Embodied Practices With Marlo

  It's been awhile since I've posted anything on this blog.  Since end of December 2020, there have been a lot of changes in my life. For one thing, I lost my job that I had for 3 years. Luckily, I was offered an auxiliary position working for the school district in my community. And of course, with all the changes in my life, my own personal mindfulness + meditation practice has taken a noise dive.  I no longer sit for 20 minute practices. My mind can't seem to handle it + for those who are new to meditation, I can honestly say that this is absolutely normal . My practice as of late takes me 6 minutes  + some days I don't even make a point to practice.  I've decided that expecting myself to sit longer is just not feasible at this time. And each day I sit for  however long is enough for me. For the past several weeks, I've been practicing Chris Germer's Self-Compassion Break meditation. It's been useful when I feel stressed, overwhelmed or just feeling u...

  Late last night I noticed a slight tickle in the back of my throat. I was worried that I was coming down with something. More worried that I would get others sick especially if I tested positive for Covid-19. I work at an integrated health facility + I am client facing which means that I see plenty of people in any given day. I wear a mask when I'm at work + even in my personal time when I am doing errands such as grocery shopping.  So this morning, I called 811 HealthLink BC to see if it was recommended I get tested for Covid-19 based on my mild symptoms. While my symptoms are mild, it was still recommended I call in sick + my next call was to my employer to let them know that I was doing my due diligence. That meant I had to get tested today + that I had to self-isolate + wait for my test results. So today my partner + I went to a drive-in/walk-in testing site + in about 1 1/2 hours got tested.  So how did I feel while I sat there waiting for my turn?  Relatively...

This practice is useful for times when we just can't sit still. I'm a naturally energetic, borderline hyper person and sitting still can be incredibly challenging for me.  I created this recording for those (including myself!) who need an alternative to sitting when it feels absolutely impossible to do a standard sit-in meditation practice. Feel free to modify this practice once you get the hang of it by either speeding up or slowing it down to your own preferred pace. Better yet, add some mindful walking whether indoors or outdoors.  Another way to modify this is by using it as an informal practice such as when you're waiting in line at the grocery store. I mean, let's be honest, pre-pandemic + post-pandemic, that's a useful informal way of relating to yourself when in a line up, am I right? Tuning in to our feet can be incredibly grounding, allowing  us to feel a sense of stability when we might not feel safe or secure within ourselves. Play with this...

There is a collective sense of grieving at the moment. With the COVID-19 virus impacting so many communities world-wide, most of us are not only grieving our sense of normalcy and everyday routines but we are also grieving our jobs, family and friends we have lost due to the virus. We may also be grieving physical touch, a stable income and special life events we can't attend to due to physical distancing.  Right now, at this very moment, there is a sense of loss and uncertainty that is looming in the air.  Like many of you, I am impacted by this pandemic. I've recently experienced a temporary layoff like so many people world-wide.  At times, I've felt scared and overwhelmed by the rapid changes this virus has brought on in my life. I know I'm not alone and in some way, I'm comforted by the fact that we are all in this together.  For my own personal practice, I've been making a genuine effort to lower my own stress. I'm making a point to embody a sen...

When my family and I moved to Canada from the Philippines, it was probably the very first time I realized that I was of a different race. A few days into attending elementary school for the first time in Canada, a group of stylish young girls started to pick on me because I looked physically different than them and because my name is so unique.  In case you didn't read my bio, I'm Marlo and nice to meet you!  In a classroom full of Jennies and Kellies, I stood out big time! When I would walk home from school, I would be followed around and get called names other than my own. If I wasn't teased and bullied for my name or how I looked, I would be made fun of for the lunches I brought in. My family eventually moved to another city and a year before graduating high school, the same girl who used to bully and taunt me ended up at the same high school as me. I had grown up and had more confidence and when I found out that she attended my high school an...