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I love listening to the music in my Calm app with my airpods on. Using airpods makes the experience more personal therefore I feel much calmer :)

Years ago I began to struggle with recurring depression. I read books, went to therapy, and tried many things to get myself out of it. Over time, I discovered that there were many things I could do to feel better, but I would often just forget (or not want to do them). So I made myself the "I don't feel good and want to feel better" checklist which I could refer to when I felt badly. I've never shared it before, but figure this might be a good place (sorry it's super long - I was going to attach it as a pdf, but couldn't attach pdfs here) The "I Don't Feel Good and Want to Feel Better" Checklist Oftentimes, when you don’t feel good, you have a hard time listening to the positive voice. As a result, you may be tempted to think that "something is wrong” - with your life, with your relationships, or maybe even with the world. Before jumping to the conclusion that you need to quit your job, abandon your partner, or go hide in a bunker, review this list to see if there’s something more internal that you can do first. * Have I had good posture recently? (TED talk Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are) * Has the rest of my physiology been positive? (facial expressions, type and quantity of movement) * Have I done anything that gets me moving in an excited / animated way? (dancing, a sport I like, etc) * If I’ve been doing anything that’s been negatively stressing myself, can I be a little kinder or more gentle to myself in some way? * Are there any things (responsibilities, etc) that I’ve been taking on myself that really aren’t mine (either because they’re unnecessary, impossible, or belong to someone else)? * Have I gotten enough sleep? (quality and quantity) * Have I eaten mostly healthy food recently? (lots of vegetables and low sugar) * Have I had enough water to drink? (impacts mood, fatigue, etc) * Have I exercised recently? (worked up a sweat, did some resistance training) * Do I have any physical pain or soreness that I need to handle? (foam rolling, other) * Have I been meditating regularly? (or doing a meditative activity) * Have I regularly been doing an intentional gratitude practice? * Have I been outside in the sun and fresh air? * Do I remember Why I want to be positive and have I pondered that regularly? (Simon Sinek - Start with Why) * Even if I am planning to leave or change my current situation, have I fully accepted the present moment exactly as it is? (Eckhart Tolle) * Have I been doing breathing exercises regularly (Wim Hoff)? * Have I chosen an exciting purpose or a goal that I’m moving toward? * Can I just consciously make the choice to be positive? * Have I been having fun and enjoying things without being too serious? (Listen to music, eat good food, etc) * Have I remembered that challenges are actually good in the long run, and therefore not allowed myself to get upset by things I perceive as making the world worse?

I have been using several app like memrise or duolingo. They are great for learning vocabulary and also listening and pronounciation but when it comes to learning the grammar they don't really work too well.

Hello ,, Just wanted to say Hello with a few notes about myself. I am 62, I live with my wife a dog a cat. Both animals acquired from others. Dog from Son who now lives in Florida and the Cat from our niece (wife's side) . I love personal development, law of attraction, quantum physics , digging deep and deep into this Beautiful Gift of Life we have been given. I have a specific group of friends who also understand this and we connect through the social media channels and facebook groups. My wife has not ever seem to take an interest in this nor support me in this and has her own ways, even though i have introduced her to some of my friends through meetups etc...she will not allow herself to be vulnerable and sticks with the status quo...honestly we are still in love but its a strange relationship. Anyway we both work, i work from home doing IT work and she is in the medical field. She likes to be independent.. and controlling ..I am more trustworthy and love to meet people and have deep conversations. Unfortunately to avoid conflict , argument and Jealous behavior i have to keep this under my hat so to speak. I have come to Terms with this being the old me and also being the Authentic me. Trying to eventually transition fully to the Authentic me which is the etter and more happier of the 2 !!! Thank you for listening and I hope this day fines you well. Much Love !!!! Joe D.

I always wanted to know the habits that entrepreneurs followed to make most out of the day. Thus I asked 82 entrepreneurs who worked in different sectors, countries and were at different stages of business, to share a habit they followed to be at the best shape, and this revealed the following 8 habits. I have listed habits with the percentage of entrepreneurs endorsing them: Listening - 3.7% Gratitude - 4.9% Reading - 6.1% Proactiveness - 8.5% Perseverance - 11.0% Meditation - 11.0% Morning Routine - 18.3% Planning - 22.0% Both Planning and Morning Routine - 3.7% Other Habits - 11.0 % Though it can't generalize the lifestyle of entrepreneurs throughout the world, as we must respect the degree of randomness. This short survey concluded that entrepreneurs prefer to getting a positive start of the day and give weightage to planning to face the daily grind. If you want to read details, list of entrepreneurs, and infographics, you can visit: https://www.goodvitae.com/8-habits-for-entrepreneurs/

yes I love that its pretty much what a zen monk wrote - I think we under estimate the power of listening its such a beautiful thing the monk said 'you can hold a safe space for them to grow'

I just finished listening to "How to be an AntiRacist" by Ibram X. Kendi. Such an insightful book. The audiobook is read by himself, which makes it even more tangible. He mixes his journey of becoming more and more antiracist with historical events and broad theories. Hence, as a listener, we get the full bandwidth of a personal story to the theoretical understanding. "How to Be an Antiracist" is a book for literally everybody because racism left none of us untouched and only by learning more about it we can start to see it for what it is and then decide to think and act differently. This book is intense and honest and powerful, and I am grateful that he looked deep into the pain to make it easier for the readers. Yet even with his support, the hard part is recognizing the racist thoughts and behaviours in ourselves. Especially realizing that there are so many layers that every time we face the pain and shame guilt of one layer and peel it of there are plenty of others yet undetected. We quickly tell ourselves that we have done enough, and we are good people, and there are many more who are not even as far as we are. The scope of this book, the work, this journey is that it will never be enough, and that's tough. Yet every racist idea (around us and within ourselves) we manage to realize, analyze and see for what it is is getting us a step closer to a world of respect, solidarity and support for everyone.

The way for me to stop feeling lonely and happy is to learn to be happy in my own company. What do you enjoy what are you passionate about how can you amplify and integrate that in your daily life it could be anything from listening to music or even volunteering to work with animals if you like them. Be of service to others in some way shape or form you will soon see the loneliness dissipate and your life becoming enriched . The possibilities are endless

@Danica2020 Thank you for adding that. I haven't looked deeper into it yet, but it already resonates. One of the most hands-on (or hands-off for that matter) learnings through MBSR for me was related to eating. Listening to my own needs and not mistaking the need for a break for hunger as I used to, not mistaking thirst for hunger. Not mistaking the need for self-care for hunger, not trying to ease stress through eating. As the amount of food I consumed did shrink, I also got more conscious about what, when and how much I eat to be fully satisfied. I'll take a closer look into intuitive eating. :-)

I recommend Rachel Ricketts. You can find her on Insight Timer for example with "Stepping into spiritual activism" for a first impression, on Instagram and in several podcasts. Like "Red Lips & Eyerolls" or "the balanced blonde". Here's a quote about Covid-19: "Oppressed identities live in really challenging times - all the f***ing time.* or white folx starting their anti-racism journey with her "I am glad you are here AND you are late. This is not a shame-evoking statement but a fact we need to acknowledge when doing the work". She is also on Patreon. Listening to her was insightful, motivating, empowering and with the directness and clarity that I really appreciate. She also offers 2 courses on her website "Spiritual activism 101 & 102". (which I haven't taken yet) The first course is for everyone the second has 2 versions: - "This online workshop is carefully curated for White and White-passing folks, particularly White womxn, to continue the sacred and spiritual conversation required for radical racial justice." - "This online workshop is carefully curated for POCs ONLY, particularly black + brown womxn, to continue the sacred and spiritual conversation required for healing our internalized oppression and racial trauma."

I know this modality isn't for everyone, but I'm really digging self-hypnosis right now. I've been a daily meditator (in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, mostly) for 12 years and find that listening to guided hypnosis sessions are a wonderful add-on. Even after 12 years of meditation I still find it a challenge to quiet the striving mind and regulate difficult emotional states. Hypnosis is a greatly assists me in letting go into self-compassionate states of mind, or just sleep. Enjoy! https://gshypnosis.com/

I love to walk peacefully in the forest listening to all the sounds of the forest gives. ?

The Sacred Art of Listening - Tara Brach I found this so profound. Stunned.

I find the process of processing thoughts is the only way to calm the mind. I use different forms of processes to do this. Sometimes I use music by starting off with music that matches my current state of thought. Or music that matches my current emotional state and as I transition from song to song I either find myself listening to the same song over and over or moving on to a new one that is similar or slightly different and as I go along i well eventually transmute my emotional state by moving into songs that I already know that will bring me to the state of calmness or sometimes happiness, even maybe just being contentment. Other times I use meditation like where you sit like a buddha, or lay down and let the thoughts just flow until my mind is calm. I even use mantras a lot during these times. Other times I cook or clean or even workout while I meditate so that I exercise the thoughts into an action to relieve any anxiety. I have found that while meditating in stillness thoughts or memories I didn't even know I still had come up for me to process. These are those lingering thoughts that cause anxieties and depression brought about by triggers like when you come across someone, watch a movie, or listen to a song and you get those old feelings springing back up. So basically I calm the mind through movement or flow.

Thank you both for sharing so many ideas and helpful links. I am not on lockdown where I live and I'm still expected to report to work for now. Nonetheless, I'd like to share with everyone some things that have been helping me cope with these uncertainties: 1. Please know that it's okay if you feel you only have enough energy to simply survive right now. Try not to feel bad about yourself due to lacks in productivity or creativity. If you're spending more time than usual lying on the couch and binge-watching a series or two, that's okay! 2. If you'd like to try to feel reinvigorated, look up some energy exercises by Donna Eden. I've recently learned about her and her work. I've tried one simple exercise, a few times so far now, and I swear each time I felt great afterwards! 3. Finally read one (or more) of those books that's been sitting on the shelf! 4. Send a message to someone you haven't interacted with in a while. Check in on family and friends, too, of course. 5. Exercise! Yoga is ideal. HIIT workouts and weight training (even using just your own body weight) are beneficial as well. You can find endless exercise videos on YouTube. 6. Meditate, obvi. ? It can be as simple as observing your thoughts and welcoming your emotions as visitors passing through. (There are countless resources out there for those who need more help than that. I recommend starting with Guided Meditations, like the one our friend @Tine will be facilitating!) 7. If you have pets, spoil them with your attention. Be grateful that you have the emotional support of a being who cannot possibly bring up the virus ?? 8. Revel in the delightful feelings brought about when listening to music 9. Enjoy free access to some of the visual arts of Paris: http://parismuseescollections.paris.fr/en 10. Eat fresh produce if you have access to it. If not, get creative with whatever you have in your pantry. I get into mindul/meditative headspaces when cooking and when cleaning, too (do your spring cleaning if you can!). Thank you for reading! I truly hope anyone finds this post helpful Prioritize self care right now.

So a happy Hello - my name is Olly 47 from London England. It is 1st of March, a new month a beautiful friend of a day today is. Looking forward to meeting and listening to your stories and wisdom. You know what we are? We are love xx I can definitely feel love here. Bye for now Olly

There is this person who always come to me during my quiet moments. He talks a lot, but I don't really understand what he says. Hence I always try to be just a listener and appreciates what he has to say. As moments passed by, I started to grasp the meaning of his words. Eventually I became a good listener, staying to the moment and not loosing of what he had said. He is.. my body. Have you missed listening to your body? ?

Thank you for welcoming me Lizzie I got hit by a truck Jan 1 first. When this happened I made the choice not to go to the hospital because I did not want to speak words of injury into to my body. Instead I started speaking to my body saying that it was healing it's self then I started using frequencies. My ribs hurt alot and I remembered that I could not get out of bed the the pain was at an 8 I had just finished listening to frequency 174 for 21 minutes.the pain was still there when I decided to do another 21 minute session of frequency 174. After the second session my pain dropped down to a 2 the next day the pain pain was at a 1 and never rose any higher. After a few days there was no pain.

It seems that the course is so well timed with what’s going on in my life. This last week or so (I’m moving through the course slowly) has been filled with challenging interactions and a gratefulness for the resources. I mentioned at the beginning not liking being told what to do and having somewhat of an aversion to guided meditations, but I actually enjoyed them this week. I did the lake one first and was so happy to be told to lie down for the practice. The imagery of nature is something I related to the most so I appreciated the guidance and appreciated that there was only guidance for half the mediation and there was quiet space to observe at the end. I was a little disappointed to not be given the option to lie down for the mountain meditation but it made sense considering the nature of the meditation. I especially found it helpful when my sister called to vent about her frustrating experience with Centrelink (our welfare system in Australia). Even though I had suggestions it would have been pointless to any anything until she had finished because she needed to be heard and to have the chance to let everything out, so I listened and told her I could hear and understand how frustrated she was and when she had finished totalling I made 1 suggestion which she thought made sense. While I was listening I was imaging the mountain with passing seasons and just watching them and I really did observe my sister go from frustration to exhaustion and then a kind of calm in having been heard. I find one on one conversations easier than group conversations as everyone seems so quick to throw in their opinion or knowledge and I never seem to find the right space to enter the conversation. Sometimes I retreat that as I think that I could have shared something useful and other times I just sit back and save my energy and realise that it’s not that important. Focusing on communication has been a good practice this week to observe my reactions and responses internally rather than acting out external responses. The focus on what is being said has also helped me to hear what is underneath what people are actually saying

Hello everyone and thank you for your comments. Still cold & rainy here but today I’ve found that listening to positive music has upped my happiness today ? hope you’ve all had a good day today. Sending u all positive vibes! ❤️???

Hi, I’m a 51 year old child at heart. I don’t look or act my age. I’m looking for others to connect with regardless of age. Since moving here from Buffalo NY 4 years ago I don’t have many friends. (Not close ones) so I sometimes feel a little lonely. From only being on here a few weeks, it doesn’t seem like there is much interaction between members other than to welcome them to the site. I’m a little disheartened by this. I joined because I thought I’d find some like minded individuals or even complete opposite individuals to form bonds with. If this is not the kind of site for such interaction, I may just delete my account. I hope this is not the case because I was really hoping to find genuine friendships. Thoughts? thank you for listening. peace! Krista

In my role it is important to remain calm and positive. Some days are much easier than others. Each day I try these simple steps which help facilitate a better work environment, at least for myself: 1. Start each day new. Smile on. Positivity flowing. 2. Validate my coworkers feelings. I have no way of understanding what that person is personally experiencing. But at least I can reassure that I am listening and their feelings are important. 3. Leave the craziness at work. I try not to carry it home with me. Some days are easier than others LOL

Thanks for your reply. I totally understand about the power of nature. My practice of stopping this week is to say ‘itadakimasu before eating which is Japanese for receiving, but not just receiving a plate of food but to appreciate the life energy in it. Of the animal that has given its life for you to live if it is meat or the energy of nature that has gone into plant based food and also the energy of the person who prepared it. I usually go outside every morning to eat breakfast and when I’m in nature with the sun on my face, a breeze around me and listening to the birds chirping, it is so easy to stop and appreciate all of those things. I take one mouthful at a time, put my spoon down in between and don’t take the next spoonful until I’ve finished what’s in my mouth. This is relatively easy outside in nature but if it’s raining for example and I’m inside, I start to multitask, reading the news on the internet while eating my breakfast and barely aware of what I’m eating. It’s a completely different experience even if I say ‘itadakimasu’ first. My thinking mind has been active this week and it’s been hard to sleep so I’ve been doing a body scan in bed to take my focus away from thoughts. It works pretty well but the thinking mind is strong and my toes seem so far away from my head when it’s in full swing :) im enjoying the yoga. I climbed a mountain on Tuesday and my body has been aching from using the different muscles, so even though it’s not exactly a pleasant feeling while doing yoga with an aching body, I know that it is helping to stretch out and can still enjoy it. A bit like training ourselves to think that Stephens’s can be useful. Unpleasant movement can also be enjoyable if I view it as good for me :) I hope I will be able to transfer this to other areas of life. i can’t find the mid way point assessment sheet. I’ve been back through week 4 to look for the link but can’t find it. Could anyone help with that please. thank you with a smile :)

When I’m in the gym I watch others work out pretending they are listening to my music and moving in time with it..lol

I do hope i have added this in correct area of the forum If Admin feel it is in wrong thread it is of course ok to move this thread Brief Introduction to Falun Dafa Falun Dafa (also called Falun Gong) is an advanced practice of Buddha school self-cultivation, founded by Mr. Li Hongzhi, the practice’s master. It is a discipline in which “assimilation to the highest qualities of the universe—Zhen, Shan, Ren (Truthfulness, Compassion, Forbearance)—is the foundation of practice. Practice is guided by these supreme qualities, and based on the very laws which underlie the development of the cosmos.” Master Li’s teachings are set forth in a number of texts, among which are included Falun Gong, Zhuan Falun, The Great Perfection Way of Falun Dafa, Essentials for Further Advancement, and Hong Yin (The Grand Verses). These and other works have been translated into over forty languages, and are published and distributed worldwide. The focus of Falun Dafa practice is the mind, with the cultivation of one’s mind and thoughts, or “Xinxing,” being singled out as the key to increasing Gong energy. The height of a person’s Gong is directly proportionate to that of his Xinxing. The concept of “Xinxing” encompasses the transformation of virtue (a white form of matter) and karma (a black form of matter). It also includes forbearance, discernment, and abandonment—that is, forsaking ordinary human desires and attachments, and managing to endure the most trying of ordeals. Much is encompassed by the concept. Falun Dafa also includes the cultivation of the body, which is accomplished by performing specific exercises. One purpose of the exercises is to strengthen the practitioner’s supernatural abilities and energy mechanisms by means of his or her powerful Gong force. Another purpose is to develop many living entities in the practitioner’s body. In advanced practice, the Immortal Infant will come into being and many abilities will be developed. The exercises of Falun Dafa are necessary for the transformation and cultivation of such things. A comprehensive mind-body cultivation system such as this requires both self-cultivation and physical exercises, with cultivation taking priority over exercises. A person’s Gong simply will not increase if he or she merely does exercises while failing to cultivate Xinxing. The exercises are thus a supplemental means to achieving spiritual perfection. Falun Dafa involves the cultivation of a Falun, or “law wheel.” The Falun is an intelligent, rotating entity composed of high-energy matter. The Falun that Master Li Hongzhi plants in a practitioner’s lower abdomen from other dimensions rotates constantly, twenty-four hours a day. (True cultivators can acquire a Falun by reading Master Li’s books, watching his 9-session lectures on video, listening to recordings of his 9-session lectures, or studying together with students of Falun Dafa.) The Falun helps practitioners to practice automatically. That is, the Falun refines the practitioner at all times, even though he or she isn’t performing the exercises at every moment. Of all practices made public in the world today, only Falun Dafa has managed to achieve a state in which, “the Fa refines the person.” The rotating Falun has the same qualities as the universe, and is the universe’s miniature. The Buddhist Falun, the Daoist Yin-Yang, and everything of the Ten-Directional World are reflected in the Falun. The Falun provides salvation to the practitioner when it rotates inward (clockwise), since it absorbs a great amount of energy from the universe and transforms it into Gong energy. The Falun provides salvation to others when rotating outward (counter-clockwise), for it releases energy that can save any being and rectify any abnormal condition. Being in the presence of someone who practices thus benefits a person. Falun Dafa “brings a person to a state of wisdom and harmonious existence. The movements of the practice are concise, as a great way is extremely simple and easy.” Falun Dafa is unique in eight ways: 1. A Falun is cultivated, rather than an energy elixir. 2. The Falun refines the person even when he or she is not doing the practice’s exercises. 3. One’s primary consciousness is cultivated, such that it is the person him or herself who obtains Gong energy. 4. Both mind and body are cultivated. 5. The practice consists of five exercises, which are simple and easy to learn. 6. The mind is not used to direct anything, there are no associated risks, and Gong energy increases quickly. 7. Location, time, and direction are not of concern when exercising, nor is how one concludes one’s exercise session. 8. Protection is provided by the master's Fashen, so one needn’t fear harm from malevolent entities. The teachings of Falun Dafa are thus completely unlike those of conventional practice methods or those that are based on the development of an internal elixir, or Dan. Falun Dafa practice begins at a high plane right from the outset, thus providing the most expedient, fast, ideal, and precious means of practice for those with a predestined connection or who have been practicing for years using other means but failed to develop Gong. When a practitioner’s Xinxing and the strength of his Gong reach a certain height, he or she can attain an imperishable, adamantine body while still in the secular world. A person can also achieve the “unlocking of Gong,” enlightenment, and ascension of the whole person to higher planes. Those with great determination should study this upright teaching, strive to achieve their ultimate rank, elevate their Xinxing, and forsake their attachments. Only then is spiritual perfection possible. May you cherish it—the Buddha Fa is right before you. Since I, Amanaki adding this info that come from the Falun Gong official site, this thread is not my own Words. and when questions is asked, it would be good if they are asked in a respectful manner, and letting me be able to answer Your question in a respectful manner back to you There are many rummors out there about Falun Gong, But if you want more true answer about this form of practice i would advie to read about Falun Gong or Falun dafa as it is also know as. on this two sites (hope it is ok to add website links here, if not Admin can remove the links) https://en.falundafa.org/index.html https://en.minghui.org/