Have I told you about Doris?

Hey… have I told you about Doris?

Years ago I worked as a part time wellness and fitness instructor for an assisted living facility in the suburbs of Portland.

I loved this job.

I did all kinds of things for the seniors who lived there.

I interviewed them and wrote articles on their lives. (OMG, so many interesting stories!)

I made marketing flyers for various events.

I taught classes that helped their bodies and brains and balance.

AND, I taught meditation on Wednesdays.

The average age of the residents hovered right around 80.

When it came to something like meditation, it took a lot of trust and buy-in to get anyone to even attend something so “out there”.

For this crowd, despite any scientific evidence I referenced proving the benefits of meditation, it took word of mouth for things to really get a committed group going.

Doris (not her real name) turned out to be my biggest believer and recruiter.

Doris was in her late seventies and constantly on edge.

A giver (and caretaker and worrier) by nature, she walked around constantly checking in on everyone around her.

“How are you doing? Are you OK? Have you seen Ralph? My husband? I’m so worried about his blood pressure… What about Marjorie? Is she back from the hospital yet? She really took a spill…”

Doris had a heart of gold and with that came a nervous system set on HIGH alert at all times.

Whenever I saw her, her face had this permanent look of concern that, unless you could get her laughing, seemed to be her baseline facial expression for every occasion.

Recognizing her high level of anxiety, nervousness, worry, and overwhelm, I invited Doris to one of my meditation classes.

She really did not want to go at first, but then something shifted and she and her husband started showing up every week.

I think it was about four weeks in when Doris practically bounced into my senior Zumba class with a look of wonder on her face.

“Rebecca! I’ve been meditating the way you taught me! I started at 5 minutes, but then, gosh, it felt so good I went up to 10 minutes. Now I’m up to 30 minutes! And I just HAVE to tell you! The other day I opened the window and I heard the rain, but it was like hearing it for the first time. I mean, it was a magical moment. I’ve never been able to let everything fall away and just hear the raindrops. Since then, I’ve heard the birds and the wind… it’s INCREDIBLE! Just hearing sounds around me. I’m so much less anxious and less stressed. Even Ralph says he’s noticed a huge difference in me! I’m not so worried all the time!”

I kid you not. I felt like I was talking to a completely different woman.

Her eyes shone with so much brightness and joy as she told me all this news.

And she seemed relaxed, authentically relaxed!

Can you imagine?

To be anxious for seventy plus years and then to learn a skill that she could take with her to enjoy her life more? I couldn’t believe what a different person she was.

Over the coming weeks. other folks in the group started telling me about improvements in their lives.

They reported lower blood pressure, reduced back pain, improved sleep, increased patience, and a heightened ability to enjoy simple moments of their lives.

I was floored!

I just thought meditation was cool and that it would help with the stress that the seniors faced every day. I had NO idea it would help (so quickly!) in so many other ways.

I walked these folks through a sitting meditation for 25 minutes every Wednesday and also taught them how to meditate themselves.

Very few meditated on their own, but even coming to meditate with me weekly was all they needed to start showing dramatic improvements in their health and well-being.

If you are feeling overwhelmed (and I know that so many of you are because I have analytics that tell me which posts are the most opened) I highly recommend you to take my meditation class this Saturday.

Let me tell you, this class is truly a response to a need.

We’re (still) in a freaking pandemic for goodness sake.

Y’all need support.

Please start helping yourself and come learn this skill.

I’ll teach you how to set yourself up for success beyond the class so you can make meditation a no-big-deal part of your routine.

In fact, one of my VIP clients just wrote to me today and said, “I was way less anxious on the plane than I usually am- which was such a great feeling and showed how far I've come (and how amazing meditation is).”

I wonder what your breakthrough will be?

How will intentionally resting your mind for a few minutes a day ripple into your health and well-being?

Why not find out?

Workshop Details:

Class date: THIS Saturday, October 2nd.

Time: 10am PST - 11am PST

Cost: $27

Location: Zoom

Click here to sign up.

I want you to hear the rain and the birds and the wind in a way you’ve never experienced. I’ve had this experience. And it’s otherworldly.

Click here to sign up.

Questions? Of course, reply to this email.

I’m sending you calm and peace for the coming days ahead,

Love always,

Rebecca*