Mantra meditation as an effective alternative to classical silent sitting meditation.

Question: It's just so tough finding the time and a quiet place [to practice meditation] as a parent. Recommendations?

Answer: Great question. Although a quiet place affords us a nice opportunity to really listen fully to our internal and external environment, many of us often do not have the means to create that quiet space for us. This is where we need to dislodge the classical image of a person sitting still in meditation from our understanding of meditation and mindfulness practice, and expand into how the practice can be employed through our daily lives. I have a TON of recommendations...HOWEVER. If I were to choose, from all the wonderful techniques and tools of meditation available, it would have to be mantra meditation/mantra meditation tied with breath (which is a process that will occur over time naturally). In my early college years, mantra meditation (repeating a mantra internally in my consciousness) provided me with incredible deep healing and perception shifts into present Reality. My mantras of choice were a selection of Tibetan and Sanskrit mantras, the first one being Om Mane Padme Hum (correctly pronounced Om Mane Peme Hung). I moved on to Au Ah Hum Vajra Guru Padme Siddhi Hum (Correctly pronounced Au Ah Hung Benze Guru Peme Siddhi Hung). Repetition of a mantra as you go about your day, in the spaces between intense activity, like walking from one place to another, is a GREAT AND ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL WAY to develop deepening mindful awareness of the ever present Reality as well as to allow the mind to begin letting go of old cognitive and neurological pathways. Check out some youtube videos on Tibetan or Sanskrit mantra meditation practice. The Hare Krishnas and their devotion to developing their consciousness through the repetition of the Hare Krishna mantra are also great examples. Next, Transcendental Meditation, although COMPLETELY overpriced, is basically a mantra given by a teacher to the student to repeat. The research on TM is QUITE robust! Also, check out the amazing roots mantra meditation was able to put down in Christianity, beyond the traditionally Rosary, specifically within the Hesychasm tradition utilizing the Jesus Prayer, if you are so inclined of course. Islam is also is filled with beautiful mantra based practices. You know how a lot of people wear mala/mantra beads as sort of a fashion statement? A portion of the population wearing these great fashion accessories also use them for their intended meditative purpose!! :pMANMA

The Changing of the Seasons

The changing of the seasons reassures me that the world goes on.

I deeply appreciate the cold of winter,

As much as I do the warmth of summer.

I hope they continue to dance together in their subtle beautiful way.

Evernote: The Secret Weapon to cope with ADHD and Regain Your Valuable Time

Finding Focus: How to Take Control of ADHD with Evernote

GREAT article on tackling ADHD and general issues of attention, concentration, organization and productivity with EVERNOTE! I use EVERNOTE heavily in my Time Masters Coaching program and as my personal time management system, with some very custom tweaks of course. It has been a Godsend for me. Let me know if you're interested in getting help setting up a ROCK SOLID system to digitize your current physical documents, manage your electronic data & projects, and, most importantly, planning, executing and completing short and long terms goals for PEACE OF MIND.
GET IT? WORD.

Become a harbinger of self-compassion and love.

Instead of focusing on who to hate and blame and persecute, shift the attention to yourself and what you need to do to be a more healthy and balanced human being with a strong integration of your internal masculine and feminine energies. Learn the art of profound self integration and become a healer and uniter on this Earth. We ALREADY have enough men preaching division, persecution and pointing out how other cultures, people and countries are doing something wrong or unacceptable. I encourage each human to examine their own lives and start to do the work necessary to become a harbinger of self-compassion and love rather than obsess over fixing everyone else on this Earth. We humans are adolescents at war with ourselves. Men unable to embrace ourselves with the love of our mothers. Women frustrated by the incessant preaching and righteousness of men. Blacks oppressed by covert white supremacy. And gays and transgendered who simply want to be allowed to love openly and freely, as they have learned to do internally with themselves. How can you support your own internal development as well as the equality and liberties of people here without resorting to the juvenile solutions of continued violence and persecution? Where have these solutions got us? Nowhere. It's time for a new type of thinking based on internal emotional balance rather than constant hate for that which we have not taken the time to understand.