With the busy time of year upon us, I thought it was a good time to write about the concept of maintaining center. I know for me personally, with the hustle and bustle of the holidays and the year drawing to a close, this is always an exceptionally challenging time for me to uphold a sense of calm.

This center I'm referring to is a feeling of contentment that we strive to maintain no matter what chaos may be going on around us. Think about welcoming in whatever is in the moment, rather than riding the emotional roller coaster of life. This concept really challenges us to be in the moment. Discontentment is the polar opposite, the illusion that there can be something else in the moment. In all actuality, the moment is complete as it is.

When thinking about sustaining this calm center, you might picture yourself as a strong, tall tree which is so rooted in the earth that even hurricane force winds cannot topple it. When I teach children's yoga, we use the idea of an inner resource. We actually take time to sit quietly and picture a place; it could be real or imagined where one can feel this sense of peace, safety, and calm. What does it look like, what does it smell like, what sounds do you hear, are there other people there?

If the idea of an inner resource resonates with you, I encourage you to make this a regularly scheduled practice or meditation. It is important to tune in to this place on a regular basis. The more time you spend developing this inner resource, the more quickly and easily you can return to it simply by recalling the sensory experience of it.

Developing this inner resource reminds us we all have a place we can "go to" when we need to get off the roller coaster, so to speak. With practice, you will be able to tune in to the feeling of this special place, ultimately helping you to maintain your calm center.