Meditation for Dummies

My choice of words for this title is more about grabbing your attention than it is about disrespect or name calling.

Sometimes we are so busy moving, planning and doing that it takes something sort of shocking to just stop us in our tracks. For many of us its a word or something we hear.

I want to share some of my Meditation journey with you.

I have been aware of Meditation since H.S. when a classmate of mine and now a longtime friend bought it to my attention and shared her and her families journey using this practice.
I found it interesting but being 13 or 14 years old I was not into clarity or calmness or being in the moment.
I was more into go go go and my way is the right way.

About 3 years ago a had a life changing experience that basically forced me to stop and slow down.
I had a major change in a relationship that at the time I thought was building on a strong foundation when in fact it was building on very rocky ground.

Sometimes things are right in front of us and we just refuse to see them.
Anyway so as I was saying, I was bought to a halt a place I had never been at before.
After about a month and a half of asking myself all the why's I could possibly ask myself I decided to stop questioning and start doing.

I began to work on myself and really get to know who Mari was. Who I wanted to be and how I wanted to live my life moving forward.

One of the things I turned to without hesitation (finally) was Meditation. I went on Google and researched tons of stuff.
Centers, Music, the History, its Purpose etc...

I found out that many community centers, especially in NYC through a program called Shape Up NYC offer many free classes through our Parks and Recreation programs one of them being Yoga which includes Meditation.
I immediately found one and joined.

I then set out to make a space in my home where I can practice and be committed to my new journey.
This is what I came up with...

One of the most eye opening moments for me was during one of my Yoga classes when at the end my instructor said "let's prepare for Corpse Pose".

I was like "what?". I looked around to see if anyone else was as shocked as I was apparently not.
She instructed us to lay down, our hands to our sides, palms up, eyes closed.
She said some other things but only thing I heard was death and rebirth.
That was a moment I will never forget and that is one of my favorite parts of my practice. I am including links with info if you wish to explore further.

mindbodygreen.com
artofliving.org
myyogaonline.com

Asian and International rituals Coffin ceremonies for the living

thaiworldview.com
thaizer.com

Meditation is many things to different people.
It is indeed a practice not something casual. It is a way of life.
I started my practice with barely making it through 5 minutes of stillness, I am now up to 30 minutes.

My practice brings me a joy and peace like no other.
It is mine and I don't have to share that space with anyone or anything.
It centers me and brings me clarity. It allows me to be accountable for my actions and to be present in what I do and who I choose to interact with in my daily life.

Meditation has even bought my daughter and I closer as if that was even possible :). We discuss it, we practice it together at times and we respect and appreciate what it has done for the vibe in our home.

As a parent I suggest it as an alternative to Time Outs.
Sitting in a chair or bench because you behaved poorly doesn't teach a lesson.
If we instead sit still with our kids and ask them for a few minutes of reflection, eyes closed, hands on their laps maybe at the end of those few minutes they will come out of it calmly and with better attitude to be more cooperative.
Sure little ones lack focus for long periods of time, but even 1 or 2 minutes of sitting close to mommy and or daddy with eyes closed can teach a lesson.

What other alternatives have you found in place of Time Outs?

Always  stress free xo

Not your Cup of Tea

Opinionated, Stubborn, Honest, Reliable, Loyal, Funny, Passionate and Loving.

These words I use to describe myself.

As July 2014 has been a trying month for me it has forced me to sit with myself and think out loud.
It has tested what I thought were pretty good plans, goals and attitude.

As my Blogging journey quickly approaches the much grateful year 1, I have come to clearly understand and slowly accept I am not everyone's Cup of Tea.

When I originally thought about sharing my parenting journey I was very excited and ready to go! I couldn't wait to touch on certain subjects or share the philosophies that had so clearly worked for me, my home, my family, my daughter.
I only saw the fun parts, I wasn't concerned with the possible negative comments and I certainly didn't care about monetary gain and to some degree still don't.
I wasn't prepared though for the slow process of growth and acceptance.

I wasn't prepared to accept that perhaps my laid back, care free, no drama, very little rules, very little craft skills was not going to be so inviting after all.
I don't go on rants about my life or use profanity to express my distaste of something or someone.
I don't complain daily, I am not a hater, I rarely touch on Fashion or Celebrities.
I can't even really pin point a downside to my 19 years of parenting except Potty Training and 19 years is a very long time in Mommywood.
I only have 1 child, I don't hate my ex's, I love my job, I don't diet, I enjoy minimal exercise and I love to eat!
I practice Yoga and Meditation, they are additions to my life that bring me peace and connect me to humanity and I prefer laughter to anything else and I believe there is a solution to any and every problem and I refuse to remain stuck.

Mind you that Blogging is filled with many many different styles and tastes, I am just highlighting a few that I have come across in Blog Mom sphere.

So what have I learned this year and why am I still here?

Well because being different is awesome. Not following the crowd is great. The women and men I have connected with have been wonderful blessings!
-I have learned how to make great new dishes, how to work with a glue gun properly, how to make my own natural face and body scrubs.
-I have learned about different cultures, I have traveled to places I may never see through the great picture shares of other mommies I follow.
-I have shared in some great First for many families, I have laughed a ton and shed few tears.
-I have been amazed at some stories and how with Faith and determination obstacles have been overcome.
-I have learned about Autism and the challenges it truly presents to each individual family.
-I have been made more aware about Sensitivity Disorders and what that exactly means.
-I live vicariously through some of these beautiful women's closets and fashion sense.
-I have learned that Mommy Blogging is filled with more good than bad so be grateful for variety and it's ok if you stop every now and then and read a rant or two.
-I have learned that all parents want the same end result...happy, healthy, loving children.
We may take different roads but we all want to get to the same place.


So I have decided to no longer concern myself with the quantity of followers I have but instead cherish, love, respect and enjoy the quality of followers I have.
No number can diminish the great life I have been blessed to travel or the countless hours of joy my daughter has bought me.
If Living in Mommywood can touch just one person, inspire that one hardheaded adult into seeing that change in attitude at any age is possible, teach one person that being a mom or a dad is not being a ruler but a guide and that communication is the door to a peaceful home and connection with our children then I have all the followers I will ever need.

No I am not everyone's Cup of Tea but I may be your Cup of Tea and I am grateful and pleased with that!!

Mommyhood has been good to me, it's taught me so many things about patience, love and acceptance.
It has taught me that we can plan and try to prepare as best we can but in the end kids have their own agendas so we have to roll with the punches.

Thanks for coming over to visit hope you stay but if you don't it's ok much love anyway...
Always stress free xoxo

Forever Young

It is 9 pm and I just returned home from a visit with my grandma, had to bring her some things. As some of you may know I am the majority care giver for my 90 year old grandmother aside from her two (2) home attendants. One has been with her for over nine (9) years Monday thru Thursday, Fridays depends on availability. Saturday and Sunday attendant has been with us for about two (2) years. They are both wonderful, giving, loving women I would be lost without and my grandmother would no longer be with me if not for their service.

I have always been the biggest kid in the room, even in a room full of toddlers. I love to laugh, I love being playful and having fun. I am not a pouter or whiner or woe is me type personality.

Being involved in my grandmother’s life so deeply especially these past several years has made me appreciate my attitude even more. I appreciate memories, movement, expression and day to day just living a little more.

I mentioned memories because we have days she doesn't remember who I am and though it breaks my heart every time, my playful approach allows me to suck back the tears and keep pushing forward till something I say triggers a memory. I am blessed that she has always been a part of my life so she does recall a lot of our time together once her mind cooperates with her.

I bring this up because we as adults sometimes lose sight of our youth. We get wrapped up in daily life. Poor life choices, negative work conditions, bad relationships, poor health situations and so forth. We tend to forget to look at the positives that are happening right around us.

Life is about choices. When something isn't working change it. We don’t have to suffer, in anything we do. What we do have to do is use our options.

My grandmother’s life is a lesson to me because I don’t want to get older and not have been enjoying life. I don’t want to get older and wonder how come I didn't do. I don’t want to get older and be waiting to die.

On behave of my grandmother I will continue to laugh louder, eat smarter, play more often, love deeper and live stronger and with more passion. I will continue to appreciate the fact I always have a choice. I always have an option. I choose to be living a life that is stress free. I choose to be FOREVER YOUNG.

Btw…when I left I left her in her lounge chair laughing :)