Showing posts with label mindfulness. Show all posts

Bone Songs Myth & Magic - January Theme - Focus

 As a member of the group called Bone Songs Myth and Magic, a group of gifted Pagan practitioners offer their experiences and guidance in their field of expertise. This past month our theme was Focus.  I wanted to share my contribution to this group with my blog audience and offer you the opportunity to find us and join us for our journey into learning more about ourselves and how we interact with the magical realm.

Here's my offering for January's theme called Mindful Magic. I hope you enjoy.





Mindful Magic

As we kick off 2022, it is a great time to start thinking about where you are spiritually. Our spiritual self, our inner self or our true self as it is often referred to, is that place where we are who we really are. This is the self that rarely is shared with others. This self, is the self that sits back and judges our actions; it rates those actions and then gives us a feeling of guilt or pride based on that judgment.  That self is often thinking into the future about what will come of those actions or looking at the past, wishing for or regretting actions that led us to where we are now.  That self is often negative. 

I know what you’re thinking, not another one of those mind over matter mumbo jumbo pieces. Why yes, yes it is.  Because my dear readers, it is true. We have within us the power to decide if we want to be happy or sad. We decide if we want to continue to pave a road with our tears or brush off our cheeks and move forward with a smile. And this year, my friends, is the year that we need more than ever before to move forward with a collective happiness that can indeed, change the world.


Mindfulness is the act of being fully present in the here and now. In this fast paced world of multitasking this is much more challenging than it seems. Every day we often sit at our computers, while watching TV and stopping to read an instant message that pops up while thinking ahead about the next task.  We are preparing for the future and fretting about the past so much that we miss out on what is in our lives right now. Mindfulness is a deliberate act. We stop doing multiple things and focus on the one thing that we’re doing right now with intent and purpose.

Being mindful is the beginning of meditation. Mediation is a state of calm where you sit with yourself and seek to recognize the exact moment of where you are right now. Meditation has been scientifically proven to lower blood pressure, ease the symptoms of anxiety and improve self-esteem. A study in 2016 showed that introducing a group of meditation practitioners into a community of those who do not mediate lowered crime rates and violence by about 20%  in what is called the Maharishi effect.  If we could get 1% of our population to meditate, we could change the world.

So what does all these mean, you’re asking? What does this mean for my magical practice?

As witches, intuitives, mystics and healers what this means to use is that we are in a unique place to help bring about positive change to our planet. We can look at each of our specific gifts and add mindfulness to it so that we can add focus to our result. Whose magical work does not benefit when you take a few extra minutes of self care time to focus your energy on your intentions? What healing energy isn’t reinforced when you spend some time directing that energy with purpose? I think we all know the answer. 


For 2022, think of ways that you can begin moving into a mindful place. Think about the simple act of drinking a cup of tea. We need to be here to hold the cup, and to drink from the cup. Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh teaches us that all acts including drinking tea should be done so, mindfully.


“You must be completely awake in the present to enjoy the tea.

Only in the awareness of the present, can your hands feel the pleasant warmth of the cup.

Only in the present, can you savor the aroma, taste the sweetness, appreciate the delicacy.

If you are ruminating about the past, or worrying about the

future, you will completely miss the experience of enjoying the cup of

Tea…..” - Thich Nhat Hanh


Make 2022 the year that you remain right here, right now. I look forward to taking this journey with you. 


Namaste

Sosanna



Rev. Renee Sosanna Olson - CSM, PMI-ACP

Ordained Spiritual Counselor

Certified Holistic Wellness Coach

International Yogi Certification

Certified Crystal Master & Aroma Therapy Practitioner


Resources:

The Maharishi Effect - https://research.miu.edu/maharishi-effect/

How to Meditate - https://www.mindful.org/how-to-meditate/

Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh - https://plumvillage.org/

Thich Nhat Hanh’s Tea Meditation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNiwOI0u9AI

The Bell of Mindfulness - https://plumvillage.app/how-and-why-to-use-the-mindfulness-bell-on-the-plum-village-app/


Exercises:

Mindful Dishwashing

While washing dishes, think very deliberately about the task. Feel the warmth of the water on your skin. Feel the sponge or cloth in your hand. Think about each stroke across the dish. Feel the smoothness of the clean dish. Now repeat this for each item in the sink. Really feel it and focus only on that one thing. This is mindful meditation.

Applying a magical context would be - take a ritual bath and think about these same things.


Mindful Sweeping

While sweeping the floor, think very deliberately about the task. Feel the handle of the broom in your hand. Feel the wind that is created from the stroke. Watch the dust and dirt collected into the pile. Feel the dustpan as you collect it. Now take it out to the trash and feel it leave the dust pan. Send it out of your space.

Applying a magical context would be - clean your ritual space, sweep that negativity into its place and remove it from your area. Direct the energy here, same intensity, same focus.


Journaling Your Experience

Journals are a great way to document what you’re feeling before and after your mindful experience. I recommend picking up a small book or if so inclined use an electronic journal to jot down your feelings. This is going to be useful to come back to at the end of year to look at how you have grown.  Some example labels for entries could be:


Date/Time

Day of the Week

Moon Phase

Activity Practiced (examples, mindful sweeping, mindful walking, mindful dishwashing)

Feelings Before

Feelings After

Goals/Notes


Take this time to jot down anything that comes to mind around your mindful activities. Even if you get distracted, jot that down. These things will help you on your path to grow into being mindfully present in all you say and do.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Photo Credit Renee Olson
Here I sit on my 51st birthday a changed person.  My life is no where near what it was like 5 years ago. This journey has been amazing.  I have spent the this time reviewing books, managing a business and a Facebook Page.  I have decided that, I've done enough of that. Those things no longer bring me joy. I'll still write or draw but going forward I think I'm going to just limit my time online and try to do things that connect me with the world as opposed to doing things that cause me to hide.

I'm going to be outside more and maybe even start taking photos again. I'm going to make art and enjoy making art. I'm going to love right here and right now. Instead of waiting for the next thing to happen, I'm going to go make it happen.  It's time for a change, and there's no time like the present.


The Mindful Guide to Conflict Resolution - A Review

Today I'm reviewing The Mindful Guide to Conflict Resolution by Sosalie Puiman.


Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Book


Author Links - Link
Amazon Book Link
Amazon Author Link
Good Reads Book Link
Good Reads Author Link
My Good Reads Profile
My Facebook Page


Generally I like to start out with a disclaimer. I am identify as a magical Buddhist. I look for the connection between magic and science without the need to search for a creator. I believe in spiritually and holistic wellness.  I find that we can heal the world if we just sit down and and listen to the breath.  I believe that magic, science and nutritional well being are the cornerstone to a well rounded holistic life. I have recently updated my site from Confessions of a Modern Witch to my new page To Live Whole.  I welcome you to come along for my journey of health, wellness and self exploration.

I receive no compensation for these reviews and all my links are standard Amazon links and not affiliate links. I am a practicing photo reader and have spent the last 16 years honing my craft.  I offer personal readings by request and have a strong online history that boasts over 438,000 views.


As you know I'll be switching over to reviewing only e-copies of books shortly.  I will miss handling the books but the amount of trash that I had piling up for all the shipping was just overwhelming.  I will be doing a giveaway for the remaining physical books that actually arrive as well as asking my publishers to provide giveaway copies shipped directly to my winner's homes going forward for all giveaways.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Book

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Book


Today's book is a softcover medium sized but ample book.  It is a good size for a backpack but not really for a purse or pocket book.  The illustrations are limited but it does contain a small index and a resources section. 

The book covers identifying conflicts, the skills one would need to resolve mindfully and how to apply these skills in a real life setting.  The author begins by letting us know that we should only work with this inn a situation where we are not in danger of physical violence. This is extremely important. Conflict resolution is in itself something that is a challenging topic to start, even if both parties are willing.  If you're in a situation where you or someone you love could be physically harmed, its imperative to remove yourself from danger first and foremost.  Nothing is worth your safety, so always take the steps to protect yourself and those you love from harm.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Book


I like to say, you cannot pour from an empty cup.  If you are not in a state of mind that you can thinking clearly and calmly, then you cannot expect to be able to resolve conflict with someone who is in the same frame of mind. It is recommended that you practice some mindfulness techniques such as deep breathing or walking meditations before beginning to attempt to work with others on this. You really need to have your ducks in a row before working with someone else to do the same.

The first sections best parts, in my opinion is the section on the layers of communication. The author tells us about content, procedure, interaction and emotion. I like this way of breaking it down so that we can see exactly what we're dealing with. By far, in my experience the majority of issues related to conflict deals directly with the emotional state of those in the discussion. While you'll have issues related to the actual content of the conversation, the majority of conflict can be traced directly back to the emotions around the conversation.

Image Source - Web

In section two the authors chapter on how to listen mindfully is superb. One quote that I paraphrase often is we should listen with the intent to understand and not respond. It is a core conflict resolution technique and something I learned many years ago.  Though sometimes in the heat of the moment we tend to let it fly out the window.  It is something that we should embrace.  I loved the sections on the benefits of deeper listening and how to listen mindfully.  The author provides insight on how we should be present at the very beginning as well as keeping an open mind throughout the process. Only by using non-judgement, curiosity and trust will we be able to get to the bottom of the issue and provide useful meaningful discussion.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
Photo Source - Book


Section three takes us through how to apply all the techniques we learned in the book, in real world situations. With meaningful examples related to a simple topic like household chores to something much more complex like sex and intimacy. The author furthers the pause approach by showing us we can apply this same process to friends and family as well as our business partner and co-workers.

Overall, I believe this book offers some solid techniques on getting to the bottom of a conflict using a strong mindful approach that opens up the situation for healing and learning. Being able to listen effectively and provide constructive feedback is a skill that is deeply needed in today's society and I believe this book is a great stepping stone to achieve the skills required to do just that.


5 - Minute Bliss - A Review

Today I'm reviewing Five Minute Bliss by Courtney E. Ackerman.

Photo Credit  - Renee Sosanna Olson



Author Links - Link
Amazon Book Link
Amazon Author Link
Good Reads Book Link
Good Reads Author Link
My Good Reads Profile
My Facebook Page
Release Date - June 11, 2019

Generally I like to start out with a disclaimer. I am an contemporary witch.  I look for the connection between magic and science without the need to search for a creator. I receive no compensation for these reviews and all my links are standard Amazon links and not affiliate links. I am a practicing photo reader and have spent the last 16 years honing my craft.  I offer personal readings by request and have a strong online history that boasts nearly 400,000 views.

As usual, I'll start with a review of the physical book.  This is a small book, with a soft cover and is a great size to toss in a bag or keep in your car.  I generally don't like soft covers but as I sat down and started reading this one, I could feel my hands want to roll the cover back and hold it in my hands as one would embrace a dime romance novel.  The ease of the cover actually added a great deal of comfort to the book and I believe it was an enhancement over what a hard cover book may have delivered.  There are no images in this book. Again, something that usually I frown upon. In this case I was able to set aside that affinity and take some time to emerge myself into the author's words.  I found that I didn't miss the images and in fact quite the contrary. I believe the lack of images actually requires the reader to stay present and full digest the information presented.  The book has a decent size index and makes locating exact "moments" for future use quick and easy.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson


This book is loaded with over 200 five minute exercises to help bring you to bliss. In the introduction the author explains to us that bliss, is that moment of inner joy, happiness and peace. In our fast paced world so few of us take the time to bring bliss back into our lives.  As I sat and read through page after page of suggestions for bringing it back, I found myself suddenly at ease.  The feel of the book added to the experience and the author's "voice" came through the text like an old friend reminding me to take a moment to smell the roses.  The book is divided into to four sections, giving bliss for the mind, the body, the relationship and surroundings.  I was so taken with all the amazing suggestions in this book, I decided my review would be taking one of the many exercises that spoke to me and share that with my readers.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

In the section called, Experience Bliss in Your Surroundings on page 218, the author tells us to take a moment to dig out some old photo albums. As we grow, she says, we tend to forget what we were. We forget how much we've changed over the years.  Taking out that old album gives us the opportunity to look at how far we've come and how much we have changed over the years.  She recommends pulling out those grade school and high school photos and think about where we were at the moment of the photo. The final instruction is to take a picture of yourself right now and add it to the collection. Looking back on our life and appreciating where were are and how far we have come.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson

I have changed so much over the years.  As a child feeling abandoned by family and plagued by abuse, it was so apparent in my eyes. That small child sitting there, feeling sad and alone. I grew up strong but sad.  I worked so hard to become what I thought others wanted me to be. I wore the clothes they asked me to wear, I spoke only when spoken to. My youth cut short, by motherhood and all the pain and joy that accompanies that. Finally my life actually beginning as I met my soul mate and we continued our life together as one. The ebb and flow of life, bringing me in and out of mindfulness, making it more and more difficult to stay present.  The pain in my body as I struggled with type two diabetes looming over my shoulder while I stood gasping for air as I walked.  And today, healthier and happier than I have ever been in my entire life. The world is there for my taking and I now am the master of my own destiny.

Photo Credit - Renee Sosanna Olson
This book encouraged me to open the door to the past and look at how much I have changed over the years. It brought back so many memories and helped me see just how successfully I have navigated this thing called life.  Overall, I think this is a great book to have on the shelf, in the car or on your desk; to pick up and just read over some of these exercises.  I think that this would make a fantastic house warming gift, a graduation gift or anniversary. Not my typical book to review but I'm thrilled with the results and very happy that I took the time to review it.


See more of my book reviews at confessions of a modern witch dot com.