Mental Oasis

Embracing Aliveness

In today's episode we reflect together on a teaching by the Buddhist monk in which he says,

“We have a tendency to think in terms of doing and not in terms of being. We think that when we are not doing anything, we are wasting our time. But that is not true. Our time is first of all for us to be.

To be what? To be alive, to be peaceful, to be joyful, to be loving. And that is what the world needs most.”

Over the next four episodes we will meditate on each of these four states: being alive, being peaceful, being joyful and being loving.

Today's meditation begins with the first state of being alive. Join us!

 

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To learn more about the host, Christine Forte, you can go to her website www.forteklotz.com

If this episode was meaningful to you, please do send a note (christine@forteklotz.com) or share it with a friend.

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Special thanks to DJ Charp for the music.

Body Gratitude

Judgment of ourselves, of our bodies, can be a painful obstacle to being free to truly be in the present, to be accepting of ourselves, and also be fully open to those around us.

And so in today’s episode I invite you to join me in a meditation of gratitude for the body, for all of the ways that it is amazing and strong, for all of the things it can do. And then, to move towards full acceptance of the body, exactly as it is now, today, in this moment.

 

Reflection:

Was there a particular body part you noticed more than others?

What from this meditation would you want to build into your self talk?

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May my body be at ease

May I be kind to my body

May I be at peace within my body

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The host, Christine Forte is a therapist and coach in private practice. You can read more about her at www.forteklotz.com

 

Special thanks to DJ Charp for the music.

 

Restoration from Fatigue

Fatigue is a natural response to the series of stresses and anxieties that we have experienced over the last months. Many of us may feel drained right now, and perhaps at a loss on how to recharge from this emotional burn out. Physical rest is an important element, when we can get it, but for those with multiple demands on time, getting extra physical rest isn't always possible. In this episode's meditation we begin to observe our emotional energy and to focus on starting to recharge it. 

Christine Forte is a therapist and coach in private practice. You can read more about her at www.forteklotz.com

Notes for Reflection:

What did you notice about what gives you energy? Or what you’d like to let go of?

After today’s meditation, I encourage you to take some time to journal about this. Just do some free association of what you notice. Without judging, take time to digest these observations. What do you feel they mean for you?

Special thanks to DJ Charp for his creative design of the music.

Mindful Intention

With so much going on in the world there is a lot demanding our time, attention, our emotions. All of this can make it hard to focus on or feel like we have any energy left for the day to day things that need our attention: for our work, our families, taking care of our homes, taking care of ourselves.

In this episode's meditation we bring our awareness to that in our lives which may need our focused attention right now. This isn’t to say that the current crises don’t merit our attention; certainly they do, but the idea is to awaken mindful and deliberate intention about where we are focusing. Whether that is on current crises, or personal healing, or grief or your job, or something else entirely is up to. The direction of your attention is your own intuitive choice, rather, I am inviting you to join me in making sure that we actually make that choice, rather than having it made for us by influences outside ourselves.

Notes for Reflection: Take a moment after the episode to make some notes about the intention you would like to set for yourself. Return your attention to it whenever you feel you need to reset.

You can find more information about this show's host, Christine Forte at www.forteklotz.com 

Special thanks to DJ Charp for the music. 

Clearing Frustration

Frustration can be understood to be a sense of distress or annoyance at being unable to change or achieve something. For many of us, this is the very definition of how our situation feels right now. In a time of stress, what might normally be defined as a small frustration may no longer feel small at all, but instead it can loom in our minds as a major source of aggravation that we keep returning to again and again.

In this episode's meditation we notice where in the body we store our frustration, and work on acknowledging and extending compassion to it.

Special thanks to DJ Charp for the background track! 

Be Where You Are

In today’s episode I’d like to take a moment to reflect on cultivating presence: being fully where we are. Over the last months of crisis, many of us may have sought refuge and escape away from our present realities. Being distracted or disconnected from the present moment is a natural mental ability: and in fact one that can be protective from becoming too consumed by stress during difficult times. 

However, when we are too detached or distant from the present, it can take a toll on our relationships, we can miss out on truly experiencing important things that are happening from our lives, and it can lead to us being blindsided by sudden waves of emotion we hadn’t been aware were building.

In today’s guided meditation, I invite you to join me in focusing on being present wherever you are. Truly breathing deeply into this moment and connecting with whatever is.

Thank you so much for listening and being a part of the Mental Oasis community. If you found this episode helpful, please do subscribe and leave a review. 

For more information, look for Mental Oasis on Facebook or go to www.forteklotz.com

Thanks to DJ Charp for the music soundcloud.com/charp 

Grounding

Grounding is a reflective practice through which we connect ourselves energetically to the earth and to our bodies. It allows us to be more present, to feel more rooted in ourselves, to feel that we have a solid foundation beneath us. This can be important to restoring our energy during trying times or to deal with waves of emotion.

It is from a place of being grounded that new ideas can blossom within us, that new energy can come forward and we are able to grow. In this episode we practice a guided meditation to better ground ourselves. 

 

For more information about Christine Forte:

forteklotz.com

Or on our Mental Oasis Podcast Facebook page. If you found this episode helpful, please leave a review or subscribe. Thank you so much for being part of the Mental Oasis community!

Heart of Compassion

This is a painful time in our society and communities, full of fear and anxiety and disconnection. As human beings we need each other, we need to feel connected, to support one another and to feel that we are supported.

Part of our purpose as humans is to have this connection, to relate to one another, to ensure the survival of our communities and societies. Now is a moment to embrace this purpose fully and find meaning in it.

The foundation of having true compassion for others is having compassion for ourselves as imperfect, at times struggling, but also trying to improve and grow. We then can begin to radiate this compassion outwards towards others, those around us, those in our communities, those in the world as a whole.

If you find today's meditation helpful, please do leave a review and subscribe. Your support is so important to this podcast! You can find more information at www.forteklotz.com or on the Mental Oasis Facebook page. 

For those who would like to learn more about how to advocate for equality, here are some resources:

31 Children's books to support conversations on race, racism and resistance

Black Charities to Donate to as a Family

Anti-Racist Reading List

Processing Judgment: Softening the Gaze Through Which We See

Passing judgment on the choices of others is one of the extensions of our human critical thinking mind. But it can stand as a block in our relationships, make it difficult for us to be open and warm towards others, and also can create blocks within ourselves. When judgment is directed towards ourselves it can become even further painful as we struggle against ourselves instead of working towards loving and accepting ourselves.

In today's episode we reflect on how judgment is a part of our current mental landscape and how to work on releasing the judgments that we hold against ourselves and others and instead soften our gaze. 

Loving the Questions and Living Everything

If we're really honest with ourselves, we all have many questions about our lives and about the future. What if, instead of demanding immediate answers, we could learn to love the questions, to have patience with them in order to give time and space for clarity to naturally unfold in our lives?