Tag: mindfulness
Attend to Yourself
Minding the Mind
The Body Knows
You bark at me
when I am off kilter –
when you don’t get what you need.
I can hear you
scratching at my door
seeking urgent attention.
I get in my head
and forget you need me, too,
and I need to be present.
Like a caged cheetah,
your tension tells me
that something is amiss.
Gradually, through your constant blabbering,
I get the message.
I learn to listen to you.
Your complaining wakes me up:
“This pain, that stiffness, is not you. Stop and see.”
I open my eyes,
look deep within,
and find there is more.
I can change my way of being.
Peace is born.
Copyright© Cynthia Cady Stanton, 2018
Morning Coffee
That first brewed cup,
its aroma filling the kitchen,
its warmth on the mug
as my hand hugs it –
well, it soothes my soul.
I am like a cat
looking for a lap –
the ritual invites
rest and reflection –
a feeling of peace which
connects me
to all that matters.
The silence of the morning
reminds me to
quiet my waking mind
and allow for inspiration
to visit me.
She whispers into my soul.
Sipping my coffee,
engaging with words of wisdom –
words that find me
from the writings of others, or
the ones rising up within me –
it is a morning dance
that brings me joy.
We need touch points
like this.
We are like spinning tops
without them,
turning mindlessly, and
missing opportunities
to stop and notice.
The work of the soul,
our experience of Love,
requires these pauses.
Therefore, fret not your routines.
They are roots that
hold you in place –
or scenic spots
along your journey –
they allow for a more expansive view.
I pour myself a second cup,
Feeling the ground below me –
connecting my heart
to what expands before me.
It opens like an eager flower.
I behold the blessing
of another day.
Copyright© Cynthia Cady Stanton, June 2018
Big Girl Pants
I noticed her struggle.
It was one of those days when
the burden of work, life, and
responsibility
made her bow low,
even as she quickly moved about.
She was weary –
maybe even in pain,
her eyes with the dark circles below which
appear regularly now,
despite daily application
of concealer.
She kept going,
kept producing,
despite her burden.
I’ve got my big girl pants on, she said.
I could empathize
because I get tired, too.
I understand how hard it is to stop
and just be –
to observe the blessings
along the way.
Perhaps one of the perks
of getting old
is that as responsibilities
and requirements
fall away,
we can finally
rest.
Copyright© Cynthia Cady Stanton, 2018
Be spiritual.
Beyond Stuck
Your mind is a place of learning,
she said.
You create your reality there.
My invitation to intentionally look within –
an amazing challenge,
even for a deep, open one like me.
Like a spinning top,
the hardest part is to stop –
it is so effortless to
just keep going,
settle for the mindless whirl.
When I do manage a pause and
a glimpse inward,
I am humbled by what is keeping me
busy up there.
Really? THIS is what I am thinking about?
The constant auto-pilot and noise
is embarrassing!
But taking it personally
is not helpful.
So much of what is in my mind
has been given to me
when I was not looking.
I am looking now.
I am now learning to peek within
with curiosity and gentleness –
and sometimes even, humor.
Laughing really does help.
Healing comes
with awareness and new choices
along with a large dose of humility.
Shaking off the old
and building the new…
I am learning to protect my consciousness –
what I allow in,
and what to ignore.
It is a dynamic classroom
in which I am
forever a student.
Copyright© Cynthia Cady Stanton, 2018
Immunity
The dance of opening to
and closing from
is a daily task
of awareness and
choices.
One can be a sponge
who takes everything in –
a misdirected open heart who
ends up suffering
from too much taken on
or garbage thoughts that
end up taking residence.
Learning to filter kindly
what is being presented
while holding fast to what
is true and real
is the Work.
Absorbing the negative
is toxic.
So, keep your eyes open,
be compassionate,
honor who you know you are,
and turn your attention
to the big picture
of your divine identity.
In this way,
immunity is yours
and with that,
the ability to be
truly helpful.
Copyright@ Cynthia Cady Stanton, 2017
Becoming and Beholding 