Perfectly imperffect:

Connected by compassion and curiosity

By Polly Campbell on November 26, 2012

Notes from the Book Tour:

It’s been a fast-paced few weeks since the launch ofImperfect Spirituality: Extraordinary Enlightenment for Ordinary People  Nov. 1  in Portland. I’ve been to San Francisco and throughout Marin County, Seattle, Vancouver B.C. and Los Angeles with more stops on the schedule.

I’ve met scores of people during workshops and readings. And, after all these months sitting in a quiet room to work on the book, it was a good feeling to be able to visit with people face-to-face about this idea and practice of Imperfect Spirituality, which is really a practical way of accessing your spirit in any moment.

The tour has also served as  a master class for me. I’ve learned so much from the questions the people asked. Their comments and insights. I learned a lot about myself too. I was reminded about how resourceful and creative we become when we operate from spirit – I navigated the highways throughout Marin and San Francisco Counties without even freakin’, I did however draw on the practices I talk about to stay calm and present.

Here are a few of the things I was reminded of this last week:

• I could never be a rockstar. This kind of travelling is tough and I’m not sure I’d want to go on the road for months at a time; though it is kind of funny to sling that phrase “go on the road” around.

• People are wise and kind. We are connected, not only by our imperfections, but also our compassion, and our desire to do good in the world, to uplift others and feel happier. To learn and grow and connect.

• Many folks are now realizing that the solution to any problem is within. They are learning about themselves and pulling their mind-bodies-spirits into alignment to fully experience their lives instead of looking outside of themselves and waiting for someone else to do it.

• There is a shift in how we think about spirituality. It is no longer considered whoo-whoo or “out there” it is accessible and practical and folks are looking for ways to use these practices in daily life to reduce stress and just feel better.

• We feel better when we are growing, expansive, engaged.

And another thing I was reminded of was how energizing it is to be connected to you passion and working from purpose. I drove hundreds of miles, was up early, often by 4 or 5 a.m. in order to make the commute, and usually worked into the night, and yet, when I had a chance to walk into a bookstore and  talk to others about this stuff, I felt excited and energized and ready to go.

When we are doing what matters to us, what we feel contributes positively to the planet, we become aligned with our spirit and that is an expansive and energizing place to be. Today then, play in your passion, at least a little bit, or commit to exploring just what you might be passionate about. It will not only shift the energy for you and help you feel better in the day, but the momentum will catch up the rest of us.

During a terrific service at the Unity Church of San Francisco with Rev. Maggie Shannon Oman, we talked about how easily we get caught up in the routine of our lives. We brush our teeth and make the breakfast and pack the lunch and commute to work and finish the deadline and rush to the kids’ swim meet, head home to come up with dinner, do the chores and head to bed. Every day. When we spend all of our time doing the things we think we should do or ought to do, we push out the things we are passionate about. Make it your mission this week to save a little time each day to do something that makes your heart sing.

I think you’ll find, like I did, that not only will you feel excited and happier in your life, you will also be more productive and energized when you take on the other tasks in your day

Amp Up Your Optimism October 2012 Viva Editions proudly announces the publication of top Psychology Today blogger Polly Campbell's Imperfect Spirituality. Learn how real-life moments create opportunities for growth. Join Polly Campbell at these events: 11/1: Annie Bloom's Books, Portland, OR - 7pm 11/2: Towne Center Books, Pleasanton, CA - 11am 11/2: East West Bookshop, Mountain View, CA - 7:30pm 11/3: Barnes and Nobles, San Jose, CA 11/3: East West Bookshop, Mountain View, CA - 3-5pm 11/4: Unity Spiritual Center of San Francisco, CA - 9:30am 11/4: Book Passage Marin, Corte Madera, CA - 2-4pm 11/4: Books Inc, Marina, San Francisco, CA - 7pm 11/8: East West Bookshop of Seattle, WA - 7pm 11/9: Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WA - 6:30pm 11/10: Chapters Indigo, Surrey, Canada - 2pm 11/10: Banyan Books and Sound, Vancouver, Canada - 6pm 11/12: Powell's Books on Hawthorne, Portland, OR - 7pm 11/14: Awakenings, Laguna Hills, CA - 7pm 11/14: The Inside Edge, Irvine, CA - 7am 12/1: Barnes and Noble, River Valley Center, Eugene, OR - 12pm 12/7: New Renaissance Books, Portland, OR - 6:30pm 1/29: Barnes and Noble, Edina, MN - 7pm 1/30: Magers and Quinn, Minneapolis, MN - 7:30pm 2/1: Boswell Books, Milwaukee, WI - 7pm 2/3: Women and Children First, Chicago, IL - 5pm More · Buy Imperfect Spirituality  Extraordinary Enlightenment for Ordinary People by Polly Campbell Pulling a raisin out of a two-year-old’s nose probably wasn’t on Buddha’s path to enlightenment, but it was an aha! moment for author Polly Campbell. In Imperfect Spirituality, Campbell shows how to integrate those everyday moments with traditional spiritual techniques to increase personal growth and well-being. Imperfect Spirituality is filled with practical tips and dozens of examples that will encourage everyone to amp up optimism, let go of worry, and embrace their authentic self to offer their true gifts to the world. Polly Campbell Polly Campbell is a writer and speaker specializing in personal development and spirituality topics. Her work appears regularly in national publications, and she is a blogger with Psychology Today, teacher for Daily Om, and at Imperfect Spirituality. For more than two decades, Polly has studied and applied the techniques she writes and speaks about to her own life. Pure Inspiration from Viva Editions

Juggling it all and staying centered. Here's how:

Forget about balance, find a way to center yourself Stop trying for balance. Life is more like a teeter-totter moving up and down rather than sitting placidly suspended in the middle. But, no matter your circumstance, no matter how intense life feels, you can center yourself and move through the challenge with grace and calm. Four ways to get centered: 1. Root yourself physically. Stand tall, align your feet with your shoulders and stand strong. As you do this, take a deep breath and imagine your energy emitting a beam of light into the core of the earth. This light empowers you, keeps you rooted in your space so that negative forces cannot bowl you over. Changing our physiology is one way to change our mood and by visualizing yourself aligned with the power of the Universe, you will literally feel more grounded. 2. Connect with nature. When we remind ourselves that we are a part of the natural environment, it’s easier to put things in perspective and center ourselves in our reality rather than the drama surrounding our lives. Go outside, and give attention to a tree in the yard, or the bee on the flower petal. Notice that nature, is perfect, in all of its complexity and know that you are a part of that perfection too. There is nothing to be fixed; it is all perfect as is. Even the trouble spots hold meaning. 3. Work from the heart. Get quiet. Take a deep breath and imagine everything emanating from the heart. In reality, most everything does, but we often lead with our heads rather than the pulsing source of energy in our chest. When you’re feeling out of whack, slow down and imagine filtering everything through your heart center. Do only the things that make it beat fast and strong in a rhythmic cadence. Eliminate all else. A sure way to find your center is to remember where it is and work from there. 4. Change the story. It’s easy to become disconnected and stressed when we focus on the difficulties in life. So, stop doing that. It’s so not helpful and most of the time, it isn’t even accurate. Often we create a story around our circumstance, embellishing the truth, projecting into the future, playing the “what if” game of life — you know the one where we start thinking “what if, the electricity goes out and I lose all the data on my computer and can’t turn in the report and the boss sends me to an outpost in Siberia, where my husband can’t cable so he divorces me…” Embellishing the truth with usually implausible scenarios only contributes to our stress and stifles the productivity and creativity we need to deal with the duties at hand. You don’t have to create any story at all. Instead, take a clear-eyed look at the reality, without judgment or opinion. See the facts and consolidate it to a single sentence, then work with that. Take the drama out of your story and you diminish the drama in your life. Then you are grounded in the truth. When you are centered within you are strong and clear despite the external factors that come into play. This is a power position and one that allows you to remain calm and find peace despite the craziness of everyday life. And, if you’re interested in living your best life: Sign up now! For this e-class to help you discover your passion and purpose. Pick how much you want to pay, start whenever your ready, study when it’s convenient — can’t get any easier.

We are all perfectly imperfect:

Mantra meditations can focus the mind and boost clarity

By Polly Campbell on February 22, 2012

If you find it super hard to sit in the silence and meditate, don’t give up just mix it up and try practicing mantra meditation.

What is Mantra Meditation?

A mantra is a phrase or word or sound that you repeat aloud or to yourself throughout the duration of the meditation session. It can also be repeated throughout the day as a focused reminder.

Some mantras are simply a single word to describe a specific quality such as peace or patience or love that you’re working to consciously develop in your own life. Others are a few words long and draw attention – almost like an affirmation – to a condition you’d like to evoke in life, such as “I am love.” Spiritual mantras often repeat the name of God in any one of its different forms.

Some mantras focus on particular vibrational frequencies thought to connect to the energies of higher consciousness. Self-help guru Wayne Dyer teaches about Japa meditation, which is the slow repetition of select sounds, such as OM, which create vibrational resonance with the body. In Hinduism, OM is believed to be the first sound of creation and it’s a popular choice with mantra meditators.

I’ve tried this aloud using both OM and AH and I. Loved. It. The vibration rings so deep and true that I did feel a shift in consciousness and an opening of awareness. I also found it easier to focus on the sound repetition rather than to stay attentive to my breath as required in other meditations.

Whatever mantra you use, choose something that inspires you, carries a specific meaning and evokes powerful emotion. And keep it short. You want it to be significant, but not distracting in its complexity. And please people – don’t use the mantra like a wish list. No, “Ohhhmmm, I am a size sixxxxxx.” Although, I can’t say I haven’t thought about it.

With your mantra in mind, sit quietly and comfortably, straight-backed and do some deep belly breathing. Then begin, slowly and deliberately repeating your mantra either in mind or aloud. Continue for the duration of the mediation. If your mind wanders, notice that and bring it back to the mantra. Repetition is key, so keep going.

When your time is up, let the words of the mantra drift into the air, sit in the silence, take some deep breaths and slowly connect again to the physical world.

If you’re finding it hard to sit quietly with your thoughts in meditation, try using a mantra meditation. Stick with it for at least 30 days. Do not give up. Seriously. Just do it. With practice, meditation gets a whole lot easier and more interesting. And the mental focus, clarity, and well-being that come from a regular meditation practice are definitely worth working for.

Posted in meditation | Tagged body, meditation, peace | 4 Responses