Self-Love / Self-Compassion

I had a good life prior to December 14, 2012, the day of the Sandy Hook tragedy that took my six-year-old son Jesse's life. I was a single mom with a full-time job, a first and seventh grader, living on a horse farm with a wonderful mother/grandmother living nearby to help, and a supportive extended family. Always on the go, I woke up early, went to bed late, and would list the day’s accomplishments in my head each night. When I woke in the morning I would thank God for another opportunity...

June is Jesse’s birthday month. Each year, since my six-year-old son’s murder in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in 2012, people from all over the world continue to come together in the form of concerts, 5K’s, and online events to honor, remember, and celebrate all the lives lost on this tragic day. In a recent interview with a reporter, as we were talking about my organization’s annual Month of Fun fundraiser, he exclaimed how amazed he was that Jesse’s spirit seemed to continue to...

Music Beyond Measure engages trauma survivors in arts-based, healing-centered programs that teach coping skills through music education, collaboration in songwriting, and empowerment through performance. Based in New Jersey and serving the tri-state area, MBM is a registered 501c3 organization dedicated to individual and community healing through the arts. We are so excited to present our new Mindful Music program, which merges quality music instruction with mindfulness techniques meant to...

1. In preparing for this practice, let’s all try to sit comfortably with both feet planted on the floor, spines erect, but relaxed. We can close our eyes if that feels OK, or keep the eyes open and soften the gaze. 2. Let’s now take our attention to the sensations of breathing , following the in-breath as it travels through the nostrils, expands the chest, and settles in the belly. Follow the out-breath as it travels back from the belly to the chest and out through the nostrils. 3. Then...

Tita Angangco, cofounder of The Centre for Mindfulness Studies, shares a loving-kindness meditation that serves as an ignition to spark change. 1. In preparing for this practice, let’s all try to sit comfortably with both feet planted on the floor, spines erect, but relaxed. We can close our eyes if that feels OK, or keep the eyes open and soften the gaze. 2. Let’s now take our attention to the sensations of breathing , following the in-breath as it travels through the nostrils, expands the...

If you’re feeling inspired to ignite your self-healing and liberate your life, it’s essential to understand that the gateway between your spiritual longings and your physical, everyday life lies within your heart – indeed, connecting with your heart is essential for healing and transformation. That’s why we’re delighted to invite you to a free online event which will open your hearth from within: Discover Your Heart’s 4 Levels of Consciousness to Heal and Liberate Your Life: Explore Biofield...

Healing is a force of nature. It’s only natural for us to seek it out. Just as white blood cells flood to a wound to heal it and a tree releases sap to protect and cover damage and breakage, all of life is oriented to self-nourishment and repair. We are multi-layered beings living in a complex universe. Without actively taking care of our bodies, hearts, minds, and souls, we become sick. Perhaps one of the simplest and easiest ways we can call on the healing force within and around us is...

Learning how to truly forgive is something we all need to learn, just as we learn lessons in school. And we are in a school of sorts. We come to this earth reality to evolve and remember who we are as divine beings. Forgiveness is a critical step in this growth. But the ego wants vengeance. It tells us we have been wronged — that we are justified in not wanting to forgive. The ego tells us that by forgiving, we let the other person off the hook, which means they won’t suffer, but we will.