We rode 112 mikes today in a blustery and unpredictable wind. It required extreme focus for 7+ hours to maintain control of the bike and continue to move forward (as opposed to sideways!) I thought about the second part of my raising awareness mission—to share the meditation/mindfulness tools that have helped me so much over the past 10 years. Shout out here to my dear friend and mentor Denise Bonnaig who introduced me to the practice and to another dear friend, Jess Stevens, who has been providing daily mindfulness exercises on the bikebreathebelieve.org website for those interesting in learning more. I would encourage everyone to take advantage of these daily offerings.
I have been a strong advocate for including a meditation practice in schools starting with young children to help develop the ability to quiet the mind, destress and learn to focus. It occurred to me today that with so many parents now charged with educating their own children that it is the perfect opportunity to introduce them to a daily meditation practice. There have been numerous studies indicating that meditation can strengthen a child’s immune system, reduce stress, improve sleep and focus, among other benefits. Studies also indicate that guided meditations can be more helpful in teaching children than punishments. There is a wealth of literature on the internet about meditation and children including a plethora of ideas for introducing the practice to children and helping them learn to enjoy it. Perhaps this kind of skill building could end up being a huge silver lining in the coronovirus epidemic. Please try it! Namaste ??
-Isabella