Finding moments of stillness and inner peace can feel like a luxury. However, as the demands on our time and attention continue to grow, many of us are turning to mindfulness practices to help navigate modern life. In this article, we’ve gathered insights from members of the Eli’s Place community who share tips from meditation to nature walks, reminding us how powerful it can be to pause, reflect, and find moments of calm amidst life’s inevitable challenges. We hope you will find some inspiration as you read on.
Sara Moore
Volunteer, Communications Committee
Every morning I log into Insight Timer, a free mindfulness app that also has paid options if you want to go deeper and take a course in just about anything having to do with living your best life. I love the meditations by Sarah Blondin, Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield, and every day when I log in there is a new quote to pause and reflect upon.
Here’s one of my favourites:
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.”
– Jon Kabat-Zinn.
Sarah Swartz
Volunteer & TCS Run Team Captain
I like to use meditation to help clear my mind and get a good night’s sleep. My go-to for this are a few different YouTube channels, but my favourite person to follow is Jason Stephenson because something about his voice (and accent) is so calming.
Also, because I work from home, I need my morning run/walk to get out and set myself up for the day. My favourite quote when it comes to my running routine is “The hardest part is showing up”. Once I’m moving, it really doesn’t matter how fast I’m going, I just go with how I’m feeling.
David Cooper
Eli’s Place Co-Founder
When asked about a contribution for this post, David said he could share some of his 500 + strong personal collection of quotes! Here are three he shared from his growing list in a well thumbed journal.
“I am grateful for all that exists right now.”
“I am in charge of how I feel and I choose happiness.”
“I will surround myself with people I love and love to be with.“
These are highly motivating for sure, but if you know David as we do, the fourth quote he offered is clearly something he has taken to heart as it describes his personal motivation to perfection:
“The only thing that you can bring with you when you leave this world is your Good Name, and the Good Acts you leave behind. It’s not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.”
Richard Childs
Volunteer & Poet
Every morning I walk through wooded trails on the steep banks of the Humber River. I become at one with nature observing the bird life, river, skies, plants’ and trees’ growth and seasonal changes. I capture these and my reflections about nature’s phenomena in haiku poetry. My daily destination is a high point on the bank with a beautiful view of the river’s bend. It is there where I share my thoughts and wishes with my late son Lucas’s spirit.
Sept. 19, 2024
full moon reflection
cavorts to river heartbeat
— universe in sync
Matt Cappellucci
Treasurer & Finance Committee Chair
My favourite routine is typically to do some box breathing exercises early in the morning to start the day and then again late at night to end the day. It helps me start and end the day with an air of calm.
A mindful quote I often cite is:
“A mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work if it isn’t open.”
– Frank Zappa
Carol Cowan-Levine
Board Member
I am not sure I have a particular practice, but I have a quotation I like very much:
“Be kinder than is necessary because everyone you meet is struggling with something“
To incorporate mindful practices in your own life, start small. Do one thing each day on purpose, with intention. It could be repeating a favourite quote like Carol or heading out on a long walk like Richard or just taking one deep breath. Maybe you’d like to focus on brushing your teeth and really noticing how that daily activity can be a mindful exercise. With mindfulness, there’s something out there to suit everyone, and like any good journey, it begins with a single step!
Eli’s Place will be a rural, residential treatment program for young adults with serious mental illness. To learn more about our mission and our proven-effective model click here.
