l o v e j o u r n a l

 i n t r o d u c t i o n

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

we do
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

i am

here

beneath

the din

unnoticed

in

silence

om

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

and

be

love

om

s p a c e

we have

feelings

reactions

upsets

joys

trepidation

every day

far

from peace

energy

arises

we are

lost

in an ocean

of

forgetfulness

where is

the space

to return

to peace

it is

here

when we

find

space

from emotion

from energy

we begin

to be 

ourself

again

space 

heals

notice it

practice it

live 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

a reaction

an upset

a shift

joy

write it

down

not to

fix

not to

change

just to see

how did

it feel

at first

remembering

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

and 

in the

evening

write

again

for

20 days

you may

not

remember

you may

remember

after

that is

fine

you may

begin

to notice

emotion

as it

arises

before

you are

lost

om

y o u  a r e  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

om

b r e a t h e

breathe

om

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

i ask

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

with gratitude

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

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