I attended a Mindfulness Class today; yes, I still go to classes. It is an on-going, never-ending journey I have embarked upon, and there will always be more to learn and new ways to view previously learned knowledge.

Today I participated in a “Body Scan” method of looking at Mindfulness. Those in the class were invited to look into our connection to the earth, Root, as well as each 7 points of our Major Chakaras, Base, Sacral, Solar Plexus, Heart, Throat, Third Eye, and Crown. We meditated on these points, one at a time, and drew an image that came to mind for each point, along with any colours or a one-word emotion/thought to connect with them.

Afterwards, we lay out all 8 pictures in a row, to get a full-body look at where we are within our connection to our body — the “bigger picture”, so to speak.

Then our guide invited us to look at three specific points —

1) What parts of our body feel good (or the least painful part). This is to encourage us to focus on the good, instead of the bad. To be in the moment and celebrate what is good; being mindful and focusing on the positive. So often in our lives we look at ‘what is wrong?’ and seek help to mend the ailment. This moment we were welcomed to ask ‘what is right?’ and take joy in that.

2) Which area feels blocked? Is there a ‘hot spot’ or a place that feels conflicted? This is where our inner conflict resides. While we focused on it, we were invited to ask ourselves ‘what does this say to me?’ As the group discussion expanded on this point, one of the key points that stuck out for me was “Everybody has their own wisdom; always bringing it back to your inner wisdom.”  The idea that we so often seek outside of ourselves for a cure, when truly the answer lies within.  I am not suggesting that seeking out medication for an illness is the wrong idea, I am merely suggesting that ONLY taking the medication is not the whole solution.

3) Finally, asking what area needs the most attention right now? Usually a conflict arises in a part of our body to encourage us towards change. Transformation is taking us to the wholeness, dropping away our image of the way things SHOULD be and instead getting at what really is or what really works. Often we stay with the dysfunction because it is comfortable. We have a fear of the unknown, so even though what we know isn’t really working for us, it seems less painful than changing. A place to start is asking ourselves ‘if I was whole and healthy, what would it look like?’ and using that as a stepping off point. We’ve all learned to cope, but we don’t want to cope — we want to thrive!

It is important to note that it can get worse before it gets better. We may have to move into the pain and sit with it to realize what it is teaching us. And sometimes part of healing and coming into our true self is about learning to set boundaries and to say “no!”, in order to take care of oneself and become our own strong, healthy self.

The last part of today’s class was to send us home with our images and an instruction to be with our images. Perhaps checking back in with them in about 3 days. Some things may prove difficult and others may just fall away.

Mindfulness is a process. It doesn’t happen in one class, one session or, depending on your belief structure, maybe not even in one lifetime!  So don’t give up, don’t give in, and realize, in the words of Robert Frost, “the best way out is always through.”