the mindful empath Michael Scott Evans

Quote:
“I have not an ounce of regret. Every link is so valuable in forming the chain that is my life. Who I am today is because of those links, and I wouldn't change any of them.”
~ Alanis Morisette
mindful empath is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.


Reflection on Regret and Present Moment Awareness:
The past has served its purpose for you, my friends.
It has brought you here, to this very moment.
All the turns and detours, the imprecise directions that turned into unexpected adventures, the bad choices and the wonderful celebrations, all of it.
It brought you here.
You COULD concentrate and emphasize the "wrong" turns or the "bad" choices, but even they brought you HERE to this divine moment, so I ask you...what use is regret?
Release that s**t.
Release that along with any feelings of guilt or remorse you might have.
Your path is your own and comparing it to others can be a source of great suffering.
Release that.
Release that along with any and all expectations, met or unmet.
In the divine magic of unlimited opportunity in THIS moment, those expectations don't serve you.
There might have been people that you've journeyed with at times that are no longer companions.
Release those feelings of abandonment. 
Maybe they veered off into a different direction, or perhaps it was you that wandered off in curiosity?
Those crossroads and worn paths are behind you now, and those decisions brought you here.
There are likely beliefs and ways of being that you've moved beyond. It is not better or worse that others are still in those places, that is part of their journey.
Release those feelings of comparison, or even superiority, that others aren't where you are.
Release the idea that where you are, RIGHT NOW, is your final destination.
There are miles to go, dear traveler.
Release those things that are weighing you down, and walk lighter.
Walk, run, dance, and along your path you might find others dancing with you. You have found your tribe. Those are the ones that will walk you home.
Enjoy the journey.
Intention:
Join me in this intention:
Today I choose to live with courage and authenticity, embracing growth over perfection..
Meditation:
To listen to the following meditation in audio form, please play below.
Releasing Regret
Find a comfortable position, sitting or lying down. Close your eyes gently, or soften your gaze if you prefer.
Bring your awareness to your breath. Feel the rise and fall of your chest with each inhale and exhale. Let your breath be your anchor, guiding you back to the present moment when your mind wanders.
(Notice any feelings of regret that may arise. Don't judge them, simply acknowledge them with a gentle curiosity.)
Imagine regret as a physical weight, a heavy stone you're carrying. Feel its density, its shape. See yourself holding onto it tightly.
(With each exhale, visualize yourself loosening your grip on the stone. Let it become a little lighter with each breath.)
Now, see a soft light filling the space where the stone was. This light represents self-compassion, understanding, and forgiveness. Let it bathe you in its warmth.
Repeat the following phrase three times as you breathe deeply…
“I am learning and growing.”
Continue breathing deeply, feel the weight being lifted and replaced with the light of self-compassion.
When you are ready, gently bring your awareness back to your surroundings. Take a few moments to integrate this feeling of release.
Remember, releasing regret is a journey, not a destination. Be kind to yourself as you practice letting go.
Cultivation:
Releasing regret is a powerful tool, and one that takes a lot of self-care and time. Here are some tips to help you along the journey!
* Acknowledge and Feel: The first step is to acknowledge the regret. Suppressing it only gives it power. Sit with the feeling, observe it without judgment. What emotions come up?
* Learn from the Past: Instead of

Week 18:The Mindful Empath Almanac
I will start recording these voiceovers so they hit the podcast feed, I hope you enjoy them!! If you become a paid subscriber you will begin to receive longer audio meditations (8 per year). The next one is coming up soon!!mindfulempath.substack.com/subscribe
Quote:
“I dwell in possibility.” ~ Emily Dickinson
Reflection:
I have wrestled with, maybe not so much recently but often enough over the years, the Christian upbringing of my childhood and my more current Buddhist/Agnostic sensibilities.
Even as a former pastor/minister within the Baptist tradition I had a challenging time with the side effects of the faith. Shame being the primary issue. For one’s faith to be central, you had to carry a deep shame of the human experience. That never sat well with me. Honestly, this post is not about that…I may save that for a different week!
One of the other issues I had with how Christian faith seemed to cling to ideas and precepts that they felt were immutable and immovable. That is most definitely contradictory to one of the central themes to Buddhism, and that is that everything changes.
Everything.
For the Buddhist, change is not just a part of life, but is a part of the Buddha nature.
So as I was struggling with these two antithetical ideas I considered…if change is the only constant, wouldn't it be wise to accept it, to flow with it, to ride its wave wherever it may go? Wouldn’t it be prudent to be as Emily Dickinson suggests, to DWELL in possibility?
Buddhists believe, and I agree, that the number one reason for suffering is attachment...or the inability to accept and process change.
The only "thing", if we can describe it as such, that does not change is the I AM, which is consciousness itself. 
This is the truth of the Judeo-Christian scriptures and tradition that has been lost and found many times throughout history. The stories that we read in the Bible, like many other religious stories before it and since, are giving us the same plot over and over again. 
God "created" man to see itself.
God "became" man to show The Way of existence.
The whole aim of existence is participation. 
This is the creator aspect still creating.
Growth is expected and should be celebrated, not condemned.
We move beyond the illusion and division that we see in the different tribal God's stories once we recognize that the true potency and power of these stories is through their lived and contextual meaning, regardless of the fact they lack literal truth.
We are missing, and dismissing, the whole point of humanity being co-laborers with God/Universe when we strip away their creative responsibility in crafting the story.
The act of creation IS divine, maybe the most divine "thing" we do, other than breathe. It is the I AM.
Intention:
Join me in this intention:
Today I choose to embrace the growth that comes with change. I will be open to new experiences and perspectives, and I will see challenges as opportunities to learn and evolve.
Meditation:
To listen to the following meditation in audio form, please play below.
Finding Flow in Change
Find a comfortable position, sitting or lying down. Close your eyes gently, or soften your gaze if you prefer.
Take a few deep breaths, inhaling slowly and completely, exhaling fully.
Bring your attention to the present moment. Notice the sounds around you, the feeling of your breath, the sensations in your body.
Imagine yourself standing on the bank of a river. The water is flowing steadily, ever-changing, yet the river itself remains.
Think about the ways change flows through your life. Seasons change, relationships evolve, and even your own body is constantly renewing itself.
Notice any resistance you might have to change. Is it a fear of the unknown? A clinging to the familiar?
Now, picture yourself stepping into the river. Feel the cool water swirl around your legs. It may be unfamiliar at first, but trust that the current will carry you forward.
Change, like

Welcome to the first of a series of 8 guided meditation+soundscapes that will correspond with the seasons. It is a good thing to notice the changes, and to understand how we can do so within our own emotional and mental landscapes.
I hope you enjoy this project!


Get full access to mindful empath at mindfulempath.substack.com/subscribe

The desire and necessity for connection is at the heart of the empathic relationship, but not all relationships are the same.

In this episode we discuss the forms and characteristics of empathic relationships.

Find me at Michael Evans: The Mindful Empath on FB!


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/empathyand/message
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/empathyand/support

Get full access to mindful empath at mindfulempath.substack.com/subscribe

We continue to discuss Growth vs Fixed mindset and specifically drill down into the temptation of certainty.

On our way we will talk about validation, synchronicities, and how we can balance these things as an empath.

Find me at Michael Evans: The Mindful Empath on FB!


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/empathyand/message
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/empathyand/support

Get full access to mindful empath at mindfulempath.substack.com/subscribe

For a long long time the conventional wisdom in the scientific community was that, at some point in maturity, human adults were unable to generate new neurons and/or neural pathways. This is not the case!



Part 5 of the Mindful Empath series. We will continue on our journey of discovery on the intersection between mindfulness and the empathic imperative. This week we will be digging into the Growth Mindset and how it can help redefine how we learn from our emotions and experiences.

Find me at Michael Evans: The Mindful Empath on FB!


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/empathyand/message
Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/empathyand/support

Get full access to mindful empath at mindfulempath.substack.com/subscribe