https://www.facebook.com/104284287845945/

Deborah Ferris Mindful Meditation & Reiki, Tillsonburg, ON (2026)

01/19/2026

Calm the Mind and the Emotions
By paying attention to our breath, we can calm the mind and the emotions to find deep relaxation with stillness. When we continue this practice of following the in and out breath day after day healing can happen.

"When the breath wanders, the mind is also unsteady. But when the breath is calmed, the mind too will be still, and the yogi achieves long life. Therefore, one should learn to control the breath." (Hatha Yoga Pradipka - Mid 14th Century).

So, this week practice meditating with the breath - feeling the in breath and the out breath and when your mind, body or emotions take you away, note this and let this go as you return to the calmness of breathing - natural breathing.

Wishing all of you love, peace, harmony and wellness. Wishing those who have recently lost loved ones the support and love of friends and family. Wishing peace for all sentient beings. Shanti. Shanti. Shanti.

01/12/2026

Bring More Light In
When the weather outside is 'frightful', you can always stay inside where the 'fire is so delightful...' (Song 'Let It Snow, Let It Snow'). We have had snow, rain, freezing rain and cold so far this Winter and by now some of us are ready for more light and sun.

To bring more light into our lives we can turn on a Himalayan salt lamp and enjoy its warm glow and negative ions. It helps us feel more relaxed and calm.

Of course, we can also do a healing meditation with pure white light descending from the crown and flowing through the body to the soles of our feet. This can lighten and brighten our mood and help us to find our own inner pure light.

Wishing you all the joy of a beautiful morning sunrise and the joy of watching a tiny chick-a-dee as it captures a seed and then flits quickly to a higher spot to eat the seed.

May you take the time to connect with friends and family even briefly letting them know how much you care about them. And, may your inner light expand and shine out to others.

Shanti. Shanti. Shanti. Peace to all beings everywhere. Peace to those who have recently departed the earth realm, especially Kim who was a light to many.

01/05/2026

New Beginnings
Here we are in January 2026, a new year that is open to changes and fresh new beginnings.

With mindfulness we can chart a new path one that includes our spiritual growth and opening to seeing clearly ourselves and are relationships with others.

What are your hopes and dreams for this year? Perhaps health and happiness are your priorities and maybe feeling at peace and living a life of ease vs. one of tension.

This month you might want to challenge yourself to dig a little deeper into mindfulness and lovingkindness. Perhaps you could begin a meditation practice or re-start your practice.

Experiment with sitting or walking in mindfulness for 10 minutes or longer on a daily basis. Remember some silent meditation is very beneficial to your body/mind/spirit.

Also try pausing throughout the day to check in with how you are feeling, what you are thinking and just for breathing in and out as you relax your body/mind.

Wishing you a very Happy and Healthy New Year filled with love, peace and harmony. And, when difficulties arise however small or big may you be compassionate towards your self and be mindful.

Shanti. Shanti. Shanti.

12/22/2025

Peace, Love & Harmony
Wishing you the peace, love & harmony of Reiki through the 12 Days of Christmas (December 25 - Monday, January 5). May your Christmas and the days that follow be merry and bright and may the time spent with family and friends be one of real connection.

As well, remember to take moments of pause through the day as you come into presence. Take care of yourself rather than over doing. You can always ask your guests for help.

Shanti, shanti, shanti.

12/15/2025

Rest & Restore
Just as the plants and trees are now in a state of rest, we too can take time to rest and restore our bodies/minds/spirits as we draw near to the Winter Solstice - the beginning of Winter, known as the season of Rest..

Rest can involve more than taking a nap. It includes releasing stress and tension from our bodies and minds with activities that help to restore and refresh us.

For instance, instead of watching a lot of TV news, listening to gossip or spending too many minutes texting, we can rest our body and brain by meditating for a few minutes. You can do a guided mindful meditation with soothing music that helps you find peace.

We can do a few yoga poses especially twists and legs up the wall or chair to activate our parasympathetic nervous system - that calms us and brings a sense of well-being to us.

We can spend time in nature or gazing at videos of flowers and trees and streams to help the mind and body to unwind.

Perhaps in the evening you might like to pursue some creative activity like drawing or writing or singing. Switching to the other side of your brain from the logical to the more intuitive creative part of the brain helps us to expand to more spontaneous ways of being.

This week make sure you get some of that rest and restoration time especially if you have been under the weather lately with coughs and colds and other illnesses.

Remember to have patience too for what you can accomplish in a day even if the Holidays are getting closer.

Wishing you good health in body/mind/heart and spirit. Shanti. Shanti. Shanti.

12/08/2025

Mindful Body Scan II
When doing a mindful body scan you can lie on the floor or on a bed. Watch out you don't fall asleep and if you do then do this form of meditation when you are more alert.

Reiki Blessings to all.

12/08/2025

Body Scan Mindfulness
Sometimes we may feel that we don't have the energy to sit or walk in meditation. We could choose instead to scan through the body in a mindful way.

This is an opportunity to be curious and to observe what is going on in the body. Start at your feet and notice what you sense. Does one foot feel different than the other? Is there tension, ease or maybe you don't sense anything? It's all good info.

Continue to work up the body until you get to the top of your head and then focus on the wholeness of your body not just the individual parts. This meditation can take up to 45 minutes.

Notice how you feel as you breathe in and out allowing a smile to flow from the top of your head to your feet.

Often we ignore our bodies that are speaking to us if we just tune in. Take care my friends. As the Buddha said: "Our body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care."

Wishing you good health, happiness, peace and ease. Shanti. Shanti. Shanti.

12/01/2025

Look For the Good
Today is the beginning of a new month, and this month of December reminds us that we are getting ever closer to the celebration of the Winter Solstice and the Christmas holidays.

There is a freshness to the beginning of something especially if we look for the good and beauty that is around us and within us. We might choose to see the fresh fallen snow as a delight or as one more chore on a Monday morning. Which serves us?

When we can see the goodness of a moment, a day, a month and beyond it makes us feel good or happy inside. When we only see the down side we feel gloomy.

We can give ourselves and others the gift of goodness, love and appreciation today, a new fresh day filled with 24 hours as Thich Nat Hahn has said.

And let's not forget tomorrow has been designated Giving Day. This is typically a day organized to give money and/or time to charities and non-profit agencies. It is certainly a day that we can also give a smile, share a laugh, contact a dear one and spread the gift of love and generosity around. This is such a wonderful benefit to the giver and the receiver.

Wishing you much goodness in your life and the eyes and heart to find these moments.

Shanti. Shanti. Shanti.

11/24/2025

Filling Your Well
Sometimes we might feel fatigued, drawn out or stale. When this happens we need to fill our well of self-care and the well of creativity within us.

Julia Cameron in her book The Artist's Way sets out a number of activities that can help us replenish our creative energy, spark our joy and curiosity. For instance, spending time with anything that is beautiful, such as nature, art, music and so on.

Having new experiences that interrupt our habits also sparks our joy, as does being in stillness.

Meditation can help us be in spaciousness and stillness and is an experiential time for using our curiosity -- what do we sense, observe in the moment and the next one.

Having fun and laughing also qualify as ways to fill the reservoir. These various activities are certainly part of a good self-care practice too.

Add in a dash of kindness, compassion and generosity towards yourself along with a walk in a park or the woods as you move your body and a good night's sleep are extra components of good care. And, don't forget to eat healthy foods with gratitude as you nourish body/mind/spirit.

This week you might wish to see what fills your well and notice how you feel more energized and even happier.

Wishing you happiness, wellness and peace. Shanti. Shanti. Shanti.

11/17/2025

Balance With Mindfulness
Do you sometimes feel off balance and out-of-sorts? You look out the window and see a grey sky and bare trees and it is cold out.

This is a perfect time to do some mindful yoga and meditation. Even a few minutes can help warm you up and get you grounded again.

As you begin your practice, breathe in and out deeply and feel how your legs and feet are in contact with the floor, representing the earth and sink your imaginary roots deep down so that you are feeling the stability and strength that is within you.

With hands in prayer pose or anjali give thanks for 'this new day, a fresh 24 hours and smile' (Thich Nhat Hahn, Vietnamese monk and meditation teacher's adapted gatha poem).

Continue with your yoga practice and then sit or walk in mindful meditation. You can do mindful walking meditation inside your home or outside. Focus on your breath and feeling that sense of being like a tree with roots deep in Mother Earth that anchor you through the good times and the difficult ones. Feel a smile entering at the crown of your head and flowing through every part of your body as you continue to concentrate on the in breath and the longer out breath feeling calm, strong and balanced.

Maybe this week you would like to adopt this yoga and meditation practice. If you don't know yoga poses you can find videos online or find a local class near you. Guided meditation can also be found online or find a teacher near you.

Wishing you happiness today and everyday. Shanti. Shanti. Shanti. And, may we each find the beauty in the grey sky and the blue, blue sky.

11/10/2025

Mindfulness & Nature's Beauty
Learning to be mindful is a practice and one of the most enjoyable ways to practice is spending time in nature.

On a snowy day you can simply look out the window and mindfully look at trees covered in snow or take a little foray into your garden and be present with what you see, hear, touch and feel in the moment. As you do this, notice how you feel and even where in your body you notice the feelings and sensations. Really take in these moments. You can even amplify them.

Mindfulness is an opportunity for us to be curious and to investigate the present moment and its aliveness.

Nature provides us with so much beauty that refreshes our body/mind/spirit. Going for a walk amongst trees and by water especially uplifts and gladdens the heart. It's also good for our immune system too.

This week notice the beauty of nature whether from your chair or being outdoors.

Wishing you wellness, happiness and harmony. Shanti. Shanti. Shanti.

11/03/2025

Patience in Meditation and Life
Patience has been called a virtue and it is so true as many of us find it hard to be this way.

The Buddha advocated patience whether you are sitting in meditation or living your life. There will always be ups and downs, frustrations or suffering so we need ways to help us keep our calm and cool.

Patience involves pausing before reacting, cultivating inner peace and responding with clarity and compassion to challenges and to other's actions.

When we cultivate patience we develop an understanding of our minds and emotions and how other's may act in ways that show they are suffering.

This week you may wish to notice how patient you are whether waiting in a line-up, waiting for a response from someone or having patience with your own physical or emotional skills. Work at breathing and pausing before reacting.

Remember compassion is key.

Wishing you ease and peace. Shanti. Shanti. Shanti.

Deborah Ferris Mindful Meditation & Reiki

01/19/2026

01/12/2026

01/05/2026

12/22/2025

12/15/2025

12/08/2025

12/08/2025

12/01/2025

11/24/2025

11/17/2025

11/10/2025

11/03/2025

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share