Mindfulness Services Podcast Tina Mc Carthy

Loving Kindness Meditation also referred to as metta mediation is the practice of cultivating goodwill, benevolence, happiness, contentment and peacefulness towards others.  It is done by silently repeating certain phrases that express kind wishes for ourselves first, then a series of others.  Typically the phrases are a variation on May I be happy. May I be healthy.  May I be safe (or free from danger).  May I have a life of ease (or filled with peace).  There are many loving kindness guided meditations on line, variety of lengths, styles and hopefully this practice help with the current tomes that we’re living in!
 Tina Mc Carthy

Start the week off well with this simple mindful breathing exercise that will help you develop a sense of calm and focus. The beauty of mindful breathing is that you can practice it anywhere and anytime, without special equipment or advanced knowledge. All you need is the air in your lungs, a little intention, and you’re good to go.
The basic technique is to focus your attention on your breath—the inhale and exhale—with openness and curiosity. Studies have shown that the ability to focus attention on your breath can actually help you deal with everyday stress, anxiety and emotional ups and downs.

In this meditation the invitation is to switch from our normal mode of doing and moving to one of simply being. Sitting in a dignified attentive posture, head balanced on your shoulders, arms and hands resting in a comfortable position. The breath as the primary object of awareness, just noticing how the abdomen moves on each in breath and out breath. Your will notice your attention from time to time moving away from the breath. The mind may wonder into memories, thoughts of the day, worries, things to do and without giving yourself a hard time when you notice this has happen, just firmly but gently  bring your attention back to the sensation of breathing. In this meditation practice we develop the capacity for opening the senses, to the vividness, the aliveness of the present moment, expanding your skill to be curious and available to whatever presents itself without judgment. 
Follow my guidance as best you can.

The Bodyscan meditation invites you to learn to pay attention in the present moment, non-judgmentally to the body and mind. The invitation is to move the spotlight of your attention around your body, holding each region centre-stage in non-judgmental awareness, until you have scanned the whole body. As you practice your will develop a capacity to pay sustained attention with a sense of curiosity and gentleness. You may become more aware of the in breath and the out breath and the sensations in the body. The body scan can be profoundly relaxing, but the intention is to be awake and aware, as it is easy to fall asleep. There is no right or wrong way to do a body scan there is only whatever shows up with you right here right now.  Try to follow my guidance as best you can.