If it is available to you, take a moment and notice yourself - sitting or standing, breathing, receiving sounds....aware of this moment as it is. Thank you.
Checking in, not checking up - how are you? How are you really? What is here for you right now? Ask yourself, what is called for right now, what do I need in this moment? And are you meeting your challenges with awareness and kindness? If not, or if you are struggling, reach out – I and others are here to support you
Those were the days my friend
We thought they'd never end
We'd sing and dance forever and a day
We'd live the life we choose
We'd fight and never lose
Those were the days, oh yes those were the days
Mary Hopkin
These days are uncertain times for sure. Everything is in flux and changing unpredictably, and no one knows what’s coming, especially those who claim they know what’s coming. But one is for certain, nothing will ever be quite the same - welcome to The New Normal, The Next Normal, or The New Abnormal! This uncertainty is something you might be getting used to and tolerating, but for many, it is still very unsettling. And now, adding to this uncertainty is the push to ‘reopen the economy’ vs continuing to ‘stay at home.’ Unfortunately, fueled by the pervasive divisiveness & dividedness in our country, this is made into a zero-sum, all-or-nothing issue as people build bunkers and not bridges. But while they are seemingly competing forces, they can for the overall good, be framed as polarities to be managed, instead of a problem to be solved.
Regardless of which position of this polarity you side with, it is likely causing lots of worry, fear, anxiety, anger, &/or frustration. These are natural and expected reactions activated by our fight-flight response. Fight-flight is how we react to danger -- energizing and mobilizing us to meet the threat or flee the situation we are in. On the other hand, when in a life-threatening situation, we trigger the freeze response, leading to collapse and feigning death. More commonly, the freeze response is associated with depersonalization, dissociation, shutting down, avoidance, numbing out, or feeling stuck, i.e., frozen.
These days, it is likely that many if not all of us, are experiencing fight, flight, or freeze to varying degrees and at different times. Yet if we are not aware of that we are in fight-flight or freeze, we can react unskillfully and in unhealthy ways. The good news is that with awareness, we can respond wisely and positively. By pausing to notice how it is in our body (sensations), our mind (thoughts), and our heart (emotions), we open a space allowing us to choose responses that serve us and those around us. Mindfulness, our other PPE = Personal Psychological Enhancement!
Fight-flight and freeze are meditated through our autonomic nervous system (ANS) – fight-flight via the sympathetic division and freeze via the dorsal (primate) vagal branch of the parasympathetic division. The autonomic nervous acts largely unconsciously and regulates bodily functions, such as the heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, pupillary response, urination, and sexual arousal.
A more evolved part of the ANS is the social engagement system. This is mediated by the ventral vagus nerve affecting body functioning above the diaphragm, including the heart, throat, muscles of facial expressions, and hearing. The social engagement system is a mixture of alerting and calming that helps us navigate relationships and contributes to our being social creatures. It is also mobilized when we perceive stress/threat that is not dangerous or life-threatening. Or when we feel stress in someone else, triggering our tend & beFriend response. Left unchecked, too much tending & beFriending can lead to caregiver fatigue/burnout, rescuing/enabling, and co-dependency. More germane to now, after weeks of social isolation, it is likely that the social engagement system is being activated to varying degrees in ourselves and others. Here again, our practice can be quite useful and helpful: checking in…noticing the impulse to want to see and be with family, friends, community – investigating, is this from an honest and wholesome longing to be with close ones, or is it a tend & BeFriend reaction to your own uncomfortable stress-related feelings? On the other hand, noticing anxiety about the relaxing of social distancing rules with the feeling that people are gathering too soon, too close, and too much -- is this a valid concern for the contagiousness of the virus or is it being triggered by an exaggerated selfish fear? The aim of this mindfulness + investigation is not to be self-critical or self-centered, but to cultivate the self-awareness that then fosters self-regulation, self-care, and resilience. And whatever the insights, please do not feel guilty or prideful, nor give yourself a hard time. And take good care in whatever ways are supportive for you.
When no one steps on my dreams there'll be days like this
When people understand what I mean there'll be days like this
When you ring out the changes of how everything is
Well my mama told me there'll be days like this
Van Morrison
Finally, don’t forget to notice when you are experiencing good these days. There is much good going on, though because we are like Teflon for the positive and Velcro for the negative, you may not realize it. When available to you then, be aware of and take in the good - feeling into the pleasant sensations, enhancing, embellishing, and enriching them, so as to wire your brain to savor more good moments leading to more good days…and whether good or bad, these will undoubtedly be the days you'll remember,
These are days you'll remember
When May is rushing over you with desire
To be part of the miracles you see in every hour
You'll know it's true that you are blessed and lucky
It's true that you
Are touched by something
That will grow and bloom in you
10,000 Maniacs
Here is the listing of the updated virtual mindfulness and self-compassion sessions offered by local So Fl teachers to support you through these unsettling times. I and the other So Fl teachers are hoping you could tell your friends, families, and others that are outside of our local area about offerings--please pass on this listing, or give out my contact info to those up north, out west, in other countries, even down the street! Thank you:
Mindfulness-Based Strategies for Substance Use Disorders, Opioid Misuse, and Chronic Pain with Gus Castellanos, MD - an online workshop on how and when mindfulness-based interventions are beneficial and when they are contra-indicated in the treatment of substance use disorders and chronic pain, as well as the impact of COVID 19 is having on the OPIOID CRISIS. Friday, May 29, 10:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m. EDT. Open to all levels of interests and experience. CEs available. LINK HERE
MBSR & MSC ONLINE COURSES:
Gus Castellanos MBSR Tuesdays, June 9 - July 28, 6:00pm-8:30pm with Mindful Kids Miami. For Adults & open to all. Master Plan Points and CEs available. Link for Info/To Register HERE.
Mindful Kids Miami offers these other MBSR classes:
*Mondays, 6/8 – 7/27, 3:30pm – 6:00pm with Linda McKenzie LINK HERE
*Wednesdays, 6/10 – 7/29, 10:00am – 12:30pm with Martha Holmes LINK HERE
Patricia Isis Mindful Self Compassion Mondays, June 1 – July 20, 6:00 - 8:30pm. LINK HERE
Gwendolyn J Schanda - MindPowered Kids - online course for kids and their parents on meditation and mind superpowers Link HERE
Paulette Grotrian Short course in Mindful Self Compassion Tuesdays, May 19 through June 23, 6-7 p.m. Free Introductory Session May 12, 6-7 p.m. Flyer HERE Sign UP HERE
South Florida Center For Mindfulness offers these
MBSR classes (link to register here)
*Mondays via Zoom with Piero, June 8 - July 27, 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm.
*Wednesdays via Zoom with Sharon, June 1 - July 29, 12:00 pm to 2:30 pm.
MBSR if stay at home restrictions are lifted :
*Thursdays at Boca Raton Physical Therapy with Piero, June 11 - July 30, 6:00 to 8:30 pm
*Saturdays at Boca Raton Physical Therapy with Piero, June 13 - August 1, 10:30 to 1:00 pm
All-day silent retreat, Sunday, July 26, 2020
Mindful Self Compassion if restrictions are lifted (link to register here)
*Tuesdays at Yoga Source Plantation with Sharon, June 9 - July 28, 12:30 to 3:00 pm. Free Information Session on 6/2/20 at 12:30
*Wednesdays at Boca Raton Physical Therapy with Sharon, June 10 - July 28, 6:00 to 8:45 pm. Free Information Session on 6/3/20 at 6:00
Half-day silent retreat for both MSC classes, Saturday, July 18, 2020
Valerie York-Zimmerman MBSR Thurs., Jan. 21 – March 11, 2021, 6:00 – 8:30 pm. for the public LINK HERE
Valerie also offers MBSR PRACTICUM PROGRAM Sat., January 23 – March 13, 2021, 10:00 a.m.–1:30 p.m for teacher training (Practicum students will need to attend the Jan 21 - Mar 11 MBSR class) LINK HERE
Orientation for both: Thurs., January 14, 2021, 6:00 — 8:00 pm. These will be live/in-person in South Miami unless public health regulations require physical distancing, then they will be on Zoom. Space is limited. Email ijourney@att.net to join.
DROP-IN, DAILY & WEEKLY ONLINE OFFERINGS
Inner Space of Kindness is a group of local mindfulness teachers that are providing FREE daily virtual mindfulness sessions. My classes are on Thursdays at 1pm. Other teachers include Debra Annane, Knellee Bisram, Mary Beth Stern, Janet Slom, Aimee Bernstein, Juan Reyes, Mary Martin, and Peter Calin. Meditations are daily at the following times and links:
Monday - Friday, 7:00AM on Zoom
Monday - Friday, 1:00PM on Zoom
Monday - Friday, 7:30PM on Zoom
Saturday 9AM on Zoom
Sunday 7:30 pm on Zoom
I am leading free drop-in sessions with and in support of Mindful Kids Miami and Connected Warriors Tuesdays 11am-noon. Free, but registration is required - LINK HERE
Mindful Kids Miami also offers Online Mindfulness classes listed by date, teacher, and intention Link HERE
Juan Reyes, MD FREE meditation class for professionals in the healthcare field. Wednesdays, 8-8:45pm. LINK HERE
Debbie Steinberg - Judaism and Mindfulness. Mondays at 3:15 pm. Open to all and any religious orientation, both beginners and experienced mindfulness practitioners. Join Link HERE or (872) 240-3212 Access Code: 610-664-245#.
Cindy Ricardo - Mindfulness Meditation Circles
*Wednesdays 6:05-7:35pm - Zoom link here
*Sundays 11am-12:30pm EST - Zoom link here
Lunch time Meditation
*Thursdays 12:00pm - 1:15pm EST - Zoom link here
These offerings are by free/ by donation (suggested $10+). To donate link here
South Florida Center For Mindfulness with Sharon Theroux And Piero Falci
Thursday, 6- 7:00 pm & Tuesday, 12-1:00pm ZOOM LINK HERE Meeting ID: 591 231 9426
Mary Beth Stern – Tuesdays 10-11 and Saturdays 10am-11am. Contact mbfstern@gmail.com for zoom links
Delia Calixto – Fridays 4pm Join Zoom Meeting Here Meeting ID: 859 836 1987
Carolyn Sant Angelo and Scott May - Thursdays 6-7pm "Mindfulness for Today's World". No registration needed. Free. Zoom Link HERE
Gary Gonzalez
*Tuesdays 7:00 to 8:30PM every Zoom Link HERE
*Saturdays, 8:30-9:30am Zoom Link HERE
Ivanna Casado Mindfulness sessions Fridays, noon Zoom LINK HERE
Jill Merrell / Merrell Family Foundation offers complimentary Social Connection and Meditation Wednesdays, Noon-12:20pm. Zoom Link HERE Meeting ID: 496 908 923
Marlene Arzola Monday meditation offering 8 pm, zoom id 918-119-0561. Flyer HERE
Nikky Davis, Psy.D FREE gathering for healthcare workers, teachers, clinicians, and all other helping professionals. Friday & Saturday 11amEST on Zoom Register HERE
Amy Exum, LMHC and Eli Bravo with Baptist Health - Virtual Daily Meditation and Tips for Emotional Well-Being. To obtain the updated link for any of these classes, go to this LINK HERE search “virtual” and find "Virtual Community Health Classes for Week of..." Classes are held on
Mondays, 9:30 a.m., Tuesdays, 1:30 p.m., Wednesdays, 3 p.m. en Español, Thursdays, 1:30 p.m., & Fridays, 9:30 a.m.
