Light My Fire!

Writing about the sunshine yesterday reminded me of a favorite meditation involving light. This guided healing meditation uses an image of light moving through the body as you meditate to create an intention of healing. Since this cold still has me down, this journey of light seemed like the right remedy!

Divine Sparkles

Light imagery ignites strong feelings for me. I believe we all have a celestial spark inside that animates us. When I use this guided healing meditation, I imagine a light outside me moving through my body and merging with my own personal pilot light. The moving light helps me focus on the journey and cherish my body, encouraging it to heal itself as only it knows how.

I also use this technique to heal any anxious thoughts or disruptive attitudes that may be plaguing me. Focusing on this process leaves my mind behind, along with all my current preoccupations, work and otherwise. I feel so restored at the end—in fact, I often nod off briefly! Getting away from my mind’s antics and focusing on healing thoughts restores me to a feeling of centeredness and wellness.

Meet My Guru

I learned this meditation from my teacher Steven Sadleir, founder of The Self-Awareness Institute. Visit the website if you’d like to try one of the free downloads. Steven’s style is very easygoing and accessible; he talks about jumping into the Jacuzzi of consciousness—doesn’t that sound like fun? Healing in this way just plain feels better than when I resort to cold medications. No side effects!

Now I’m ready to resume a “rescue” edit and start the craft book that’s waiting in the wings for my attention. I’m ready to focus and fix things, and enjoy my work. You know, I am rejuvenated in a similar way just by being outside in the sunshine, letting it warm me all the way to my bones—no wonder I’m eager for spring to arrive! Tomorrow, a walk might be my diversion from sniffles and sneezes!

When My Head's in the Clouds

I’m antsy. After being bundled up all this long, cold winter in Vermont, even without a lot of snow, I’m longing for springtime and sunshine. I want to break free of this housebound hibernation. I’m ready to kick off these boots and leave them off, put away the shovel and icy melt, and pack away the woolly sweaters.

The Winter Blahs

Winter here means all excursions require planning and extra time to deal with the effects of the cold. Warm weather means the spontaneity of taking off at a moment’s notice in shirtsleeves and sneakers for a jaunt on one of the nearby walkways or hiking paths. Not too long from now, I’ll be able to just skip out the front door and be on my way, no worries about snowy steps or icy windshields.

And today, housebound with a cold, keeping company with two editing projects and a grant proposal due soon, we enjoyed the first deliciously springlike day of the season. The sun shone gloriously, the puffy clouds floated in the sky—and there I was, camping on my couch, holding office hours with my lapdesk and throat lozenges.

But, I made the best of it. I opened all the windows, breathing life into a house stuffy with wintertime. The curtains danced, manuscript papers ruffled in the breeze, and sweet kitty Georgie raced from window to window, jumping on the sills in wild abandon. He’s as ready as I am for warm temperatures, triumphantly growing grass and leaves, and the sounds from outdoors being something besides boots crunching in the snow.

Speaking to the Sky

Walking is a joyful and meditative experience for me. Sure, clomping through the snow can be fun, too, but for me, walking amid the sunshine and greenery is where it’s at. I breathe in the smells of spring, freshly mown grass or blooming flowers, and drink in the warmth of the sun. I revel in the smell of dirt, liberated from its icy cover. I let my mind wander among the clouds or float on a gentle breeze. Feeling connected to the earth like this leaves my mind liberated and my body shimmering with energy. Returning to my work after a brief jaunt, I bring a renewed energy to my work. Even when I worry I don’t have time, getting away helps me start anew with better focus and energy.

I made due today by enjoying the sunny day from afar, but I was buoyed by the imminence of spring, the departure of winter. Heading outside tomorrow, no hat or scarf to blind my view, I’ll enjoy the sky and breathe it all in deeply. Ah! I can feel it already!

Gym Class, Study Hall--and Meditation?

Do you remember quiet time in grade school? Each afternoon, we’d all put our heads down on our desks for 30 minutes or so, and the teacher would dim the lights. I looked forward to the quiet and the chance to sit still. The stillness was restorative. I felt alert and curious. The world seemed more vibrant, and our work seemed more fun after I’d rejuvenated.

Fast forward to today, and imagine the sight of middle-school children meditating in a class. Seriously. This Quiet Time program has caught the attention and imagination of educators, who see the benefits in such quantifiable areas as higher GPAs, higher standardized test scores, improved attendance, and decreased school violence, as well as less easily measured areas like reduced anxiety and increased self-esteem. (See the Research.) Teachers also participate in the practice; they report less burnout and stress.

“Every once in a while, when visiting a successful school, you see something that makes your jaw drop,” wrote Edutopia editorial director David Markus, “something so extraordinary, you have to stop and make sure what you saw is actually what it appears to be. What stopped me was the sight of more than 200 middle schoolers sitting in silence, eyes closed, nearly motionless, meditating together for 15 uninterrupted minutes.” (See "Risking Peace at a Troubled School" at Edutopia.com for the full article.)

Maybe we were ahead of our time, or at least on the right track. The Visitacion Valley Middle School in San Francisco started this Quiet Time program in 2007 to reduce stress and promote life balance, for both students and teachers. Quiet Time is offered in partnership with the Center for Wellness and Achievement in Education (CWAE), which, according to its website, “studies the positive social and emotional impact of meditation in reducing stress and making students ready to learn.”

Next time I think I’m too busy to stop for a few moments, I’ll remember what I learned in school. I’ll put my head down for a few minutes, or I’ll get away from my desk and meditate for a while. Being alert and on my toes is essential to my work—if I can give myself a boost this easily, why wouldn’t I? I know when I take the time, I get it back in the form of increased efficiency and accuracy--stress free. What a gift!

Cat Naps and Down Dogs

My favorite perk about working at home is sharing my space with my feline companions, Chief Morale Officers Hootie and Georgie. They help me stay in the moment and remind me not to take things too seriously. The kitties have no conception of what it means to be on deadline for anything, except perhaps for answering the alarm in their bellies every few hours. They loll at my feet, drape themselves around my neck mink-stole style, slink across my desk, slap at the buttons on the laptop, or—well, you get the idea. Hootie and Georgie make themselves at home while I work, and they’re committed to making sure I remember to play. Distracting me from my oh-so-important human endeavors is second only to Chicka Chicka Boom Boom kitty treats!

Georgie: Morale Officer and Playtime Coordinator

When I look up from the computer screen to rest my eyes, the sight of these guys basking in a sunbeam or chasing dust bunnies reminds me to get up and move, if nothing else. Even with their playful presence, I can get so immersed in a project that when I finally come up for air, I find that several hours have passed since I’ve really rested my eyes or my mind, or given any attention to life outside Word’s track changes feature. I rouse myself from my altered state and get up to stretch, scratch bellies, or toss bouncy-balls around for the play-deprived kitties. Their contortions may inspire me to do a few yoga poses or to meditate for a few moments before delving back into the fray.

Hootie: Senior Morale Officer and Feline Sage

Hootie is the senior officer, and his wise, steady presence has been a good balance to the frenetically energetic Georgie. Hootie has been semi-retired and is now not long for this world. He’s been a sweet companion for nearly 14 years, and the illness and decline happened very quickly. 

The last couple of weeks have been a very bittersweet time. I’ve been especially attentive to cuddling and nurturing Hootie, and making sure Georgie gets attention, too. My family experienced an unexpected, heartbreaking loss before the holidays, so this situation with Hootie has been nudging at those feelings, too. My strategy has been to tackle my work in one- or two-hour increments and make sure I’m staying connected with my friends and my meditation practice.

Grief is a strange and painful journey, but having the opportunity to accompany Hootie this far and keep him comfortable has been a real blessing. I’ve felt true grace and support.

How do you deal with work when grief or illness happens in your life? Holding my memories close to my heart and being present for the feelings has helped me. “Giving love to all, feeling the love of God, seeing His presence in everyone ... that is the way to live in this world” (Paramahansa Yogananda). Hootie’s friendship was a divine one, and I’ll miss his sweet, purring, big-bellied self.

Don't Have a Cow, Man!

I grew up on a dairy farm in Central New York, and then spent more than 20 years in Fort Worth, Texas, aka Cowtown, USA. My work eventually relocated me back to the northeast, briefly in Boston and then on to Vermont. I now live in a very quirky, artsy-fartsy corner of the world and enjoy it immensely. And, get this--it's the home of the Strolling of the Heifers parade! The cow theme of my travels tickles me!

Actually, the idea of a big ole cow with endearing eyes and long, curly eyelashes, munching on grass and basking in the sun, takes me back to when I was a little girl on the farm. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was practicing meditation during those carefree afternoons. I found peace and meditative stillness and beauty in the cows’ pastures. After cavorting with my brother and sister, I’d often find a quiet knoll, flop down in the grass, and lose myself gazing at the clouds. The soughing of the grass and leaves lulled me into stillness, and time seemed suspended, or meaningless.

If I close my eyes now, I can conjure up that sunlit stillness, the sweet smell of the grass, the rushing of the nearby water, and the feeling of contentment flowing through me. That feeling danced through me and stayed with me for hours.

I hope you experience that sweet stillness and contentment today. No matter the deadline or the gnarly prose you’re trying to untangle, remember to breathe deeply for a few moments. Or conjure up your own special place and visit there for a few moments. And, as Bart Simpson says, “Don’t have a cow, man!”

Embracing the Lulls of Freelance Life

I didn’t choose to be a freelancer. The freelance life found me when a merger and outsourcing led to a layoff. After years of relying on regular, full-time work, I suddenly had to fend for myself. Many of you can relate to that situation, and some may relate to the almost crippling fear that may accompany such a change.

I was living in Vermont then, and loving it, so the idea of moving where the work was did not appeal to me. But, as luck would have it, I immediately found a contract spot with a development company I’d worked with previously, commuting a couple days each week and working at home the rest.

I tried to adjust to the ebb and flow of the work, but found that my underlying fear about the lack of work sometimes led me to take on more than I should. I managed, but I worked way too many hours, and my quality of life suffered. I picture myself during this time hunched over and wearing blinders. It seemed as if I was focused on imminent tasks, but in reality, I was frantic about future work. I was running on fear, not faith.

I spent a year and a half working exclusively for that company, and just when I started to get comfortable (be careful thinking like that with a creative universe at work!), without warning, that workflow was disrupted and I was told I’d be without projects for several weeks. Lack of work had provoked panic in the past, but by this time, I felt secure in finding other work and believed that all things happened for a reason. My heart was open to the prospect of change and the possibilities it might bring.

The Gift of Time

What had happened? I had been mediating for a while by now, and I perceived this disruption as a gift of time. I decided to take a break and play. That was a revolutionary decision for a workhorse like me! I would get some much-needed R&R, and I’d spend some time setting up my business to attract other clients. 

With no immediate income to rely on, I took another leap of faith and opted to spend $1,500 on a 12-week self-awareness course. A window had opened, and I would let life and possibility waft over me and carry me. This course took my meditation practice to a new level. It was very unlike me simply to trust that the work and income would follow, but I did, and doing so gave me the freedom to invest in myself. Having mindfulness and meditation served as an anchor for how I approached my life and my work.

The shifts in thinking were liberating! An example of a new outlook was realizing that job interviews were as much an opportunity for me to study potential employers as it was for them to study me. That might go without saying for some, but it was an aha moment for me. The idea of partnership filled the space where fear used to live.

My Business Grows as I Grow

Over the last few years, I’ve added new services and markets to my editorial ventures, and I’ve allowed room in my life for, well, more life. I find more time to experience life, and I’m developing a new attitude for embracing the kind of projects that find me. It’s such a gift to let loose of fear and open my heart and mind to abundance.

These are some ways meditation, sometimes just remembering to breathe very deeply for a few moments, has allowed me to change and grow in confidence in my freelancing role. I’ll leave you with this thought by Carl Jung:

"Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart.
Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens."

Editing with My Eyes Open

Funny that I should have to think about breathing, or remind myself to be in the moment—where else would I be? Or so I used to believe. I know better now. Meditation has really opened my eyes, my third one to be precise, to how often I can let flights of fancy take me away from where I am and what I'm doing. Some days, I can earn quite a few frequent flier miles on this daydreaming and distraction!

When I’m fully available in this present moment, I’m joyful, more effective in my work, more balanced in my life, and much less prone to stress. As a freelance editor with deadlines to meet and persnickety rules of grammar and usage to enforce, I need to be on the job, not in my head!

I’ve had a daily meditation practice for four or five years now. It’s brought me a sense of peace and well-being, as well as greater confidence and joy in my work. I’m lucky enough to have found work that makes my heart sing, but I had been keeping myself too busy to hear the music. I also had the misguided notion that working long and hard meant success.

Today, if I feel I’m really laboring at something, I know it’s time to take a break and breathe in deeply. My teacher Steven Sadleir says that life, both work and play, should be “easy, effortless, and enjoyable.” If I’m trying too hard, I need to let go and take a few moments to see where my mind has been taking me. My mind, you see, can be a little rascal (and, sometimes, a treacherous fiend)!

Is It Easy, Effortless, and Enjoyable?

You may wonder if meditation really makes that big a difference in my work. Yes, it does! When I’m fully present, my level of focus is high and I’m truly engaged in the service I’m providing. And you know what? Time flies! Tasks take less time to do, so I’m available to do more. I’d imagine I’m more fun to be around, too!

My goal in writing this blog is to share my passion for the written word, my escapades as a freelance editor, and the benefits of my meditation practice. I’ll share my experiences in freelance editing, from the kinds of projects I tackle and the issues I encounter, to the fun of word gymnastics. I hope to engage you in conversations about the industry and those pesky grammar and usage issues that intrigue, baffle, and amuse us editorial types. I will share these ideas from the context of mindfulness, encouraging you—and reminding myself!—to take a few moments to breathe deeply and feel the joy before delving back into work.

I’ll leave you with some words from Rumi:

“Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull
of what you really love.” 

I’ve been pulled toward editing and toward you all on this journey. Thank you, and enjoy your work until we visit again!