Category: Self Care

Meditation for Regular People

In Holidays, Meditation, Self Care, Self Help, Uncategorized

I’m excited to finally be offering meditation classes. But wait, I hear “What do you mean by ‘regular people’??”

I’ve often recommended meditation to clients. And many have let me know that they think meditation might be just great — for someone else. The thought most often expressed: “I can’t make my mind be quiet.”
I hear this so often, it’s like the only people who manage to quiet their mind are Super Special, maybe monks or nuns or priests…

I get it.
I started my meditation journey more than 20 years ago, and I’m clear that it’s not easy. It’s like exercising a muscle you’ve never used before… not easy at first, and might even feel a little sore, but if you stick with it, little by little… you end up with a stronger muscle and greater ease.

That’s kind of the point of meditation: a stronger mind and greater sense of ease.
So — my saying “regular people” is just a nod to this: You don’t have to be Somehow Special in order to benefit from meditating. You just have to stick with it.

This class will cover a lot of ground in a little time:

Each session is only ½ hour long
(but I ask participants to arrive 10 minutes early, so 40 minutes total.)
You will not be meditating during that whole time!

We’ll cover a ton of stuff: From the historical to the biophysical to the practical.
We’ll quite literally practice meditation for anywhere from 2 to 15 minutes.

My goal is to help you become familiar and comfortable with the tool of meditation, so you can practice it on your own, if you want.

After our first 10 learning-filled sessions, not-quite-weekly and taking place over a period of about 3 months, those who wish to move forward will be invited to come later (or stay late after a review class) and focus solely on practicing meditation.

There’s a caveat: This class is only being offered (for now) to my therapy clients. Part of the reason is because I will not be offering conversation during these classes. Rather, these first 10 classes will be me, teaching. Plus a few minutes of all of us, practicing. With only 30 minutes for class, there won’t be much time for Q&A (and sometimes, none at all) and definitely no time for more in-depth discussion. But I will certainly be happy to make myself available during later scheduled sessions for participants.

So, if you happen to be reading this and
wondering how to get invited to the meditation classes:
Reach out to me directly. Whether that’s by email (tracy@tracymorris.com) or text or voicemail (325-261-3566). Let’s talk and figure out if this class will be right for you. That’s my highest concern, and I’m honored to discuss it with you.

If you have received an invitation from me for this series of classes: Please respond and let me know if you can attend, as soon as possible.
I’m excited to get this going so you might benefit before the end-of-year holidays!

Our first class will start the week before Thanksgiving (Thursday, Nov 15) at 9:20am.

The rest of the classes will be on weeks after Thanksgiving:

In Houston office only:

Nov 29

Dec 6

Dec 13

Dec 20

Jan 3

Jan 10

Jan 17

Jan 24

Jan 31

Each session is only $10. As always, you’re welcome to pay by cash, check, or card. You’ll find a basket at the class where you can deposit your payment (or an authorization note, if you’re using a card.)

I’m really looking forward to sharing my meditation journey with you!

When “Happy Holidays!” Doesn’t Ring True

In Finding Community, Holidays, Self Care, Self Help

Lots of people feel left out at this time of year, for lots of reasonable reasons.

Harsh memories of the past can be haunting.
Disappointments about the present can feel insurmountable.
The idea of a New Time approaching, full of hope and possibility, can seem quite Pollyanna-ish and naively unrealistic.
Maybe it just doesn’t feel like your own beliefs fit in with the dominant culture around you.

The pressure to focus in on Family often seems overwhelming this time of year. And if your own family is very different than you expected, or if you feel disconnected from the people who were or are ‘supposed to be’ your family, the messages from everything and everyone around you to can add up to a looming sense of being The Odd Person Out.

Does it help, even just a little, to know that not only are you not alone with these feelings, but that there are millions of people who feel very similarly, right now?

A few tips on helping yourself get through this time of year:

Comfort Yourself

Make a project of finding out what makes you feel comfy, inside and out. Take a few ideas from others — you know, the usuals like comfort foods and restful activities — and experiment to see which ones actually work for you. If any of them don’t add up to providing you with a sense of calm well-being (even if just a little bit,) don’t waste time, energy, or money on it any longer. Find some new comfort-bringing things. If you have any pleasant memories, those can often provide you with ideas.

Find Your Tribe

Knowing that there are millions of others who don’t feel connected with “the holidays,” think about ways you might reach out and meet them, if not now, at some point later. Could it be that there are people a whole lot like you right around the corner? And if it’s a matter of your living in a locale that seems hostile to your beliefs and ideas, the internet and social media can be a revealing, informative source for finding others with whom you click. Considering how vulnerable and even unsafe it can seem to let others know how you really feel this time of year, think about the strong possibility that someone out there could say, “Right? Me, too!”

Re-author Your Story

While our culture has built up around the concept of “new beginnings” that start at a certain point on any given calendar, the truth is that we’ve never stopped — and we’re barely even aware that we ever started — writing our own narrative of living. Think of your existence as a story, and you could be on your way to editing it in ways that you never considered before, for upcoming episodes or chapters that you prefer. And even if you hate actual writing, you can find other ways to tell your story — to a friend, into a recording device, or to a mental health practitioner. Sometimes, the re-telling of our narratives can help us re-author the continuing story in ways we never imagined before…

So, instead of wishing you “happy holidays” — let’s change it up to