Mindfulness practice reminds us to return to the breath, the body, and the present moment. The mind can spin us in any direction, and the stories that we create, and then believe, can bring us into self-created suffering that is very persistent. As the Buddha himself said to us:
“All that we are is the result of what we have thought.
The mind is everything. What we think we become.” — Buddha
And so, as we dive deep into our work with plant medicine, it’s essential to understand that the essence of our healing rests within our capacity to release the stories and beliefs that capture us, limit us, and cause us suffering. When we change the mind, and especially when we change the ways that we engage with the mind, we change our lives.
When engaging in plant medicine healing work, it is essential to cultivate practices to support us in anchoring in the present moment, remembering who we are, and bringing us ever closer to true freedom. Plant medicine ceremony may show us amazing things, bring us unparalleled insights, and cleanse us from the heavy energies that we have carried for far too long, but to truly integrate these experiences, personal commitment and responsibility must come into action. There are many practices that can support this work, for sure. Two valuable practices that we incorporate into our retreats are yoga and meditation.
Heart of the Mother Retreats often collaborate with local yoga teachers to create classes for all levels of experience and physical ability that support the process of release and integration. The yoga classes during our retreats are very grounding and nurturing, and incorporate elements of restorative and yin yoga, allowing the nervous system to slow down and the body to soften.
Most days, we will offer morning meditation practice, incorporating a variety of meditation styles and techniques, including vipassana, mindfulness, vizualization, somatic grounding, and sound meditation. Meditation practice is led by retreat facilitators.
