Balanced Mind with Julie Potiker

Breathe in love, for yourself and those around you as you follow this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Forms of Love", by Daniel Baylis.Forms of Love, by Daniel Baylis.Sometimes I wonder:What's the point?Why be good? Why care? Why try to change things?Why--when we continue to wreck each other?Yet, I keep moving forward.Not because I am confident of any outcomes.But because I am still susceptible to sweet things:a sunset,a cup of coffee,a warm blanket,the smell of lilacs,the sound of my mother's laughter--and all the other forms of love.Sometimes I wonder:what would the world look likeif each of us decided to becomea form of love?

Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.

Hold yourself in love as you sink into this Loving Kindness meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Natural Silence", by James Crews.

"Natural Silence", by James Crews.

It’s not easy to find the silencebehind traffic noise and the rush of a jetdragging its contrails through the sky.But here it is again in the in-between,when I learn to listen long enoughto the call-and-response of birdsong,to wind pulsing in the canopies of trees,and every wing-flutter of the phoebewho’s built her cup of a nest out of mossand mud beneath the eaves of our house.I know the stillness will last for justa few beats before the roar of a Harleytakes over, and a tractor rumbles throughthe rocky field outside my window.So I sink into it while I can, as I do into waterso clean and clear, for a moment at leastI swear I can see to the bottom of everything.

Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.

Breathe compassion in and compassion out -- as you settle into this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "The Fawn", by Nikita Gill. (From the book, "Where Hope Comes From; Poems of Resilience, Healing, and Light).

"The Fawn", by Nikita Gill

(After Mary Oliver's "Wild Geese")

You do not have to win at a crisis.

You do not have to push yourself

to learn a new language or write a book

or take up an instrument.

Nothing will come of forcing yourself

to compete your way out of trauma.

Take this time to look at the stars.

Take this time to look at how the sky

still holds clouds that are the shape of hope.

How the dawn begins at the tips of dewy grass,

for this is where the horizon begins.

Somewhere the dappled fawn raises

her soft neck to watch the sun rise

over her meadow.

Somewhere else monarch butterflies begin

their long migration, knowing many of them

will not make it home.

Remember that you do not need to earn

your right to the precious minutes you have

on this planet. They are already yours,

like the fawn and the butterflies.

The universe beckons you to enjoy this life

it has given you through a heart

that beats to the rhythm of

its very own cosmic song.

-"The Fawn", by Nikita Gill

(After Mary Oliver's "Wild Geese")

Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.

Find a quiet space to sit, relax, and breathe as Julie Potiker transports you through her guided visualization meditation. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Immersed & Transported".

"Immersed & Transported", by Julie PotikerSoon, I arrive -a sea of humanity spilling into ornate building.Sunbeams escape my smileas volunteer scans my ticket, the playbill - a treasure map   clutched to my chest.Find my row by letter of alphabet,lay my coat open as burrow, sink into faded velvet chair.House lights down, stage lights up, magic.All senses heightened – flapping for attention.Flesh and blood, bones, and muscleinhabit worlds – words,meticulously crafted.Step into another skin,pour into another soul,to birth this gift.This baby is love.I cradle it, snuggled into my soft nest.If I’m being truthful,sometimes I teleport my soul into one character,or beam into multiple characters.My feet rest on their feet,my heart beats in rhythm with their hearts.Their voice becomes mine.Escape thoughts of war,free from earthly problems,flight from this one precious life.What could be better?

Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.

Tap into compassion, for yourself and others, through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Just for Now", by Danna Faulds."Just for Now", by Danna FauldsJust for Now,Without asking how, let yourself sink into stillness.Just for now, lay down the weightYou so patiently bear upon your shoulders.Feel the earth receive you,And the infinite expanse of the sky grow even wider,as your awareness reaches up to meet it.Just for now,Allow a wave of breath to enliven your experience.Breathe out whatever blocks you from the truth.Just for now,Be boundless, free,with awakened energy tingling in your hands and feet.Drink in the possibilityOf being who and what you really are —So fully alive that the world looks different,Newly born and vibrant, just for now.

Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.

Breathe in gratitude and compassion during this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Birthday Presence".Birthday Presence, by Julie Potiker The air feels like springtucked into my sit spotthin cotton pajamasNo jacket wanted or neededOn this late February dayThree days left in my 62nd revolution around the sun.My eyes alight on the shrub -Bee’s Bliss Sage.Magenta and bright yellow blooms haphazardly strewn among grey green branches.Unscrew the valve to my ears,Allow noise to rush in.California Quail sounds troubledSong Sparrow, Mourning Dove and Bewick’s Wren respond - all is well.Hummingbirds helicopter trees and shrubsSucking nectarclick and buzz as bees.Unwrap this gift of noticingBreath it in, deepAllow it to fill jagged cracksHold it closeGently, dear, gentlyHoly…holy…holyThis Sabbath prayer.

Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.

Bring in kindness to yourself and others through this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with the poem, "Holding the Light", by Stuart Kestenbaum.

Holding the Light, by Stuart Kestenbaum-for Kait RhoadsGather up whatever isglittering in the gutter,whatever has tumbledin the waves or fallenin flames out of the sky,for it's not only ourhearts that are broken,but the heartof the world as well.Stitch it back together.Make a place where the day speaks to the nightand the earth speaks to the sky.Whether we created Godor God created usit all comes down to this:In our imperfect worldwe are meant to repairand stitch togetherwhat beauty there is, stitch itwith compassion and wire.See how everythingwe have made gathersthe light inside itselfand overflows? A blessing.

Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.

Join Julie Potiker as she guides you in this compassionate breath meditation. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Holding Court".Holding Court, by Julie PotikerScattered about, Western Sycamore leaves forever remind me of book pages - undone, unglued, unloved, discarded.Feeling this dip in mood, I make my way to the caged veggie garden below in search of something yummy.Bright green cauliflower lifts my spirits. I wrestle it out of the rich soil with the help of Cutco kitchen scissors. I really must get some garden shears. Been a year that I’ve been saying that in my head, and sometimes out my mouth.It’s 5pm now, so the buzz saws, trucks, and workmen’s chatter are silenced.Two heads cauliflower filling my hands, I’m stopped in my tracks by the sounds and sights of happy hour in full swing in the Scrub Pine.Standing stock still, I search for movement along the branches. Birds the size of pine cones, and dark smooth pine cones that look like birds tucked in tight among the spikey needles in the fading light.Bewick’s Wren was holding court. His friends, Bushtit, Warbler and Towhee singing a cappella. A refrain rang out from Crow, he was winging it, he may have lost the score. Above it all, Red Tailed Hawk was conducting.What a blessing. I stand a while, take it all in. Darkness is descending and with it the last of the temperate air. The chill nudges me to move along, it’s time to make dinner, my soul restored.-"Holding Court", by Julie Potiker.

Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.

Julie Potiker guides you through this breathing meditation focusing on compassion. She completes the meditation with the poem,"Guru in Disguise", by Julia Fehrenbacher.

"Guru in Disguise", by Julia FehrenbacherThere is something about the waymorning light resets an old, mossy oakthat quiets the loud in me, invitesme to set everything down.As I step closer, I seethat she has wrinkled and grayed with age,as weathered seasons, storms-indifference.Still, she stands.She is a resting place for gentle,winged ones, a playground for frolicking graysquirrel. A sharer of secrets to anyone who takes time tolisten. She is shelter for those who are worn.Someday, she will be gonewill have turned into something else.For now, though, she is heresharing secrets, catching sunshine, inviting usto turn toward the lightand listen.-"Guru in Disguise", by Julia Fehrenbacher, from "Staying in Love".

Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.

Feel your body rooted to the earth as you meditate to this compassion meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes this guided meditation with the poem, "The Forest", by Nikita Gill.

The Forest, by Nikita GillOne day when you wake up, you will find that you have become a forest.You have grown roots and found strength in them that no one thought you had.You have become stronger and more beautiful,full of life giving qualities.You have learned to take all the negativity around youand turn it into oxygen for easy breathing.A host of wild creatures live inside youand you call them stories.A variety of beautiful birds rest inside your mindand you call them memories.You have become an incredibleself sustaining thing of epic proportions.And you should be so proud of yourself,of how far you have come from the seeds of who you used to be.

-"The Forest", by Nikita Gill.

Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.comThis podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.