Has an emotion, thought, or sensation ever hijacked your morning before you even had your coffee? One moment you're fine — the next you're irritable, contracted, or just... off. Most of us have been conditioned to push those feelings aside, fix them quickly, or talk ourselves out of them. But what if the most powerful thing you could do was simply be with them?

CMP recently completed our new program, Goodnight Meditations, a 4-session program that met weekly on zoom. I'm reflecting on participant feedback and how mindfulness contributes to healthy habits and experiences at bedtime.

Through our mindfulness practice, we awaken to each new moment with kind curiosity.  When we direct our curiosity inward, we might notice: how it feels to breathe, sensations in the body, thoughts on the mind, and we may notice a variety of emotions coming and going. Holding time and space for this noticing, with kind curiosity, can provide insight into how we're doing and lead to self-care strategies if needed.

On Thursdays CMP brings a weekly mindfulness meditation program to a group of people reentering society after incarceration, and in yesterday's session we shared Empathetic Joy as the main meditation.