l o v e j o u r n a l


pure love

is

all

this is

a practice

not to

become

but to

notice


to notice

your thoughts

your reactions

your emotions

as they arise

in your day

what can

be done

every day


to be

more clear

more present

more peaceful

not by

changing

but by

seeing

again

and again

this is

a return

to your

journey

of love


o p e n i n g  t o  l o v e

when mind

is quiet

it is not

when mind

is open

it is quiet

when eyes

are looking

they do not see

when eyes

are open

all is

seen

when ears

are listening

they do not hear

when ears 

are open

all is  heard

nothing

to do

nothing

to become

open

be

love

om



s p a c e

one has

feelings

reactions

joys

fears

every day

far

from peace

energy

arises

one is

lost

in an ocean

of

forgetfulness

where is

the space

to return

to peace

it is

here

when one

finds

space

from emotion

from energy

one begins

to be 

ourself

again

space 

heals

notice

practice

be it

om



e x e r c i s e  1:  e n e r g y  t r a c k i n g

each

evening

pause

reflect

on the

emotions 

of the day

what did

you feel

reaction

upset

shift

joy

write it

down

not to

fix

not to

change

just to see

how did

it feel

at first

it may be

difficult

stay

with it

each

evening

for

20 days

then

in the

middle

of the day

pause

reflect

on the

emotions 

of the

morning

write it

down
 

in the

evening

write

again

for

20 days

you may

not

remember

that is

fine

you may

begin

to notice

emotion

as it

arises

before

you are

lost

om



am i  h e r e

driving

thinking 

of work

am i

still

driving

breathe in

breathe out

return

i am

driving

welcome back

sitting

thinking

of money

am i 

still

sitting

breathe in

breathe out

return

i am

sitting

welcome back

eating

feeling

sad

about

a friend

am i

still

eating

breathe in

breathe out

return

i am

eating

welcome

back

you are

here

now

om



e x e r c i s e  2:  b r e a t h  t r i g g e r s

start

a list


breath

triggers


write down

one

activity


during

your day


before it


breathe in

breathe out


your phone

rings


breathe


return


each breath

brings you back


you may

not remember


you may

remember

after


that is

fine


this is

a start


after a few days

add another


slowly

build

your

list


review it

each morning



waking up

going to sleep


dressing

undressing


getting in

getting out


preparing

eating


drinking

cleaning up

phone

computer

tv


sitting

standing

walking


stairs


shower

washing

shaving


reading


seeing

hearing

tasting

smelling

touching


thinking

feeling

om



m y  w e d d i n g  r i n g

at the gym

after a class

and shower


i go downstairs

for tea

to relax


at the counter

i realize


my wedding ring

is not

on my finger


so strange


panic


is it really gone


will i find it

can i replace it

would it feel the same


how will i tell rana


i feel foolish

having taken it off

to shave


still at the counter

yet 

a million miles away


i take

a breath


i am

more present


the barista

making my drink


the smell of

fresh coffee


the sound 

of voices


judy

beside me


we begin

a conversation


then


tension

in my

back


the empty

ring finger


fear


i take

a breath


i am

more present


i turn

toward

the locker room


hope


climbing

the stairs


i take

a breath


i am

more present

the feel

of the stairs


the sound

of footsteps


i am

climbing


walking

into the locker room


i will

soon know


if not

there


where


the shower

the sinks

the floor


lost 

and found


i take

a breath

i am

more present


i sit

at my locker


thoughts

and emotions

swirl


i take

a breath


i am

more present


i open

my kit


hope

worry


seconds


i take

a breath


i am

more present


the ring

is there


relief


joy


rana


i take

a breath


i am

here


om

e x e r c i s e 3:  o n e  p e r c e n t


one

percent


so

small


hard to

notice


one

small

improvement


today


you may

find it

anywhere


the way

you stack

your dishes


the time

you go

to sleep


the way

you drive


can you

imagine

not finding

anything


can you

imagine

the impact

in 30 days


it seems

too simple


it is

this simple


each day


notice

your

one percent


you may

write it

down


perhaps

in your

evening reflection


you may

forget


this too

is part

of the practice


begin

again


tomorrow

om




e x e r c i s e  4:  g e t t i n g  t o  k n o w  y o u


you feel

sad

happy

lonely

joyful


how

do you

know


when emotion

arises


you feel it

in the body


say

hello

to your finger


do not

move it


do not

look at it


feel it

from

inside


move

to your foot


again


feel it

from

inside


this is

you


the

61 point

meditation


moves 

attention

through

the body


from

point

to

point


no effort


just

notice


start

at the

centre

of your forehead


feel


stay


get to

know

this

space


it is

you


it is

a return


to the body


from within


this is

not something

to learn


move gently

from point

to point


no effort


just notice


feel

each point

from within


1

center of forehead


2

base of the front of the neck


3

right shoulder

4

right elbow

5

right wrist

6

right thumb

7

right index finger

8

right middle finger

9

right ring finger

10

right little finger


11

right wrist

12

right elbow

13

right shoulder


14

base of the front of the neck


15

left shoulder

16

left elbow

17

left wrist

18

left thumb

19

left index finger

20

left middle finger

21 

left ring finger

22

left little finger

23

left wrist

24

left elbow

25

left shoulder


26

base of the front of the neck


27

center of chest

28

right of chest

29

center of chest

30

left of chest

31

center of chest


32

navel

33

pubis


34

right hip

35

right knee

36

right ankle

37

right big toe

38

right second toe

39

right third toe

40

right fourth toe

41

right little toe


42

right ankle

43

right knee

44

right hip


45

pubis


46

left hip

47

left knee

48

left ankle

49

left big toe

50

left second toe

51

left third toe

52

left fourth toe

53

left little toe


54

left ankle

55

left knee

56

left hip


57

pubis

58

navel

59

center of chest

60

base of the front of the neck


61

center of forehead

om



6 1  p o i n t  m e d i t a t i o n



e x e r c i s e  5:  p a n i c  b u t t o n

sometimes

nothing

works

sometimes

we

panic

breath

does not

work

meditation

does not

work

body

awareness

does not

work

in your

mind

silently


scream

five

again

scream

five

again

scream

five

scream 

f  i  i  i  i

hold

the i

as long

as you

can

breathe

scan

your body

relax

om



e x e r c i s e  6:  a s k  f o r  i t

if you

want it

if you

need it

ask

ask

god

or

ask

the universe

just

ask

then

be still

listen

you know

what is

to be

done

om



m y  p r a y e r

this

personality

asks

the universe

Paramahansa Yogananda

my teachers

and guides

to align

this life

with

its

higher self

i ask for

peace

love

light

healing

may all have

peace

love

light

healing

may all

be fed

may all

be safe

om




b r e a t h e


breathe


om



e x e r c i s e 7:  g r o w t h

when did

you become

so informed

so interesting

so smart

so funny

what has

shaped

you

much of

your growth

is seen

in observing

your reactions

to reality

do you

still

study


who are

your teachers

what are 

your sources

are you

present

or

are you

repeating

what makes

you comfortable

be aware

of your

growth

not as

becoming

but as

unfolding

learning

continues

om


b r e a t h e


breathe


om

e x e r c i s e  8:  f a m i l y  a n d  f r i e n d s

be

mindful

of your

family

and friends


who

comes

to mind


notice

them


any

surprises


anyone

missing


when did

you last

see or

speak

with them


when do

you next

want to

see or

speak

with them


what might

bring them

joy

om


e x e r c i s e  9:  l i s t e n i n g


when

someone

speaks


do you

hear

them


or


are you

thinking


what am

i going

to say

next


or


you know

they are

wrong


wait


breathe


let

their words

land


listen

without

responding


without

fixing


without

changing


just

be

there


feel

them


from

within


after


you may

respond


or


you may

not


they will

feel it

om



e x e r c i s e 1 0:  g e n t l e  r e m i n d e r s

consider

making a

list of

reminders


not a

to do list


a list

to remind

you

to be

you


only

you can

make

this list


what comes

to mind


read it

as you

start

your day


here is my

reminder list

breathe


be present


notice

what is

here


what do

i see

hear

taste

feel

smell 


move

with care


have a

peaceful heart


notice

when i

turn people

into objects


check

my body

for any

discomfort


notice

when i

get caught

in thought


notice

and appreciate

the small things


less thinking

more awareness


accept reality

it has

occurred


what would

this moment

be like

with no thought


what might

bring me

back


help someone

Om



e x e r c i s e  1 1: p o c k e t  R o c k

how many

pebbles

and stones

have you

seen


they are

likely

very old


a lot

of

life


a lot

of

energy


pick

one


it is

not

yours


hold it

until it

warms


feel 

its weight


put it

in your

pocket 


from time

to time

feel it


after

5 years

or

10 years


give this

special

gift 

to a

stranger


then

find

another

pebble

om


e x e r c i s e  1 2:  f a l l i n g  a s l e e p

tossing


turning


restless


tired


still

awake


lie

on

your back


spread

your toes

as far

as you can


spread

your fingers

as far

as you can


hold


hold


hold


sweet

dreams

om



e x e r c i s e  1 3:  o n e  t h o u g h t

think

red


think

cooking


think

red

and

cooking


can you

have

two thoughts

at the same

time


cooking


a red

pepper


one

thought


when 

in discussion


if you 

think

about dinner


you are

not

in the

discussion


when you 

return

to the

discussion


what

did you

miss


what are

you missing

all day

long


om


e x e r c i s e  1 4:  m e e t i n g  p e o p l e

how are you 


how was

your workout


i hope

it doesn’t

rain


can I

help you


fancy

meeting you

here


and


smile


you are 

here


with

them


om


e x e r c i s e  1 5:  y o u  a r e  t h e  w o r l d 

have you

ever


by 

accident


dropped

something

small

on the street


notice

it


have you

ever


raised

your voice 


because

you felt

right


because

you were

not

heard


notice it


have you

ever


driven

too fast


because 

it felt

safe


notice it


how do

your actions

touch

the world


what do

you choose

not

to see


what is

easy


what is

true


om


y o u r  l o v e  j o u r n a l

each evening

pause

and reflect


what did

you feel


what stayed

with you



did you

return

to your

breath


what did

you notice



did you
notice

your

one percent



did you

spend

time

within

your body



when things

felt

too much


did you

ask for help



what did

you learn



did you

connect

with others


were

you

present

did you

listen


did you

bring

someone

joy


when were

you not

present


what did

you notice


write


not to fix


not to change


just

to see

om



p u r e  l o v e

non-vibrational

source of all vibration

non-physical

holding all Matter

ever-present

beyond being

at peace

all


pure love expands

only by deepening peace


stillness

receiving itself


pure love manifests

infinite universal fields


unfolding in motion

returning to peace


as each field

reaches peace

it dissolves

Into pure love


all that is

arises within pure love


as vibration arises

within stillness

as motion appears

within that

which never moves


entirely

encompassed

by peace


in pure love

all exists


and all ceases


no universe

no galaxies

no stars

no planets


no souls

no minds

no hearts

no samskara

no bodies


only pure love


om






Inspired by my love of Rana