Hello,

Let us bless the invigoration
Of clean, fresh air.

The gentleness of air
That holds and slows the rain,
Lets it fall down.

The shyness of air
That never shows its face.

The force of air
In wall after wall
Of straining wind.

In the name of the air,
The breeze,
And the wind,
May our souls
Stay in rhythm
With eternal
Breath.

- John O'Donohue, excerpt from "In Praise of Air"

It's not uncommon to feel emotional poignancy or tenderness during full moon days. Today too are the midterm elections, bringing gusts of complex and sudden charge for a lot of us. It's an important day and week to make space for self-care, rest and things that feel good, regardless of voting results. Below are two ways that I like to respond to loaded moments, with the support of air.

May you take good care of yourself.

In appreciation,
Ashley πŸ€πŸ€πŸ’¨

PS You can read "In Praise of Air" in its entirety HERE.
Boxed Breathing
A simple breath practice to bring balance to your nervous system that can be done anywhere. Begin by attuning to sensations of inhaling and exhaling. Then inhale for a count of 4, pause for 4, exhale 4, pause 4.

Repeat as many times as feels good.

Variation: to invite further calm and relaxation extend your exhalations and second pause for a count of 6 or 8. It may also feel good to place a hand or hands over your heart.
Spacious Sky Awareness*
A gentle meditation when you would benefit from feeling more spacious and relaxed. Find a place where you can enjoy a wide view of the sky. Soften your gaze. See if you can allow yourself to simply receive the view (light, colors, shadows, textures, etc.) much as how you perceive sounds when listening. After a few moments and with magination, can you allow your mind and heart to merge with the sky? What does it feel like? What do you notice? Linger with sensations that feel good. To transition out, take your three most nourishing breaths of the day.
*This practice is adapted from Mark Coleman's "Cultivating a Spacious Awareness" meditation in his book Awake in the Wild: Mindfulness in Nature as a Path to Self-Discovery.
The Elemental Process is an invitation to step into your natural capacity for transformation. 🧑🍁✨

And it’s at the heart of my Live Radiantly group coaching program. 🧑🍁✨ I’m so excited to offer this program and share this work. 🧑

Get a taste of it in this short video (just 22 seconds.) You can also learn more here.
πŸ’› I welcome you to forward this newsletter to someone who you feel would find it helpful. If someone sent this to you and you want to subscribe, you can do that here. I appreciate every share - thank you. πŸ’›
OpenSpace Mindfulness | hello@openspacemindfulness.com