MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS
VOLUME 1
WITH LOVE, FROM MY MORNING PRACTICE, TO YOURS
WRITTEN BY
Dedication For my facebook friends, who served as the audience and cheerleaders for this passion project. I am especially grateful to
Pamela Mattei, who,
through gif’s and prompts, encouraged me to birth this baby into the world with wild enthusiasm. Thank you sweet friend for your support and for letting me know that these words matter to you.
With Gratitude For my home, my safe haven during this strange and beautiful time in our world. For my husband, who allows me to take up as much space as I need to create and grow. For my children and grandchildren, who inspire me to share something with them now and leave something behind for later. For my circle of awesome, who inspire me, challenge me and champion me, with their unconditional love and acceptance. For you, whoever you are, wherever you are, however you are receiving this work. Thank YOU for saying YES to allowing me to serve you through these words and practices. May they serve you today, and always, in all ways.
What's a Morning Meditation Nugget? For the last several years I have embraced a sacred morning practice of meditation, reading, writing & creating. These precious moments – ranging anywhere from less than an hour to a few luxurious hours, are some of the most productive and profound of my day. I crave the spaciousness of this time in a life that is often full of distractions and noise. space
now,
more
than
ever,
as
we
embark
I need the sacredness of this
on
this
great
awakening
as
a
collective humanity. These nuggets stem from my morning practice. I don’t always get them, but when I do it is as if I am compelled to capture and share these brief and powerful invitations to pause, reflect and embrace. Take what resonates and leave what doesn’t. May they be of service to you and how you show up in the world. I offer them to you with love and gratitude for who you are and how you show up in the world. Love, Whitney P.S. Giddy UP!
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MY DAILY PRAYER | Upon rising, I put pen to paper and pray. Thank you for the GIFT OF YESTERDAY and the PROMISE OF TODAY. Thank you for the FREEDOM, COMFORT & SAFETY I enjoy each day. Thank you for the HEALTH, MOBILITY & VITALITY I enjoy each day. Thank you for the BEAUTY, WONDER & JOY I enjoy each day. Thank you for the ART, MUSIC & CREATIVE EXPRESSION I enjoy each day. Thank you for the LOVE, LAUGHTER & CONNECTION I enjoy each day. Thank you for the ABUNDANCE, PROSPERITY & OPPORTUNITY I enjoy each day. Thank you for these PEOPLE you have brought to me and my role in their life - Wife, Mama, Nana, Sister, Daughter, Cousin, Aunt, Kind Stranger, Friend Thank you for these GIFTS, TALENTS & OPPORTUNITIES to do meaningful work in the world. For the gift of being called to serve as teacher, guide, mentor, leader, change agent, volunteer, advocate, citizen, woman, human. Thank you for the HELPERS, HEALERS & HOPEFUL who work each day to make the life of another human, better. For the ways in which they lead, serve & advocate. Thank you for the TEACHERS, COACHES & COUNSELORS who work each day to make the lives of the children they serve, better. For the ways in which they show up for those who need a kind word, a positive role model and the encouragement they need to survive and thrive. Thank you for the AIDES, NURSES & DOCTORS, who work each day to care for the sick, hospitalized, institutionalized. For the ways in which they show compassion, kindness, empathy and give much needed care to heal and comfort them. For the JANITORS, DIETARY STAFF, SOCIAL WORKERS, SECRETARIES & ADMINISTRATORS who keep things moving and who show up for our loved ones in ways we cannot right now, with an extra dose of humanity, kindness and presence. Thank you for the VOLUNTEERS, MISSIONARIES & SERVANT LEADERS who work each day to care for those who have nobody else. For the ways in which they see them, hear them and serve them. Thank you for the ADVOCATES, ACTIVISTS & CIVIC LEADERS who stand up for what is right and just. For the ways in which they seek to bridge the divide, to unite us and to inspire us to take action ourselves on behalf of those who do not have the privilege or access others do. Thank you for the ANCESTORS, ARCHIVES & ANECDOTES that remind us we've been here before, that we will be again and that we are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for. Thank you for all of this and more. May all beings everywhere be happy and free. May all beings everywhere feel the love and peace being sent out each day by thousands upon thousands of us who seek to employ daily kindness and compassion as a practice. May I use the gifts and privilege I've been granted to be a force for good in the world each and every moment of my time on this earth. Amen and Namaste.
MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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ON CHOICE We are in the midst of a public health crisis and civil rights movement not seen in our lifetime. I go to sleep heavy with the news from around the world and a growing list of personal and professional adjustments, sacrifices and changes to make. I sleep restlessly, my subconscious mind attempting to work out what my waking mind can’t quite comprehend. I wake and remember where we are and what’s happening and have a choice. I can choose to be swept up by the chaos swirling around me. I can choose to pause and create a centering practice that will sustain me; a practice that will allow me to be an island of calm in a sea of chaos. You have a choice. You can choose to panic or to pause. You can choose to react or to create. You can choose to collapse or to rise. What will you choose? “Waking up this morning, I smile. 24 brand new hours are before me. I vow to live fully in each moment.” Thich Nhat Hanh 4 SIMPLE CHOICES UPON WAKING As you begin to rise, allow a SMILE to form and grow. Feel the change in your body and your mind as you invite joy and happiness in through the simple act of putting a smile on your face. BREATHE. Take in several deep, cleansing breaths, filling and emptying your lungs, allowing your belly and chest to rise and to fall. STRETCH. Like a waking baby or child, stretch and writhe. Feel the weight and the gift of your body in these early moments of welcoming another day. RISE. Get out of bed and into your day. Look around and give thanks for the space and the grace of this blessing called life. Create a morning practice that honors your spirit, your capacity and your highest good. Invite your inner wisdom before inviting in the noise of the world. And remember these simple truths. Whatever it is that I’m facing, it’s here for me. I am grateful for the gift of yesterday and the promise of today. I have everything I need to handle what’s ahead of me today, and every day. I am creative, resourceful and whole. I am willing to show up fully for what this day has to offer. I am willing to be of service to myself and others. I am willing to be part of the solutions we seek. I am here for it all. I am willing to be an island of calm in a sea of chaos. I have a choice. I always have a choice.
MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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WHAT ARE YOU PRAYING FOR? When times of great change, transition or chaos are upon you, what are the questions you're asking yourself? "Why me?" "Why now?" "Why this?" “Why us?” "Why them?" These are the natural questions, our defaults. Go deeper... "What is this here to teach me?" "What do I still need to learn?" "How do I stay present for this?" "How do I extend/receive Grace and support during this time?" And then there’s the question that hits you squarely between the eyes, from one of my teachers, Carolyn Myss - “What have you been praying for?” In 2008 we were living our lives, busy, distracted, teenagers in the midst of making their choices and mistakes and caring for our beloved friend, who was recovering from cancer treatments that left her a stranger in her own body. And then, on a stormy Tuesday night, a tree crashed through our home and changed everything in an instant. What had I been praying for? A break. A change. Some clarity about next steps. A little peace and quiet. A little joy. The tree brought all of this and more. In the 9 months we were out of our home, we were not only designing our home, but our lifestyle and our lives. In that time we grew further apart and closer together. I quit my jobs and hung out my shingle for the first time in more than a decade, at the onset of a looming recession. My husband leaned on his training as a military officer, adept at handling logistics in times of crisis. Storms make him nervous now in a different way. Our children learned important lessons about generosity, kindness, betrayal, the meaning of things and about themselves. Our friend spent time with her estranged father and slipped away into her next great adventure, free from the body that was ready for rest. We learned to focus more on what was happening in our lives than around us. We learned to ask better questions. And, we learned the power of intention; if we aren’t careful, we just might get what we ask for, in a way we weren’t expecting it. If you dig deep, to that core question, “What are you praying for?” what you may find is the answer to all of your questions. I know what I was praying for. And now I understand more fully the situations and challenges I have faced as a result of the prayers I’ve made - silent and otherwise.
MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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A CIRCLE OF WOMEN “The circles of women around us weave invisible nets of love that carry us when we’re weak and sing with us when we are strong.” Sark Ever grateful for my circle of women - those who came before me and protect me from above, those who have been there for me in the past, those who surround me now and those who will be with me until I leave this earth. Never before have I felt such a powerful urge to pay it forward, to help women understand and experience the value of true sisterhood. We have rallied around each other in the best and worst times in our lives. We have shown up for each other in ways we never thought we would have to. We have distanced ourselves when we’ve needed to out of respect for our own boundaries. We have extended grace to one another. We have forgiven each other. We have held each other accountable. We have protected the circle. We have expanded the circle. We have loved each other unconditionally. We need each other now, more than ever. As the changing landscape of our lives unfolds amidst this evolution & revolution, we find ourselves in uncharted territory. We know how to love each other no matter what. We will continue to show up for each other, even when we cannot be together. We have a unique opportunity to extend this invitation to more and more women. How can we show up in service of the sisters we know and love AND the sisters who are struggling on their own? How can we invite a new sister into the circle to wrap her in the invisible net of love that might just save her life? How can we surround our sisters, all over the world, with love and light? Each day, as we practice, we can invite them in to our hearts by holding them close and extending a prayer of strength, safety, comfort, love and peace.
MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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ON TRUSTING YOURSELF | You know more than you think you do. When things become unrecognizable, we can believe that we don’t know what to do. I believe you know more than you think you do. We have been here before – as a planet, as a species, as a civilized or uncivilized world, as a country, as a gender, as a family, and so on. We have evolved to meet the changing landscape and conditions of this planet. We created and endured wars of all kinds. We have seen natural disasters wipe out people, places and things in a single event, time and time again. We have seen the impact of our individual and collective footprint on this earth and in the lives of each other. We have been here before. We will be here again. You have been here before. In the midst of a changing landscape you barely recognize. You’ve faced great loss. You’ve worked hard to get to where you are and now it’s different than you thought it would be. You’ve stood at the crossroads and chosen the road less traveled. Your ancestors have shaped you by the experiences that shaped them. You’ve experienced great joy. You’ve had success. You have regrets. You benefit from hindsight. You’ve been comfortable and you’ve been uncomfortable. You have been here before. You will be here again. Trust Yourself. As a lifelong learner and seeker I have amassed a lot of insight and knowledge, self-awareness. To deny that and check with outside sources before getting clear about my own thoughts, beliefs, attitudes and desired outcomes or key questions is to throw up my hands and say "I don't know!", which my coach calls, collapsing. There are, of course, situations that leave us dumbfounded. The invitation is to explore your own depths before wading out into the wide, wide world of other opinion and expertise. My morning practice of writing morning pages (from Julia Cameron's brilliant The Artist's Way) helps me clear the mental clutter and start the day with a fresh mind. Writing clarifies. Ask yourself first. Flex the muscle of self-awareness, intuition. Know this: the process is as important as your potential answers. Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.
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TRUST THE PROCESS In my writing this morning I noticed something. An edge. An anger. A sense of entitlement. I kept going with it, allowing it to continue to express itself as long as it needed to. I blamed others. I blamed myself. I blamed the media. I blamed the politicians. I blamed the ones who ignored the advice to distance themselves. I thought of all the times I didn’t distance myself in the days leading up to the order, and blamed myself. I pontificated about humanity and how we have learned so much and yet, learned so little. I scoffed at the Romans. And then, the shift happened. All of a sudden, my writing took a turn. My body felt different. My hand, more free. My grip on the pen, looser. My heart, lighter. My wings, tingling. I expressed gratitude for this moment and the capacity to express myself, to articulate my feelings & experience. I expressed gratitude for the ways in which we are showing up for each other while keeping our distance. I expressed gratitude for the ways in which we can choose to stay informed – that we can tune in, tune out and turn on to our own intuition about what we need to weather this moment in time. I felt free, not confined. I expressed gratitude for the sense of acceptance washing over most of the world as we step back and allow something more powerful than us to run its course, for nature to do what it does. I felt satisfaction and relief in being fully present in THIS moment. I had allowed all these feelings and thoughts to move through me and they left me feeling better, more like myself. Trust the Process The process is important. Don’t get stuck in only communicating from that space of anger, entitlement, outrage. There's a limit to the effectiveness of that kind of expression. ACCEPTANCE. Whenever possible, get there. You don't have to LIKE it or be OKAY with it, but if it's happening, you do need to ACCEPT that it is happening and then DECIDE what you are willing or not willing to do about it. PRESENCE. Whenever possible, be in it. It's available to you right NOW. What's true in THIS moment? GRATITUDE. Whenever possible, feel it. It's available to you at ANY moment. The gift of writing and journaling for me is the ability to get to ACCEPTANCE, PRESENCE and GRATITUDE so that I can move forward. I love the process. Consider this your invitation to pursue ACCEPTANCE, PRESENCE and GRATITUDE with whatever process you choose.
MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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WHAT LIES BENEATH | GRACE
The thin veil that kept the inner workings of our lives, our appearances, our status, our sorrows and delights is slowly being lifted. We see more clearly now how close each of us are to being more vulnerable than we’d ever have admitted before. We understand the changes, big and small, that will impact us by having kids at home, or a partner at home, or no one at home. We are in close quarters without the usual distractions and distance we used to create to keep us separated from our loved ones, our troubles, our true selves. The veil is being named, identified, seen and some are grasping at it, to cover themselves, feeling exposed and naked as the world begins to operate with new rules. We must be willing to allow this unveiling. We must allow this unwelcome exposure. For if we don’t, we will surely go a little crazy and sink deeper into the depths of shame and denial. When we are stressed and exposed, we show up differently. Without our masks, our costumes, our elaborate social plays, who are we? We are more like the person next to us than different. We are closer to some form of bankruptcy than we were willing to admit. We want the same things. We want to be safe and healthy. We want to have access to people, places and things we enjoy. We want to have freedom to choose how and where we devote our time and attention. We want to be with those we love in the ways we used to love to be with them. We want to snuggle our grandchildren. We want to bathe in their messy, germy, kissy, handsy awesomeness. We want to assure them we’ll be ok, that we’re going to see the other side of this. We want to be good teachers, good parents, good neighbors and good citizens. We want to be able to provide for ourselves or have access to the medical, financial and social supports that sustain us. We didn’t think it could happen to us. And yet, it is. The COVID-19 Virus is spread by people. No people, the virus stops spreading. The invitation to physically distance and pull back from the crowd in an effort to do the ONE thing they know works – which is to eliminate the known path of the virus – is the ONE thing we seem to be unable to do without fail. And while people cry for a cure, a vaccine, a solution – they’ve been given one, and they simply cannot or will not leverage it. Because we need each other. We rely on each other. We have evolved, or have we? Be KIND to each other. EXTEND Grace. RECEIVE Grace. LOVE one another. Stay close to one another, from a distance. #OneHumanFamily
MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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ON FREEDOM While some feel constrained, restrained, confined and restricted – I feel freedom from the clutches of the day to day routine I created, out of obligation, for others and convenience. I am free to write, to linger over words in the pre-dawn light. I am free to sip coffee at sunrise and ponder things deep and shallow. I am free to create new possibilities. I am free to serve from a distance, just as capable of leading and listening as before. I am free to stay home and am grateful for the comfort and safety this home and this life provide. I am free to prune and curate and clean and purge this haven I call home. I am free to ask different questions about my habits, routines and practices. So many of which I see were borne of convenience and comfort rather than need or utility. I am free to connect with myself and others in a new way, being more deliberate about reaching out to extend a kind word or drop a note of encouragement or humor in the mail. I am free to pause, to reflect, to decide how and where to allocate my precious energy and attention. I am free to release anything that no longer serves me. I am free to embrace new ways of consuming and creating. I am free to ask for what I need and be open to receive the blessings waiting for me on the other side of resistance, skepticism, fatigue, depression and anxiety I am free to write a new way forward. I am free to say no to things that no longer serve me. I am free to say YES to things that delight and excite me. I am free to ask WHY of myself and others, no longer working off assumptions and old stories. I am free to stay curious. I am free to assume positive intent I am free to be fully present. I am free to be generous. I am free to ask for what I need. I have always been FREE to do these things. This virus hasn’t changed that. Only I changed that. And so can you. If you so choose.
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ON COURAGE “What good are wings without the courage to fly?” Atticus Courage is defined as the ability to do something that frightens one; strength in the face of pain or grief. It’s the dozens of little things you say yes to, that intimidate you, but don’t deter you. It’s the things you say no to that will disappoint others in the moment, but serve you now and over time. It’s asking for help from someone you admire, even though you’re afraid of what they will think of you for asking. It’s the hundreds of choices you make every day to keep moving forward in your inner work and outer world. You are courageous. You are brave. You have proof. You are climbing that tall ladder and walking to the edge of that board, diving into the uncertainty of what this day holds, of your desires, your hopes and your dreams. You tell the truth. You speak up. You sit down. You listen. You end it. You begin it. You ask for forgiveness. You forgive. You follow your heart, your calling, even though it’s moving in the opposite direction of so many others. You pack your bags and leave what no longer serves you, behind. You stay. You return. You make up your mind. You change your mind. You decide. You re-decide. You stay aligned with your values You are COURAGEOUS. You are BRAVE. You ALWAYS HAVE BEEN. You have ACCESS TO COURAGE anytime you call upon her. She will ALWAYS SHOW UP. “You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt
MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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ON PRESENCE “Being fully present isn’t something that happens once and then you have achieved it; it’s being awake to the ebb and flow and movement and creation of life, being alive to the process of life itself.” Pema Chödrön
One late afternoon towards the end of last summer my granddaughter and I were swinging together at the park near our house. As we looked at the setting sun, I asked her what her favorite part of the summer had been so far. “Right now.” She said, without hesitating or breaking her sun-gaze. That’s pure presence. Our granddaughters have always given us this gift. Time tends to lose shape as we get lost in play. A walk takes on a new level of awareness. The heart shaped rock, the gnome in need of a paint job, the growth of the flower garden down the street. It is in these moments of pure presence that our connection grows. If you are fully present for it, you can feel your relationship deepen and absorb these precious moments into every cell. Children are amazing teachers for us, if we allow them to be. I’ve learned to stop asking them to reflect on the past or project into the future when we’re together. Both of those types of invitations take us out of the moment and into somewhere else, which makes no sense to them at all. I’ve also learned to stop saying “I’ve missed you!” and replaced it with “I’m so happy to see you!” When you are in the moment, you move TOWARD love and connection. When you are in a previous moment or a future moment, you move AWAY from the present moment, which, in fact, is all that we have. Children know when you are PRESENT and when you are ABSENT. They crave your ATTENTION, AFFECTION, APPROVAL. If they cannot get it from you easily, they will create opportunities for your PRESENCE. Cries for connection don’t just come from children. Listen for and be aware of where the cries for connection come from in your life and relationships. Don’t focus on the PAST. Don’t focus on the FUTURE. Focus on being FULLY PRESENT. Embrace the difference.
MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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ACCEPTANCE “When you argue with reality, you lose. But only 100% of the time.” Byron Katie Having had a love/hate relationship with acceptance all my life, I now see the power of it. Having spent the bulk of my 5 decades in this life arguing with what is, what cannot be changed, what has happened rather than what should have been, what shouldn’t have changed and what should have happened, I was exhausted. In the throes of a life situation that demanded my acceptance, but called forth all my resistance and mama bear instincts, I surrendered. I laid down and accepted the hard and ugly truth of the situation we faced as a family. I worked WITH the reality of it rather than against it. I vacillated between shouldn’t I be doing more and worrying more and fighting more and “it is what it is”. I hate that phrase. It always felt to me like giving up, giving in, a shrug of the shoulders, something reserved as a response for other people who were reaching and screeching for support in the quicksand of a situation they couldn’t change. This concept of acceptance – in practice and in theory – still confronts me. Only now, my body and mind are more capable of allowing what is, to be. When I say it IS what it IS now, it’s an acceptance, not a dismissal. I accept this moment for what it is. I accept myself for who I am. I accept this situation for what it is. I accept my feelings about all of it. I accept you for who you are, exactly as you are, without needing you to be anything you are not. I accept your apology, the sincere wishes of your heart that we clear the air between us. I accept your GRACE for showing up less than, when I didn’t have access to that higher version of myself. I accept your LOVE, your unconditional love and acceptance. I accept your point of view, even if I don’t agree with it or resonate with it. I accept your complements, with gratitude and without question. I accept these gifts I’ve been given and embrace them. I accept my ability, my sovereignty, my responsibility, my obligation, my duty, to take care of myself and my needs. I accept my responsibility to look out for and care for others near to me I accept the invitations to be of service to the woman on the street or the man on the side of the road. To my neighbor, my friend, a stranger, an enemy, an estranged family member. I accept the invitation to sacrifice some of my convenience, for the greater good, to slow the spread and to do my part. I accept your wisdom. I accept your appreciation I accept your rejection I accept you. I accept me. And that, my friends, is my invitation to you.
MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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ON LOVE
I'm surrounded by it. I'm grateful for it. I never spend a day thinking I'm not loved. That wasn't always the case. I can remember a time in my life, many, in fact, where I didn't feel the love. And, it was always a lie. Because it was always there, surrounding me. I'm grateful for the dozens of ways each day Chris says "I love you." I'm grateful for the way we look at each other. I'm grateful for the way my children and I love each other. I’m grateful for the way my children love each other. I’m grateful for the way my children love their children. I'm grateful for the way my grandchildren look at me and how I am reduced to a love puddle in their presence. I am grateful to be able to look at other humans, all day long, with love. In the checkout line, in the conference room or in the waiting room. I'm working on being able to feel and share the love when I'm driving. (I'm human too) Today and every day is an invitation to walk in love, be in love with yourself and others, with life, with the world. With all its problems, faults, challenges if you look closely, you'll find love, courage, strength, honesty, truth, compassion. Make eyes at people today - love eyes, happy eyes, eyes that witness and acknowledge. Love wins. Love matters. Love heals. Love transforms. LOVE is where you see it. Keep seeing it.
MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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SEEK & FIND
(On asking for what we need) “What you seek is also seeking you.” Rumi When everything about how we live, love, work, play and take care of ourselves has changed, we find ourselves in a constant state of seeking. What we didn’t have to think about becomes something we have to figure out. What we knew how to do, requires something new. What we chose, what we choose, all shifting to accommodate how this virus moves. The virus is playing a game of hide and seek with us all. The fatigue? It’s real y’all. Consciously and unconsciously we are working so much more deliberately than we used to. And, if we live with others, big and small, they are feeling it too. We can choose to focus on asking for what we need. And, we can support others to help them figure out how to do the same. Ours is a game of SEEK & FIND As you SEEK normalcy and routine, find the normalcy and routines you could create to serve you now. As you SEEK peace and certainty, find the peace and certainty that exist in this moment. As you SEEK connection, connect with your inner child, your inner mentor and your inner warrior. Seek and ASK What good can I do this day? Play the game. Then, BE open to RECEIVE Receive the abundance. Receive the love. Receive the freedom. Receive the creativity. What do you need today? What do those you love, lead and serve need today? What do those in our community who are struggling the most, need today? Who needs the water and how can we get it to them?
MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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ON ENDURANCE “This ain’t checkers, baby. This is chess.” Dr. Coomer You’re doing great. Has anyone told you that lately? You’ve changed so many of the ways you live, work, shop, eat, play, communicate, connect and serve. All with others and their health and safety in mind. At first, you thought it would just be for a few weeks. And now you can see something different is rolling out ahead of you. Of us. There is no new normal. There is no destination. There is only the journey. There is only this moment. And the next. And the next. There is only this day. And the next. And the next. There is just the next move. And the next. And the next. As a wise elder once said “This ain’t checkers, baby. This is chess.” (Shout out to my lifelong gal pal’s daddy, Dr. Coomer). It’s time to embrace the grace of endurance. It’s time to build in small victories. It’s time to appreciate small pleasures. “The future is built on a bunch of nows”. Now is the time. Maybe you’ll see the fruits of your efforts. Maybe you won’t. We must do things today that tomorrow and generations from now will thank us for. We must do our part. We must embrace the grace of endurance. “This ain’t checkers, baby. This is chess.”
MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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ON WATER I recently had the privilege to attend an event featuring Margaret Wehatley, an cademic, mystic, warrior and activist. She tapped into so much truth about this time in our civilization, the cycles of life and death, of the rise and the fall. We are at precisely the point where we are now collectively realizing that life, as we have known it, enjoyed it and experienced it, is changing. We have brought ourselves to this point. Mother Earth is grateful for this temporary reprieve from our usual pace and stomping around on her, taking what we want with little regard for the impact of our boot prints. Unsustainable systems are now collapsing. When systems collapse, people RISE. And we are RISING. We are RISING to the occasion of wondering what we can do better, how we can BE better. We are RISING to the occasion of serving ourselves and one another with kindness, patience, grace and care. We are RISING to the occasion of just such a time as this. We are HERE for it all. The painful and the powerful. The perspective shifts. The purposeful pause. WE are the ones we’ve been waiting for. And WE are awake now. You’ve heard and perhaps even overused the expression “Is your glass half full, or half empty.” Or “You’re either a pessimist or an optimist.” Margaret says “Who cares about whether your glass is half full or half empty. What I want to know is Who needs the water and HOW do we get it to them?”. BOOM. Who needs the water? How do we get it to them? Further, what is the work that needs to be done? What is the work that I can do now to be of service to myself so that I can better be of service to others? When I’m caring for myself and others, I’m often asking them “Have you been drinking enough water?” I know, seems silly, right? However, what I’ve learned over the years is that at the root of much of our daily discomfort is simply a lack of proper hydration. Because, science. (You can google it.) I love this even deeper version of the question about water. Who needs the water? How do we get it to them? For us, it’s as easy as walking over to a faucet and pouring it into our glass. For others, it’s a much more complicated or less accessible proposition.
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HOW TO PRACTICE Creating a daily practice could be one of the most powerful things you could do for yourself right now. It’s also a great thing to do as a team, as a family, as a couple. PREPARE 1. Find a time that works for you – be it early morning, mid-afternoon, late at night – figure out when you can have a stretch of time to be undisturbed and fully present. It can be as little as 10 minutes or as much as 90! It’s up to you. 2. Create a sacred space. It can be your bed, a closet, a spare room, a favorite chair, an outside space, or even your CAR! It’s the place where you go to find your center. Over time, you can create an alter or other calm inducing set-ups, but don’t let a lack of space stop you from creating a practice! Be creative. 3. Gather some supplies. A book that inspires you. A pen you love to write with. A journal you can write in. A blanket or yoga mat to sit on or cover up with. Your phone or ipad with guided meditations, books, podcasts, music or other inspiring media. A candle and a lighter. And anything else you’d like to include to practice. PRACTICE 1. Open your practice with an intention or a prayer, light a candle and get into a comfortable position. 2. Get still and quiet. You can use guided meditations or other inspirational media if you like. Sit and allow your mind and body to be still. 3. Write. Pick up your pen and just let your words flow. Don’t worry about making sense or trying to edit, just do a brain dump and allow your pages to fill up, emptying out the noise in your head onto paper, where it belongs. Clearing the way for you to step into your day with a clear mind and heart. 4. Move. Stretch, dance, do yoga, whatever feels good to you. 5. Close your practice. Give gratitude for the time and space and freedom to practice and be on your way! Blow out the candle and be on your way. It’s that simple.
I hope these meditations and practice tips will help you to find your center and create an island of calm in a sea of chaos. With love,
Whitney “Nobody told me there’d be days like these. Strange days, indeed. Most peculiar mama.” John Lennon
MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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INSPIRATION
Here are the books and teachers that inform my daily practice right now
Pema Chodron When Things Fall Apart Don’t Bite the Hook Mark Nepo The Little Book of Awakening Melody Beattie The Language of Letting Go Julia Cameron The Artist’s Way Charlotte Kasl, PhD If The Buddha Got Stuck
Glennon Doyle Untamed Margaret Wheatley Thich Nhat Hanh Byron Katie Loving What Is The Work Austin Kleon Keep Going
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MORNING MEDITATION NUGGETS, VOL 1 Created by Whitney Bishop Ó2020
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About the Author
Whitney Bishop is a master facilitator, speaker, coach and author. She is devoted to the personal and
professional development of change agents and nonprofit leaders all over the world. She has devoted her practice to serving those who serve others, particularly those organizations who are helping women, children and families. Her signature coaching, planning and consulting process involves helping leaders address the mindsets, questions, habits, routines & practices that are either serving them and moving their missions forward or holding them back from having greater impact. Whitney earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Training and Development from the University of Louisville in 2005 at the age of 39. Her education, both formal and informal, have paved the way for her to serve hundreds of different nonprofit organizations and mission focused leaders in the last 15 years. In finding her voice as a writer and author, Whitney has explored not only her own story, but the stories of the women and men who came before her. The more she learns about them, the more she learns about herself. Her writing practice is central to her lifestyle – informing both her personal and professional growth. Whitney lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her husband Chris and grand-dog Isis. They love trips to the beach, live music and a good dining experience. She has two adult children, Caitlyn & Parker, who are creative, resourceful and enterprising. They are hands-on Nana and Papaw to two very active granddaughters, Acacia & Lorelei. Please reach out to Whitney for coaching, consulting & facilitation opportunities! Contact Cell: 502 338 3780 Email: whitney@whitneybishop.com
Patreon Author Site: www.patreon.com/whitneybishop Professional Website: www.whitneybishop.com