I started an online course about the practice of mindfulness, and it is benefiting my pre-existing meditation practice in more ways than one. The course is not MBSR, although I have been wanting to take that course for a couple of years now, but the curriculum includes pretty much all the tools which can be found in the MBSR course. The course I am participating in is called: Demystifying Mindfulness. I am learning so much, while also re-visiting techniques I am already familiar with.
It has invigorated my morning practice of pranayama and seated meditation. Since moving back to France to help my mum settle back here again I have been dealing with a lot of emotions, emotions I was not always able to let go of outside my meditation practice. November and December were challenging times, and it showed up in my meditation practice as mental restlessness, tears, messages from the past and difficulty in centering.
As part of the mindfulness course I am keeping a journal, something I do on and off. I love writing, I don't seem to sit down and write very often; or at least not as often as I think I should write it down. The thing is when I start to write, it takes a lot of time because I wonder about people and situations quite often. I find the daily mindfulness journal quite tedious, even though I notice its positive effects. It's giving me another outlet to process my feelings.
I don't listen to guided meditations normally, my meditation practice consists of visualisations, observing in silence and breathing. The meditations generously shared in the course are very beautiful, supportive and nurturing, they have made me re-discover my breath and my breathing (while meditating). I'm very grateful.
And so I continue to sit, breathe, and just be.