It's been quite a while since you've heard from me. My last newsletter went out around the beginning of the fall semester. In addition to teaching mindfulness classes for people with voice disorders, I run a private voice studio and work as an adjunct voice instructor at a university. It was the university work that kept me particularly busy. They gave me a record number of students. I'm not complaining. I love my work, and I continued my own mindfulness practice. But I was too busy to keep up with the newsletters.
So what do you do if you've taken some time away from mindfulness? The wonderful thing about mindfulness is that you can begin again at any time.
I have had several times in my life when I stepped away from my regular practice (after giving birth, for example). But even when I'm not practicing regularly, mindfulness still infuses how I think and live. I never fully leave it, and it never fully leaves me.
Life experiences change us in many ways, and you may find that your relationship to mindfulness changes with time. Practices that were once favorites don't seem as relevant, and exercises you never enjoyed suddenly feel just right.
Ask yourself what you need now. Is there are particular practice that appeals to you in this time of life? Maybe you've always enjoyed mindful movement, so you join a yoga class. If the sitting meditation is a favorite, experiment with different ways of sitting. If tension or cold whether have been bothering you, try the body scan while wearing a heat wrap (Amazon affiliate link).
Attend a drop-in class. These $15 sessions are ideal for people with voice disorders who are unsure about or new to mindfulness, can't commit to a longer course, or completed the course and want to keep practicing. As always, the ability to speak clearly, loudly, or consistently is not required.
Commit to a longer mindfulness course. Over and over, my mindfulness students tell me that my 8-week mindfulness course for people with voice disorders has changed their perspective on what mindfulness is — and has helped them practice it in ways that are accessible to them.
