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Welcome! Hmmmm. A newsletter
with minimal work or fuss . . .
Ah! Haiku is fun!
Bimonthly haiku
Tips to help reduce your stress
Explore and enjoy!
September-October 2008
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Savor a raisin
Slowly, with
deep attention
Amazing richness |
This is a great experiment and so simple to
do. Start by closely observing your raisin… look at it
carefully, smell it, feel its texture…then very very slowly eat
it, noticing every sensation during the process and after.
You will notice things about raisins that never
struck you before. Plus, you’ll probably find that it was both a
very pleasurable and engaging experience, and that it took your
mind off everything else.
What if we had enough time and space to engage
with each of our daily activities in this mindful way? Since we
don’t, consider picking one small thing that you could do with
this degree of attention every day.
The activity can be anything – taking a sip of
water, putting a child into a car seat, brushing your teeth,
smiling at someone, unlocking your front door when you come
home. This small daily injection of “mindfulness” will help you
to stay calm and sane.
July-August 2008
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How deep is
your rest?
When you rest,
how much do you
completely
relax? |
For many of us, the answer
to the second question is, “Not enough!” So often, our minds
hold tightly and keep trying to work even when there is no
need. We obsess over problems long past the point where it’s
useful.
And it all comes out in
our bodies. Our shoulders tense or our fists clench while
struggling with a mental or physical challenge, and they
“forget” to release fully when it’s over. Even when we practice
conscious relaxation routines, there are some muscles that
strongly resist letting go. (That can include the diaphragm and
other muscles that affect our breathing.)
So, how deeply do you
rest? How much can noticing areas of resistance in your body –
just simply noticing them – help you to let go, at least a
little bit more?
May-June 2008
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What do you enjoy?
How to do it more?
Gently
ask your inner self |
When we think about
reducing stress, we tend to focus on the things we don’t like
that we want to get rid of.
Another approach is to
focus on what we want to increase. Enjoyment is a great
place to start.
This haiku invites you to
reflect on what would help you to enjoy life more, and then how
to create space for it. There are many ways to find answers to
these questions. If you are stuck, the haiku suggests that you
check inside.
If you are not sure how to ask your inner self, try sitting
quietly for a bit, settling in with your breath and body
sensations. Then pose the question to yourself. Continue to
sit and breathe quietly. Wait to see what floats up to your
consciousness, either while you are sitting or perhaps in the
next few days.
April 2008
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Think of a grievance
Exaggerate it so much
That you’ll have to laugh |
Our March haiku was about
changing the tapes in your head. This haiku suggests one way to
do it.
I learned the value of
exaggerating a grievance while in summer camp.
The tryouts for the camp
play required us to improvise a scene. My challenge was to
persuade someone else to change a flat tire for me. I whined,
cajoled and generally hammed it up so much that everyone,
including me, ended up laughing. It was such a hit that they
cast me in a role that required singing, even though I sang way
off key!
That was just “pretend,”
but it helped me to see how exaggeration can help ease a tough
situation. Try it the next time you have a “crabby” tape playing
in your head. On your own or with someone you’re comfortable
with, go ahead and have a verbal, over-the-top, crab-fest! Then
laugh, breathe, and go along your merry way.
March 2008
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Tapes play in your head
Make you feel stressed and crazy
Start changing the tapes |
This is the first haiku on my site that focuses specifically on
our minds. Our dear minds, so busy all the time, and sometimes
so focused in ways that are NOT helpful.
What are some of the unhelpful tapes that play in your head? If
you’re not sure, start paying attention to your critical,
negative thoughts. Typical tapes might include, “How could
I/he/she/they be so stupid?,” or “Something is bound to go
wrong.”
Pick one tape and play with changing it. How? Experiment! One
popular technique is called “reframing.” Turn around the message
somehow, alter its perspective. If you are stuck, imagine that
you are assisting a friend with changing that tape, rather than
yourself – or request help from someone close to you.
Next month’s haiku will suggest one possible way to change a
crazy-making tape.
February 2008
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Listen to your heart
Beating Heart and Feeling Heart
Pause – Breathe – Wait – Listen |
I wrote this haiku after speaking about tips for stress
reduction at a health fair sponsored by Sister to Sister, a
foundation dedicated to preventing heart disease in women. February is "American Heart Health" month in the U.S., and
Sister to Sister has sponsored February "heart health" fairs in
many cities for the last 8 years.
Cold rain poured down all day, yet there was a great turnout for
the health fair where I spoke. It was both inspiring and
sobering. There is so much we know and yet so much mystery about
the working of our hearts. I found myself reflecting on the
importance of caring for both our actual, physical hearts and
our metaphorical hearts, where our feelings reside.
In our busy, crazy lives, it's so easy to forget to listen to
our hearts. Yet paying a little attention to both our beating
and feeling hearts can hugely improve the quality – and
longevity – of our lives.
January 2008
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New resolutions --
Replace many "I shoulds" with
One heartfelt "I will" |
New Years brings out the "overachiever" in
many of us, as we contemplate all the ways we’d like to improve.
We know that it doesn’t work to set overly ambitious goals . . .
but how to resist? Choose something that resonates in your core!
Not sure how to do this?
Set aside some quiet time. Settle down, ask yourself what change you really need and want to accomplish
this year, then wait for an answer that feels like it comes from your body, not just your active,
anxious-to-solve-problems mind.
(If you could use more guidance, check out some of our previous haiku, below.)
December 2007
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Way too much to do?
Take a thirty-second break
Three deep, calming breaths |
Over the years, I've come
to really enjoy playing with my breath. It’s a great way to
refocus your attention and calm yourself down.
The holiday season often
generates lots of hectic activity. But no matter how pressured
you feel, you’ve got to keep breathing. So why not treat
yourself to three conscious breaths? Even a single deep breath
can help you feel clearer and more energized.
November 2007
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Thumb to forefinger
A famous hand position
It deepens your breath |
When we're stressed, our breath tends to
become shallow. This starts a vicious cycle as the reduced
oxygen to our system puts strain on our brain and body
functions, which in turns makes us feel more stressed.
I discovered recently that when I touch
together the thumb and index finger of each hand to form two
small circles (a classic hand position for meditation), it
immediately deepens my breath. Voila! I now use this to help
cope with dental appointments and other situations where my body
tenses up. It requires no conscious thought or effort, other
than remembering to touch your fingertips together.
Try it and see what happens. Even if
you can't perceive a change in your breathing, you may feel calmer and more centered.
October 2007
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Pretend you're a tree
Exhale stress and inhale calm
Through roots of your feet |
This is one of my favorite images. I often
use it myself and share it regularly with my friends and
clients. If the image of a tree doesn't appeal to you, pick any
plant -- sunflowers are another favorite. Sometimes I don't even
need to use the whole image. Just pressing my feet firmly into
the ground can be enough to help settle down.
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