5 Deep Breaths and Looking With Love

It's the last day of our month of

5 Deep Breaths.

Thought I'd add to it another practice:

Looking with Love

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5 Deep Breaths :: Next to the Last Day

5 Deep Breaths

 on the eve of our last day of June.

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Restorative Rest

5 Deep Breaths 

after a lovely Sunday afternoon nap. 

Feeling grateful 

for how restorative rest can be, 

softening and smoothing 

out the rough edges.  

❤️

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Remembering :: All is Well

The last couple days back at work, yesterday especially, were *rough.*  Our house is still a disaster from not fully being unpacked and I'm too weary to do anything about it right now. 

Carving out time this afternoon to reclaim the space on the table next to me, nourish myself with candlelight and take in 5 Deep Breaths (for a start). It is so good to be the company of a beloved angel and, with the help of a beautiful song, to remember that All is Well. 

❤️

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Witness

Witnessing and breathing 

through a rough spot at work. 

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Soothing

This afternoon I closed my office door 

so I could work in Peace and quiet 

(Dorothy, we aren't on vacation anymore). 

So grateful that as I did so, 

I remembered I could stop 

(just for a minute!), 

place my hand over my heart, 

close my eyes, 

and take in 5 Deep Breaths.  

Smiling softly because 

this is why we practice, yes?

Yes. ❤️

Note to self:  it was also helpful to listen to soft, soothing music that I have on my phone.

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Warm Welcome Home Blessings

Contentedly taking in 5 Deep Breaths 

during my lunch break 

as I remember driving under 

the blessing of these beauties 

welcoming me home yesterday morning. 

And remembering

the blessing of 5 Deep Breaths 

to start my day.

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Slowly Transitioning Back In

5 Deep Breaths 

as I slowly transition my way back in 

after a lovely beach vacation 

with hubby.

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Home

Tired

and glad to have made it home

safe and sound.

Vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce

after a long, hot drive home?

You betcha!

Grinning because this is actually a throw-back 

from my family growing up. 

And! 

I am *more* than happy 

to continue the tradition with Hubby.

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Shadows

My love and I.

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Morning Prayers

Morning prayers and 5 Deep Breaths. 

(no filter)

Just wanted to share this photo 

of my morning prayers this morning. 

Smiling softly because I had thought 

I might go to daily mass 

after we watched the sunrise. 

But then I realized 

I was already filled 

and my quiet time 

with Mama Ocean 

was Enough. 

❤️

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Tuesday Glimpses

This morning's gorgeous sunrise

Waiting on the train

5 Deep Breaths 

while waiting on hubby 

in the Lightner Museum's

 beautiful courtyard.

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A Day at the Beach

5 Deep Breaths while waiting for hubby 

to lock up before heading to the beach. 

Good company

on a perfectly lovely afternoon

Just chillin' 

.             *             .

5 Deep Breaths Oceanside at Dusk

.     *     .

My darlin' and me. 

Took us 10 wearisome hours 

but we made it. 

Usually it takes about 7 

but we wound up sitting for a couple of hours 

in bumper-to-bumper traffic 

due to construction.

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Practicing Peace

5 Deep Breaths 

as I drink in Peace. 

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Breathing thru the "Triggered" . . .

. . . and wanting, 

trying 

to remember 

to trust.

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Nourishing with 5 Deep Breaths

Taking a moment 

on an unusually busy workday 

to stop 

and nourish myself 

with 5 Deep Breaths 

along with my lunch. 

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5 Deep Heart Breaths of Hope

5 Deep Breaths 

with Hope 

and this sweet little red heart reminder 

close to mine. 

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5 Deep Breaths :: It's Sinking In!

Today I want to celebrate that the 5 Deep Breaths practice is sinking in! 

I had an unsettling dream last night and while I don't always (usually) write them out, this one felt pretty important so even tho I knew it'd make me late, I took the time to journal about it. 

After that, it brought a soft smile to remember that I could invite Peace in by placing my hand over my heart and take in 5 Deep Breaths.  

So I did. 

❤️

Filling Up My Well, Looking With Love, and Enough

Filling up my well 

with deep breaths 

on a beautiful summer Sunday morning. 

So grateful for 

the witness 

of our kind grandmother trees 

and happy birdsong. 

#fivedeepbreaths 

(Well, maybe more than 5)

Today's assignment in Liz's Water Your Mama Soul 

is to take a photo looking at ourselves with love.

As someone who has long struggled 

to find room (and permission) 

for herself and her needs in her own life,

 this particular prompt 

is so nourishing for me 

to come back to again and again. 

and again. 

❤

Hmmmm . . . .

reckon Grandmother tree 

is trying to tell me something?

Ok, ok . . . 

Enough time on the computer.

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5 Deep Breaths with Mary

Five Deep Breaths 

with Mother Mary 

watching over me this morning.  

(As she has so often in my life)

Growing up and helplessly watching my beloved parents' marriage fall apart into divorce while I was struggling with bone cancer in my left hip, there were So. Many. Times. that I felt so alone in all of the craziness.  

While I couldn't have verbalized much less explained it then (which I've since learned doesn't mean it isn't real), I came to take great comfort in seeing Mary (and Joseph) at mass each week. I understand now that seeing her calm face and kind eyes reassured me that she could see what I couldn't speak and that she fully intended to stay put and present when so many others were running away.

This Grace was such a deep reassurance for me that maybe, just maybe, I wasn't as alone as I felt. 

I will always treasure her loving witness. 

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Watering My Soul and Basking in Enough

I said what I needed to say 

and set a boundary 

with the intention of choosing Love 

this morning. 

It wasn't perfect by any means 

but I did it!! 

Basking in Enoughness, 

I took this photo afterwards. 

(And look! No more churning belly! )

Then, 

after running a couple of errands,

I took the scenic route on my way home 

just so I could pause by this small, nearby pond. 

Ahhhhh . . . rest (and water) for my soul. 

 ❤

5 Deep Breaths in the Early Morning

Have something on my heart 

(and churning in my belly) 

so this is a very good time 

to practice 

seeing if I can create 

some space for Peace. 

The results are mixed . . . 

which is the whole point in practicing, yes?

Yes. 

❤️ 

On a side note, 

the original photo 

was so dark I could barely see myself 

so I enjoyed playing 

with Instagram's settings 

to lighten it up a bit. 

Hmmmm . . . 

Being "barely able to see myself" 

in the midst of this 

feels pretty important. 

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5 Deep Breaths :: Between Roles

5 Deep Breaths 

while transitioning from Billing Queen to Wife 

during a red light on my way home. 

I'm really liking this idea 

of stopping and intentionally 

inviting Peace into my day.

 ❤️

Five Deep Breaths

This morning after practicing 5 Deep Breaths before leaving for work. 

(It's a little blurry but I kinda like the extra softness it adds ❤️)

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From arms length

One Self-Care Move

 

With my hand over my heart, I took a quiet moment at work to read John O'Donohue's "For a New Home" from his book, "To Bless the Space Between Us."

This is becoming a very meaningful daily practice for me because, as I read his blessing, I gently remind myself that I am coming home into my heart more and more each day.   

It touches my heart each time. 

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Moment of Stillness

Took a few moments at lunchtime to take 5 deep breaths.

I am taking Liz Lamoreux's Water Your Mama Soul e-course

(again) and feel so grateful for 

a wonderful way to begin the summer.

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