Take a moment to be still. Feel connected to, and held by the earth, and breathe into the whole body. Direct the breath to any areas of stress or tension to help release the burdens. Exhale and let it all go. Repeat this exercise as many times as you need, until you feel relaxed. Remember that when you pause in stress, you are better able to respond to what life is giving you.

These mindfulness activities for children and for ourselves invite us to take a moment to pause, and invite comfort, safety and belonging into our hearts and minds. When our minds feel like there is too much going on, we can remember to pause for a few moments and hold this quiet time in your heart.

We have arrived in the year 2023! Let’s welcome it in softly and with kindness. Do you tend to put great expectations on yourself for making New Years resolutions, for starting the year with a bang and a spring in your step? I think we all do. But, this isn’t always the case for many (if not all) of us. And if we overpromise ourselves from the off, it can result with us being less productive or feeling worse that we did before. 

Just as deer feed their bodies for strength and endurance particularly leading up to colder weather, we can also feed our minds! As we immerse ourselves in the winter season, let’s tune in to our breath to help with calm and resilience while we build our brains. All that’s needed are a few moments to reset and refocus, enabling us to continue with a clearer mind and greater sense of inner peace. Let’s be resilient like deer!

The cold winter months and busyness of the holidays can sometimes leave us feeling blue and overloaded. We can turn to nature and to our breath for help! Think of bright yellow and orange Wintergold pines and firs that light up dreary skies and bring warmth to the landscape. We can bring this warmth and light into our lives too, while practicing gratitude for what’s within us and around us.