1. Do unto yourself as you would do unto others.

   Start with the basics of optimal physical comfort — balanced nutrition, rest, exercise, clothing and hygiene — just as you’d want to provide for a child or a dear friend.

2. Remember to breathe.

   Nurture yourself by giving yourself the full, deep belly breaths you deserve.

3. Balance activity with stillness.

   It’s beneficial to slow down and even stop. Rest, daydream and replenish your depleted energy. Some form of spiritual practice like yoga or meditation gives you permission by making it “official.” But also allow yourself to get moving on things that need to be done. Relaxation and stillness to the point of procrastination only raise your stress level.

4. Set limits.

   Notice what yours are and care for them. If you try to be all things to all people, you may wind up with no sense of self.

5. Imagine.

   Use your imagination not to scare yourself to death but to inspire yourself to life. When you think about the future, picture the most positive scenario rather than the most catastrophic drama.

6. “Count your blessings”

   That corny old song actually makes a lot of sense, especially in times of great need. Note what you do have.

7. Admire the achievements of others.

   View others’ triumphs and successes as a stimulus for finding hope. Use them as an opportunity to see how much is possible rather than get into the confinement of comparison.

8. Face your struggles

   Whenever you can, whether it’s doing something you’re afraid of or confronting someone or something uncomfortable for you, go through it and do it. You will wind up feeling empowered instead of helpless.

9. Ask for support

   Sometimes all your own self-care, compassion and courage just aren’t enough. Some problems require professional help. Getting professional counsel for psychersise can be a most self-caring act.

10. Re-create yourself.

    Do enjoyable recreational activities that excite or soothe you. Sing, dance, play ball, act goofy, be lazy, have sex. You’re never too old to take out your crayons and paints! (or be sexual).

11. Remember your sense of humor.

    ” Be a fundamentalist,” as my favorite guru, Swami Beyondandanda (AKA Steve Bhaerman) says. “Make sure the fun always comes before the mental…Have a good laughsative twice a day, and that will insure regularhilarity.”

12. Embrace the full range of your feelings.

    They say that laughter gives an internal massage. That’s true of a good cry too. Strive to accept with compassion your times of sadness, anger and pain.

13. Beware the poison of perfectionism.

    Use these psychercises as affirmations or explorations, not as one more oppressive list of tasks or rules that you could use to trash yourself with if not done exactly right immediately.

While this program may seem simple, the challenge is to begin and maintain it. The Replenishing groups, workshops, individual and couple therapy I offer are designed to get you started with Psychercise and keep you on track.

Feeling the woes of life can come to us so quickly and easily when we have a lull in our busy-ness. It’s almost like a default setting in our minds.

Come find your “off” switch for focusing on all that ails you and find or develop an “on” switch to focus on all the positives that are in you and in your life.

Achieving this takes purposeful practice.

Discover the effect this Practice can have on your mind, body and spirit. In a comforting atmosphere with warmth and direction you will participate in guided exercises to refocus your awareness on what you do have to appreciate in yourself, others and life in general.

Get to experience the difference between how you feel when you’re on negative automatic pilot versus mindful awareness of the positive. Then learn how to apply that when you need it in your life.

Times

These are on-going, “open” groups, meaning people can start them at any time.
There is a 4 week commitment. The groups will meet for 1 to 1.5 hours in the Inner Sunset near UCSF.

Most Wednesdays at noon (call for details) and/or Tuesday evenings at 6:30 p.m.

The cost is $50.00 – $30.00 sliding scale fee.

These groups are forming now.

The next Gratitude Group series starts Tuesday, April 3, 2012, 6:30pm. (No group on Tuesday 3/27)

The next afternoon group will start Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 12pm.

Individual consultation and instruction is also available.

Please contact me by phone – 415 681-7090 – if you are interested.

So take some time now to reflect, reassess where and how you’ve been using and putting your energy. Where and how have you been using your time? The more time you are putting aside presently to do this exercise, the more you can now go into more detail. Ask yourself, “ What do I want to shift and change?” just as the energy of this change-of-season period shifts and changes. Incorporate all your senses – noticing what you see, hear, feel, taste, touch. Remember to appreciate all you already do have to bring to this endeavor. Be sure to include a healthy balance of times of stillness and silence with your times of activity and movement as you prepare for the cozy darkness of winter and the lightness of spring that will follow.

If you want, you can further embellish this exercise by externalizing it onto paper or your computer. You might want to journal what you experience, or create a visual symbol of what you most want to be mindful of. This can be elaborate or just a doodle. You could make a collage of mindfulness. If you are inclined, create a song or a dance. Or a simple movement, posture, or touch. Have a good time doing whatever feels best and makes most sense to you.

During the course of a busy day, take a few minutes to go on “purposeful pilot.” Stop. Look inside with your mind’s eye. Listen to yourself. Pay attention to how you feel at that very moment. Notice your breath. In fact, notice if you are breathing. So often when either zooming around on automatic pilot, or “vegging out” and ruminating on frustrations, we hold our breath without even realizing it. Or we hyperventilate, leading to runaway thoughts and bodily tensions we aren’t even aware of until we stop and pay attention to ourselves.

Attend to your breath. Notice its tempo, exhale, and allow it to slow down. Notice where your breath is going in your torso, and gently guide it lower down, till you are having low, slow, deep breaths into your diaphragm or abdomen. Imagine each in-breath is breathing in relaxation and encouragement, and each exhalation is breathing out tension and discouragement.

Conclude with noticing the positive effect this has on your body and your mental outlook.

Preparing Your Soil for New Growth

1. Cut out pictures and words from magazines or draw your own pictures/write your own words that depict/express the “garbage,” or things you’d like to eliminate from your life — inner or outer.
2. Put them in a box or a bag. This represents your compost bin.
3. Put this compost container into a bigger bag or box (or any kind of container will do).
4. Then, again find and cut out words and pictures or do drawings which express things that are good and rich about you which you want to keep and desire to develop further. These, together with your “compost,” form the nutrients which will fertilize your inner soil for new growth.
5. Lastly, for the outside of your larger box or bag, cut out pictures, words, drawings, of all that you wish to grow, bring to fruition, emotionally and externally in your life.

Put your creation in a prominent place where you can admire it often and reinforce your intention for positive new growth.