Who is really our focus on?
Hello,
My name is Connor Logan and I am a doctor of acupuncture and Chinese medicine.
And today I am accompanied by composer Trevor Wayne Howard.
And today's meditation is for those of us that have had to change our environment for working.
Sheltering at home,
They call it.
It has the word shelter in it,
Which is a reference to our place of refuge.
Some might call it our happy place.
It's our home.
And it's a good,
Wonderful place to be in.
And yes,
We've had to change our role and our physical environments of how we work.
To marry it to this place that we used to refer to as other,
Different,
Separate from where we went to work.
And for many of us,
That is a difficult thing and that's okay.
In Chinese medicine,
They would say that the proper expression and feeling of that emotion around that stimulus is important in healing and passing through it.
And in finding the strength on the other side of that feeling.
Some of us may have thought,
Wow,
I've got to work around my family.
What's my office set up going to be like?
What will my significant other or my children or my roommates think of me?
Think of me sitting at a desk all day,
Working,
Being there,
But with my intention and efforts being elsewhere.
Let's take a moment to have gratitude for those around us,
Near us,
That we communicate with often.
That simply understand that we're dealing with a new thing.
Perhaps they reach out to us and say,
Hey,
How's it going with all of this working from home?
Some of you may feel like,
Wow,
I'm working harder than I ever have.
While some of you may have realized that there are moments in the day that you're struggling to find something to do.
All of these feelings are okay.
I'll share an anecdote and that I've been there in my former career as an IT professional where I've had a couple of jobs where I worked from home.
And I understand those feelings of sometimes feeling a little lost.
What to do with my day or feeling I'm at home.
I want to feel comfortable,
But I'm being pulled by so many things to do.
Each extreme of this pendulum has its own benefits and drawbacks,
But they're both essentially good.
Be grateful for the things that you have that maybe tug you to exert a little effort where maybe you just want to drop or feel low.
Be grateful that those tasks and activities bring you up and forward and give you a distraction.
Or if you feel antsy because you've worked so hard for so long and you know that you maybe have a moment of reprieve during your workday for a few moments.
Know that those that you work with understand your good mentors and colleagues have compassion and know that there's a whole new wave of emotions that go along with working in this new environment.
Soften your heart to these feelings as you find a comfortable position to ensure that relaxation can be enjoyed.
And breathe in the word relax.
Breathe in this word relax as you soften your shoulders.
Breathe in and breathe out as you soften your arms.
Breathe in and breathe out as you soften your scalp and your forehead and your ears down.
Breathe in and breathe out as you allow the lower part of your body to simply sink,
Drop,
Separate,
Fall.
Now I'd like you to visualize an entryway of warmth.
Picture the top of your head opening and receiving warm calming light as you breathe in and exhale this light through your fingers and toes.
Breathe in through the top of your head,
Warm,
Relaxing lights and breathe this out through your arms and feet.
Now with this relaxation in mind let's think of our work environment at home.
Think of how you are now working at home and the first visualization that comes to mind let it be exactly that.
I want you to picture in clear definition and detail everything about this environment.
In your mind's eye let's start with how you are sitting.
How do you sit when working?
What areas feel pressure?
How do you shift your weight from side to side as you delve into a task?
How do you hold your shoulders and neck?
As you interact with your computer,
Your phone?
How do you hold yourself or lean or get comfortable when having to discuss something with a work colleague?
How do you feel about these moments where you get to interact with others even while you are at home?
If you wish you weren't bothered,
Fill that feeling with warmth.
Fill that experience with a kind word and kinder emotions towards that experience.
If you are happy for that experience of connecting with someone over video or chat,
Take in the good energy around you.
Be grateful for the connection permitted in that instance.
Have gratitude for a task to do,
For a distraction from everything else and for something to focus on and be excellent at.
Now infuse the feeling of relaxation into this work visualization.
In your mind's eye,
See your shoulders soften.
See your breathing become easier.
See your experience brighten.
What have you learned from this exercise?
Where do you want to put this experience?
This infusing of conscious gratitude,
Appreciation and energy into your day?
You may elect to think I want this in my morning and to start with this each day.
Or perhaps you know there is a time of the week where I know that I tend to get sucked down and that this will allow me to forge through,
To see the clearer and more appreciative of the situation and to focus on the good.
Wherever that is and whenever that is,
Let that be the time and place.
And when you come out of this meditation,
Put it in your calendar.
Make sure it's a time that makes sense,
That fits,
That doesn't conflict.
And let that time and place be immovable,
Important.
And perhaps you may want to share this with others and let them know I need this.
It's helpful.
I'm going to do this at this time.
And then let it bring out a new excellence.
A more compassionate and communicative you.
Breathe in deeply and lower your shoulders.
Breathe in deeply and have some gratitude for yourself,
For your willingness to explore other perspectives,
Other viewpoints of this situation.
This has been perhaps a challenge but a positive one.
A charge to navigate through and lead yourself and perhaps others towards a calmer,
More relaxed mindset as we all get through now.
Begin to breathe more easily.
Take one or two clear thoughts from this experience with you.
And welcome to the rest of your day.
Smile,
Say hello to those you speak with and interact with.
And enjoy the feelings that a calmer mind exude.
