Welcome March! There’s so much to look forward to in the next four weeks! I am ready to enjoy dishes created with the bounty of spinach, broccoli, and green beans all in-season this time of year. I am ready to rejoice in spring and bask in the light of longer and warmer days ahead. And I am ready to share my mindfulness pick for this month. This one will put me in touch with nature, literally. It’s an activity that I hope will turn a chore into a productive, yet meditative practice. But first, let me tell you about my finger snapping toe tapping mindfulness experience in February.
Wearing my brand-new black leather Capezios, I began learning the fine art of striking my heels and toes to create patterned sounds, turning my feet into little percussion instruments on a matted floor in a mirrored studio every Wednesday evening. Toes. Heels. Cramp Roll. Step. Touch. Flap. Brush. Spank. Dig Shuffle Ball Change. Crawl. Maxie Ford. Irish. Paradiddle! Combine and repeat! Enrolled in a Beginner’s Tap Class, I now understand these terms and can perform all of them…well, mostly.
These lessons have certainly surprised me in more ways than one. First off, I’m the only student who has never taken a dance class. Not only that, but all others have taken tap as a kid, even the two men in our class! Second, even though I am the oldest, I can proudly hold my own. And the third revelation became very apparent after the first 15 minutes of the Introductory class. Although tap may look easy to do, it…is…not!
From my journal: February 4, 2026, Newbury Park, California
“…what a work out! Harder than I thought it would be. Every single muscle in my body feels it!”
Arriving the first time at our local performing arts academy, I had visions of Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and Gregory Hines dancing in my head. How they gracefully moved in time to the beat and rhythm of music. However, once class began, I noticed how I moved. Let’s just say, it differed greatly. This is when I had to put myself in the shoes of a student. Hard to do as a former teacher! But once I reminded myself that progress comes with patience and practice, I was able to be more present.
From the moment we began our warmups to the final number performed at the end of each one-hour session, I was totally immersed in tapping! Feeling different parts of my feet, moving forward and back, and shifting my weight right to left, I was aware that my body was in constant motion. Watching and following along with my teacher’s every footstep, and seeing others around me, I was aware of being one part of a whole. Hearing our teacher call out each instruction in time to the music, I was aware of the beat, step, and direction to take. And in between routines, I could hear more subtle sounds. Those were of bonds being formed with encouraging words, exclamations, and laughter filling the room.
Yes, tap dance definitely qualifies as a mindfulness activity, as it requires a total be-here-now mindset and amplifies the senses. Added bonuses include strengthening the brain and body connection through constant movement. As well as, improving memory with memorization of routines and combinations, and more brain stimulation from the varying tap sounds. Given all of this, I have signed up for the rest of the semester, so I will be happily tapping my way through June!
Moving on into March, I plan to spend more time in my Zen garden, located on our side yard. It’s one of my favorite outdoor spots. Triangle shaped, this space is contained on two sides by our house and an ivied wall. A bottle brush and palm tree, along with nandina bushes secure the rest of its borders. The entrance is announced by a ten-foot weathered arbor that leads to a curved flagstone path over a bridge, ending at a teak bench. Symbolizing abundance, contentment, and happiness, a four foot Laughing Budda with his smiling face and rounded belly stands to one side welcoming guests in. Plunk down in the middle is a beautifully branched privet tree providing shade in warm spring and summer months. Succulents and geraniums grow in pots throughout. Serene and quiet, it’s a space close to heaven.
Now I could have chosen to meditate in this area as my mindfulness activity for March. However, I’ve decided to connect with nature in a more hands-on way there. Each week this month, I will be digging deep, getting my hands a bit dirty, while weeding out my garden.
Why you may wonder? There’s the practical aspect, honestly, it really needs weeding. But there’s the meditative reason as well. I believe the physical act of touching the plants and ground cover, smelling the blossoms, and hearing nature all around will support me in the present moment. Metaphorically, I like to think of weeding as an intentional act of removing unwanted things, similar to letting go of negative thoughts. And I hope the repetitive motion of weeding things out and tidying things up will help me shift this task into a practice, one that will keep me focused, centered, and grounded.
A Journal Journey 