Artist & Maker
The more often you trust yourself, the deeper that trust becomes.
The more frequently you follow your intuition, the more clear your intuition becomes.
The more you meditate, the easier it becomes.
That’s all.
Take loving care and have compassion for yourself
With much love and light,
Kathleen
Good luck favors the prepared.
Surely you have heard this saying before. Well it also holds true for intuition.
The ability to follow your intuition will be more favorable if you are prepared.
How can you prepare yourself for intuition?? Isn’t intuition something that just pops up randomly?
Actually, intuition can seem to appear out of nowhere, much like Good Luck.
But in fact there are things you can do to increase the likelihood of it showing up for you when you need it most.
First, listen to your intuition. (I know this sounds obvious.) In order to follow it, you have to hear it first.
Sometimes your intuition will be a small voice, other times it will be a booming warning sound.
Either way, first listen to it. Acknowledge it. Recognize it.
Second, trust it. When you hear that intuitive voice inside, there may be a hesitation to trust it.
A slight second guessing within yourself. That’s ok.
Just notice that you have a little tentativeness and move past it. Take a moment to trust your intuition.
If you do that, you build the trust within yourself more readily for the next time.
You are more prepared.
Third, follow it. Do the thing that is nudging inside of you. Take action and make it happen.
Each time you follow your intuition, it is like working a muscle that gets stronger.
Your intuition increases every time you use it. You are more prepared for it and it will show up for you more frequently, more easily and more favorably.
What else can you do to increase your intuition?
Meditate every day. Daily meditation gets you in the habit of taking time to listen deeply to yourself and tapping into your inner wisdom.
Daily meditation cultivates intuition.
Good luck favors the prepared. Deep intuition favors the prepared.
Next time you hear that nudge, little voice or feel that gut instinct, follow it. You will be so glad you did.
Enjoy,
Kathleen
If you like it, share it. Thanks. xo
In the Women’s Intuition class that I teach on Friday mornings, we always start and finish with a silent 5 Minute Meditation. There are a few reasons for this. The first 5 Minute Meditation is to make a simple and easy silent transition from the busy crazy hectic demands that occurred first thing in the morning on the way to class. It could be traffic, getting kids out the door, early morning meetings, email, conversations or errands. Any thing that happened before the class begins can be a distraction.
And, of course, that is the reality of life. Anything can become a distraction to our meditation and to listening to our intuition. That is the beauty of the first 5 Minute Meditation. Just a short meditation to make a transition into stillness.
So students want to know, “Is there anything I should do during this 5 Minute Meditation?” Nope. Just sit there. “Should I try to clear out all the noise in my head?” No. Just sit and let it all ramble on as much as it wants. Just sit.
This transition is a signal to the body that it is time to slow things down. Breathe. Start to settle into a quiet place. After that first 5 Minute Meditation, the class is ready to continue as we learn and practice how to listen deeply to our intuition. Because we took a moment to pause, to stop, to transition towards stillness, now we can better hear our profound inner wisdom.
At the end of our guided meditations, intuitive skills, healing exercises, sharing and learning we finish with another 5 Minute Meditation. This time our rambunctious chatter is gone. We gave it time to make a lot of noise and be wild at the beginning and now it has calmed down.
The 5 Minute Meditation at the end of the class is a time to settle in more deeply. Sometimes it is a time for reflection of the work we did together, sometimes it is a chance to just take the stillness we experienced earlier in the class to a little bit deeper place. Either way, it is quiet and easy and refreshing. And now we are ready for the rest of the adventures in the day ahead.
The 5 Minute Meditation is a powerful tool. Explore how it can be utilized for different types of meditation. Transition, stillness, deepening. Or just a break in the middle of the day. Try it out and let me know how it goes.
xo,
Kathleen
Monkey Mind is that endless chatter that sends you round and round with thoughts that go nowhere.You know what I am talking about:
~I have seriously got to make that dentist appointment…
~Remember to pick up apples, milk and yogurt at Trader Joe’s on the way home…
~Hmmm, maybe if I moved the couch to the other side of the room and put the two chairs…
It can go on and on and on. There is no use trying to stop Monkey Mind, it will only escalate.
Instead see if one of these ideas helps you.
1. Focus on your breath. When you feel the distractions interrupting your quietness, gently return your awareness back to your breath. No need to change how you are breathing, just take a moment to notice it.
Breathe in…breathe out. Repeat.
2. Imagine your mind to be like a river and each thought that comes up can become a fallen leaf that flows down the river. When a new distracting thought comes into your mind, allow it to become another leaf gently moving down the river, away from your place of stillness. As you practice this, don’t try to force the thoughts to leave, just guide them towards the ever flowing river.
3. Do nothing. Yup, that’s right. Do nothing. Eventually, the thoughts may just spin out and quiet down. Allowing them ramble on a while is a great way to practice letting go of having control of everything that comes up in life. Just sit there and do nothing.
The key thing is to not try to fight it. Distractions are part of life and Monkey Mind is part of any meditation practice. Remember to be compassionate with yourself and your practice.
Daily meditation means that sometimes stillness comes to you right away and other times not at all. Just be present for it and keep at it.
Enjoy,
Kathleen
1. respond to situations instead of reacting to situations
2. get grounded
3. be more centered
4. increase your confidence
5. make decisions more easily
6. carry out decisions
7. express your true nature
8. connect to your own genuine opinions
9. have the courage to speak your truth
10. increase your peace inside
11. become deeply settled
12. be less wavering and simultaneously more flexible
13. be open to new ideas and new ways of seeing things
14. create the opening for innovation
15. allow new ideas to percolate and expand
16. cultivate a neutral mindset
17. increase productivity
18. be deeply connected to your integrity and personal power
19. make your mark on the world
20. be more mindful
21. retain and increase your internal calm
22. reduce anxiety
23. bolster your inner brilliance
24. bring ease in your life
25. reinforce your will power
26. have a template to create what you want in your life
27. get into “the zone” that allows you to do your best work
28. with difficulties, pain, grief and distress
29. get through the darkest storms of life
30. be more gracious
31. transform your health and well being
32. tap into a place of being able to thrive
33. access that place of courage
34. be less fearful of the unknown
35. increase the capability to make changes easier
36. experience a greater place of acceptance
37. have a chance to catch your breath
38. tap into your inner wisdom
39. cultivate your intuition
40. form a greater sense of being solid and secure
41. on your path to mastery
42. with the chance to be more open to love
43. become increasingly generous of spirit
44. become more patient
pretty good, huh? Meditate Every Day
xo,
Kathleen
44 ways daily meditation helps you
Here are 3 ideas to help you out with that.
1. Meditate first thing in the morning, the earlier the better. Maybe even try 4:30 in the morning. This sounds rough going, but you will be surprised at how quickly you get used to it and in fact begin to love it. At this time of the morning, there are no phone calls, texts, emails to answer. No delivery packages to sign, no errands to run. Just sit. I like to make tea first and bring the hot cup into my office where I meditate. Once you get used to it, you are going to be delighted with this meditation time.
2. If you are falling asleep during meditation, you may be overly tired. Get more sleep. Go to bed earlier. Turn off the TV and the computer. Put down the book, the Kindle, the iPad, the Nook. Turn out the light and relish the sound your head makes as it hits that soft pillow. Ahhh.
Sometimes you might find that you can’t fall asleep at night, tossing and turning. Or that you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t get back to sleep, subsequently creating a cycle of not enough sleep. I have a perfect remedy for that…get out of your bed and meditate. Trust me, you will fall asleep soon enough!
3. Make sure that the room where you are sitting is not too warm. There is nothing like a warm cozy room to persuade the body to fall into a slumber. Find the right temperature that allows you to be comfortable, but not so much that you want to nap.
Let me know how it goes and feel free to share if you have some tips or ideas that work for you.
Xo,
Kathleen
When you feel you are struggling with meditation, let go of your expectations of what it should be.
Often we may have an idea of what meditation should feel like. We can start to think that we are not doing it the right way. I know, I’ve had plenty of times when I thought I was doing it wrong.
But over the years I’ve realized that daily meditation practice is exceptionally personal. Your meditation is yours. No one else’s. Do it for yourself.
You have your reasons for meditating every day. Maybe it is for increased health and well being. Maybe it is part of your spiritual practice. Maybe you just want a break from the demands and distractions of the noisy world.
What ever your reason, it is your personal preference and your personal journey. That is one of the things I love about mediation. It’s just you and your practice.
So really, really let go of other peoples expectations of how it should be. Let go of even your own expectations.
When you let go of expectations, you can begin to settle deeply into a sense of ease. The pressure is gone and you are free to enjoy the benefits that brought you to meditation in the first place.
Stop. Sit. Breathe. Enjoy.
Best blessings,
Kathleen
Trust yourself.
Far more than you realize, you have the ability to know exactly what to do in any given situation by listening to your intuition. It will guide you to the answer that is best for you.
Your intuition is a powerful tool that you can call upon at any time. Maybe your intuition is a little bit rusty from being out of use. Maybe it’s a little bit dull from neglect.
That’s ok – it’s easy to get your intuition back into shape and tip top form. How do you do that? Here are 3 simple ways:
1. Each time you hear that small voice inside of you, whispering with insight, take a moment to acknowledge it. By this small act of acknowledging your inner truth, it can begin to increase and become easier to recognize.
2. Take time out of your busy day to sit quietly and listen to yourself. Even a daily 5 Minute Meditation will allow you to hear your deepest self more readily.
3. Take a walk. Walking, without cell phone and music, is a way to relax the mind and allow your deep intuition and gut instincts to bubble up to the surface where you can recognize them easily.
So next time you are wondering what to do in a situation, tap into your intuition for guidance and trust yourself.
Xo,
Kathleen
Take time for yourself.
Today’s life is busier than ever and way too many people are making demands on you.
Agendas, to do lists, meetings, phone calls, emails and mandatory this-and-that.
With the pressure rising to be more and do more,
take time for yourself and just stop the madness – even if only briefly.
What can you do?
5 Minute Meditation
You’ve heard me talking about this one lots of times.
Try the 5 Minute Meditation today – it is so easy.
Go Take A Hike
Walk, jog, run, skip, hike, skate, bike.
Get outside and enjoy being in nature.
Shake It Up!
Put on some music and dance and get movin’ and groovin’ in a way that makes you happy.
Pop Pop Popcorn
Make a big bowl of popcorn and curl up to a good movie or book
Sit back and relax.
Maybe you’ve got other another idea of how to find time for yourself – whatever it is,
do it and you will be rejuvenated and ready to bring your best into the world again!
Enjoy.
Xo,
Kathleen
Sometimes it is important to say No. Maybe someone wants you to do something but you know that there is no time for it in your life. Your schedule is packed and you need a break from extra responsibilities. Other times, you don’t even want to do it and you know it is not the right thing for you to do, yet you feel pressured to accommodate someone else. Maybe out of guilt or distraction or for some other reason. In any case, it is not for you to do.
Also remember this – when you say yes to a project or task that is not right for you, there is someone else who is not going to be doing it – someone else who may be better suited or who needs the challenge but will not come forward because you have already agreed to do it.
So how do you say No?
Here are 3 important steps to take.
First and foremost, get clear about what is right for you. For a minute or two, forget about everyone else. Forget about other people’s demands, expectations, requirements and opinions. Sit quietly and determine what is true and right for you.
Get clear.
Maybe this takes a few sessions of stillness so you can hear yourself think clearly. Maybe a long uninterrupted walk. Whatever it takes, find a way to listen deeply to your true inner wisdom and know what is right for you.
Second, once you know what is right for you, get help from a friend. Find someone you can talk to who will completely support you and what is best for you. This person will be primarily concerned for you and your well being. Someone you know who will support your decision to do what is right in this situation. Talk to them and get them to help you stick to your resolve. Someone who will encourage you if you waiver or begin to doubt yourself.
When you get ready to communicate your No answer, this friend will be rooting for you. Make sure you tell them when you plan to deliver the news so that you have accountability for following through with your plan.
Third, go do it. Write a letter, email, make a phone call, stop by the office. Whatever it is that you need to do to say No. Make it short and firm. Be gracious, courteous and clear. This is your life and you must be true to yourself.
OK that’s it. Not so bad after all.
Get clear.
Call your friend.
Speak up for yourself.
You can do it!
Let me know how it goes.
Best blessings to you,
Kathleen
Know that you have the truth inside you. You know what to do in each situation that presents itself in your life. You can access the truth, your best options, all the information you need if you are willing to take the time to listen carefully.
With care.
How do you do this?
Stop. Sit. Breathe. Wait.
Have patience and trust the process. If you sit quietly every day, you will begin to develop the ability to recognize the difference between what is your inner truth and what is the noise and distraction of the world.
It is simple and powerful.
But here is the key: Only you can do it. No one can do it for you. You can’t buy it, borrow it, steal it or otherwise get it from the outside.
You are the one who has to make the decision to create that meditation commitment. Every Day.
Start with 5 minutes. Right now. And set you timer every day this week to make time to sit in silence and stillness, with care. To hear yourself think and to listen to your truth. Enjoy.
Xo,
Kathleen
Can you hear yourself?
Or are there too many people, ideas, opinions and agendas roaming around in your head. I bet some are pretty loud. Even the ones that are not loud can be so persistent that it hurts.
So turn them all off.
Yup, every one of them. Your family, your work associates, your boss, your partner, your parents and your kids. Don’t forget to turn off the TV, the computer, the radio, the iPod, iPad, iPhone and iDistractions.
Are you with me? I thought so!
OK, so how do you do it?
Here is how: Stop. Sit. Breathe.
Do not be fooled by the simplicity. And do not be worried if all the noises don’t turn off right away.
But if you keep doing this, a little bit every day, one day without any effort or pressure or difficulty, you will find a moment of stillness. No noise, no one else.
And in that moment you will be able to truly, deeply hear yourself.
Start now.
Xo,
Kathleen
Sometimes the best way to proceed is to stick to the basics. Nothin’ Fancy Here.
So in a clear effort to keep it simple, let me give you this for thought:
Meditate Every Day + Follow Your Intuition
The Meditate Every Day part of this equation can be as short and easy as a 5 Minute Meditation.
The Follow Your Intuition is as simple as a pause. When you hear that small voice, take a breath and pause for a moment. Listen to it, trust it and give yourself permission to follow it
That’s it. Enjoy!
Best to you,
Kathleen
It ain’t easy doin’ nothin’!
Finding time to stop and sit and “do nothing” can be daunting and at times frustrating, I know. So here are 3 quick and easy things you can do to find meditation time and stick with it.
1. When your meditation doesn’t happen in it’s scheduled time, put it on your “to do” list for the day – it can be quite satisfying to mark that one off afterwards.
2. Break up the time into smaller increments. If you do a 5 Minute Meditation, go ahead and stick with that. If your regular meditation is longer, try a couple of 5-10 minute meditations during different times of the day. Morning, lunch, night time…all good times to stop and take a breather.
3. Set a timer. Sometimes when I remember something I need to do later, I set an alarm on my cell phone so I am sure to do it when I hear the beeping. Right in the middle of things if you hear that alarm going off, it is a good way to take a 5 Minute Meditation break.
Enjoy!
Kathleen
These last few days I have been crazy tired and decided to sleep in a bit. It has been delicious!
Yet, I have to admit, when I skip my regular meditation to stay in bed it takes me so much longer to get my bearings for the day and that sleepy daze takes a little longer to shake and get my focus going.
When I sleep in, I still have a meditation later in the day. But for me and my schedule and my personal needs, it is just not the same as the first-thing-in-the-morning meditation that I have cultivated.
So here is my new adjustment – keep my date with myself and stick to my regular scheduled early, early morning meditation time and then if I need to slip in a quick nap, I do.
Right now my minivan is my rockin’ nap machine. I grab a few winks while I am waiting to pick up the kids either at the bus stop or in the school parking lot before class gets out. (I’ve been a mom for over 16 years now and I assure you no one even looks twice if they see me napping in the minivan for ten minutes!!)
The discipline of sticking to my meditation plan is so so so worth it! But to be honest, I have to keep reminding myself that this is what I need to do.
A million more comfortable options present themselves. Actually, at 4:30 in the morning, only one comfortable option presents itself!
And if I get off track for a couple of days I can really feel it and every other aspect of my life is eager for the benefits of that early morning stillness.
So I tell you this because I need to remind myself. We all need encouragement and I am here to heartily encourage you to find the meditation time that best works for you and stick with it. And sharing this with you is an encouragement for me as well.
Having the support of others makes a huge difference – really it does! So thanks for helping me stay on track and let me know if I can help you, too!
Here are 3 good ideas to help you stick to your meditation plan:
1. Find a friend to help keep you on task. You do the same for your friend and each of you benefit from the support.
2. You can post your meditation plan right here (A little secret, once you make it public, there is a bit of accountability to stick to it.)
3. Schedule it in your planner – keep the appointment just like you would any other.
Give them a try and see what works best for you! Let me know how it goes…
xo,
Kathleen
People often ask me to teach them how to meditate and so I always prefer to give simply the most basic instruction necessary.
In my classes, what I am doing instead of teaching how to meditate is giving you the opportunity to experience it. Holding the space to make it easier or even possible. And I think that counts for a lot.
It happened today when I was leading an Aikido class where a third of the class was made up of black belts who have been training for many years longer than me (talk about intimidating!)
Instead of trying to “teach” them something, I demonstrated a series of familiar techniques and created the opportunity for the experience of vigorous training.
All the students trained according to their own capabilities and the result was a tremendously satisfying class.
Often times when we are in charge of a situation, we feel inclined to instruct to such an extent that our words become a mandate.
This is especially true for me if the person that I am instructing happens to be my teenage daughter. I really really want her to get the information I am giving her so she can learn it already!
But just like the meditation classes and the Aikido class, my best teaching is not teaching at all. It is a thousand times more effective if I give her a few guidelines and hold the space for her to safely experience it on her own.
This is an exceptionally ripe opportunity for paying careful attention to what my intuition is telling me – often it is telling me to Stop Talking!
It can seem unproductive to only give the slightest amount of instruction, but in reality all the words in the world are not nearly as valuable as just doing it.
So maybe you have a situation in your life like that – a child, an employee, a co-worker or a student. Maybe instead of teaching them how to do something, just give them a few choice guidelines and lots and lots of space to safely explore, experiment and experience it for themselves.
Give it a try.
Blessings,
Kathleen
The Dalai Lama has a full schedule. As a worldwide spiritual leader he travels, speaks, teaches, writes, leads and maintains his own spiritual practice among a million other things. I heard that once he was asked if he reduces his meditation when he travels and has more time constraints. He noted that instead of meditating less during times of an extra full schedule, he meditates more.
It is mysterious, but if you decide to increase your meditation in the face of hectic and busy days, you will empower yourself. Any time you increase your resolve in the midst of challenging situations, you empower yourself to greater strengths.
Here is an idea. I encourage you to consider what you are presently doing with your meditation and set your intention to increase it just a little bit. Try it beginning today and go until the start of the New Year (2012!) Instead of waiting for the New Year to start or deepen your practice, do it now and you will be well on your way come January 1st.
You know how good it feels when you mediate. You know the blessed relief when have just a few minutes of everybody-leave-me-alone peace and quiet. Ah, bliss.
Now, this need not be an overwhelming, one more thing I gotta do, sort of a deal.
So how about this: 5 minutes.
Just 5 minutes. If you want to start meditating, try the 5 Minute Meditation. If you already have a practice, add 5 minutes each day.
It can be a walking meditation, a movement meditation, a stillness meditation, a chanting meditation. Whatever it is, commit to it. Give yourself that extra boost of energy and vitality that comes from a meditation practice.
xo,
Kathleen
PS. The Dalai Lama is also reported to have said that sleep is the best mediation, so maybe what you really need to commit to yourself is to get extra sleep.
handle whatever comes up
take practical steps towards goals
have ideas that are clear and focused
be light hearted and enjoyable
be inspired to help others
(Daily Meditation)
struggle to get things done
goals seem unmanageable
ideas are muddled
cranky and difficult
too overwhelmed to help anyone else or do anything extra
hmmm…
What separates the first group from the second?
Daily Meditation
So, how about it…
get started with a 5 Minute Meditation today.
Enjoy,
Kathleen
Every once in a while I miss the light at a huge intersection with many lanes and turn lanes and road construction and just a lot of traffic.
And sometimes, I sit at the traffic light for more than 5 minutes. That is annoying. Do I have extra time in my day to sit at a single traffic light for 5 minutes?
I do not! And yet, not much to be done about it – sometimes it just happens.
What could I do with those 5 minutes if I had not got caught in traffic?
I could watch some extra commercials on TV. Stand in a long line at the grocery store. Look for a parking spot in a busy part of town. Wait for a new software update to download. I could even spend those 5 minutes on the toll bridge plaza!
Hmm, I really don’t have any extra time for those things either, but they seem to creep into my life none-the-less.
So how about it – how about a 5 Minute Meditation. You know which one I am talking about:
Sit down.
Set your cell phone timer for 5 minutes.
Close your eyes.
Breathe.
(pretty simple)
It is a huge gift that you give yourself when you spend a little time in stillness. Getting to a place of stillness is not adding one more thing to your frantic schedule. It is making room for your breath, your well being, yourself. This is putting on your oxygen mask.
Ahhh, that sounds so much better to spend those 5 minutes breathing and bringing a moment of stillness into your life. It will assist you with making clear decisions and help you to be calm and centered.
Maybe it seems like you don’t have time for meditation, but what the heck – give it a try. (It is better than waiting for a traffic light!)
Enjoy.
Kathleen
PS. Go here to get a FREE app for The Meditation Project meditation posts. They are great reminders and inspiration to help out your daily meditation. Created by Anne Grothaus.
You already have the answer within yourself. You already know exactly what to do. Of course, sometimes distractions and other people’s opinions and ideas from the world around you make it difficult to hear your own voice. But it’s in there. It’s inside you.
So just listen. Stop what you are doing and take the time to sit quietly and listen. You will always find the truth inside of yourself if you listen quietly, carefully and patiently.