At Home in the World

One thing leads to another, in our practice as well as in our lives. Sometimes our minds like to divide things up into separate and discrete parts, but when we take 100 steps back we begin to see that everything is connected into a single unified tapestry of life.In this 21-minute guided practice, we begin with deep relaxation. This quiet space leads us toward breath awareness and eventually into the possibility of reshaping our mood by reshaping our breath. Breathing practice - in this session an exploration called “box breathing” - leads us toward the calm of meditation. And then, beautifully, the steadiness and ease of meditation leads us right toward the heart into lovingkindness practice. Call it relaxation, call it breath work, call it meditation. Or, just call it practice. A practice that helps us remember who we are and how we want to live our lives. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

When is the last time someone encouraged you to move in a way that feels joyful? When is the last time someone suggested you do more with your body than follow someone else’s rules about how to stand, how to eat, how to breathe? Has anyone ever suggested that you explore the possibility of moving and breathing and resting with delight?In this 25-minute practice we'll explore the joy of movement - the quiet happiness of moving the body in a free and easy way, with no agenda other than savoring the sensations of life as they pass through us. We'll let our bodies out of their cages to roam the landscape with curiosity and freedom, and we'll observe how this exploration changes the mind, the mood, the body and the breath. We have been well-trained since childhood to follow the call of the outer world, to be good students and good sheep. Maybe it’s time we recover our inner agency and reclaim our inborn wisdom. We may be surprised by how our lives bloom when we spend a little more time listening inward, learning more about who we are and how we most want to spend our days. The whole world may come alive as we rediscover the simple joy of being here, now… present and moving through the world with ease and quiet delight. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

The world offers us innumerable tools to help us stay bright and steady even among the challenges of life. The ancient mystics were experts at unearthing and developing these tools to help us find our way.For centuries, spiritual adepts have used the breath to shift the inner workings of the nervous system in ways that bring us into balance. They developed breathing techniques to amp us up when we are feeling lethargic and they refined techniques to calm us when we are feeling over-activated. Some of their techniques require years of practice and refinement, but some are simple and accessible to us all.In this 12-minute practice, we’ll explore the quiet power of the breath to help guide us toward a calmer way of being. We’ll practice what I like to call the cleansing breath - a long, slow and easy exhalation - to help return us back to our saner and steadier way of being. We’ll let a few rounds of cleansing breath lead us right into a space of quiet relaxation. We’ll return to a state of being where we feel rested, restored and at home. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

The promise of spiritual practice is that it will help us find our way toward a deep and lasting sense of peace in ourselves and the world. Call it enlightenment or nirvana or wholeness or wellbeing. The hopeful proposition is that there is a way of being that embodies profound wakefulness and also deep equanimity, even in the very same breath.Buddhist master Thich Nhat Hanh called this inner wellbeing the “island of self,” and he urged his students to return to this quiet refuge every day. “If you don’t go home to yourself, you continue to lose yourself,” he wrote. “You destroy yourself and you destroy people around you, even if you have goodwill and want to do something to help. That is why the practice of going home to the island of self is so important. No one can take your true home away.”This 22-minute reclined practice - with gentle movement, easy breathing, and a return the here-and-now - explores the possibility of reconnecting with our own inner refuge. Sometimes it doesn’t take much to nudge us out of confusion and in the direction of clarity and calm.The ultimate teaching, of course, is that peace is already here, that we don’t need to go searching for it. Making sense of this koan is advanced practice, for sure. How is it possible that the very thing we are seeking is already nestled deep within us, just waiting to be found? With devoted practice, day-by-day we move ever closer to the answer. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Here’s a news flash: You already know how to breathe! Your body is exquisitely tuned to know just when and how to inhale and exhale. Even though we are primed in our culture to look for answers outside of ourselves, here’s an opportunity to try something different.Put aside the breathing books and instructions (for a little while, at least, in the name of curiosity and investigation). Stop counting breaths. Stop holding breaths. Stop manipulating or micromanaging. (No worry, you can return to these techniques - which do have their place - later.)Instead, in this restful 21-minute session, settle into the beautiful rhythms and melodies of your own body, as you inhale and exhale without a drill sergeant watching over you. Let the breath go and let it be. Take a lighter approach. Learn about your own signature “breath print.” Trust. Be curious and be amazed.And, of course, relax. The more we allow the body to settle into a restful and easy space, the freer the breath becomes. With each muscle that unclenches, with each ounce of tension that melts away, we move closer to that organic and whole-bodied breath we were born with. As we unravel holding patterns and long-held armoring, we make room for the return of our natural, responsive, full-bodied way of breathing. And when that happens, our whole being smiles and sighs in relief. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

What a relief to have a practice to return to when the waters of life grow choppy. What a gift to remember to turn away for a little while from the news of the world and reclaim our inner sense of steadiness and light. And what a balm to restore our whole beings to a place of tenderness and ease, to remember the way back to unshakable wholeness and light.I hope that you, too, find these practices to be little life rafts that help keep us afloat. I hope that you find the simple act of lying down, exhaling, and settling inward to be a wise and necessary act, in good times and in bad. I hope that you, too, find your practices to be good friends always ready to soothe the soul.This 27-minute practice offers gentle reclined movements for the hips and the shoulders that help create spaciousness within. We surrender into the moment, we relinquish stickiness and stagnation, and we welcome into our beings a sense of tenderhearted vitality. Slowly but surely, breath by breath and stretch by stretch, we find our way back to calm and clear state of being.Some sages define nirvana, or enlightenment, as “an untroubled mind.” My wish is that these practices nudge us in that direction. May we learn to remain wholeheartedly engaged in the wider world, while at the same time maintaining an untroubled mind… calm, steady, bright and free. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

In this go-go modern world, our nervous systems are easily thrust into overdrive, leaving us perpetually exhausted and out-of-sorts. We need strategies to help us downshift into a steadier, calmer way of being in the world.In this 12-minute relaxation practice, we nudge the body, mind and spirit in the direction of equanimity and ease. We lie quietly, settling into the peace of the present moment while inviting our whole being to rest. We let a few easy breaths smooth out the wrinkles of the day, with a smile and a sigh of relief.Living well requires energy. It takes effort to muster up the strength and creativity to thrive. If we want our lives to feel less like drudgery and more like delight, we need to take good care of ourselves. We need to refuel, replenish, revitalize. Resting deeply isn’t a sin - it is self care. So go ahead. Lie down for a little while, exhale, and let everything be. Remember what it feels like to be a body at rest - alive, awake and at home in the world. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Settling close to the earth each day - relinquishing our burdens and allowing our bodies to feel held - can be such a balm in this busy and unpredictable world. We nudge our lives from a state of frantic doing toward the clean, clear relief of pure being. In this quiet steadiness, we begin to see more clearly what is true and what matters most.Through gentle movement, a little quiet, and a whole lot of letting go, this 22-minute session invites us to exhale deeply and reclaim our inner sense of ease. We come back home to our bodies, to our lives, and to the earth that holds us all.These moments of quiet tenderness help our days flow a little more smoothly, leading us in the direction of wholeness and wellbeing. We reclaim our sense of amazement and adventure. For a little while, at least, we remember how it feels to be more curious than afraid of the world within us and also the world beyond. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Sometimes we just need a break. The world has had its way with us, perhaps, and we need a little time to rest and recover from the challenges of the day. We need time to calm the nerves, quiet the breath, and warm the heart.In this session, we’ll take a 20-minute pause. We’ll leave the busy world behind and settle into a quiet space within. We’ll expand our awareness beyond the thinking brain and toward the sensations of life as they pass through us. We’ll downshift the nervous system and rekindle a sense of presence and possibility.So lie down onto the ground - or perhaps nestle into your favorite cozy chair - and let everything go and let everything be, for at least a little while. After relaxing for a spell, you will likely return to the world refreshed and replenished, and still tethered to the quiet places of peace that make their home within. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

In yoga philosophy there is a belief that life - at its most basic level - is comprised of an endless flow of subtle vibrations. All creation is said to hum with pulsation, with a wavelike alternation of rising and falling, of reaching and returning, of becoming and being. The flow of these subtle vibrations is called spanda in yoga philosophy, and much of our practice is about settling into these waves of life with an ever deepening clarity and ease.This 27-minute reclined movement practice explores the lovely ways that life is expressed through us, as we move and breathe and rest. We explore the possibility of rooting - of reaching and of returning - in ways that key us into the springy and wavelike flow of movement both within and beyond us.Like waves, we aren’t meant to only rise or only fall. We aren’t meant to only reach out and never return home. Our lives are expression of the beautiful play of ebb and flow, of movement and stillness, of giving and receiving, of self and other. In each moment, we are invited to participate with delight in the ever-changing flow of life. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Look outside your window. What’s the weather like right now? Now, look inside yourself. What’s the weather within? Are you running hot or cold? Is the sun shining or is this a rainy day? Are your thoughts stormy or serene? And is your vitality shining brightly or hiding behind a few clouds?In this 14-minute guided meditation, we’ll consider our inner weather patterns. We’ll watch the energetic weather pass across the landscape of our bodies. We’ll sharpen our powers of perception to sense more clearly the sensations, feelings, thoughts and energies moving through our inner worlds.Seeing clearly helps us tend to the world with wisdom and compassion. Holding close to the truth of what is - whether we like what we find or not - allows us to make clear-eyed decisions about how to respond with ease to the ever-changing weather of our lives. Through this process, we begin to understand that happiness depends not on living in a world of perfect weather, but rather in knowing how to gracefully accommodate - and maybe even enjoy - whatever weather comes our way. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Our inner bodies need space in order to move with ease and strength. Alas, sometimes the world conspires to leave us feeling strangled and stuck inside, as if there’s not enough room for the rivers of life to flow freely. Thankfully, gentle movement can help.This 21-minute guided practice dives toward the body’s core, exploring gentle movements that help cultivate a long and spacious spine. We begin on our backs in “constructive rest” position, with the knees bent and the feet on the floor. Tuck a pillow under your head if you like, and adjust in any way that feels appropriate for you. As always, please stay within your comfort zone throughout the practice. If any movement causes strain, then stop, soften, and move in a happier way.A little self-care goes a long way. If we want to be bright citizens of the world, we need to take good care of ourselves - physically, mentally and emotionally. We need to stretch and move and rest like the good animals we are. We need to connect in loving ways, both within and beyond. When we commit to taking good care of our lives, we nourish the rivers of happiness and vitality that flow within us all. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Every spiritual practice, one way or another, brings us back to our own good hearts and the love the shines forth from within. We may not join a yoga class because we want to soften our hearts. We may not begin meditating because we want to cultivate goodwill. But in some mysterious bit of spiritual magic, these practices transform us into kinder and more compassionate human beings.The Buddhist practice of lovingkindness, or metta meditation, offers an explicit pathway to cultivating good heart. In lovingkindness meditation, we call up images of people in our lives and we send wishes for happiness and wellbeing in their direction. We may not know for sure whether these wishes change others, but we very quickly learn that they can change us in profound ways.In this 19-minute guided practice, we’ll explore a variation of the traditional Buddhist practice of lovingkindness meditation. This contemplation is a little more free-form than is often taught, but I hope it brings a smile to your face nonetheless. We settle into a restful position and reclaim our own good hearts. We rest and breathe and be. And we befriend the world, moment after moment, one heart to another. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Modern life is loud and busy and crowded. It’s filled with non-stop energy and bright lights and startling noises. If we could, it seems, we’d likely keep the sun at high noon all day and all night. It’s exhilarating, for sure. But it can also be exhausting, especially for those of us who crave a little peace and quiet from time to time.In this 20-minute movement practice, we nestle onto the ground, exhale deeply, and rest in the quiet of pure being. We explore the calm, grounding energy the Taoists call “yin,” which balances the sunny and stimulating energy of “yang” we all know so well. Thoughts slow down, the body relaxes and the breath returns to its baby-like ease. These movements feel like moonlit nights and cool, cleansing calm. They are refreshing and restorative, and they nudge us back to a soft and settled way being. They are the perfect antidote to our loud, fast and over-caffeinated world. And they guide us back home to our most steady and faithful way of being in the world. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

We all need opportunities each day to slow down and simplify, to create quiet pockets of time and space in which to settle the nervous system and calm the heart. In these restful moments, we recover a sense of spaciousness and ease. We turn down the volume of our lives and linger in the open skies of the here and now.When we make room each day for at least a few moments of rest - downshifting from fast forward into neutral - our whole lives flow a little more smoothly. We breathe more freely. We see more clearly. We respond to the stresses of life in kinder, gentler ways. We feel more at home in our lives and in the world.In this 11-minute guided relaxation, we allow the great healers of time and space restore us to a sense of wholeness and ease. We befriend earth, we become sky, and we savor the space in between. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Japanese poet Koboyashi Issa, who was born in 1763 and penned more than 10,000 haiku, wrote two poems that are perfect for this oh-so-slow time of year. First, the sweetest four-word poem ever: Snail always at homeAnd second, just eight words: Oh, snail, climb Mt. Fuji, but slowly, slowlyThis 25-minute movement practice takes its inspiration from Issa and his snails. We move slowly, in no particular hurry, enjoying every sensation along the way. We explore the possibility that life is best savored slowly and with delight. And we breathe and rest in the faithful knowing that wherever we go, we are already home. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Sometimes even grown ups need a time-out. The busy-ness of the world exhausts us with its noisy, frantic pace. We feel our nerves fraying, our heads pounding, our patience slipping away. There is such wisdom in giving ourselves permission to turn away from life’s cacophony from time to time, so that we may turn inward toward the quieter rhythms of the heart. This 21-minute session offers just such a break. The invitation is to rest in any position, in any place where we can settle with a sigh of relief. We relax into the here-and-now, and we return our nervous system to a state of balance. We practice, as meditation teacher Jack Kornfield calls it, “benevolent rest.” In some strange and topsy-turvy logic, this willingness to turn away from the world every once in a while becomes a superpower that allows us to be more effective citizens in the world. In relaxing our tight-fisted grip, in reclaiming our breath, in settling our nerves, we return to a state of clarity and wellbeing. We remember what matters most and we remember who we really are. And then guided by this vision, we rise up with a smile, ready to resume our good work of loving, caring and connecting with the greater world. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

This is the perfect moment for rest and restoration. The busy season has passed and winter’s stillness has firmly taken hold. We are free to relax, to exhale, to immerse ourselves in well-earned peace and quiet.In this 20-minute exploration, we move a little, we breathe a little, and we do a whole lot of nothing. We settle into life’s slower rhythms, we wait patiently, we trust the process of deep rest. We explore how gentle movement and spacious stillness can be potent healing balms.Practices like this feel like magic. Not much seems to happen as we gently slip this way and slowly stretch that way. But by the end we’ve somehow sloughed off long-held angst and agitation, and we’ve been returned to our calmer and steadier self. What a relief! Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Life is a series of endings and beginnings. We never fully arrive at constancy or solid ground. Why not embrace this ever-changing flow, swimming with the current instead of against it, and maybe even enjoying the trip downstream?In this 18-minute quiet contemplation we’ll say goodbye to what has passed, welcome all that lies ahead, and rest with whole heart in the here-and-now.This moment, after all, is the only place life flows. Anchoring our lives in the experience of the present, with a spirit of welcoming acceptance, is the secret to living in happiness and peace. When we commit to taking good care of the present, the future has a way of taking care of itself. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

In one of his most famous poems, Rumi says, “This being human is a guest house.Every morning a new arrival.” The poet urges us to consider every emotion that comes knocking on the door of our awareness with a spirit of openness and curiosity. “A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.” he says. “Welcome and attend them all!” (Read the whole poem here.) I love this image so very much. I imagine us going about our lives, puttering about in in our slippers, and then hearing the doorbell ring. I imagine us heading toward the door with eagerness rather than impatience or even dread. I imagine us graciously greeting whoever stands at the threshold, offering a warm smile and a welcoming spirit.What if we treated every experience in our lives with such reverence and respect? What if we welcomed everyone into our field of awareness with whole heart, even - and perhaps especially - the ones we’re not sure we want? Most days, this may be a bit of a stretch. But, doesn’t it also sound like an enlightened way of being in the world?In this 25-minute gentle flow - interspersed with a generous helping of what meditation teacher Jack Kornfield calls “benevolent rest” - we’ll continually revisit the inner sensations of our lives as honored guests worthy of our attention. We’ll nudge ourselves toward accommodating with warmth the experience of the moment, moving beyond simply loving or hating every sensation we meet.And maybe, through this experience, we’ll find ourselves settling just a little more faithfully into the guest house of our lives - welcoming all that is with respect, curiosity, and tenderness. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

The breath has long been considered a potent gateway between our outer and inner worlds. Climbing into its rhythms can help us find our way back to deeper waves of life as they pass through us.In this 15-minute session, we explore the power of the breath to steady the mind, calm the body, and bring our awareness to the here-and-now. We aren’t trying to change the breath in any way - as we would in yogic pranayama practices. We simply allow the breath to flow naturally and without strain. We use it as an anchor for the mind in a meditation practice. We simply allow the breath to help us feel awake in the moment and at home in the world.This practice - first shared in my long-ago CD Mindful Breathing - offers a gentle introduction into basic breath awareness. It can be done seated in any comfortable position, or even lying down if you want to rest more deeply. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

We spend so much of our lives rushing from one event to the next that we forget there is another way to live. We forget that it’s possible to move through our days with steadiness and ease. We forget that we don’t always have to race breathlessly, full-speed ahead.Practice gives us an opportunity to remember what it feels like to slow down, to exhale, to be. Practice helps our sticky habits (like the habit of speed) release their grip and maybe even slip away. Practice lets us explore alternative ways of moving through our lives. And it gives us the skills to shift from fast to slow and then - when necessary - to fast again. What a relief to discover that we have a choice, that there are many ways to live and move and breathe.This 25-minute practice is slow, steady and restful. It is a gentle movement practice with a meditative focus. Or, alternatively, it may be a meditation practice accompanied by gentle movement. Or maybe it is both. Either way, it is an opportunity to downshift our nervous systems and return us to a less frantic and more gentle way of being in the world. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Open awareness meditation is very simple: We rest our attention with the simple experience of being alive in the moment just as it is. We rest quietly and attentively, noticing the shifting sensations within us as life passes by. We draw the mind out of its endless parade of thoughts and judgments and fears and grudges, and we return ourselves to the direct experience of being fully present, right here and right now.This 7-minute practice - recorded outside at Kingwood Center in Mansfield, Ohio - is a short and sweet introduction to the practice. The instructions are simple: rest your mind in the experience of the present moment with a welcoming and curious spirit. Settle your mind on the raw ingredients of life, practicing what the Buddhists call “bare attention.”This practice can be a good friend to call upon whenever the mind feels tangled up or overwhelmed. Resting in pure awareness brings us back to life, waking us up again to simple joy of being fully present, energized and alive - at home in the body, in this breath, in this moment, in this world. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

We spend much of our lives fixated on the past and the future, and this habit has a tendency to perpetuate suffering. We rehash the past. We fret over the future. Our minds spin round and round trying to make sense of the world yesterday and life tomorrow.And yet, the only place we have true agency and power is here. The only time we are able to take action is now. With feet firmly planted, with eyes open wide, we change the world one moment at a time, in acts large and small. We counter hatred with love. We answer deception with truth. We combat disregard with deep care. And no matter what, moment by moment and step by step, we remain committed to our primary mission here on earth: to ease suffering and cultivate love on behalf of all beings everywhere.Sages the world over have taught us that the present moment is the ideal touchstone. Whenever we feel stressed or lost or uncertain, coming back to our senses right here and now can help us find our way. We breathe in and we breathe out. We sense our fingers and our toes. We move our bodies this way and that, paying close attention to the sensations that accompany each stretch.Through these actions, we settle the nervous system and steady the mind. Life comes back into focus and we see more clearly who we are and how we want to move through life. We return to the loving, wise, clear-hearted beings we are always meant to be. We recover the unshakeable peace and unbreakable wellbeing that allow us to live with wisdom and compassion. In being fully present we see most clearly the proper path forward.This 30-minute practice helps us settle into the balm of the present moment. We rest a little, we move a little, and then we settle into stillness some more. We watch what happens as we return our attention to the sensations of life passing through us. Breath by breath, we are returned to ourselves: bright, vital, potent and clear. We shift out of then-time into now-time. We climb out of fear and we return to love. We relinquish small-mindedness and we sense deep communion. We expand our identity, our compassion, our care, out beyond little time-bound mortal me and into the wide open sky of we, of us, of the whole wide world. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

It can be such a relief in the midst of our busy lives to give ourselves permission to set the to-do list aside and slip into resting mode, even for a little while. We settle into our favorite cozy spot - on the ground, in bed or in our favorite chair. We turn our gaze inward and we practice the fine are of letting everything be, just as it is.What a relief! The world will spin on without us and it will be there for us when we return. In the meantime, for just a few moments we soften our clenched fists and release our fierce grip on the reins of life. We return home to a sense of unshakable wellbeing as we remember our deep connection with the greater flow of life.This 12-minute guided relaxation offers an opportunity to practice resting deeply, even amid the busy-ness of our lives. Our bodies soften, our nervous systems settle and our minds grow clear. We remember who we are and how we want to live, in love and connection with the vast flow of life. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Wise souls tell us that time and space are great healers. Slowing down and waiting patiently, they teach, can allow stress to slip away and feelings of wellbeing to re-emerge from deep within. Moving mindfully in slow, simple, steady ways can help us find our way back to these feelings of ease and peace. Little by little and stretch by stretch, our bodies grow calm. And as the body settles, the mind begins to steady, too. It turns out that we don’t need to head to the far ends of the earth - literally or metaphorically - in order to recover feelings of spaciousness and ease. Sweet, slow and simple works! In the moment it may feel like not much is happening. If you are the high achieving type, your brain may even wonder why you aren’t doing more. But there is beautiful magic at work here and when we emerge, we feel restored. Time, space and presence have shaken loose our ill-will and aggression, and have restored our clear-minded, warm-hearted way of being in the world.Those of us who have befriended these gentle, attentive and unhurried practices sometimes wonder how others make it through the day without them. These easy stretches and gentle movements - accompanied by patience and presence - become good friends that help us reclaim our steadiness and ease, each and every day. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Meditation teacher Ram Dass was famous for saying, “Be here now,” an instruction that lies at the heart of all mindfulness practices. If we want to shine brightly, if we want to show up for our lives, we need to keep our awareness tethered in the present moment. This is easier said than done, of course. The mind tends to get tangled up in distraction and delusion remarkably easily. Lucky for us, we have many beautiful practices that help us find our way back to the here-and-now, the only place where life can be truly lived. We move, we breathe, we contemplate, we see. We train our minds to spend less time trolling in the past or skipping into the future. We remember what it feels like to be here now - fully embodied and fully present. This 11-minute guided relaxation practice is designed to help us shift into a quieter, clearer state of being that settles us into the moment, just as it is. Little by little, we nudge our minds toward the simple delight of resting quietly and paying attention to life as it passes in and through and beyond our beings. What a relief! Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

As I write this, we are settling into the heart of fall. The world is growing quieter - and, perhaps, so are we. We sense a stilling within, a settling of our energies inward.And yet, we’re not quite ready for hibernation. We still feel life stirring and we still feel a need to move and stretch ourselves out into the world. In this lovely space we are invited to inhabit the middle ground, the place where movement and stillness meet, where doing settles into being, and then being rises back into movement. And on and on and on.This 15-minute reclined movement practice explores these various energies, along with the possibility of saying yes to them all. We explore possibility of settling in and down, while still maintaining a sense of inner agency and freedom. We say yes with one way of being without saying no to the other. We affirm the possibility of simply enjoying the sensations of being alive, right here and now. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Hatha yoga classes traditionally end with a guided relaxation called savasana, or corpse pose. After having moved the body and freed the breath, we rest in stillness. Within this quiet space, we cultivate a steady, rich awareness that helps us feel deeply alive in the moment and utterly at home in the world.In many ways, the entire session leading up to the last few minutes of yoga class is preparation for savasana. In the more active portion of class, we move and breathe and release tension, so that when we come to stillness at the end of class, we are primed to open to the clarity and tenderness deep within.This 10-minute guided relaxation is, in fact, a savasana from one of the yoga classes I offer each week. (It even includes a little birdsong and a gentle rain shower.) I hope it gives you a taste of contentment, even if you haven’t enjoyed a session of mindful movement beforehand. Or, better yet, stand up and move gently for a few moments, and then settle onto the ground for what I hope will be a tasty dessert.A few quiet moments feel like a balm and a gift, especially amid the din of our busy world. Just a few moments of rest nestled into the folds of our lives can reset our bodies and our minds, helping us cultivate steadiness and light even amid the challenges of life. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

We begin the process of settling into a state of calm by bringing the body and mind right back to the present moment. This simple act of cultivating embodied presence changes everything.Adding gentle movement to this quiet presence helps us release even deeper tension held within our muscles, tendons, bones and breath. Moment by moment and movement by movement, we are returned to a profound sense of wholeness in our bodies, our minds and in the world.In this 36-minute gentle movement session, we turn away from the busy events of the day and remember that right here is where life happens. We rest, we move quietly, we watch and we listen. After a little while, we return to to the world feeling calmer, brighter and more like the person we were meant to be. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

There is a common misconception in the world of yoga and other somatic disciplines that if we want to harness the true power of the breath we need to huff and puff in huge and aggressive ways. We are taught to sound like Darth Vader as we vault from one yoga pose to the next. We are taught to hold our bodies taut and then gulp big breaths of air… as if bigger is always better and more is always best.Beautifully, there’s another way to breathe that can be even more potent and restorative. Ancient adepts suggested that we relax deeply into a state where the breath can be slow, steady, quiet and nearly imperceptible to the outer eye and ear. Sometimes called the subtle breath or the embryonic breath, this tender-hearted approach can leave us feeling relaxed and also quietly revitalized. It feels like a gentle breeze on a lazy afternoon.This 14-minute practice offers an introduction to this subtle way of breathing and being in the world. What a relief to remember that less is often more. What a relief to shed our need for speed and over-caffeination. What a gift to explore the possibility of letting the body, breath and mind grow deeply calm… simple light, spacious and free. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Mostly we lead lives of distraction, bouncing from one thought to another. We spend a whole lot of time in our heads - thinking, ruminating, planning. This endless parade of thoughts can easily lead us toward a deep sense of depletion - sometimes even exhaustion. We get so tangled up in our small-minded preoccupations that we lose touch with the greater flow of life.It’s good to have a brain, of course. But it’s also good to remember that we are so much more than simple thought machines. We have bodies that move and breathe and reach out toward one another. We have hands that create and legs that carry us and hearts that keep life flowing into every cell of the body. We have eyes that take in beauty and ears that listen to the sounds that tell us we are here, now, awake and alive. The practices of embodied wisdom - yoga, meditation, qigong and modern somatic disciplines, too - have the power to return us to a wider range of human experience. They remind us how to enter the stream of deep awareness, of heartfulness, of love, so that we can feel awake in each moment and at home in the world. This 32-minute guided practice offers a taste of the ways that embodied presence can cultivate vitality and light. It is slow, quiet and improvisatory. It nudges us, little by little, toward steadiness and calm. Through practice we unearth the deep and life-giving vitality that comes with living fully and attentively in the here-and-now. Something shifts when we climb out of our heads and back into our bodies. Life blooms when we are reunited with the deep and natural intelligence that flows through all creation. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Taoist sages long ago created beautiful and evocative maps of our inner worlds to help us cultivate deep wakefulness and profound ease. Their imagery was poetic and profound. Their visions offered a path inward, in ways designed to help us find our way back home to wholeness and peace.This 19-minute meditation (with a little bit of movement) explores what Taoist masters called the three heavens within us. These heavens, sometimes called fields of elixir, are said to serve as reservoirs of potent energy and vital essence. By nurturing the energy flowing through these three heavens, Taoist masters taught, we can cultivate strength, peace, longevity and love.Whether or not you believe that heaven is within you (not to mention three heavens!), exploring these three regions of the body can be both soothing and enlivening. Sometimes by simply placing our hands on our bellies we can sense some inner ease or unease, some sense of being settled or a little off. Sometimes when we place our hands on our hearts we can sense warmth or coolness, buoyancy or depletion, lushness or a sense of feeling parched. And when we rest our hands on our brow, we might sense congestion or thickness or deep blue peace. More and more I find myself astounded by the natural intelligence that seems to flow not just within us but through the whole universe. There are ways of knowing and being that are bigger and wiser than our small passing thoughts. We short-change ourselves when we are lulled into believing that our conscious thoughts are the sole source of intelligence. Maybe we would be wise to widen our vision just a bit.Perhaps there’s a good reason that we instinctively place our hands on our bellies when we have a stomach ache. Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised when we touch our hands to our chests when we are deeply moved. And any parent knows that there is something big going when we rest a cool hand on the warm brow of an ailing child. Maybe those old masters were on to something, after all.Mostly, it seems, we just have to make room for this wise presence in the world to let it flow in fullest form. We need only pause, grow quiet and listen for the song of life to reveal itself to us, note by note. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

We spend so much of our lives thinking, planning, replaying, figuring things out. Sometimes we even begin to feel like one big brain with a body whose job is simply to carry around all of our thoughts.We are so much more than our puny thoughts and it can be such a relief to remember this from time to time. Embodiment brings us back to life - to real life in its full range of experience and feeling and sensation. Embodiment tethers us to the here-and-now, to the feeling of being awake in this moment, connected to all of the other lives that are also living right here and right now.We know how to be fully present in the world when we are babies and small children. But often as we grow up we lose touch with this sense of being alive in not just our brains but our bodies, too. We sense that something vital is missing from our lives. And then we do crazy things like sign up for yoga classes (or even listen to guided audios!) to help us find our way back home to a deeper sense of presence in the world.This 30-minute guided practice offers an invitation to return to our sensing, feeling, breathing and perceiving way of being. Through gentle organic movement, we remember the sheer delight of being able to move through space. We explore the possibility of riding the waves of life as they pulse through us. We remember how to trust our deeper intelligence, how to climb out of habits and ruts of own making. We remember how to shine. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Befriending the earth is a beautiful practice. We lie down, close to the ground, resting in stillness and perhaps even gliding through a few quiet, earthy movements. In the midst of so many challenges in the greater world, settling back into the arms of Mother Earth can be such a relief. We reconnect with the greater flow of life and remember how good it feels to invite equanimity and ease into our beings.And, beautifully, as we hand ourselves over to the embrace of gravity, the earth not only holds us close, but she also somehow magically buoys us upward again into the arms of the great blue sky. Earth and sky… they are good friends and they are good teachers, too.This 13-minute guided meditation explores these possibilities of both grounding and rising. We are invited to melt into the earth, we are invited to bloom into the sky, and then we consider the possibility of embracing both in the very same breath. Lucky for us, we don’t have to choose one over the other. In fact, we can’t really choose one or another. We get to be friends with both. We are invited to be as steady and faithful as the earth beneath us. And, in the very same breath, we are invited to be as clear and spacious as the sky above. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

The body is our portal to the present moment. The body only exists in the here-and-now. Any time our thoughts fly back into the past or forward into the future, we leave the body’s sensate experience of the world. We become dis-embodied.Sages teach that if we want to recover our deepest vitality - if we want to truly shine - we need to recover our sense of being alive in our bodies in the here-and-now. We need to return to the intelligence and wakefulness that pulses through every cell within. We can’t just think our way into feelings of wholeness and wellbeing.And so in this gentle movement practice - as in all of our explorations - we use the body as our home base. We return to our senses, to experiencing the world through bone, muscle, breath, sound, sight, skin. We remember how to feel our way into life, in addition to thinking our way through. Not only does this cultivate a quality of wakefulness, but also it brings us back to the deep ease of wholeness and balance. We return home, both in the body and in the greater world. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Sages teach that the secret to living happily is to rest with ease in each moment, with a sense of openness and freedom. This is easier said than done, of course, but with practice we can nudge our minds in that direction.This 20-minute guided practice offers an opportunity to settle into the moment, to let go of excess tension, and to offer goodwill toward ourselves and the world around us. We learn to befriend what is, in our bodies, our breath, our mind and our world.Just a few moments each day of letting go of our busy-ness and to-do lists can nudge us back toward sanity. We rest our minds and our bodies in the here and now. We remember who we are and what matters most. We reconnect with our truest selves, our deepest loves and the light that shines everywhere. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Many eastern spiritual traditions embrace and elevate the possibility of tranquil and open-hearted spaciousness. Through practice we are nudged toward a place of both uplift and ease. It’s not fancy and it doesn’t draw attention to itself. And yet it feels so open, so free, so right. This possibility is embodied in the comments of one revered monk, when asked what enlightenment felt like. He responded, “Lots of space, nothing holy.”In Japanese, this possibility is called yutori, or tranquil spaciousness. Yutori invites us to slow down, to listen deeply and to be fully present in our lives. We are gently led in the direction of openness and freedom, even as we are nudged to release the constriction and smallness that we so often carry within.In this 27-minute movement practice, we explore the possibility of stretching our way into spaciousness and freedom, both in our bodies and in our lives. This exploration is done lying down on our backs, resting on the ground or another supportive surface.As always, let my suggestions be invitations rather than instructions. Stay within your comfort zone and avoid movements that cause discomfort. Feel free to move in any way you like, carrying the practice into new, interesting and spacious ways that feel just right for you. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

One of the great gifts of contemplative practice is the ability to drop into the experience of the moment without demanding that it be anything other than it is. With this open-hearted attitude, we rest in the greater flow of life and savor the experience of simply being present in the moment to enjoy the passing show. This experience can be deeply restorative, as we let go of habits of grasping and micromanaging and insisting that life play out a certain way. It can also help us connect to something far larger than our own small lives, reminding us that we are bit players in the vast story of the world.This 18-minute practice offers a taste of this experience. We settle into the moment and savor the invitation to rest deeply in the sensations of being alive. We let the quiet vitality we sense within soothe and revitalize our spirits. And then we return to our lives feeling brighter, clearer and once again at home in the world. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Gravity is our friend, yet we spend so much of our lives fighting its primordial pull. In the struggle we miss the opportunity to cultivate deep connection, soul-satisfying rest, and an unshakeable sense of vitality and ease.In this 22-minute practice we’ll explore the possibility of befriending the earth in ways that release tension and cultivate renewed energy. This gentle movement practice can help nurture feelings of balance, well-being and ease.The earth receives us and holds us. It offers us a place of deep rest and steadiness. By settling into its arms we are invited to let tension melt off our bodies so that we may soften and settle into ease.The earth also has the power to gently energize us, to offer us a bright vitality that can buoy us upward and outward into the world. And somehow, magically, with just a little nudging from us, the earth knows just what we need in order to slip toward a more balanced way of being in the world. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Meditation can be a good friend as we navigate the ups and downs of life. The practice is simple: We train our mind to behave in wholesome and supportive ways. Refining the practice can be a lifetime’s journey.In this 19-minute guided meditation, we explore the fundamentals of mindfulness meditation. We settle into the body, steady the mind, and then spread our awareness outward into the world around us. We watch what happens when we rest with loving awareness in the embodied experience of being alive.There are lots of ways to meditate and it’s worth exploring a range of approaches until you find one that works well for you. Typically, I begin with an anchoring practice - a deep focus on just one thing - until I sense my mind growing calmer and steadier. When and if that happens, I relinquish my hold on my chosen anchor and allow my awareness to spread outward in all directions, awash in the vitality and vibrancy of the here-and-now.A meditation anchor can be any object of awareness that holds the mind’s attention: the breath, sounds, a mantra, an image, and more. Your chosen mental anchor is like a chew toy for the restless puppy dog of the mind, keeping it occupied with a more wholesome activity than habitual thoughts and worries. After a while, the anchor coaxes the mind to grow quiet enough that we can see clearly and rest with ease among the lovely vicissitudes of life.You may hear some rhythmic rumbling sounds toward the end of the practice. That’s when my cat - a meditation master for sure - settles onto my lap and begins purring. Feel free to purr right along! Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Life has a way of leaving us bent out of shape from time to time, a bit less clear and whole than we might like. Sometimes we need a little help finding our way back to ease and peace. A few moments of quiet presence can bring us right back home to our selves, reminding us who we are and how we want to be in the world.This gentle 14-minute movement practice offers just such an opportunity. It is explored on the ground, lying on the back, although a cozy bed might work just fine, too. A little rest, a bit of easy breathing and a small helping of movement all help us shed tension and reclaim ease. I hope that you, too, find that these few moments of grounded presence have the power to reshape the contours of not just your day, but of your whole life.These practices are such a gift, when we hold them close. They have the power to keep our eyes open, our hearts clear, our spirits bright. They can so easily nudge a stormy day toward peace. They only work, though, when we actually do them instead of just plan to do them, or perhaps just think about doing them. They require us to muster up the energy to roll out our mats or climb onto our cushions, to dive into the movement, the stillness, and the deep sigh of relief. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Even the Dalai Lama agrees that the purpose of life is to be happy. But what exactly does that mean? What constitutes happiness and how do we find our way there?Does happiness come from savoring a fresh raspberry as it bursts on the tongue? Does it come from a sense of mission in one’s broader life? Or does it come from sensing a deep and radiant connection between our small self and the vast Self of the world? Yes, yes and yes!In this 19-minute practice, we’ll explore three important pillars of happiness: pleasure, purpose and peace. This is a restful and meditative practice that could be explored sitting upright or perhaps tucked in a cozy chair with a cup of tea.Spending time contemplating the experiences and relationships that bring us alive can incline our minds toward a deeply embodied sense of happiness and wellbeing. This sort of contemplation can also cultivate clarity about aspects of our lives that might need a little tending and care. My hope is that returning to this practice from time to time might shine new light on the pillars of happiness in your own life. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

The sages of ancient China envisioned a world comprised of two complementary and interconnected types of energy. Yang energy is bright and uplifting, while yin energy is cool and steady. Yang sometimes is described as the sunny side of the mountain where the light shines brightly, while yin is offered as the shady side of the mountain where the air is moist and cool.In our culture we are often primed to embrace the bold energy of yang, while perhaps steering clear of yin’s darkness and depth. But the ancient sages taught us that yin and yang can’t exist without each other. We need to nurture both, they taught, in order for our lives to flow with true vitality and health.Everyone needs this healthy balance of yin and yang in their lives. It is said that women in particular - and especially women as we age - need to nurture strong reserves of quiet, cool, nurturing energy in our lives.This 28-minute movement practice, done in a reclined position close to the ground (or perhaps nestled in bed), offers a taste of the quiet and restorative energy of yin. The movements are slow and gentle and almost liquid in quality. The emphasis is on yielding and harmonizing, with no feeling of aggression or ambition or heat.Yin isn’t weak or static, but rather flows like the current of a river deep beneath the surface - with quiet strength and steady purpose. In the heat of summer, this watery coolness can feel especially delicious. We enjoy the brilliance of the light blooming all about us, even as we savor the cool, quiet moments that quench our thirst as we rest in the shade. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Amid the busy-ness of life, we all need reminders to give ourselves a break from the world’s frantic pace, so that we can give our minds and our bodies a chance to return to the healing balm of the present moment.In this 10-minute guided relaxation, we’ll take a beautiful time out. Just settle into a comfortable position, exhale deeply and let everything go. Let the world spin off as it likes, as you practice self calm and self care.Whether meditating on a cushion, practicing savasana at the end of a yoga session, or settling into a cozy chair, a few moments of peace and calm can help us return to our more balanced and steady selves. And when we grow quieter within, we are able to see more clearly the truths of our lives. And that, in turn, allows us to act from a place of deep love, on behalf of both ourselves and the wider world. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

How would it feel to move like water? What sharp edges of our beings might soften if we allowed ourselves to shift and slip and swirl in soft and liquid ways? What might loosen, what might fall away, and what might emerge out of such a way of being in the world? My hunch is that our bodies and our minds might grow softer, easier, freer.In this 25-minute guided practice, we’ll stay close to the ground and invite the body to unravel and stretch in gentle, fluid ways. We’ll let this liquid movement erode our harsher edges, leaving us softer and calmer. And perhaps we’ll re-emerge feeling restored and rinsed clean.Water yields instead of fights. Water shape-shifts in ways that accommodate boundaries and barriers. Water ebbs and flows without resistance or complaint. Water responds to the world around it, never insisting that life be anything other than what it is. Its fluidity allows it to accommodate the truth of each moment. And its yielding nature is a source of deep strength. What a good teacher and a good friend! Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

We spend so much of our lives looking outward to the world around us. Every once in a while it can be such a relief to turn our gaze inward instead for a little while. Closing the eyes and refocusing within can help us quiet the nervous system, recharge our batteries, and return us to what matters most in our lives.In this 12-minute practice, we’ll consider the lovely possibility that we have a garden within where we can rest and savor the moment. We’ll call upon our powers of imagination and imagery to create a quiet oasis inside of us. Consider this a meditation, perhaps, or an opportunity to practice deep rest.Sit upright if you like, or rest back in any comfortable position. You might even be able to do this while strolling through your favorite garden. Feel free to toss out any of the words or images that don’t ring true to you. And, of course, head off onto your own inner journey any time you like. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Settling onto the earth marks the beginning of our connection to the wider world. Gravity binds us to the ground and invites us to release, to root, to relate. Through this, we sense an expanse of life beyond the narrow confines of our small bodies. We sense denseness, solidity, steadiness. We come to know the deep power of the world below.And once our bodies become good friends with the earth - feeling held, swaddled, weighty and solid - we open our eyes to the sky above. The sky fills us with possibility, with lightness, with a yearning to reach out and up and beyond. The sky beckons us toward adventure into the world of action and connection. We reach, we expand, we explore.Between these two primary elements - earth and sky - our lives flow. We come into relationship with gravity and with levity both. We enter into a joyful and lifelong conversation between the rock-solid steadiness of ground beneath and the transcendent freedom of the space above. In this 22-minute practice, we hand ourselves over to the earth, softening and settling downward. And then we rise up and out into the spacious freedom of the sky. We breathe and move in gentle and organic forms, exploring the way we serve as a living bridge between what lies beneath and what soars above.Earth. Sky. Down. Up. Inner. Outer. Through our explorations we cultivate an ever deepening sense of wholeness, including all of life into the sphere of experience. And wholeness, of course, is what allows us to finally feel at home in the world, in this breath, right here and right now. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

Most spiritual traditions include vocalization as a ritual that bridges head and heart, inner and outer, self and other. We sing, we chant, we recite sacred texts. We do this in bright happiness and also in deep grief. Waves of sound pour out of us as expression, as benediction, as prayer.This 18-minute session explores one of the simplest vocalization strategies: humming. The ancient yogis found humming so powerful that they elevated it to a formal practice called bhramari breath, or buzzing bee breath. The instructions are simple: Soften your body, close your mouth and hum as you exhale.The practice is easy, portable and deeply steadying. It can be considered a breathing practice, a meditation practice, and even a movement practice as we explore the subtle sound vibrations rippling through the body. In just a few moments of focused practice, bhramari breath has the power to calm the mind, soothe the spirit, and offer a gentle buzz of uplift and delight. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe

The modern world loves extremes, but age-old wisdom points us toward the middle way. The excitement of heading to the far edge of the world can wake us up, for sure. But, oh, what a relief it is to let go of the need to be on fire in order to feel alive. There is nothing quite like the sweet relief of coming home to ease and balance, to the discovery that not much needs to happen in order for us to feel happy, right here and right now.In between too tight and too loose we warm to the possibility that we already have everything we need. We notice that we don’t have to travel far from home in order to feel content. We consider the possibility that less is sometimes more. And blessedly, our expectations of ourselves and the world begin to soften just a bit. Sometimes we even embrace the possibility that good enough might just be enough.This 35-minute movement sequence embodies the possibility that we don’t have to travel to extremes in order to cultivate balance and wellbeing. Lying on our backs, close to the ground, we commit to soft, easy, pain-free movement. We relinquish some long-held beliefs and welcome some new ones. We let go of the “no pain, no gain” mentality. We cultivate flexibility of mind and heart. And when this happens, we settle toward a state of of profound peace and ease, at home in the very middle of our lives. Get full access to At Home in the World at claudiacummins.substack.com/subscribe