More Mediation and Meditation

So, here's the update on what's up with my mediation plans.  I survived running a mediation program at a High School last Spring, and now my next step is to be mentored by a master mediator.  BUT, my husband is planning to finish school, so he is taking classes again.  Next semester he may be taking the monster class.  This semester he has to NOT flunk Celestial Marriage so he can get his religion credits made up and I will no longer be left wondering what are the odds of accomplishing an eternal marriage if you can't even pass the silly class about it.  Luckily, he's better at hands on stuff than the theoretical and also, he's better at live in person classes than online ones you can totally ignore.

Meanwhile, I am trying to do some reading that will help towards my goals and also, I have found out WHY I am really doing all this. I just jump into these projects because I get these signs pointing me in that direction and I follow them without really knowing where they'll lead, and it turns out, all roads lead to home.  I figured this out when I started a side course of study in ADHD and related issues.  Among other things, I finally took the Parent to Parent class (online and I did NOT ignore it, thank you very much). I've also been participating in a CHADD exchange.  This has lead me to a lot of reading and programs out there and it just turns out that a lot of the therapies out there have elements or are full on versions of mediation.  One method  for working with teens, Collaborative Problem Solving is basically having mediation sessions with your teen.  ADHD and self coaching also use a lot of the same techniques. Communication skills in therapy are based on some of the same things.   Ta da! So now I have a place to practice my skills every day!  Which will also make me a better professional mediator.  Oh, and an offshoot of the things a mediator needs in their arsenal is a book I really love and think everyone should read just to look at how you perceive and relate to others better so here I am recommending it- The Anatomy of Peace by The Arbinger Institute.  Anyways, in a very roundabout way I have put doing the mentorship on hold till at least summer 2013, but I'm not dropping the whole idea at all, I have a lot of work to do there.

As for meditation, I find that doing meditation is helpful, but like most things in life I do it sporadically.  However, sporadically is much more beneficial than never. There are a lot of areas where you can learn to be more mindful as well which I am also exploring.   Here's a little article about one aspect of living in the moment and how it can help.  So, it made sense to me, that focusing on now gives us more immediate positive feedback.  But what if what you are doing isn't that exciting?  So my idea was to MAKE it exciting, and it does help :)/.  Another meditative exercise is dance, so I started "belly dancing" aka Middle Eastern traditional dance.  I found myself a discount outfit and some online training and went to work.  Now I do private performances for Papi only.  I know I don't look like a real professional dancer, but it is a truckload of fun and what can I say? I just love it.  So, one day I decided to even jazz up the outfit with some henna designs on my foot.  I nearly gave my mom a heart attack when she saw it.  It fades away about as fast as fingernail polish, so really, no worries!  Here's a picture.  It was also pretty relaxing to do.  I did it while watching my online course so I wouldn't get distracted.  Just one of those other counter intuitive things that works for minds like mine. :)