Tickle your senses at mealtime.  Add delight to your plate by cutting fruit and vegetables into fun shapes.  Noodle, sliver, or zest them and who knows what you will come up with!  Maybe you will find a little beet bird in a nest of slivered zuchinni or a radish bunny hopping towards a baby carrot.  Perhaps there will be a fresh bouquet of broccoli flowers amidst neon greens.  Let the playful part of yourself loose and have fun being creative.  Then savour the magic you created and savour every last bite!

Approach every meal as if it were it were your very first one.  Honour the sources of your food and all the ways in which your body works to support you.  If possible, find a calm spot to enjoy your meal away from distractions.   Turn off your cell phone, resist the temptation to read or multi-task while eating.  Simply focus on enjoying the meal.

Take time to appreciate the efforts of all those who farmed, transported and prepared the food.  Take time to appreciate the earth’s soil and nourishing qualities of the sun and rain.  And then appreciate yourself for this meal and your body for all the wonder-filled ways in which it works!

Elevate your eating experience to a whole new level by incorporating your sixth sense at least once per week.  This sixth sense is not your intuition, but your sense of adventure!  Try a new food item, cultural dish or restaurant that has piqued your interest.  This may involve a strange fruit or vegetable you saw at the produce market, some enticing aroma wafting from an outdoor grill, or sights and sounds of sizzling foods delivered to a table.

Eating is one of the most wonder-filled (and wonderful!) experiences in life.  Embrace a beginners mind every time you sit down to eat.  Indulge in a variety of foods and delight your taste buds and your 6 senses with surprising concoctions like kabuli dream, stone bowl bibimbap, or koshari.  Have I piqued your interest?  I hope so!  Now it’s your turn!  Would you like to sample some of my bibimbap? (pronounced Bih-bim-bawp).  Say that 10 times and then set a day to treat yourself!

There is no doubt that doubt is a normal part of being human.  Doubt is a state of uncertainty that rises and falls with the ebb and flow of life.  When you find yourself in a pool of doubt, there is only one question you need to ask yourself and that is, “What do I fear?”  Afterwards, take yourself out for a nice long walk in a soothing environment.

For example, if you are at a turning point in your life and cannot decide which path to take, you may eventually come to realize a deep seated fear of making mistakes.  Acknowledge the paralyzing effects of fear and call upon your compassionate heart to help you walk through it.  Stay open to what arises within you.  Gentle, loving-kindness is the order of the day.

News and images of catastrophic events flash across the screen.  Footage of people in despair and engaged in rescue efforts flood your awareness.  Our body shakes with the news, as the world shakes.  Our hearts reverberate, echoing the pain of others.

At times like this, it is vital that we strengthen our love and commitment to peace, for ourselves and others.  Focusing on breath, we can say to ourselves with each inhale and exhale:

“May I be” (in breath), “at peace.” (out-breath).  Continue doing this until you feel a sense of calm within.  Then expand your wishes to others by saying:

“May you be” (in breath), “at peace.” (out breath).  When you feel a deeper sense of calm within, expand it even further by adding:

“May our world” (in breath), “be peace.” (out breath).

If you feel compelled to do so, light a candle for those who are suffering.  Send loving energy and allow any rising tears to flow.  Breathe in love.  Breathe out peace … and become peace.

Spend time in nature every day.  Allow yourself to be completely absorbed by your surroundings.  Stand under a tree, next to a creek or a flowering shrub.  Use all of your senses to fully appreciate what is before you.

Notice details you may not have seen before, smell different scents, feel the air against your skin and hear the rustling of leaves from trees high above.  Be delighted by the kiss of a dew drop, the scent of fresh pine, and crackling sounds of pine cones toasting in the afternoon sun. Awaken your senses to the moment and sink into mother nature’s embrace.  Revel in her magical ways!

Today marks the beginning of a fresh new start!  With 200 mental fitness and mindfulness tips published, we consciously turn the corner and step right onto the path of mindful living. Mindful living is the path with heart.  Loving-kindness, compassion and grace are our companions along the way.  Come journey with me, one step at a time, embracing new habits for a simpler and more peaceful way of living.

The more you do it, the easier it gets!  Regular practice is key!  Consciously commit to cultivating mindfulness in your daily life.  This weeks’ tip is to spend a few minutes each day focusing on your breath and grounding yourself in the moment:

Pick one activity you regularly do, such as brushing your teeth, boiling water, or eating a snack.  Take 5 minutes before or after the activity to simply be with yourself.  Focus on your breath and the sensation of air going in and out of your body. Allow any mental chatter to settle naturally.  This is fundamental to grounding yourself in the moment and synchronizing your mind and body.

Breathing is so automatic that we often taken it for granted.  This practice reminds us of the gift of breath and helps us to appreciate our physical body.  Breathe in love and appreciation for the gift of life everyday.

Desires can be a source of tremendous suffering if based solely on having our own way.  Whenever we try to control the moment and resist ‘what is’, we unconsciously create difficulties for ourselves.  Non-acceptance is tension in itself and may lead to an endless loop of wanting and not having.

At times like this, it is helpful to ask yourself: “What is it that I really want?” and “How will I know that I have achieved it?”  It is not necessary to come up with an answer right away but to simply ponder the question and allow it to settle gently in your heart.  During this time, other questions may arise such as “What steps can I take to move toward more peace and harmony in my life right now?” and “Can I be happy right now without this want?”

Asking yourself questions is a powerful tool when practicing mindfulness.  The mere act of inquiry creates space for you to accept the moment as it is, knowing that you do not have to know the answer immediately or even have your desires met right now.  This is the magical moment of transformation, where change is born and tension gives way to inner peace.

Awareness is the gold mine of mindfulness.  Whether struggling with physical or emotional pain, awareness is the place you arrive when you accept the moment exactly as it is.  Without resistance, you release any desire to control the moment and land in grace: a field of compassionate intelligence.

Like a mother who soothes her child, providing compassion, peace and perspective, you too can rest within your heart to find comfort and reassurance for yourself.  Cultivate mindfulness in your heart and nurture the part of you that suffers as if caring for your own child.  Treat yourself with the same kindness you would offer another. Compassion has no limits and knows no boundaries.

Mind Master is pleased to present its first full day seminar!

Treat yourself to a day of connecting deeply with your heart:

Organic Living: the Path to Wholeness takes place on Saturday, June 6, 2015   9:00 – 4:00 pm at  Douglas College, David Lam Campus, 1250 Pinetree Way, Coquitlam.  Room #A2050   Cost $95+GST/seminar only or $115 +GST including wholesome organic vegan lunch. (Please specify any dietary needs/allergies with Fay@WiseSistersConsulting.ca)

Wholeness is a state that involves mind, body and spirit, integrating your true self with your most natural ways.  Experience a full day of deep connection with your heart as you are gently guided through soothing and enlightening meditations, meaningful self-exploration exercises and compassionate dialogue with others for healing, personal growth and spiritual advancement.

Discover your unique path to improved balance and vitality when you align your inner and outer worlds with your natural energies. Profound insights await as you adopt a new way of ‘seeing’ life and embrace a new approach to living well.  Greater joy, inner peace and satisfaction are just a few of the many rewards when you step onto the path of Organic Living!

Register on-line, by phone 778-387-0257, or e-mail Fay@WiseSistersConsulting.ca

BONUS! Register before May 2, 2015 and receive a complimentary 60-minute Walk & Talk at no extra cost!  Valid June 7 – July 31, 2015 at Lafarge Lake or Como Lake in Coquitlam, or Rocky Point Park in Port Moody.