Hello and welcome.
My name is Lou and I thank you for choosing to practice with me.
I just want to share my inspiration for what we're going to practice today.
About this time last year I had an opportunity that came my way that seemed so much bigger than I could handle and it was this inflection point of this decision I made to choose to engage in this opportunity that led me to this past year of building a business that works in schools bringing mindfulness and yoga to teachers and students.
And I've been reflecting on this past year just seeing that that one opportunity that if I had said no what would have changed right the ripple effect of choosing to engage and choosing to say yes has been transformative.
And I can think of so many times in my life where it came down to this one inflection point this one person one idea one decision that I moved towards that led to this incredible ripple effect that has brought all this beautiful practices all of these beautiful people all of these synchronicities into my life.
And I so deeply love and believe in this concept of the ripple and think that that is really what we're working on creating internally when we practice is becoming our best selves becoming our most connected alive versions of ourselves so that when we move out into the world we create a ripple from who we are being and we just empower others based on our own state of who we are.
So we're gonna move into our practice and kind of reflect on our own inflection points and really connect to the oneness that is who we are and and the oneness of who we in the bigger sense who we really are.
So let's go ahead and settle in moving in any ways that you need to move rolling out shoulders moving your posture and dropping and bringing focus and awareness into your body.
And see if right away that we can bring this easefulness into our breath.
And see if you can lengthen in any place of your back or sides of your body that need to be lengthened.
Be feeling your ears kind of move up and then notice any parts of the body that need a little softening.
Relaxing the face.
And coming into connecting with your breath and connecting with wherever this moment finds you in.
This one moment.
And that simple practice of a breathing meditation is a chance again and again to come in to one.
To glimpse the pure presence of now.
And it's in that nowness where we eventually do feel as if we are one with everyone and everything.
So I'll leave a minute or so of space just for us to find and refine our breath.
I know that you may not be meditating with others in the room and maybe bringing the thought in that your breath is in sync with all the other people in the world that are meditating right now.
Whether you're listening to this on Insight Timer,
It's the Insight Timer community or the world in general.
Everyone that's practicing.
Feeling as if though our breath are completely in sync.
Feeling each breath fill and each breath out release.
And just as a short little focus practice,
Seeing if we can bring into our mind's eye a word one.
And I invite you to just repeat that word silently or out loud if you'd like.
Just repeating one,
One,
One,
One.
And letting that be your anchor point for a few moments.
And go ahead and take a breath in and let that go.
The ripple effect starts with just that first ripple.
And that energy goes outwards so far beyond that we can see.
And we always have the power to be that one in our lives for ourselves and for others.
We have the power to influence and move things forward and expand our life outward.
We're going to reflect here on those moments that you already did this.
I'd like you to think back to one decision that you made in your life that has had a positive impact.
That has caused a ripple of you doing what you've always wanted to do or becoming the person that you're becoming.
And seeing if you could find that decision point.
Maybe it was someone to marry.
Maybe it was a job to take or to not take.
And bringing it to your mind's eye and bringing it to your heart.
Seeing if you can go through the ripple that it caused and finding gratitude for it with each breath.
Letting that go.
We're going to move on to bringing one person who's had an impact that has positively shifted your life.
Maybe a teacher,
Mentor,
Parent.
It could be someone that came into your life for a week or a day and told you about something that you didn't know.
You went to that something and that led to this other thing which caused this whole chain of events.
And see if you can find it and noticing.
Was this a random person in your life or was this person put there?
Was it meant to be for you?
To help you.
Whoever it might be in whatever context,
Again finding a few moments of gratitude and appreciation for the ripple that this caused.
You skies Nav masculin boa balloons And moving on,
Letting that go.
And from that decision or from that person,
I'd like you to think of one moment that happened from either of those,
Those meetings or those choices that you can find gratitude for.
Maybe it was an accomplishment that it stirred.
Maybe it was a moment with a loved one that you got to have.
Maybe a fulfilling moment in your life or work.
Take a moment to find one of those ripples in the chain.
Go there,
See it,
Hear it,
Feel it,
Smell it.
Breathing in that appreciation.
Breathing out the love and joy.
It's an expression of consideration.
And let's take a breath in.
And go ahead and let that out.
There's so many ways to look at this word and this concept of one.
And one of the most glaring is obviously this one precious life that we get to live and share.
And the shortness of it and the beauty of it.
And of course,
Yes,
The pain,
The sorrow,
And the sadness of it.
We're going to reflect on this one precious life.
I know it's a very Buddhist practice to reflect on death,
Which I think is great,
But this is really reflecting on the miracle of this one life.
Seneca,
The Stoic philosopher,
Said in his book on the shortness of life,
It's not that we have so little time,
It's that we waste so much of it.
And we waste it in fear and worry and anger and petty,
Petty things that just are completely meaningless when we really pause to reflect.
And we're all doing this work to come more out of fear and anger and sadness and come more into the love and joy of our true nature,
Of our oneness in the ultimate sense.
So at this moment,
What are you working on letting go?
Or more so,
What are you working on moving through?
Because it's really not real.
Letting go implies that there's something there to let go of.
It's all an illusion of our experience that we are working to use to come more into our life.
And yes,
It's very real,
I know.
So I'd like you to think of one thing that you'd like to move through or let go of,
If that works for you.
Worry,
Anger,
Fear.
And seeing with each breath,
Again,
Finding that easefulness.
Seeing your worry or your stress or anxiety.
Just begin to settle and just move and dissipate away.
Seeing each breath,
Letting go,
Moving through just a little bit more.
Just one moment.
Just taking one last moment here,
Knowing that we're working to let it go,
But we're really more just creating the power within to see it for what it is and to be with who we truly are,
So much bigger than all of that.
And it's okay when we feel small,
It's okay.
There is a bigger one always within us.
I'd like you to now think of one word that you'd like to cultivate and embody,
Maybe using it in the I Am affirmation.
It's embodying and cultivating the confidence,
Peacefulness,
Joyfulness,
Strength.
Finding whatever word,
Feeling,
Intention,
Whatever feels right for you.
Maybe repeating,
I am confident,
I am peaceful,
I am strong,
I am love.
Just take a minute to follow this mantra.
And let's take a breath in.
And out.
And I'd like you to think about if there's anything that you're not letting yourself do,
Anywhere that you're holding back because of this fear or because of lack of confidence or calm or peace.
And since we only have this one precious life,
I'd like you to take a moment and just imagine what that version of you looks like,
Who has the confidence,
Who is moving through fear.
Maybe imagine a future you in control and living the life that you know deep down is possible and true for you.
What is that high vision?
Bring it to mind and maybe breathe in more of that affirmation if it feels right.
One more moment here.
Maybe with this restored confidence or feeling or whatever the experience is now,
Thinking of one person whom you can influence,
Whom you can start a ripple.
Maybe it's someone you know,
Maybe it's someone you hope to know.
And just know by you doing this practice,
You doing any self-care,
Any intuitive self-inquity practice that you are becoming who is making that ripple,
Regardless if you talk or see any of these people.
Your energy is sending that out into the world.
That is how we all move into this place of union,
Of the true meaning of the word yoga and love and where we all are working towards and on,
But at the same time already there.
And lastly,
Just thinking of this one universe,
Of this one connection that we have with all things,
Places,
Beings.
Sending some words of kindness,
Wishing silently in our head or out loud.
May we all feel confident and purposeful.
May we all feel fulfilled.
May we all trust ourselves.
May we all be happy.
And may we all be at peace.
And slowly,
Whenever you're ready,
Beginning to come back into your room,
Maybe coming back into rolling out some of your shoulders or your body.
And I'm so,
Just so,
So passionate about this concept of being the one,
Being the one for ourselves first and then being the one for others.
I've actually reorganized or I guess the word would be rebranded the business that I do in schools under this name of one mindful education.
Because I believe so deeply in the marrow of who I am that all it takes is one.
And sometimes when we feel like hopeless,
Doubting,
And that's how I was when I got that email for that opportunity that completely transformed this past year.
I was stuck.
I was lost.
And that one opportunity was all it needed.
So I hope you continue to look out for your one and find the synchronicities,
Allow those doors to open where there were not doors before,
As Joseph Campbell would say.
And I thank you so much for your practice and for your continued effort.
Wishing you all the love,
Wishing you be that one for yourself and for others.
Namaste.
