Breathe in gratitude and compassion during this guided meditation led by Julie Potiker. She completes the meditation with her poem, "Birthday Presence".

Birthday Presence, by Julie Potiker 

The air feels like spring

tucked into my sit spot

thin cotton pajamas

No jacket wanted or needed

On this late February day

Three days left in my 62nd revolution around the sun.

My eyes alight on the shrub -

Bee’s Bliss Sage.

Magenta and bright yellow blooms haphazardly strewn among grey green branches.

Unscrew the valve to my ears,

Allow noise to rush in.

California Quail sounds troubled

Song Sparrow, Mourning Dove and Bewick’s Wren respond - all is well.

Hummingbirds helicopter trees and shrubs

Sucking nectar

click and buzz as bees.

Unwrap this gift of noticing

Breath it in, deep

Allow it to fill jagged cracks

Hold it close

Gently, dear, gently

Holy…holy…holy

This Sabbath prayer.

Find out more about using mindfulness in everyday life through Julie's books, "SNAP: From Calm to Chaos", and "Life Falls Apart, But You Don't have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm in the Midst of Chaos". Both are available on Amazon.com.

Follow Julie on YouTube and Facebook at Mindful Methods for Life.com

This podcast is available on iTunes, iHeart, Blubrry and everywhere you listen to podcasts.