A Generosity of Spirit

by Dean Solon

Gentleness with self opens to and reveals a wonderful “secret” teaching: you are perfectly all right as you are

You are perfectly all right as you are.

This gentleness and generosity with yourself unfolds to a feeling and to a sharing of light and warmth, of compassion and lovingkindness, with other living beings.

And so your perception of life and of the world begins to change and to expand…and so the world changes, too.

Sitting…in this moment…in this present and precious moment.

The concoction and connection is already residing inside you.

The concoction and connection is already and always breathing, already and always living, inside you…

waiting to be released,

waiting to be revealed,

waiting to be shared freely.

Dean Solon leads meditation groups on Monday mornings and Thursday evenings at the Resiliency Center.  He has been practicing for over 45 years and facilitating meditation groups since 2003.  He encourages a personal, gentle, non-rigid approach to mindfulness-and- heartfulness meditation.

Loving-Kindness and Generosity of Spirit

by Karen Steinbrecher

In QiGong practice, I lead participants in a “Lovingkindness of the Heart” practice from Lee Holden also called “Lotus Flow”.  We send out lovingkindness with our hands.  This diamond-light is sent to the earth, to our hearts, to one another, back to the earth and ascends up in the shape of a lotus-flower, returning to our hearts, and continuing to ascend up above our heads to the Universe.  We repeat this several times with words of lovingkindness, compassion, forgiveness and peace.  These lovely peaceful words help to bring expansiveness of the heart, inviting joy to blossom in your heart.

To practice opening your heart through the gentle movements and deep breathing of Qi Gong, join me at the center and/or watch a video of Lee Holden introducing some gentle Qi Gong practices at https://youtu.be/zAKqL3elCjg

Karen Steinbrecher leads QiGong classes twice a week at the Resiliency Center, on Tuesday afternoons and Thursday evenings. 

Emotions and Compassion

by Catherine McLaughlin

When we experience emotional pain, our natural tendency is to push “bad” feelings away before we fully experience them.  To be alone with them.  These feelings can get trapped in our bodies and cause physical and psychological pain.

Many approaches to therapy teach us that if we think or behave differently, our pain will naturally go away.

However, this focus on changing thoughts and behaviors doesn’t work for everyone.

There is another way. We can free up the unfelt “bad” feelings when we experience them in the presence of compassion and lovingkindness.  Facing feelings together, we learn that we are not alone in our pain and find a way back to ourselves. 

Catherine McLaughlin, LPC, practices Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP) at the Resiliency Center.  If this therapeutic approach sounds like a good fit for you, please give her a call at 267-800-5073 or email Catherine@cjmcounseling.com for a complimentary consultation.

From SAD to Glad . . . Giving grace through nourishing the self and others

by Kristin Fulmer

One of the greatest ways to express loving kindness to yourself and others is with preparing and enjoying eating wholesome, nutrient dense foods. Unfortunately, living in Western society we are often inundated and encouraged to eat quickly and for convenience, a Standard American Diet or SAD. A typical Western diet or SAD is full of unhealthy fats, refined sugars, processed foods, pasteurized dairy, and genetically modified foods that can play havoc with our physical and emotional health causing us to feel SAD, MAD, and overall just plain BAD.

During this holiday season, allow the wisdom of your body and the compassion of your spirit to rejoice with eating a more traditional wholesome diet - a diet rich in pastured meats, wild fish, vegetables and fruits, nuts and seeds, and whole grains, a natural remedy for diseases of body and mind.  

Here are three delicious ways to go from SAD to Glad:

1. Increase your consumption of whole unprocessed nutrient dense foods sourced from healthy and happy animals and organic (if possible) produce. Keep it simple - pastured meats and eggs, wild fish, cultured or raw dairy, vegetables and fruits, healthy fats, properly prepared whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.

2. Reduce the consumption of packaged ‘food-like’ products. If you can’t read or recognize the ingredients then don’t eat it! Here’s another clue, if you served this food to your grandmother or great grandmother would she recognize this food? If not, don’t eat it!

3. Get back into the kitchen. Cooking more meals at home means spending more time with family and involving other family members in the meal choice and preparation. There’s no hidden ingredients to worry about and recipe modifications are easily accommodated. Yes, preparing meals at home may take more time but your health and the health of your loved ones are worth it!

Here’s to your health, harmony, and happiness!

Kristin Fulmer, MS, NCC, LPC, NTP, is a Licensed Professional Counselor and Certified Nutritional Therapist, providing individual, family, and group counseling. Kristin utilizes an integrative and functional whole-person, mind-body approach with an emphasis on nutritionally-dense, whole foods approach to improve emotional and physical wellbeing. To learn more about her practice and to schedule an appointment, contact Kristin at (267) 843-4888 kristin@healthybody-happybrain.com and visit her website [insert link to: www.healthybody-happybrain.com]