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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Fire guts house, but no one injured Are you glad the Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink is here? Hikers, bikers, riders want to coexist on Ashland Trails Ashland robotics team aims to build a winner Police Reports Education Ashland robotics team aims to build a winner AHS ranked No. 7 by Niche College debt load balloons: What could, should be done? 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In memoriam: 2014’s notable deaths Sports Latest Stories Raiders put on a show Oregon's Dargan goes from sideline to spotlight Branding: Oregon's other spread Southern Oregon to add men's soccer, women's wrestling Graham sparks Grizzly rout High school Raiders put on a show Graham sparks Grizzly rout Ashland drops MWL opener to Marist Ashland swats Yreka, braces for Marist Shibley-Styer, Malcolm lead Grizzlies to comeback win over Henley Southern Oregon University Raiders put on a show Oregon's Dargan goes from sideline to spotlight Branding: Oregon's other spread Southern Oregon to add men's soccer, women's wrestling Thirteen Raiders named scholar athletes Opinion Latest Stories Our view: Protect Ashland's crown Herb Rothschild Jr.: Fury impedes justice The Plaza phenomenon Granlund cartoon: Charlie Hebdo tribute Editor's Notes: Drop by for a cup Editorial Our view: Protect Ashland's crown Our View: A worthwhile goal Our View: Go slow on new chief Our view: Food that fits us Our View: Police are doing their job Letters Letters to the Editor, Jan. 5 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 31 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 29 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 23 Letters to the Editor, Dec. 17 Guest opinions Herb Rothschild Jr.: Fury impedes justice The Plaza phenomenon Herb Rothschild Jr.: Waco and Ferguson Chris Honoré: 2014: the best and the rest Guest Opinion: The minimum wage and democracy Revels Latest Stories Savanna at Belle Fiore Community blog: Student Poetry Contest 'Creatures' mixes edgy sound with beauty and tranquility 4 things to do this weekend Listings for Varsity Theatre and Ashland Street Cinemas Theater Insights into the gifts theater offers off the stage Theater is an act of co-creation ACT presents reading of 'The Quality of Life' Music Jeff Kloetzel at Belle Fiore The Farr Side: Top 10 album count-up for 2014 Rating old-timers’ albums from 2014 Visual Art Schneider winter exhibits on tap: 'Baker's Dozen' and 'New Works' First Friday kicks off a new year Movies Interview: Bradley Cooper discusses working with Clint Eastwood on ‘American Sniper’ Movie review: Soulful ‘Selma’ offers a new lens on history Movie review: Mike Leigh applies an artist’s touch to ‘Mr. Turner’ Movie review: Hazy, crazy Thomas Pynchon novel ‘Inherent Vice’ makes it to the screen Movie review: Timothy Spall steps up to the palette as the artist J.M.W. Turner Food and Drink Food for Thought: Wintertime wining and dining Cruelest Month: Poetry Blog Lifestyle Latest Stories Are you glad the Ashland Rotary Centennial Ice Rink is here? Life: An adventure in consciousness Dr. Murray Feingold: Separation anxiety common in adults Health Watch: Staying fit as a frequent flyer Ride & Drive: 2015 Chevrolet Trax Aging Happens Inner Peace Column Inner Peace Blog Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Photos Videos Blogs Business NEWS NOW Herb Rothschild Jr.: Fury impedes justice ... Fire guts house, but no one injured ... Life: An adventure in consciousness ... Herb Rothschild Jr.: Fury impedes justice ... Fire guts house, but no one injured ... Life: An adventure in consciousness ... INNER PEACE Make 2015 a mindful year and get more out of life Comment By Barbara Casey DailyTidings.com By Barbara Casey Posted Dec. 26, 2014 @ 3:00 pm By Barbara Casey Posted Dec. 26, 2014 @ 3:00 pm » RELATED CONTENT Share your Inner Peace --> The Ashland Daily Tidings invites residents of the Rogue Valley to submit articles on all aspects of inner peace, including intuition, inner guidance, mind t... » Read more X Share your Inner Peace The Ashland Daily Tidings invites residents of the Rogue Valley to submit articles on all aspects of inner peace, including intuition, inner guidance, mind training, courage, fearlessness, forgiveness of self or others, honesty, gentleness, humor, open mindedness, friendship, tolerance, trust, faith, kindness, gratitude, overcoming and/or accepting life’s challenges of addictions, loss, grief, pain, awareness of presence and more. Send 600- to 700-word articles to Sally McKirgan, [email protected] . • Life: An adventure in consciousness • 'No Mud, No Lotus': An opportunity • Community Blog: Communication is an Art • No barking • Mindfulness: Is it for you? » Social News When I first learned the practice of mindfulness 18 years ago, the simplicity of it fooled me. It seems obvious that we all want to be fully engaged in our lives, that we don't want to spend significant amounts of our time spaced out or distracted, missing the beauty and meaning of life in all its aspects.  I thought it would take about six months of concentrated effort to learn to stay in the present moment all the time. My report to you now is that the causes of forgetfulness in all its forms — not being satisfied with ourselves or what we have now, needing to deny or distract ourselves from unpleasantness or pain, grabbing for the next thing we think will make us happy —  is a deep-seated habit that will easily take me more than one lifetime to unlearn.  And yet, every moment of being mindful makes a qualitative difference in my life. It brings me more happiness and more ability to deal with whatever life throws my way. The art of mindful living is the most valuable skill I've ever learned, and I still feel like a beginner.  Here are a few of the results I have noticed: • less resistance to whatever challenges show up, be it bad weather or serious illness; • the ability to cultivate joy and gratitude every day; • more acceptance and love for myself and everyone; • less need to rush, to take care of things before I can relax and enjoy; • less worry about things I can do nothing about; and • a deep enjoyment of life in all its manifestations. It's because being mindful is so simple and can be applied in all areas of life that it often slips under the radar of our busy-ness and preoccupations. This is why we need reminders and tools to help us cultivate it. However, mindfulness is not just an added tool in our toolbox, like knowing how to play the piano or grow flowers. Instead, it's the joy within the experience of piano playing and flower growing; it's the joy of being present to the miracle of being alive.  Because our minds can instantaneously move throughout space and time — as I sit here in my hotel room in Hamburg, Germany, through the miracle of my mind I can also visualize and enjoy being home in windy Ashland — it is necessary to learn how to keep our minds right where are bodies are. When we explore what happens as we learn to sustain this kind of focus, we find a surprising level of peacefulness and happiness. Just a few breaths of settling into the moment can give us a qualitative difference in the experience of our lives. Maybe this happens because letting go and being present is our natural state, our birthright. It’s who we truly are.  Many people are practicing mindfulness in various aspects of life; it can be found in schools, healing professions, boardrooms and at the kitchen table. Anderson Cooper featured mindfulness on 60 Minutes last week, so it is truly a mainstream concept. Whatever our primary area of interest, we need to start by learning the basics in a supportive group. Members of Peaceful Refuge Sangha meet weekly to practice, and also offer an annual class on how to learn basic mindfulness skills. You are invited to join our Essentials of Mindfulness Meditation class to be held in January. Whether you are just curious or are already a mindfulness practitioner, spending a few hours of the new year cultivating our peace and happiness is a good way to start it.  Essentials of Mindfulness Meditation is set for 3:45 to 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 4 and 11, in the Gresham Room at the Ashland library. Everyone is welcome; a donation is appreciated. To register, email [email protected] or call 541-482-6876. For more information, go to the Upcoming Events page at peacefulrefugesangha.org . — Barbara Casey was ordained a teacher by Thich Nhat Hanh five years ago and offers classes and consultations in mindfulness meditation. By Barbara Casey DailyTidings.com By Barbara Casey Posted Dec. 26, 2014 @ 3:00 pm » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with DailyTidings.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Alerts Email alerts RSS feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 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