Mindfulness is a state of being where we come into deeper relationship to self, other and our interbeing with the world. In this state, we move towards freedom, presence and a non judgemental accepting awareness – seeing the world and ourselves as they truly are. It can feel like there is a little more space, and we have more capacity to respond to life, rather than react. While this can be a joyful and sometimes ecstatic experience, being with ourselves isn’t always an easy place to be. As we soften and slow down, we can be confronted by the difficult emotions and experiences that we may have spent a long time avoiding and moving away from. If we are able to make space for both joyful and our difficult experiences, it supports us to be whole and fully feel all aspects of our experience. To be our full selves and to feel fully alive.

Meditation and embodied awareness practices support us to cultivate this depth of awareness and richer relationship. It is a practice of coming back again and again to this moment, this experience, allowing, noticing sensations, sounds, patterns, thoughts and more. It can include the body, the imaginal and the more subtle aspects of our experience and our natural capacities for kindness, compassion and connection. For me, doing these practices together, in community is where they are most supportive and transformative as we grow our capacity to both be with ourselves and with each other.