🌿The Benefits of Wonder and Awe for Your Well Being Last night it was snowing and before getting into my car to drive home, I just looked up. The light was hitting the snow just perfectly and it felt like I was in a sparkling snowglobe...and there was this small moment of joy and warmth. The cold didn't hit in the same way, it felt more energizing than deathly feeling. One look up and the moment shifted from my inner dialogue saying "ugh...i hate the cold so much to "wow, it sure is beautiful out here. How cool that I get to experience this". A moment of awe and noticing the beauty in something shifted the inner experience. Awe and wonder-the moments that make your brain go "Wow" and your nervous system soften. It brings on a sense of joy and gratitude. Psychologically, wonder and awe acts like a reset button. Studies show that a sense of awe can and do reduce stress markers, lower inflammation and support healthier cell functioning. When you experience awe your body releases chemicals that calm the threat system and activate the part of the nervous system that restores and repairs. Wonder has a sense of curiosity attached to it and awe also expands your sense of time and increases feelings of meaning which boosts overall emotional well-being. Awe also shifts your perspective. It shrinks the inner critic and enlarges the sense of connection with a bigger world. So how do we engage with it more often? You do not need a mountaintop (though, if you have one, go!). You need intentional attention. Here are some strategies: ✨ Seek micro wonder. Tiny pieces of beauty count. The pattern on a leaf. A song that hits your chest. A cloud in the sky :) A snowflake up close. The up-close look in someone's eyes (make sure they're okay with it! ha) ✨ Slow your pace. The nervous system needs a little margin to take in what is around you. Take a few grounding breaths and look around. One of my favorite books has the phrase "look up" in it--pointing to the idea of looking outside of selves.

We are one week away from November, a month that's often associated with gratitude/thanksgiving, at least here in the U.S. Many of us will undoubtedly be participating in some sort of gratitude practice or challenge. I figured I'd post this now in preparation for that time, to maybe help us deepen our practice beyond the list. Many of the recommendations for gratitude practice indicate something along the lines of "name 3 things that you are thankful for today". This is lovely and great if we aren't already doing that. The practice below is to help move us from the cognitive experience of gratitude to actually embodying it--experiencing it fully: mind, body, spirit. It also integrates past, present, and future and helps with the attunement with the self (thoughts, feelings) ************ 🔥So here are the steps for a more embodied gratitude practice: 1)Name the thing/person/experience for which you are thankful--this is just regular labeling :) 2)Identify memories or impressions associated with the thing/person/experience for which you are thankful 3)Think about the bigger picture of how it impacted you/helped you grow 4)Identify the feelings associated with the thing/person/experience for which you are thankful for as you are practicing gratitude (feelings can be named but also tune in to see where in your body you're experiencing the feelings) 5)Identify a hope or prayer that you have for that thing/person or yourself in relation to the thing/person you're thankful for. ************* Gonna get nerdy for a second and add some science to the mix because I like when science backs the lived experience! It's kinda cool! 💛 The Science and Practice of Gratitude Gratitude isn’t just about being “positive.” It’s a deeply regulating practice that can rewire the brain for greater emotional balance, connection, and resilience. When practiced intentionally, gratitude activates specific brain regions that help us feel safer, calmer, and more open to joy. Research in neuroscience and psychology shows that consistent gratitude practice can:

Last year on Halloween, my grandpa departed this life. May his memory be eternal . Amongst trick or treating and pumpkin carving and scary looking things , I've also associated Halloween with the reality of death and last year this connection stood out even more (this is not to be intended to be a depressing post but I hope you guys read it...!) Halloween Beginnings: Halloween, with all it's modern imagery, began as an ancient Celtic festival (Samhain) that marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the new year on November 1. Celebrated from October 31 to November 1, it is believed to be a time when the barrier between the physical world and the spirit world thins, allowing spirits to return to the earth. The festival is a precursor to modern Halloween and involves traditions such as feasting (and sacrifices to appease spirits), bonfires, and wearing costumes to disguise oneself from spirits that may harm the living (both to hide/avoid harm and to ward off evil), and divination/occult type practices. There were also connections/remembrance of the dead.-honoring their ancestors (thanks @John Kennedy for sparking this research dive--there is so much more to write here, but it's already going to be a longer post..) So, last year I found myself entering a different kind of threshold-one of prayer, quiet rememberance, and still reflection. I think about mortality often, and last year I was facing it head on. Christian Underpinnings and Importance of Remebering Death: In Christianity (and maybe more specifically Orthodox Christianity), the rememberance of death is ever present, not just around Halloween but often. This remembrance is not about morbid fear or despair, but rather a constant, practical reminder that life is a temporary pilgrimage... Key reasons for why it's important to remember death:: - Spiritual Discipline (Nepsis): The "remembrance of death" is a foundational spiritual discipline, or form of nepsis (watchfulness or soberness), intended to keep the believer spiritually alert and focused on God. It helps guard against sin and worldly distractions. "Let all mortal flesh keep silence" - Encouraging Repentance: A continuous awareness of mortality motivates people to repent, seek forgiveness, and live a life pleasing to God, as the exact time of one's judgment is unknown (this is still not about fear though, but it's about love in action..but some people benefit from the fear component) - Prioritizing Eternal Life: By remembering that earthly life is fleeting, Orthodox Christians are encouraged to prioritize their eternal salvation over transient material possessions, power, or pleasures - Combating Pride: The inevitability of death serves as a powerful antidote to pride and vanity, reminding all people of their common human condition and dependence on God. Remembering that even THE GREATEST people return to dust cultivates a deep sense of humility and a recognition of human fraility. - A Call to Love and Forgiveness: The understanding that life is brief is a catalyst for reconciliation, cultivating love, humility, and forgiveness towards others before opportunities are lost - Preparation for the Final Judgment: Orthodox teaching emphasizes the reality of the individual judgment after death, followed by the general resurrection and final judgment. Constant mindfulness of this serves as a form of spiritual preparation. - Strengthening the Community of Faith: Liturgical practices, such as prayers for the dead (dead to this world but alive in Christ) and memorial services (Panikhidas), emphasize the unbroken fellowship between those on earth and those who have departed. This communal remembrance provides comfort to the bereaved and reinforces the hope of the general resurrection, binding the Church together across time.  - ***Hope and Resurrection: The contemplation of death is ultimately linked to the hope of the Resurrection of Christ. The emphasis on mortality is a stark contrast to the promise of eternal life through Christ, making the Paschal (Easter) message of victory over death even more significant and central to the faith ****** ""O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?...."

🌿 Daily Habits for Spiritual Wellness 🌿 - Prayer--time with God, quieting oneself and listening, - Fasting--fasting from the things that separate us from God, from being more attuned with reality - 🧘‍♀️ Mindfulness/Meditation/– taking even 5 minutes to ground yourself - 📖 Reflection/Reading – spiritual texts, affirmations, or journaling. - 🙏 Gratitude Practice – naming 3 things you’re thankful for each day. - 🌞 Connection with Nature – walking, grounding, or simply enjoying fresh air. - 🤝 Acts of Kindness – giving, helping, or uplifting others. Question:✨ Which of these do you already practice? What’s one habit you’d like to add to your routine?

~ SPIRITUAL FOOD FOR THE SOUL !! LET'S EN~COURAGE each other with a SPIRITUAL LIFT A story or a SONG THAT LIFTS US ALL or just AN UPLIFTING GIF OR ALL THREE ? PRAYING YOU WILL SING A LONG !! & tag at least one person @Moni Matysiak @Dan 'Remmy' Stourac @Serena DAfree @Christa Lovas @Jose Colon @Nicole Johnson BLESSINGS ON YOUR WEEKEND !!! AND SING !!! SHARE A FAV CLIP WITH US ... A SPIRITUAL UP LIFT