We embark on the twenty-sixth day of a 40 Day Practice, based on the energy of the Labyrinth (releasing – contemplation – receiving). If you have a local labyrinth, I invite you to walk the labyrinth with today’s theme as your focus. If you don’t have a local labyrinth, you can create your own, take a walk somewhere peaceful, or even sit in contemplation in your own home. I will be scheduling various public labyrinth appearances, and you are welcome to join me when and where you can, if you feel moved to do so.

The theme for today is Mindfulness. Mindfulness is simply being viscerally and consciously present.

Questions to help you see what can be released: Where do I let myself live in the past? Do I pine for days gone by, or hold resentments? Do I play past events over and over in my head? Do I worry about things that haven’t happened yet? How much time do I spend imagining worst case scenarios? What do I think I control? What’s getting in the way of me feeling, in my body, what is going on right now?

Suggestions for contemplation: Feel the soles of your feet touching the ground. Take off your shoes if you need to. Scan your body, slowly, in your mind’s eye, starting at the feet and working your way upward, registering every internal sensation. Feel yourself really breathing; feel the air coming into your lungs, feel the air leaving your lungs. Feel what your muscles do when you breathe. How deeply are you breathing? Feel the air on your skin. Feel where your clothing touches you and the texture of it. Observe your thoughts as if they were a movie or a radio station; don’t pick them up or play with them, just observe. Pretend they have nothing to do with you if you need to. Don’t judge them or push them away, just let them flow by like the circus parade that they are.

A mantra for receiving today might be “I open myself up to the moment. I open myself to the flow of my day. I open myself to being truly present, here and now.”