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A Georgia Grown Farm since 1987. STRAWBERRIES available around April 1 PEACHES available around May 10 FRESH PRODUCE available daily Connect with us today! @dickeyfarms @dickeyfarmsinc 3440 MUSELLA RD. | MUSELLA, GA 31066 | 478-836-4362 | DICKEYFARMS.COM At Dickey Farms we strive to continue to keep our customers & employees safe! T his month I invite you to take five minutes to reflect on your meaning of growth, self-regeneration and resilience. What does that mean for you? What obstacles have you overcome? Reflect on what barriers you have yet to shatter. Spring is here, new life is budding and we are crawling back to what may feel like normal. Has your perspective shifted? How have you grown in the face of adversity? e powerful symbolism of the lotus flower reminds us that no matter our surroundings, our roots are strong. e lotus emerges from murky waters. Despite what is going on inside, even if our waters are muddy, we will thrive. Just like the exquisite flower, we have the potential to live beautifully. Mindfulness is present-moment awareness. Set a timer for five minutes. Find a comfortable sitting or standing position. Focus on this moment. Bring your awareness to your body and where you may be holding tension. Relax your shoulders and lengthen your spine. Relax your jaw, soften your gaze or perhaps close your eyes. Bring your awareness to your breath, your heartbeat and the rising and falling of your chest. Remind yourself of a struggle you have overcome or one you are facing now. With each inhale, hold the challenge. With each exhale, release it. Let your breath LOTUS MEDITATION BY MARIA ANDRADE guide you; reminding you that, just like your breath, time flows automatically. Next, capture your lotus by bringing your palms together with thumbs pointing toward your heart and fingers extended up toward the sky. Slowly begin to press your thumbs and pinky fingers together while expanding the rest of your fingers away from each other. Create the lotus shape with your hands; light and beauty emerging from darkness. Breathe into the lotus you've created. Breathe into your obstacle. Imagine yourself growing out of that challenge. Inhale deeply as you extend your arms up while pressing your thumbs and pinkies together. Move your gaze up with your arms until your arms are completely extended above your head. Lift your heart. Lift your gaze. Focus on your thumbs. Exhale completely while bringing your hands back to your heart. Continue to inhale, extending and lifting, and powerfully exhaling down. Slow your breath to a rhythm. Inhale as you count 1-2-3-4 hold; exhale as you count 1-2-3-4 hold. Repeat, and increase your breath to a five- count. If you're comfortable, increase to even a six- or a seven-count. During the next few weeks, play with increasing your meditation timer to six, 10 or 15 minutes. Explore your breath; perhaps up to a 10-count inhale hold, 10-count exhale hold. Play with counting down. Follow your breath until the timer goes off. May the power of the Lotus Breath fill you, energize you and remind you of your abundance and resilience. Maria Andrade is the CEO and director of training for ABC Breathe. Learn more at ABCBreathe.org, or by contacting her at 478-361-7246 or maria@abcbreathe.org. 144 maconmagazine.com | APRIL/MAY 2021