The essence of the mindfulness practice is the development of the capacity to turn towards and be with what is there, unfolding within us and around us.

In our Mindful Moms group today, we practiced the art of being with.

We took time to be with the sensations in our bodies – just as they are.

We took time to be with the breath.

We took time to be with the thoughts moving through our minds – without getting overly involved in them.

We took time to be with the emotions that were moving through our hearts – without running away or getting overwhelmed by them.

We sent wishes to our children, that they may develop this capacity within themselves to “be with” their experiences.

We sent wishes to each other, that we may cultivate the capacity to “be with” our children, and deepen our ability to sustain intimacy with them across an increasingly broad range of experiences.

When I was in my twenties, I spent months meditating for several hours a day. Alone in a hut with little distraction, it was easy to “Be with” myself and my experiences. As a mom, there are hundreds of thought threads tugging at my attention, and only one lifeline inviting me back home to the present to be with what is. May this practice help me strengthen that one thread, so that I may be present for the most important people in my life, and for these precious moments of life itself as it unfolds.

– Jaclyn Long, MFT
Mom, wife, friend
Founder & Director
Mind Body Moms
www.MindBodyMoms.com