Middle-aged pecan brown woman with closely cropped hair sits inside a car with beige interior.

CHECK OUT THE NATIONAL MEDITATION PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE

Week 28  – Celebrating Being On the Road Again!

You can listen to this on my podcast (10:42 mins) 

Remember the song On the Road Again by Willie Nelson? If you don’t Google it. lol

That’s how I felt on Saturday. A few of the lyrics are:

I can’t wait to get on the road again

On the road again

Goin’ places that I’ve never been

Seein’ things that I may never see again

And I can’t wait to get on the road again.

For a few weeks or longer, my car has been making some weird sounds, and well, I’ve been acting like I didn’t hear them. Lol. You know the minor inconveniences of life that require your attention, oftentimes we/or I may avoid them, because I just don’t wanna deal with it.

I have lived long enough to know that that doesn’t usually work out so well. Avoidance btw is not a good strategy.

I would get in the car, and ask for guidance and protection, and it was working out pretty good. Until this happened…

Last Tuesday as I was about to leave to go to the store my car began squealing when I started it. I cringed as my husband came over to look at the car, he diagnosed it as possibly something related to belts or the AC. Ugh. Drats, I knew I was about to get off the road.

You see, this car was my mother’s car. It’s a 2007 Lexus SUV with over 200K miles. I told my husband I had been hearing strange noises for a few weeks so we knew it wasn’t safe to drive. I began cleaning out the car so it could be towed.

As I began the process I started feeling very melancholy. I remembered the times I would drive my mother around, you see when she moved in with me in 2012 this was the car we used. My 2007 Solara was not as comfortable as her car was, so hers became our main car. My mother wasn’t into “things” so her buying this car was huge. This is not just a car, it is a mobile memory capsule. It’s filled with vivid memories including when my brother, Tony, my mom and I drove to Philly to her last living brother’s funeral. It happened to be in 2008 when Barack Obama won the election and we got caught up in the DC traffic. Mom and I traveled around laughing about stories of my childhood and her life in this car.

The car is 17 years old so a decision would have to be made about what to do based on the diagnosis. I decided I would put on salsa music and celebrate whatever would be next for the car and I went down memory lane while taking stuff out. Yeah, I had a lot in my car.

Music is great for shifting your mindset. You know when you hear a certain song you are transported to that time and sometimes it takes you back to when you first heard this song? I put in my Juan Luis Guerra’s 440 cd (yes, I said cd) and began dancing and singing as I cleaned out the car. I really fell in love with salsa music after hearing his song, Quisiera, while I was out dancing. The song roughly translates to I would like to. I cleaned out car and moved from melancholy to gratitude thinking over the memories I shared with my family and friends in this car.

I love how music can shift your state of mind so quickly. Next I wanted to have ease with the towing and the conversation about the car repairs. On Wednesday morning AAA came quickly to tow the car. Justin, the driver, asked a few questions and was courteous and professional and there was a picture of Tigger and Winnie the Pooh on the side of his tow truck. That totally made me laugh. The funny thing is I have miniature stuffed Pooh and Tigger hanging via carabiners on my rearview window. All I could do was smile and give thanks for the ease and grace with the pickup.

I truly believe things are always working out for my highest and greatest good, even when it doesn’t seem like it. In my studies as an amateur brain scientist, I have learned to direct my thoughts where I want to focus my energy. The mind wants to be given a job, so it’s important that I focus on what I desire. I have several affirmations that I keep in my mental playlist and I use regularly, especially when I find myself in a challenging situation. I call these affirmations my go to phrases, GTP. I repeat them out loud or silently to keep myself from mentally driving down anxious avenue. A few of my GTPs are:

  • I am safe and all is well in my world.

  • Things are working out for my greatest good.

  • My timing is divine.

  • I am open to miracles and watch things come from out of Nowhere to Now Here

  • One of my favorites from Louise Hay is that everyone wants to help me.

I am grateful for options. My brother offered his car for me to use and I also had my son’s car and riding with my hubby as options for the four days I was without my car.

By Saturday afternoon, I was able to get the car repaired for a reasonable price and I’m back on the road again in MY CAR – Goin’ places that I’ve never been seein’ things that I may never see again.

Life for me flows better when I navigate with tools! My GTPs, gratitude and salsa music helped me move into mental states that I could manage. I give thanks for the reminder how things are always working out for me.

I’d love to know what GTPs, affirmations, or scriptures you use to keep your mind on track and focused.

You can always reach me at barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com or DM me on social media: LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram are best.

Relax, Listen, and Trust Your Inner Guidance.

The card I pulled for us today is the

#9 LISTEN – I SMILE at MYSELF 

GIVE YOURSELF A BIG HUG, TOO!

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Two red 3 x 5 cards next to each other with a rock with the word Joy engraved sits in the middle. On the left card an image of a great blue heron near a lake is between the #9 and the word listen, both in white. Text on the other card reads I smile at myself.

 

My Breathe with Barbara LIVE Sessions for the month start this week – we are live via Zoom from 8 – 9 pm eastern on this Wednesday and next Wednesday. Our group sessions are small and intimate (less than 10 people). 

You can register at barbarafaison.com/store/Livemeditationsessions

I am also live on Thursday at Noon on the Insight Timer APP. You can find the link at http://linktr.ee/barbarafaison.

text: In black - Breathe with Barbara Live. Meditate with me. Wed. 7.12 8-9 pm eastern Zoom link below. Thurs. 7.13.23 12 - 1 pm Insight Timer App Image of a middle aged pecan brown woman in turquoise shirt with hands in prayer hands in front of her chest. Below her is a scan code. link: http://linktr.ee/barbarafaison

There are many resources available to support a meditation practice in person and online. 

  • Our Breathe with Barbara LIVE Sessions are the 2nd and 3rd week of the month. My live sessions include gentle movement, breathing, meditation and silence. I would love for you to join me, the sessions are only $15.
  • If you prefer having a teacher for instruction, I offer one on one sessions as well as group sessions (min of 3 people). Feel free to reach out to me via email or on my website barbarafaison.com/contact-Barbara, pick the option that works best for scheduling a brief conversation.
  • If you prefer using APPs, I encourage you to check out the Insight Timer app, it is the #1 app for free meditations for sleep, anxiety, and stress, and I have over 40 meditations, book excerpts, and my courses (for premium members) and more out there. The link is InsightTimer.com.
  • I have meditations on other APPS including Aura, Meditation Station, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, Apple Music, Amazon and more. Just search for Barbara J. Faison as the artist and you will find me there.
  • Check out the National Meditation Playlist on my YouTube Channel, I have continued to add new meditations there. It’s a great way to practice daily, there are over 33 meditations on the list.
  • You can also find links for upcoming events and where you can meditate with me. All the links are on my linktr.ee/barbarafaison.

I’d love to know about your experience with meditation. Are you new, or would you like to learn?

If you prefer having a teacher for instruction, I offer one on one sessions as well as group sessions (min of 3 people). If you know any groups or organizations who want to offer a session, perhaps a lunch and meditate, or a program, I love referrals and would be happy to speak with them.

Feel free to reach out to me on my website barbarafaison.com/contact-Barbara, pick the option that works best for scheduling a quick conversation. Or you can message me @barbarafaison on social media, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Facebook are best.

All of the links are on my linktr.ee/barbarafaison.

If you need a quick breath break you can take one right here.

Thank you for your support and being on this journey with me.

Feel free to share your thoughts or ask a question – via email at barbarafaisonllc@gmail.com.

Keep breathing…
Barbara J. Faison
your mindfulness & meditation ambassador