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advocacy, animal rescue, love, Mindful Activities, Mindful Eating, Mindful Living, poetry

Will you join me in this sanctuary song?

Sanctuary Song

Let me be a sanctuary 
for all beings
with voice, with action, with song

For those who can’t speak
a voice that moves mountains
 - Earthquake Strong

For those who are imprisoned
break their chains
of suffering and pain

For those whose cries
are unheard 
lift them up in flight
lovingly in the wings of a heavenly bird

And for those whose bodies are too weak from fighting 
strength in numbers
 - Community Strong

Using our voices, our actions
 - Together
becoming a sanctuary song.

Will you join me in this sanctuary song?
-Alexis Cress

Are we looking? Have you ever had one of those weeks where humanity and its actions (or inactions) really get you down? Whether it’s reading about the never-ending violence in the world, witnessing the continued inhumane treatment of animals, or watching the many migrants crossing through the country with the look of desperation and fear in their eyes. This world definitely shows its sadness for all to see. That is, if we are looking.

But love is here. Yet, I also read about and witness everyday the MANY amazing people and organizations who continue to fight for and give refuge to those who need it most – they are sanctuaries.

No act of kindness is too small. To be a sanctuary, your actions don’t have to be huge, just big enough to make a difference for one person, one animal, one being. Maybe today, this action is just a simple smile given to someone who other’s walk by and ignore. Or it could be an action of present awareness to your family and friends, by truly listening to them with love and support. Maybe you say no to a burger or another form of animal meat, maybe just for today. Or, you finally sign up to volunteer at the local animal shelter. There are so many small (which turn into HUGE) ways to make a difference everyday.

Will you join me in this sanctuary song?

Blessings to you❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤍

Alexis

Mindful Activities, Mindful Living, Mindful Meditation, poetry

I see you in front of me

Surrender to the Now

When I surrender to the Now what do I see?

I see the sun’s rays dancing on the long grass reeds
I see the palm trees swaying from side to side
I see birds and butterflies flying by

When I surrender to the Now what do I see
I see YOU in front of me

When I surrender to the Now what do I hear?

I hear the rustle of the leaves as they touch side to side
I hear the buzz of the hummingbird’s wings
I hear the song of the birds as they sing

When I surrender to the Now what do I hear
I hear YOU in front of me

When I surrender to the Now what do I feel?

I feel the mist of the morning mountain dew touch my skin
I feel the breeze of the ocean’s salty air blow my hair
I feel the sun as it touches my cheek with a smile

When I surrender to the Now what do I feel
I feel your presence in front of me now

Let’s surrender to the Now
This is where life truly lives
-Alexis

The greatest gift you can give anyone, any being – is YOU. When you are truly present, there is an openness, a light, that shines. This light is felt by all beings around you, especially the one right in front of you.

Surrender to the now, and be present today.

Blessings to you,

Alexis

Mindful Activities, Mindful Living, poetry

You Gave Me a Rainbow

You Gave Me a Rainbow

You gave me a rainbow today
as I walked to our special place

This is where we walked together
when we wanted some quiet space

Where we could see for miles 
and feel the cool morning air
and watch the gifted sunrise
behind the mountain 
greeting us there

Where we felt free
no more pain or sickness within

We could fly up high with the birds
our wings far reaching the cloud’s pink 
and feel the sun’s warmth on our cheeks
as we floated upon the rainbow’s drink

Now my feet stay rooted to the earth’s ground
and your bright light is up above
But we will meet again I promise 
in our daily acts of love

Together in rainbow’s light we will always be.
-Alexis Cress

Nature and all her beauty give us the gifts of healing, of present moment pause, and she often reminds us of those who have touched our lives. Because of the memories we’ve shared in nature or because our loved one’s presence is felt in the ocean’s breeze, or in the starry moonlight, or when the rain kisses the sun and a rainbow is born. May your day be filled with moments of nature’s beauty today.

Blessings,

Alexis

advocacy, animal rescue, Mindful Activities, Mindful Living, poetry

Your Voice – Their Hope

Your voice is the answer

When you see something wrong
don’t turn away
Make this the moment
to say something
to act
in a kind, supportive, and positive way

Use your voice to support others
to find strength in numbers
in community
this is where our power lies

Together we can move mountains
Save the abused
Rescue the forgotten
and right the wronged

Together
we won’t be silenced
by the abusers’ anger, their intimidation,
or threatening ways

All actions have consequences
inactions do too
And when we choose not to act
the consequences 
are part of the problem too

Please don’t turn your eye
to abuse, to neglect
to the pain of another being
today

Let your voice
be their hope
A hand 
leading them out of harm's way.
-Alexis Cress

TOGETHER – we will move mountains💜💜💜.

While I was working with animal rescue here in Costa Rica, the amount of dog and cat neglect and abuse I saw was heartbreaking💔. I often questioned why some community members would turn their eye to the abuse or not want to get involved. Because I truly believed (and still do!) that when more people get involved within their community, become more educated about their community’s problems, the sooner we make positive changes for the good of all beings involved – whether it is in animal rescue, poverty, domestic violence, or other community concerns. You may quickly find that all community problems are connected in some way.

As human beings we have the emotional and intellectual ability to not only feel and know when something is wrong with another being or situation but we also have the capacity to make positive changes for all involved. Just one simple smile to a stranger, one kind word to a neighbor, one act of service with a community organization, could change or even save another being’s life.

I know it can be scary sometimes to speak up, to get involved, but when you see or hear something that makes you uncomfortable – trust your gut, your intuition. I encourage you to speak to someone. Ask questions. Become educated. Your action (no matter the size) may truly be the hand that leads someone out of harm’s way.

Your Voice – Their Hope.💜💜💜

Thank you for all you do to make the world a better place for all beings.

Blessings,

Alexis

education, health benefits, Mindful Activities, Mindful Eating, Mindful Living, Mindful Meditation

Let me introduce myself to ME! – Part 3 of a three-part series.

Did you know that being mindful, specifically the practice of mindfulness meditation, can help you learn more about yourself? And, what better person to learn more about!

Sitting with our breath, our mind, for just a few minutes a day, can help shine a spotlight on our habitual responses, our self-talk. Sometimes our self-talk is reassuring and helpful, but other times it can be negative, cause turmoil, and lead us to make wrong choices or decisions. We can be our own worst enemy. But, when we take the time to learn more about ourselves, our thought patterns, we can become more accepting and compassionate towards ourselves and towards others.

In my three-part series on Mindful Living, I have discussed two ways of living mindfully – Mindful Eating and Mindful Wakeups. Today’s blog post is about mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness meditation is a seated meditation practice where you focus on your breath, your thoughts, your emotions, but let them pass without judgment. I have practiced and taught this form of meditation for many years. As someone who has dealt with anxiety and stress over the years, this form of meditation has helped me learn about my habitual thought patterns and as a result learn how to become more calm and more relaxed. In addition to potentially relieving stress and anxiety, mindfulness meditation can help improve sleep, improve health, and even improve brain function! The Harvard Gazette says “Doing mindfulness is like a fitness routine for your brain,” she said. “It keeps your brain healthy.”

Before I give a few suggestions on how you can start your very own mindfulness meditation practice, I first would like to tell you what mindfulness meditation is NOT:

It is NOT a religion.
It is NOT a relaxation exercise, rather it is a way of understanding (through practice) of how our mind behaves and how our mind and body work together as a whole.
It is NOT going into a trance.
It is NOT escaping from reality.
It is NOT for only monks.

Rather, Mindfulness Meditation is a study of ourselves and an exploration of our life experience. It reminds us of what we are supposed to be doing and who we are. It helps us truly live!

Let’s get started in Mindfulness Meditation:

Find a quiet place to sit without being disturbed.
Decide on a specific time for the meditation session. If you are a beginner to mindfulness meditation, I would suggest you start with 5 minutes. The Insight Timer is a great app you can download onto your phone. This app also has guided meditations!
Wear loose, comfortable clothing. A meditation cushion helps in both comfort and posture. Find a seated position that works best for you and your degree of flexibility. Sit up tall. Place your hands palm-up on your knees. Or, if you prefer, rest your hands (palms-up) in your lap, or another hand gesture you are comfortable with. Heathline.com gives some additional options on seated meditation positions.
Relax your shoulders. Tilt your head slightly forward so your gaze is naturally directed to the floor in front of you.
Relax your jaw and mouth, with your teeth slightly apart. Do not clench your jaw. Your lips are slightly touching. Tip of tongue touching back of upper teeth, or rest behind your lower teeth.
Close your eyes: Breathe naturally. Sit for about one minute before you begin – allow your heart and breathing to slow.
Gently bring your attention to your breath and begin the meditation session: There is no particular goal. Just sit and breathe. Allow yourself to be absorbed in the practice.
Allow your thoughts and feelings to come and go without attachment: Don’t try to control your thoughts in any way. Don’t follow them. Just note them and return to your awareness of the breath.
How to handle distractions: There are quite a few ways to handle distractions, and I will note a few here, but in time you will find techniques that work the best for you. Deep Breaths – take a few deep, quick breaths when you realize you have become distracted. Counting – on your inhale count “one, one, one” until the lungs are full of air, then on your exhale count “two, two, two” until your lungs are out of air; continue this until you reach ten and repeat if needed.
Meditate in this way for 5 – 20 minutes (beginners for less time). It is more important and beneficial to meditate for 5 minutes each day, rather than an hour every two weeks. Daily practice is an essential element of effective meditation.

Are you ready to meet YOU? Are you ready to explore and learn more about your beautiful, divine self?

I hope this blog gives you the gentle nudge you need to try this profound meditation practice. Please contact me if you want to learn more about mindfulness meditation. As a practitioner and teacher of this mindful practice, I would love to help you along your mindful living exploration.

Blessings to you,

Alexis

health benefits, Mindful Activities, Mindful Living

Daily Mindful Living – part 2 of a three-part series

When you think of mindfulness, do you visualize a person sitting on a rock with a picturesque background with sounds of water trickling nearby? While this is a nice visualization of one form of mindfulness, it is a tiny part of a huge world of mindful activities. Or maybe you think mindful living can only be done by a monk, or someone who practices buddhism or another form of spiritual practice? Everyone, no matter what spiritual practice, religion, or no religious affiliation at all, can (and should) practice mindful living. It is a way of life. A way of living consciously. Or in even simpler terms, a way of truly living.

To summarize from part 1 of my three-part series on mindful living Are you living mindfully? to live mindfully, is to live with intention, with conscious awareness, and the understanding that every action (or inaction) has a response, a consequence. Every activity in your day can be done mindfully. It is the simple act of being present and aware of what you are doing at that exact moment. The more you practice mindfulness, the easier it becomes, and the more benefits you will reap in your daily life.

Mindful.org lists five mindfulness practices for your daily life. I encourage you to check them out. Here is one that I highly recommend to start practicing today.

Mindful Wakeup: Start with a Purpose. When we set an intention, our underlying motivation is aligned more with our actions and reactions throughout our day. Scientifically, “from the brain’s perspective, when we act in unintended ways, there’s a disconnect between the faster, unconscious impulses of the lower brain centers and the slower, conscious, wiser abilities of the higher centers like the pre-frontal cortex.” Therefore, when we set an intention we strengthen the connection between our higher and lower brain centers. In doing so, our actions, our responses, will be more mindful, more compassionate, and align more with our purpose and our core values. Sounds amazing, right? Here are steps to start with your intention every day.
- On waking in the morning, take the time to breathe and notice how you feel.
- Take three long, deep, breaths. Notice how the breath feels. Notice where your breath is settling in your body.
- Ask yourself – “What is my intention today?” or “How might I help myself or others today?” “What do I want to improve on today?” (Mindful.org has many great prompts and suggestions for you.)
- Set your intention for the day. Some examples, “Today I will take good care of myself.” “Today I will eat healthy.” “Today I will help others.”
- Throughout the day, check on your intention. Take moments throughout the day to pause and breathe. Review your day and notice if you are following the intention you set for the day.

The more we practice living with intention, the more we will be truly living in the present moment. We will live less on autopilot (our fast brain) and more mindfully (with our slow brain). Let’s get our brain centers working together! There is so much beauty in this world. Let’s not miss it!!

Blessings,

Alexis

Mindful Activities, Mindful Living, Mindful Meditation, poetry

Let your story unfold

In stillness
we find calm
Let your mind settle
and your worries flow out

It's hard, I know
my emotions sometimes feel strong
I don’t know if I can stay afloat
or if I will drown

Take a breath
and another
soon you will see
the worries
the sadness
become distant memories

While they are gone
take the time
to focus on the light within
let it shine
let it grow
this is where your story begins

Let your story unfold
in the present
not the past
Fill each page with awareness
and lightness 
but don’t grasp
Because even holding too tight
to what you have now
will rip the page
of your present
and stop the flow

Let your story flow naturally
with every breath
in and out
Ride the waves 
of the present
and let your worries flow out.
-Alexis Cress

Sometimes in our busy days, we don’t take the time to really pay attention to what is happening within us. When we have a moment to ourselves, we often choose to escape the present moment by checking social media, watching television, or reading a book. Take some time to be with you during the day. Maybe this will be a time for seated reflection, or a walk in nature, or just a moment focusing on your breath as it comes in and out. Let your story unfold naturally, and you will find calm.

Blessings,

Alexis

love, Mindful Activities, Mindful Living, poetry

Do you believe in angels?

Do you believe in angels?
I do
different shapes and colors
celebrating life with you

A puppy dog’s tail as it wags with joy
a hummingbird’s wings whirling by
the breeze as it blows at just the right time
for sure angels are here, definitely a sign!

When the sun rises and colors the sky
and the kitten purrs when swatting at a butterfly
When the butterfly gracefully floats by
wings open
colors abound
surely angels are in disguise
surely angels are around!

 What else could it mean?
So many gifts in our sight
I don’t think its magic
but God’s gifts in flight

On the wings of an angel
from heaven they come
to celebrate life with us
with each rising sun.
-Alexis Cress

Do you have someone or something in your life (humans, animals, nature’s sights, smells, and sounds) that when you notice them, your heart overflows with warmth, with light? Take a moment to experience these gifts today. Maybe they are angels in disguise?

Blessings to you,

Alexis

education, health benefits, Mindful Activities, Mindful Living, Mindful Meditation, poetry

Your Mindfulness Breath

Your Mindfulness Breath

Sit still
think of nothing
only your breath 
coming in and going out

Do you hear it
the silence in your mind 
and the awakening in your heart

Do you feel it
the warmth in your body
the lifting of the life weight off your shoulders 
and the opening of your soul

Can you see it 
the lightness before you
the path to your true calling

Can you touch it
the beauty that lies before you
beckoning you to come closer

Will you allow it
this mindfulness
this path to true discovery

Will you accept it 
this beauty and love that surrounds you

It is always there for you 
waiting in your mindfulness breath

Sit still
think of nothing
only your breath
coming in and going out.
-Alexis Cress

Have you ever tried mindfulness meditation? As my 3 part Mindful Living series will demonstrate, you can practice mindfulness doing anything and everything (which I hope you do!).

The American Psychological Association describes mindfulness meditation as paying attention to what is happening in the present moment and then accepting what is happening without judgement. For example, when you are in a seated meditation focusing on your breath, and your mind starts to wander or a specific thought comes into your mind – no worries – just become aware of this without analyzing your thought or yourself, and come back to your breath. I will discuss more about mindfulness meditation in Part 2 of my Mindful Living series, as well as in upcoming blogs. It is one of my favorite meditation practices. Stay tuned!

Be mindful today, and experience your life in a whole new, glorious way!

Blessings,

Alexis

education, health benefits, life lessons, Mindful Eating, Mindful Living

Are you living mindfully? Part 1 of a three-part series.

To answer this question, you may want another questioned answered first – “What does it mean to live mindfully?” There is a simple answer, but to live this way regularly is by no means simple! To live mindfully, is to live with intention, with conscious awareness, and the understanding that every action (or inaction) has a response, a consequence. I will soon delve deeper into 3 different areas of mindful living, but first I will share a brief summary of them all to hopefully peak your interest and help you learn mindful living benefits and ways to start living mindfully today! Today’s blog will be on Mindful Eating.

So, let’s get started by talking about Mindful Eating. Everyday Health describes mindful eating as “Mindful eating is a concept and a practice that’s centered around being present while making choices around the food that we eat”. Easy right? Not so fast. Many of us have grown up in a western society where time is money. Taking time to eat mindfully is often out of the question, especially during the week when our meals are around (or during) business meetings, catching up on the news, or talking with family.

Harvard School of Public Health lists “Seven Practices of Mindful Eating”. For this post, I will go over just a few of my favorites that I try to follow daily, but they are all so good!

Honor your food. For example, when I take my first sip of coffee, I take some time to acknowledge all those that helped this yummy coffee find its way in my cup today (the human who planted the seed, the farmers who cared for and nurtured the plant, nature that watered and helped it grow, the people who harvested and packaged the beans, and any other beings that helped me come to enjoy this daily cup of my favorite joe). For my meals, I try to also practice this mindful process.
- Now, you may find that you don’t know where the food came from or how it was prepared. This is where awareness and curiosity comes in. Depending on where you live and its climate, along with the choices available (or not available) for fresh produce or communication with the farmer on the process of the item you are consuming, this can be a challenging (but very important!) step in honoring the food you are choosing for your body (physically, mentally, and emotionally). I encourage you to take the time to ask the questions of your local farmer/rancher, your local supermarket, about the food you are purchasing with your hard earned money, and nourishing your body (and mind) with. For me personally, I find the more steps there are from the farmer to my table, the less likely I will want to consume this food or drink item.
Engage your senses. Really see and taste the food. Before you take the first bite, look at your plate. Is it a rainbow of colors or just one or two colors of foods. More vibrant colors on your plate may make you smile and also give you more overall nutrients for your body. Take in a whiff. Does it smell good? Your senses affect your emotions, your mood, and more importantly relating to your food – your digestion. Also, chew slowly, which gives you the added benefit of not eating too much! Now, as you eat, notice how it makes you feel – its texture, its taste, both emotionally and physically. Are you eating nutritious foods for your body? Which leads to my final mindful eating suggestion for today.
Consider the long-term effects of your food choices. This conscious awareness brings a unique connection to your food and drink choices and the rest of the world, your community, the environment. (I will go deeper into this mindful way of living when I talk about your super human power as purchaser and consumer in the market place.) Stay tuned!
- For some, this step of mindful eating will be choosing only locally grown produce (farmers and growers in your community). This can be more challenging for those that are living in an environment where choices are limited because of climate and other farmer/grower-to-table options.
- For others, this choice of mindful eating may be choosing an only plant-based diet; whether for making better choices for your long-term health benefits, or honoring the humane treatment of animals, or the long-term effects on the environment. This point is connected with “Honor the Food” above. If it is important to you, take the time to find out about the food source, where the food source came from, how the food was made, how the food was grown, and (if an animal source) how the animals were treated along the way.

Are you ready to practice mindful eating? (If you already practice mindful eating, I would love to hear more about your process, your tips. Please leave them in the comments.) For those of you who are ready to start this mindfulness practice but are feeling a little overwhelmed, I suggest you start with the first suggestion “Honor your food”. Take just one meal (or just one daily drink) and before you consume it, reflect on the many hands that helped this food come to your table. Breathe in a moment of gratitude. Just one moment of gratitude ignites calming energy within your body and also shares this amazing energy of gratitude to the world around you.

Your choices, as simple or as complex as they may be, will make a huge impact on your health, your life, and the world around you. Thank you for being mindful today!

And as they say in Costa Rica – ¡Buen provecho!

Blessings,

Alexis