90-Second Blessing I created for
self-governance through self-care. http://www.awakenedliving.com/podcasts/90SecondBlessingSelfCare6.mp3  Recently, I'd been meeting up with spiritual friends on Zoom on Saturday mornings. We'd share sacred space and engage in contemplative practice together. We did this for a number of Saturdays in the early and middle days of Covid-19 as a way to connect with one another and also to "what matters most": our peace, love and gratitude, even in a difficult time. As summer arrived in the northern hemisphere, we decided our group meditation time was done as many of the women were eager to get out in their gardens, or walk, and simply enjoy this beautiful weather. I am so grateful for the time we shared together. Missing them and our gatherings, I created a Guided Meditation which offers a short practice that can help you find room--a little space of quiet—in your busy mind or concerned heart. And it all begins with the breath ... I hope it helps. Listen to the meditation here: http://www.awakenedliving.com/PresenceBlog/alittlespace.m4a  How to cultivate presence for yourself at this time? Lots of options here, friends. Here's one of them: a little secret about the breath.
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