Creating “Big Magic.” That feeling of amazement as things begin to click.  When you come into your space and claim it. This is the magic I have been experiencing lately. I began to prioritize my breathing practice, mindfulness, teaching, my connection to the earth and a deeper appreciation for the beauty in nature. When you work on cultivating that which brings a smile to your lips and chips away some of your rougher edges. Suddenly opportunities have been presenting themselves. Not through miracles, but because I pushed myself to leave my comfort zone. I allowed myself to grow. Not all of my ventures have been insanely successful, but I refuse to live complacently. I want to truly LIVE life and find ways of sharing my passions.

There have been moments of low self-esteem and doubt, but it comes with the territory when you are trying to do new things. When you are trying to “shake the world in a gentle way,” it is the deep desire within you trying to stay alive that moves you forward.

I owe this to my mindfulness practice and my incredible support system. Mindfulness is so much harder for anyone who has experienced moments of deep despair and sadness. Those of us with a bit of resentment, insecurities, confusion, or traumas. Our minds tend to forget but our body does not. When we sit still, our body finally starts to share old stories with us.

It is also that much more important for us when we find it challenging to sit still to make the attempt to try mindfulness instead of sitting still. Once we begin to cultivate awareness, it is an opportunity to reconnect to your true nature. Not the one that has been created by the conditions of our lives. You begin to observe the fluctuations of the mind and begin observing patterns. You’ll notice which thoughts come to you the most. This is the opportunity we give ourselves to feel empowered and create space by acknowledging the patterns and release them so we can continue to connect to the present moment of feeling our breathing.

I thought for a while my meditation practice wasn’t working because I started to recall moments while sitting still and feel tears begin to stream. And then I would judge myself for feeling sadness. One of the most challenging things I’ve ever done is sit with my sadness. Not allowing myself to be pulled into a stream of thoughts where I try to understand it, but instead hold that sadness compassionately in observation of what the physical body is trying to communicate with the mind. This is the beautiful experience of making space by letting go of that which has been holding us back.

I invite you all to try the 4 week Ram Dass Solstice Meditation Renewal online course. He first went to India in 1967 and has been sharing mindfulness practices since then. There is not one magical method that works best for everyone. Some prefer sitting like a yogi, others prefer laying, some prefer repetition of mantras and chanting, others walking meditation. If you want to start searching for which works best for you, I invite you to get a feel for one of the best teachers out there. Ram Dass. Set aside belief systems and allow yourself to experience the magic that can happen when you begin to grow your practice and stay consistent with it.

Also, for anyone wanting to create this magic, read Big Magic from Elizabeth Gilbert. Stay curious.