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This month in the article called “Practices” I offer nine of the most effective actions I use to manage my mind and free my Spirit. I hope they provide you with some food for thought and prompt you to action. Also please check out the new Body-Centered Breaks — SEVEN NEW BCBS!! Now, you can download the body-centered breaks to your iPods and MP3 players too!!
For men considering joining us for the first annual Arjuna Conference in June, please know that we have only five spots left to fill the conference.
From now until March 31st, new clients can benefit from an introductory life coaching offer: Three months of coaching for $950. Please contact me if you’d like to have some coaching support to make a change that is important to you in your life.
Respectfully,
Sean Casey LeClaire
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PRACTICES
Coaching clients interested in more than mere performance-related goal setting and the achievement of such tend to ask about deeper practices which can increase their self awareness, empathy and ability to love themselves and others. I’ve also had clients who insist on knowing what I think is the very best practice. My initial answer is always to tell them to… accept what happens. That’s the deepest practice I know—accept what happens in my life. If it was that simple we would all do it, wouldn’t we? Actually it IS that simple but when I look at my life honestly, I can see that I still try to run the show much of the time. With that in mind, let me give you nine additional practices which I find most helpful, when I use them!!
Mantra
Mantra is a powerful holy name that I chant under my breath, inside myself, throughout the day. The mantra is just like a road to walk on, internally, which will break the bonds of non-awareness and allow an individual to emerge into light and love. In addition to the classic mantra, I also use “peace” on my in-breath and “don’t know” on my out-breath. The naming of “peace” and “don’t know” on breath-in, breath-out, helps when my need to control people, places and things becomes strong, usually when I’m frightened of losing something I have, or not getting something I want.
Power of And
Many people tend to see situations as black or white, this or that. They tend to jump to either/or perspectives. The “power of and” implies that there is this and this and this and this and this and this and this and… The Power of And saves my ass on a regular basis. Try it!
How
The acronym “how” stands for honesty, openness and willingness. When I engage my day with how, it rarely fails to work when dealing with my mind and people, places and things.
Body-Centered Breaks
The Body-Centered Break is a body-focused inquiry and awareness meditation lasting only two minutes and done whenever and wherever you are in your day. Benefits as described by coaching clients include: calmness of mind, overall sense of well-being, sharpened mental focus, reduced anxiety, increased ability of autonomous nervous system to recover rapidly from stress, and an increased capacity for learning.
Support Equals Release
From Svaroopa Yoga… it means to allow your bones do what they are supposed to do, bear weight, so your muscles can relax. You can learn how at www.masteryoga.org where you can find a local yoga teacher to teach you to use your body effectively. If yoga is not your ticket, then call a friend and share openly. Isolation kills and is driven by pride and lack of courage. Sharing with my friends provides me with support and the release happens naturally. Without the power of my close friends’ listening, I’d be dead.
See the Whole
I work at seeing the whole person, not the parts of a person. I did that for years—like or not like the parts—and my view became so immature, I finally gave it up. When I see a person’s parts and not the whole, it means I really can’t see at all. Any action I take, while merely seeing a part or parts of someone, is because I am afraid. Fear blinds me and makes me small. The world is filled with small people. See the whole, be large. Largeness and humility can co-exist.
Just Laugh
Life is hard. There is no doubt about it. And the deeper you dig, well, there are lots of rocks and roots and rotten stuff buried down there. So it helps to remember something my “crazy” Aunt Madelaine told me when I stayed with her one summer when I was a kid. She said to me, while we were out hitting golf balls one balmy afternoon, “Do you know Sean, if you cry long enough, you laugh! You bet, your darn soul just bloody well takes over and you start laughing, hilariously!” I read somewhere that comedy is tragedy with time. My Aunt Madelaine would have liked that! She knew how to laugh in the most “inappropriate” social settings and personal circumstances.
Rule 62
It’s the only rule in the book—don’t take yourself so seriously.
Serve Somebody
When all else fails, I find somebody to serve. People in need of being served are everywhere! Usually, I just listen to the person and give them my full and complete attention. By doing this, my mind stops thinking and I feel better, immediately.
BODY-CENTERED BREAKS (BCBs)
The Body-Centered Break is a body-focused inquiry and awareness meditation lasting only two minutes and done whenever and wherever you are in your day. Benefits as described by coaching clients include: calmness of mind, overall sense of well-being, sharpened mental focus, reduced anxiety, increased ability of autonomous nervous system to recover rapidly from stress, and an increased capacity for learning.
CLICK here for an audio-guided BCB at any time you feel the need to slow down and center into yourself.
Enjoy the Benefits NOW!
NEW Body-Centered Breaks
Body-Centered Break (BCB) History
The thinking and philosophy behind BCBs. Where they come from and why BCBs can be so useful to your life!
Legs and Feet
Contact your being and bodily intelligence and initiate your doing from there!
The Maserati
Use your breath as a bridge between mind and body and slow the car down!
HeartBeat
Everyone has more heart for life than they are aware of. Find and exercise your muscle with HeartBeat.
Sitting in Your Seat
A person who is present is a powerful person. Start where you are sitting. Right Now!
The Pause
For people who can't yet stop for two minutes. Begin to slow down with The Pause. A three-second meditation.
SHARED WISDOM
We are what we repeatedly do.
Aristotle
POEM
Self Pity
I never knew a wild thing
Sorry for itself
A small bird can drop dead
Frozen from the bough of a tree
Never having once felt sorry for itself.
D. H. Lawrence
INQUIRY
How do you allow your life situation to keep you small?
WONDERING
If you knew that what you wanted wasn’t God’s will for you,
would you let it go?
WORKSHOPS AND EVENTS
Next Session Starts in March!
Men's Meditation and Mindfulness Group
Luminosity Studio
Mondays, 7:00-9:00pm
March 24 through June 2
West Concord, MA
To register: Contact Sean 978-369-8286
Email: sean@seanleclaire.com
THE ARJUNA CONFERENCE
A Men’s Weekend
Earth Dance Retreat Center
Western MA
June 6-8
For more information, click here: http://www.arjunaconference.com
Email: sean@seanleclaire.com
Only Five Spots Left!
RIGHT ACTION
If you practice something, learn a new skill, you will have the joy of that effort, no matter what happens to you. Begin now!
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