Walk Mindfully

One Simple Change — Get Mindful Exercise

My recommendation for One Simple Change in May was to eat mindfully. Did you give it a try?  For June try mindful walking “to gain energy and stimulate your body and mind.”

What a thrill for parents as their children take their first step; it’s cause for celebration, photo taking, and calling the grandparents.. From that moment on, we use our legs to get around; we take it for granted and give the practice little or no thought. As a workout, Webmd states, “Walking is as simple as it gets for exercise.” 

Prevention magazine has 14 Walking Workouts To Burn Fat and Boost Energy. And the Mayo Clinic states that walking can be an ideal low-impact exercise. “Something as simple as a daily brisk walk can help you maintain a healthy weight, prevent or manage various health conditions, strengthen your bones, lift your mood and improve your balance and coordination."

But have you walked mindfully, with attention and presence, without a goal or intention? Health experts tell us walking is beneficial. Do so mindfully and reap even more benefit. Mindful walking simply means being aware of each step and each breath. It can be done anywhere: alone in nature, in the city, in parking lots. It simply requires that you pay attention.

When I set out on my morning walk, I take a few deep breaths, smile, appreciate the the new day and become aware of my surroundings. I acknowledge how I feel and try to leave my to-do list at home; I set my intention to walk mindfully. As I begin to walk I notice the sensation of my feet hitting the pavement and the swing of my legs. I notice my posture, the swing of my arms and acknowledge any discomfort. (I have fibromyalgia so mornings are often painful. My walk always helps.) I listen to the the sound of my feet on the pavement.

Next, I expand my awareness to my surroundings. I love watching the seasons change. Like a dog, I lift my nose and draw in a breath and acknowledge what I smell whether it’s fresh cut grass, flowers in bloom, a garbage truck passing, someone’s fabric softener from their dryer vent. Some scents can almost be tasted. I draw my attention to what I see: frost on the ground, the sun rising, a squirrel’s antics, a bird feeding her young, and the changes in flowers and trees. I acknowledge the air: gentle and warm, sharp and cold or windy. I pay attention.

If thoughts or emotions cross my mind, I acknowledge them also. I try not to judge them or linger on them. I simply bring myself back to awareness and the present moment. This is my time of the day before life intrudes. It reminds me to slow my daily pace and make mindful moments throughout my day. Life is good. Try it.

This HuffingtonPost article, “Meditation In Action: Turn Your Walk Into A Mindful Moment” should help you integrate mindfulness into your walks. It states that mindful walking “will help you to become present and connect to what is happening in the here and now.” The article recommends that you observe, notice, listen, feel and come back. I highly recommend you read it.

Turn off or mute your cellphone and unplug your earbuds; do this practice in silence. Begin by walking slowly with a sense of ease and awareness. Let your walking be easy and natural. When you finish, simply stand, take a deep breath and be still for a few moments.

Making small changes today can lead to great health benefits down the road.

                                                                 —Juice Plus® 

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Be grateful that you not only have this opportunity to take a mindful walk, but that you can walk. My two-year old grandson has Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) type 2 and very likely will never walk. According to CureSMA, “SMA is a disease that robs people of physical strength by affecting the motor nerve cells in the spinal cord, taking away the ability to walk, eat, or breath. It is the number one genetic cause of death for infants.”

What most of us take for granted, many can not do. You may have noticed the CureSMA and MDA logos at the bottom of this blog. I ask that you click on them and donate today. Thank you.

One Simple Stroke…One Simple Change

Those of you familiar with Zentangle®, know it is not about drawing something. It is not about the repetition of a drawing. It’s about the repetition of  “One simple stroke.”

The Zentangle trademarked tag line is "You Can Do Anything, One Stroke at a Time."

Make that the philosophy of your life and you can’t go wrong.

EXPERIENCE EATING MINDFULLY

What I love the most about writing this blog is that it allows me to share the two things I’m passionate about: being mindful and healthy eating. Mindfulness means intentionally paying attention and experiencing the present moment. And one of the best things about Zentangle® is it gives us permission to stop all the mental chatter and practice focused attention. If this is one of the reasons you love Zentangle®, why not take mindfulness to another level? Try mindful eating which is another "simple way to experience focused attention."

At the recent Juice Plus+® Conference they introduced a new campaign: "One Simple Change." 

My Juice Plus+® website states: Most of us strive to live a healthier lifestyle. Finding the right place to start is a challenge. Eating right, exercising regularly, and still making time for family, friends and our own needs can seem like overwhelming goals. Instead of attempting to conquer our health all at once, what if you started by setting more manageable goals? Making small changes today can lead to great health benefits down the road.

The website stresses eating more whole foods, getting more exercise, drinking more water, and sleeping more and stressing less. In future postings, I'll introduce ways you can incorporate each of these topics. We all can get health benefits by making small changes, one at a time. One way we can stress less is by slowing down. I have always been a fast eater. As I was growing up my mother was a nurse and had been a Navy nurse, thus it was her habit to eat fast. In high school, I had 27 minutes to get from a class to the cafeteria, stand in the food line, eat my lunch and get to my next class. Then as a mother, much of my mealtime was jumping up to serve my family thus I gulped bites in between the bounds from my chair to the stove or refrigerator. Sound familiar? I don’t think I ever tasted my food. The habit became ingrained and I never stopped. I am now working at changing this habit into a practice of mindful eating. I invite you to join me. Please comment below about your experience.

Mindful eating encourages us to slow down and be present throughout our meals. That means devoting attention to our food throughout the meal. 

• Taking a mindful approach to eating begins by asking yourself if you are truly hungry.

• Turn off distractions: TV and devices. Ignore the phone and don’t multi-task.

• Sit down and be present. 

• Look at the food you are about to eat. Reflect on its source: how is was grown and prepared. 

• Feel gratitude. 

• Notice how you are feeling. 

• When you place the food in your mouth, chew each bite slowly and carefully. What does it feel like? Notice the flavors.

• When you swallow, try to see how far you can feel the food in your body.

• Focus on your food, smile and appreciate each bite.  

• By slowing down you give your stomach a chance to signal to your brain that you are full. This leads to eating less, thus consuming fewer calories and, over time, to weight loss. Savor your meals.

A Mindful Eating Revolution

In the April 2015 issue of Mindful magazine, Editor-in-Chief Barry Boyce states, Eating a raisin, or a grape, an apple or a pear—slowly with attention—has become a standard part of many mindfulness programs. It’s no surprise. The first thing we usually put our attention on in meditation is our breath, because without that, well, we’re dead. But the next most obvious thing to put attention on is eating, because without that, well, we’re dead. 

See the full article.

Try this Mindfulness Exercise - Eating a Raisin

I first read about the Raisin Consciousness exercise many years ago in a newsletter from Dr. Andrew Weil. It is an exercise Jon Kabat Zinn uses with his clients as a first meditation. For this exercise, you’ll need about 5 minutes and one raisin. A raisin is best, but you can substitute any small food item such as a piece of fruit or a nut.

There is one rule: whenever you find your mind wandering from the task at hand, just gently return your attention to the raisin. 

• Begin by placing the raisin in the palm of your hand. Spend a few moments examining it. Really look at it with a sense of curiosity and imagine it as it might have been in nature. Notice it’s shape, texture, color, size. 

• Gently pick up the raisin with your thumb and index finger and roll it between them. What does the raisin feel like? What are its textures? Is it hard or soft. Is it wrinkly or smooth? Is it light or heavy?

• Close your eyes. Sniff the raisin. What does it smell like?

• Gently place the raisin on your tongue, but don't chew. Just let it sit on your tongue for a few moments and notice how it feels. Roll it around in your mouth.

• When you’re ready, slowly begin chewing. First, just bite the raisin, next chew a couple of times, then stop. What does the raisin feel like between your teeth? Notice the texture, taste and smell.

• If you feel the urge to swallow the raisin right away, just notice that urge, and slowly chew the raisin for a minute or so, without swallowing.

• Finally, swallow it. Sit quietly. Breathe.

2015 Dietary Guidelines

In February, the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee issued its newest recommendations on what Americans should be eating. It says: the U.S. population should be encouraged and guided to consume dietary patterns that are rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, seafood, legumes, and nuts; moderate in low- and non-fat dairy products and alcohol (among adults); lower in red and processed meat; and low in sugar-sweetened foods and beverages and refined grains.…Additionally, these characteristics align with recommendations from other groups, including the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) and the American Heart Association (AHA).  Read more of the guidelines summary.


Juice Plus+ provides 26 fruits, vegetables, berries and grains with well over 13,000 phytonutrients. If, daily, you already eat 9-13 servings of a wide variety of fruits and vegetables then you probably don't need Juice Plus+®. According to the USDA ninety-eight percent of Americans do not consume that many unless they juice (no fiber, messy and expensive) or blend smoothies with lots of fruits and veggies. Otherwise you would have to be a cow because you would be chewing for much of the day. If you are among those that do not eat 9-13 servings each day, you should use Juice Plus+®. For the price of a Starbucks coffee you can get the benefits of eating 26 fruits, vegetables and grains every day. The more than 25 published clinical research studies examining its impact on a variety of biomarkers of good health has made Juice Plus+® the number one research health product in the world. That's why Juice Plus+® is marketed as the "next best thing to fruits and vegetables."

All the more reason you should let Juice Plus+® help you make "One Simple Change."

Welcome to Nourish Your Mind & Body

In  this blog I will share my and my husband Ed’s (who also is a CZT) Zentangle® art, show new tangle patterns, share Zentangle® videos and post our Zentangle® class schedule and offerings. I will also share Juice Plus+® articles, videos and webinars, post Juice Plus+® events, discuss good eating habits and share healthy recipes. I’m writing this because I wanted to share with you the joys of doing Zentangle® and I want you to be in control of your health with the most scientifically researched nutraceutical product on the market — Juice Plus+®.

Today, I’m posting about Zentangle®. Next week, I’ll post about Juice Plus+® and Tower Garden®. The following week, my first email newsletter will be sent which will link back to these blog entries. Sign up for my newsletter (at the right) and you will be notified on a monthly basis about any entries that have been made here.

Zentangle® reduces mental stress and Juice Plus+® reduces stress at the cellular level. Together they Nourish Your Mind and Body. Sign up for my newsletter and learn “Healthy Habits One Step at a Time.”

Zentangle® for Mindfulness

Zentangle® is an easy-to-learn, mindful method of drawing, creating abstract art through the use of structured patterns. It provides relief from stress through relaxation while you create a piece of art. Zentangle® patterns are easy to draw with simple repetitive elemental and deliberate strokes. If you can write your name or draw a stick figure, you can do Zentangle®. It’s a fascinating art form that is fun and relaxing. It increases focus and creativity. It provides artistic satisfaction and increases a sense of personal well being. Zentangle® is enjoyed by people of all ages. 

Zentangle® was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. Rick, the Zen of the team, has been a cab driver, musician, photographer, printer, and flute maker. He also lived as a monk for 17 years. Maria, the Tangle of the team, is a renowned lettering artist and operates a stationery design and production company. To learn more about them go to: www.zentangle.com

Although Zentangle® can be done on any paper or surface, it is taught using a black pen on 3.5-inch square watercolor paper, called a tile. Tangles or patterns generally are created by 2 or 3 simple or elemental strokes done in a series of steps. Doing Zentangle® or tangling looks deceptively like doodling, but it’s not doodling. While doodling has its useful purposes, it is something one does with their hands when their mind is elsewhere. In contrast, doing Zentangle® is very focused; your attention is on the pen, the paper and on each pen stroke. Zentangle® is about being mindful. Often Zentangle® is referred to as “yoga for the brain”.

In Zentangle® the "relaxed and deliberate focus" aspect of meditation is emphasized. Today, everything is so instant, result oriented, competitive and fast. The stimulus people receive in the form of texts, Facebook, TV, emails, demands on our time and more are something that has never been experienced in the history of mankind. Never before have we experienced such constant stimuli from so many directions. Never have we had so much information at our fingertips. Never have we had so many choices to make. There is simply too much going on in our brains! 

Over the past decade meditation and mindfulness practices have gone mainstream. Yet, many are unable to sit still long enough to do these practices. I, for one, need be be doing something; sitting still is hard for me. Zentangle® calms the mind. It increases focus, creativity, and relaxation, provides artistic satisfaction and increases a sense of personal well-being. Zentangle reduces stress and enhances creativity in people of all ages. It is a gift to oneself; in the end, Zentangle art is the prize.

'Kindness Curriculum' Teaches Mindfulness to Pre-K

Since I became a CZT my radar is up for anything to do with mindfulness. Click on the 'Kindness Curriculum' link above to read about a 12- week research study at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center involving prekindergarten students. Four- and five-year olds in the Madison Metropolitan School District, while learning their ABCs, were taught how to be more aware of themselves through mindfulness practices. Although they were not doing Zentangle art, the focus was much the same: attention, breath, compassion and gratitude.

Tips for families include:
• Create a quiet space.
• Pay attention with purpose and curiosity.
• Pause and notice your breath.
• Practice caring and compassion for ourselves and others.
• Practice gratitude.

Upcoming Zentangle® Course