#sevendaysofcalm

[mariabovindelabbe]

Hi all! ❤️ We have arrived at our last day of this seven-days-journey. Hooray! Today is also the day of releasing my new album on all major platforms (Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Music, Deezer, etc.), so I am thrilled! 🙌🏻 And wouldn't you know, the task of today and the name of the album is BREATHE. How often do you really breathe fully, taking time to fill up your lungs and then breathe out every crumble of stale air? How often do you listen to your breath as the comforting rhythm that it is? How often do you sit back and just breathe? Now to the task: set a timer on, for example, four minutes, and just focus solely on your breath. 🌬️ Alternatively, you can tune in to my album and go deep with the sounds of the title BREATHE. You decide if you wish to hear it with or without guidance, as a meditation, or as a soundscape. As usual, my music is not pop songs nor blues. Instead, it is ambient soundscapes, dreamy, and thoughtful. Through my music, I intend to share my inner landscape. And that, my friends, is, I think, the Magic of Art. Well, thank you so much for taking this journey with me. If you missed it or wanna start again - you will find it here at any time. I have loved sharing this and would love to know if you liked it and how your experience was. Don't be shy - share with us. There's always a lot to learn from others' insights. Take care ❤️ Maria. PS. To find the album, go to your preferred platform, search for my name and the title of the album, Breathe, and it'll show up. #sevendaysofcalm #invitationtocalm #dayseven #dayofrelease #newalbum #breathe #justbreathe #mindfulliving #simplicity #mindfuldrumming #mindfulplaying #dreamydrumess #drummerlife #artistlife #musicianslife #7daystogether #mindfulness #presence #newinsights #bodyawareness #mindfulbody #bemindful #mindfulnesspractice #mindfulmusician #magicofart #innerlandscape #soundscape https://www.instagram.com/p/CQX9B_Vp4-A/?utm_medium=tumblr

[ffxwriter]

8 Nov 17

Meditation is such a gift

Calm.com

7 days of calming anxiety

[mariabovindelabbe]

Hi, Sitting DOING NOTHING can be the most challenging thing, but that is the challenge today. No specific focus, just sit doing absolutely nothing for five whole minutes, or why not challenging yourself putting the timer on ten minutes? You might be surprised by what surfaces. Good luck. I am with you, and, of course, I will also do this today even though it is hard! (side note, this short phrase even though can be a game-changer when you are afraid of doing something you are scared of doing, when the expectations feel too high, or when you're nervous and rather dive into social media than facing your fear. Try saying this silently to yourself: Even though I am scared to do this, I am doing it! And then, you take the leap) As a musician, today, I am doing nothing. It's Sunday and my free day where I aim to rest my body, mind, and soul. I also plan and set an intention for the upcoming week, often with my morning coffee in bed. If the weather allows, I might sit outside. I love to listen to the birds, feel the fresh air on my skin, and enjoy the scents of the morning. 🍃 See you tomorrow for the last day of SEVEN DAYS OF CALM. I appreciate you. Much love, Maria. #sevendaysofcalm #invitationtocalm #daysix #mindfulliving #simplicity #donothing #facingyourfears #expectations #mindfuldrumming #mindfulplaying #dreamydrumess #drummerlife #artistlife #musicianslife #7daystogether #mindfulness #presence #newinsights #connection #bodyawareness #mindfulbody #bemindful #mindfulnesspractice #mindfulmusician (på/i Norway) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQVRZWmp_LQ/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mariabovindelabbe]

Hi, how are you doing? Does it feel good to take time for these daily moments of calm? (if you missed it the previous days, don't worry, today is a great day to start 😉) So, we have arrived at day five, and the topic of today is SAVOR. When you take a drink of coffee, tea, lemonade (or whatever your thing is) today, close your eyes and explore the taste as you have never done before. Investigate the savor like it is the first time in life you experience it; open up to it, merge with it. Go deep and try to describe the flavor with a few words. It doesn't have to be the "regular" words we use for tastes. Find your own. Write them down and, if you have more time, free write whatever comes up in your journal/ phone or on a napkin without judgments; what you write is not supposed to be shared or intelligent. And that is it for today. Thank you for being here. Have a savory day! 🌶 🧚‍♀️ Maria #sevendaysofcalm #invitationtocalm #dayfive #savor #tasteit #explore #beginnersmind #mindfulliving #simplicity #foranyone #mindfuldrumming #mindfulplaying #dreamydrumess #drummerlife #artistlife #musicianslife #7daystogether #mindfulness #presence #newinsights #connection #bodyawareness #mindfulbody #bemindful #mindfulnesspractice #mindfulmusic (på/i Norway) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQSt-c3Jiio/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mariabovindelabbe]

Welcome beautiful souls to day four of “SEVEN DAYS OF CALM”: LISTEN. Let's dive in. Sit comfortably, or lie down. Start with taking a deep, good breath and then direct your focus on the sounds outside your body for a couple of minutes, listen to them as if you never heard them before, open-minded, and with curiosity. After a while, shift your focus to the sounds inside your body. Those are more subtle but still, always there; your heart, the sound of your breath, organs, and joints. As a musician, today, I intend to listen from other perspectives, maybe make a recording that I'll listen to while taking a walk in the woods. Walking is fantastic when it comes to shift perspective and feed us with new insights. 🌳🌳 If you want to take it further today, you can hear my composition/meditation LISTEN from my new album BREATHE. At Bandcamp, you find it both with and without guidance. Also, Suppose you wish to buy and download the track (to a killer price). In that case, Bandcamp is donating 100% of its share of sales today to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund to support its ongoing efforts to promote racial justice through litigation, advocacy, and public education! Good for all! Have a great day! Best, 🦋 Maria PS. BREATHE releases on all major platforms (Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube, etc.) on June 21st, the day of the summer solstice ☀️ #sevendaysofcalm #invitationtocalm #dayfour #listen #listenclosely #listentoyourbody #mindfulliving #simplicity #foranyone #mindfuldrumming #mindfulplaying #dreamydrumess #drummerlife #artistlife #musicianslife #7daystogether #mindfulness #presence #newinsights #connection #bodyawareness #mindfulbody #bemindful #mindfulnesspractice #mindfulmusician (på/i Fjellstrand, Norway) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQQHGLLJkve/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mariabovindelabbe]

“Meditation is existence. When we meditate, all we are simply doing is letting go and allowing ourselves to dissolve back into that which we really are. We are merging with life and light". (Frederick Lenz) Hi, MERGE is the title of today, day three, on our journey to calm. Let us jump straight to the task: find a plant or a flower.🌿A blade of grass will do (even a picture of a plant on your computer/ phone is enough). For a few minutes, look closely at the chosen green with curiosity. See its color, shape, smell it if you want, feel it, and then imagine you merge into one with the plant. Are you skeptical about this? Well, that is also an insight. There are no judgments here. Write that down or any other thought/ feeling that arises. As a musician, my intention today is to merge with my drum. I will hold it, keep it close to my body, and listen to it as if it sings my inner song (which, by the way, I think it does). Okay? A little nudge here at the end, keep in mind our destination on this trip - to simply find calm. If you miss a day, don’t worry; instead, focus on today's task. 🌸 Have a peaceful day, 🧚‍♀️ Maria. #sevendaysofcalm #invitationtocalm #daythree #merge #beone #unity #pickaplant #mindfulliving #simplicity #nojudgements #mindfuldrumming #mindfulplaying #dreamydrumess #drummerlife #artistlife #musicianslife #7daystogether #mindfulness #presence #newinsights #connection #bodyawareness #mindfulbody #bemindful #mindfulnesspractice #mindfulmusician (på/i Norway) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQNkTIbpSnC/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mariabovindelabbe]

DAY TWO: HEART Hi. How are you doing? Any thoughts that popped up since yesterday? Doubts? Insights? Today the task is straightforward and powerful: Set a timer for two minutes. Begin with closing your eyes, take a calming breath, and put your hand on your heart. For two minutes, your only focus is your heart; feel it, listen to it. Even if you can't really hear it - imagine you do! Your heart is your center—the pulse of you. If any ordinary day thoughts pop up, tell them kindly to wait until the timer goes off. That's it. Could you write a few words about how it felt? Be aware of not judging your experience. If you feel comfortable doing so, please share how this went. I would love to know. As a musician, I will start my musical practice today by feeling my heart and its rhythm. So the heart will be my guiding and soothing rhythm today and my reminder to calm down… Thank you for practicing with me ♥️ See you tomorrow! Love, 🧚‍♀️ Maria. #sevendaysofcalm #invitationtocalm #daytwo #feelit #heartbeat #withheart #heartincenter #mindfulliving #simplicity #foranyone #mindfuldrumming #mindfulplaying #dreamydrumess #drummerlife #artistlife #musicianslife #7daystogether #mindfulness #presence #newinsights #connection #bodyawareness #mindfulbody #bemindful #mindfulnesspractice #mindfulmusician #mindfulcreative (på/i Fjellstrand, Norway) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQK-WNGJT2Q/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mariabovindelabbe]

Hi, it's day one of "Seven Days of Calm." Are you ready to do this? Do you feel motivated? I promised that this wouldn't take long, so let us dive in. Today is all about opening our minds and putting all preconceptions aside. So here is today's assignment: - Imagine for a moment that you start fresh. You know nothing. You are a beginner. With this, you got an opportunity to reset, leave stress that you don't need behind, just be. Sit with this for a couple of minutes (set a timer if you want). Then, when you are ready, write a word or two on whatever you have at hand. “In the beginner's mind, there are many possibilities; in the expert's mind, there are few.” (Shunryu Suzuki) As a musician, I will make an effort today to look at my practice with fresh eyes, not taking a single melody for granted, and approach every phrase with curiosity and wonder. Maybe practice differently, play left-handed, sitting in another place, seek inspiration from somewhere else than I usually do. You can, of course, apply this to your creative practice, whatever that is. Thank you for spending time with me today🙏🏻 I'll see you tomorrow. Maria. 🦋 PS. Don't worry if you miss a day. Mindfulness is about being in the moment. Yesterday passed, tomorrow is not here yet. The only thing we got is the present moment, the now, so everything is okay. #sevendaysofcalm #invitationtocalm #dayone #mindfulliving #simplicity #foranyone #mindfuldrumming #mindfulplaying #dreamydrumess #drummerlife #artistlife #musicianslife #7daystogether #mindfulness #presence #newinsights #connection #bodyawareness #mindfulbody #bemindful #mindfulnesspractice #mindfulmusician #mindfulcreative #creativecalling #fresheyes (på/i Fjellstrand, Norway) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQIa4hqJfTE/?utm_medium=tumblr

[mariabovindelabbe]

“There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm.” (Willa Cather) Hi. A couple of weeks ago, I felt a need for more calm which led me to commit to starting every morning, for one week, with 10 minutes of meditating and journal. It felt perfect and calmed my nervous system, in addition to making my morning more pleasant.🌿So, leading up to the release of my new album, BREATHE, I now invite you to take a moment of calm with me for seven days starting tomorrow. There is no need to sign up or any agenda besides sharing a few minutes every day this week to experience calm. Everyone is welcome. I will share a particular task every day, here and in my Universe at @patreon. It will be simple to implement wherever you are and will not take you more than a couple of minutes. However, if you wish to take the journey a little deeper, I encourage you to write any thoughts that come up in a journal, your phone, or on a piece of paper after each day's assignment. Writing down a few words every day will connect the days and make you go into a process where new insights and ideas can surface. Are you in? Maria 🧚‍♀️ #sevendaysofcalm #invitationtocalm #mindfulliving #simplicity #foranyone #mindfuldrumming #mindfulplaying #dreamydrumess #drummerlife #artistlife #musicianslife #7daystogether #mindfulness #presence #newinsights #connection #bodyawareness #mindfulbody #bemindful #mindfulnesspractice #mindfulmusician (på/i Norway) https://www.instagram.com/p/CQGidcJJzBX/?utm_medium=tumblr