Passion

After completing my University degree I travelled to North Carolina to train with Sarah Wood Vallely, author of Sensational Meditations for Children with the vision of bringing the wonderful concept of Children's Meditation back to the Windsor area. Deep inside I knew I was on a path of something special and greatly needed, worldwide.

Reflecting back on my own childhood experience I would have greatly benefited from activities that included wisdom, empowerment and fun. Activities such as these would have allowed me to become more aware of who I was and made choices that reflect that. I am very passionate about helping children to stay connected to their inner truth, to listen to their inner guides and I feel meditation is my way of helping children to experience this. 

By learning the techniques in Sarah Wood's children's meditation facilitator training, children are able to tap into their inner world and create positive affects on their lives. In the process of teaching children I have become more aware of how my own inner child is more confident, has greater self-esteem and creativity. 

Not only did becoming a Children's Meditation Coach give me the opportunity to contribute to children's lives, it has contributed to my own personal growth and happiness. 

Finish what you started

It didn't hit me until now. Its been almost two months since I have successful completed all my classes for graduation, I knew it was over, but why was today different?

Im not sure why, but I had a urge to go back to my diary from years ago. I recall writing something about wanting to obtain an education and I wanted to reflect on what I wrote to see how far I have actually come since then. Ironically I couldn't find that journal entry, but what I did find was something I wrote October 15th 2004, six years ago, almost to the date. I found this really strange considering I never wrote down the date in my diary.

October 15th, 2004 I was 18 years old and 7 months pregnant, alone, terrified but yet I still had hope and a willingness that the life growing inside me was not a death sentence of my own life.
On this day I wrote, "life is like a newly paved road, in the beginning you are brand new, nothing to worry about.  The future will bring rough patches. We either prepare for them or let them destroy us. Eventually giving up, that road is never travelled and no longer used. I always believed that everything happens for a reason, regardless of circumstances, everyone was brought to this earth for one reason. Being pregnant at a young age isn't always the easiest but I don't seem to view it as a bad thing."

Today... October 16th 2010 I graduated University with a Honours degree in Social Work and my family in the audience supporting me all the way. As I approach the stage I look out in attempts to see where they are sitting and the only person I can see is my 5 year old son waving at me with a huge smile on his face. My greatest accomplishment today was not receiving my diploma but hearing the words come out of his mouth when he told me he was proud of me.

My road has many pot holes, some of those holes have been repaired and some will take longer to get fixed. I have navigated my way on this path around many obstacles, some of which hurt like hell and still do but I have become a stronger person because of them. I will not allow my path to be abandoned, I refuse to give up.

I dedicate this blog to the three boys who have supported me through the last 4 years of my life. I am grateful for so many things, but my children and husband just make life that much better :) xoxox

I can hear you !!!

There are many things that have inspired me lately and believe it or not, I literally say to myself "I feel a blog coming on." I blog because I want to, it allows me to freely and openly express what I am feeling in that moment. So today I want to blog about blogging, really!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the technical component to blogging, I can track my blog stats, which means I can see how many people have checked my blog on any given day, even what country they are from and to get more specific, what internet browser they are using. Why does this matter to you? It doesn't, but to me it means a lot. It means each time I write, I write not for myself but everyone who takes the time to read what I wrote. My hope is that I inspire others, whatever that may be. Before knowing all the technical BS about cyber space I would have assumed no one looked at my blog considering I have barely received any online comments.

Then I began to realized why, I often receive verbal feedback from people I know, telling me they read my blog or when I talk about something, they mention that I said that in my blog. Well isn't that inspiring. They remembered what I said, that makes me feel good :)

I think what I am getting at is, regardless if you think anyone is listening, say what you need to say, because someone out there heard you and you have inspired them. You do have a purpose, at least I think you do :)

So if you are reading this and too shy or intimidated to express yourself in the comment box below please email me, I would love to hear from you heather@mindfulenergy.ca, check out my website and sign up for my monthly newsletter www.mindfulenergy.ca.

Love and Appreciation,

Heather

Thank you

I found this comic today from www.naturalnews.com and I had to laugh because of it's honesty. I also found it very fitting for this holiday of giving thanks.

Are we truly thankful?

I have been blessed with a lot throughout my life. Of course I am thankful for my husband and children. I am thankful for my parents, step-mother and siblings, teachers, mentors and guides. They have all had a huge impact on my life and I would not be who I am today without them all. I am thankful for the love that is in my life. I am thankful for my fingers to allow me to type this message right now. That may sound strange to most but seriously think about it. There are many smalls things in life that we take for granted.

Today in this moment I am...... thankful for everything I have been granted. So next time you read a bumper sticker, be thankful you can read it, seriously.

With Love, Heather :)

Get that Monkey off my back

Inspiration.... It wasn't to long ago that I really understood what inspiration really meant. I thought it was a colourful lighting bolt that came down from the clouds and totally gave me all the wisdom and guidance needed to go ahead with my life's journeys.

Today my inspiration was the sun.... It had inspired me to get out of the house. So I did, I went to a coffee shop alone with my computer. At the coffee shop I was inspired by an old man and his wife who looked to be about 80 years old, enjoying their daily cup of coffee. They inspired me because they oozed true love for one another. Silently they drank and looked at one another. This was something I longed for, the true love of silence with your partner. You know you both truly madly and deeply love one another when you don't even need to say it.

So how did this really inspire me? Those love birds inspired me enough to write with blog about inspiration and love. They have inspired me to inspire you.

Inspiration does not need to be a lighting bolt, it can simple be a smile at the coffee shop or a compliment. So smile today, someone maybe inspired.

How did you do that?

I have been asked many times, “What exactly is children’s meditation and how are you going to get my child to meditate”. My response is…EASY.

Those of us who have ever been around children know that they are full of energy. I always wonder how they deal with that energy.

Today more than ever our children are faced with many societal pressures. From the moment they are born they are expected to learn, explore and create. Attend school at the age of four, thrive in social activities after school, maintain good grades and be perfect all the time.

I bet you feel stressed when you have a 40+ hour work week, taking the kids to their activities after work, cook, clean and make sure everyone else but yourself is looked after. How does that make you feel? Knowing your world is moving so fast and your mind can’t keep up? Stop and think about how your children feel with this amount of pressure and little life experience to fall back on. No wonder why childhood diagnoses’ are on the rise. I know when I am really stressed I often feel like I am going crazy.

How can Meditation help your children?

Regardless if you are a mother, father, grandparent, teacher or coach you can incorporate meditation into your child’s life. It is simple and easy. My son and I do a simple meditation exercise right before bed every night.

Meditation is an intimidating word; all it means is calming of the mind, reflection of thought.

The children’s workshops I facilitate allow children to be children. They are taken on a visual adventure that allows them to explore life, as they know it. I will guild my mini mediators to develop simple techniques they will use in their daily lives.

Listen to your children. Explore their natural childhood creativity and let them be kids.