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Hello.
My name is Dar Shawver.
I fell in love with meditation at a very early age. I consider myself very fortunate in that respect. I've been meditating for most of my life.
When I was in junior high I found a few books about yoga and meditation at a yard sale. I still remember the surge of excitement that ran through me. My heartbeat quickened and bats fluttered around in my stomach. I quickly snatched them up! I held them in my arm with a shirt draped over them - hiding my treasures. I couldn't believe that someone in the small midwestern town where I grew up had an interest in yoga and meditation. It was practically scandalous! And, even more so, I couldn't believe they were parting with them!
I was a little afraid that if my mom saw what I had found she wouldn't let me purchase them so when she was at the far end of the yard I made my way over to the table where a man stood tending the cashbox. I quickly placed my items on the table and grinned nervously before casting a glance over my shoulder to see that my mom was still busy browsing. I fished wadded bills from my jeans pocket and stole another glance over my shoulder. My mom was getting closer! I looked back to the man and he smiled and winked as he took the stack of books and quickly and deftly placed them into a brown paper bag that prominently displayed the name of a local grocery store. He also handed me back most of the money I'd given him. Another wink. Another smile. "I think you'll really enjoy those books. I know I did." He handed me the bag, then looked over my head and asked my mom how she was doing.
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I took those books home and devoured them! I studied them. I hung on every written word, every photo, every illustration. I practiced the asana's in my bedroom, and I sat in the floor with my legs crossed and my palms on my knees learning to watch my breath. They awakened within me a hunger for inner peace, clarity, wholeness, a sense that I belonged, a deep yearning for wholeness, a sense of belonging, and for a love that was unconditional. It was the beginning of a lifelong practice and I am so grateful for those books that sparked such an amazing adventure in self discovery. I have been studying and practicing meditation ever since.
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That early introduction to yoga and, more particularly, meditation saved my life many times over. And that is no exaggeration!
Meditation has always helped me calm down and gain perspective. Meditation has seen me through depression and anxiety, loss, fear, pain, confusion, stress, and uncertainty. More recently, my practice has been of tremendous value as I traverse the unpleasantness of chronic physical pain due to a freak dog walking accident.
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My practice helps me come home to myself. When I get still and quiet and connect to my true self, to Spirit, and to love I KNOW who I am, I KNOW that I am worthy, I KNOW that I am strong enough to face whatever comes my way.
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Life can be so incredibly beautiful, but it can also be devastatingly painful. Practicing meditation has taught me to navigate both ends of the spectrum more gracefully.
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I felt drawn to teach meditation long before I surrendered to the call, but finally in June 2016 I became certified to teach meditation and I’ve been teaching ever since – offering group classes as well as one-on-one instruction. In light of CoVID I began free guided practice Tuesday evenings via Facebook LIVE. For now, those are on hold.
I went on to continue my education receiving an advanced teaching certification in October 2017. In October 2020 I became certified as a davidji Masters of Wisdom and Meditation Teacher, and in March of 2021 I completed his advanced teaching certification program - Deeper Still. In addition to these certifications. And, I am honored to share that I graduated as a certified teacher of the two year MMTCP (Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification Program) created and led by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach in the 2021-2023 cohort. I am also a Reiki Master in the Usui Tradition and am certified to teach Ho'oponopono.
I am committed to teaching in an informed, authentic, and heart-centered way, so I continue to seek ways in which to further my own knowledge and deepen my own practice so I can share with others through a voice of experience and compassion.
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Consistency is key in any successful meditation journey. I maintain a twice daily practice for 30-45 minutes each. You might say I am heavily meditated! It's this commitment to my own practice that gives me the experiential knowledge to be an effective teacher. I haven't just learned the lingo, I teach meditation because of the direct experience of its benefits in my own life.
It would be an honor to help you explore meditation and discover how impactful a personal practice can be. By connecting to the stillness and quiet within and by becoming ever more aware of what's happening around us and inside of us, and our reactions to what we find, we re-discover ourselves. Our true selves, our pure and perfect beingness beneath the conditioning and constraints and expectations of others. We begin to re-connect with our own heart's desires and learn to live more authentically in the now. We re-learn to trust ourselves and to love ourselves unconditionally.
If there’s one thing I’d have you KNOW it’s that there is nothing wrong with you. Without changing a single thing, you are worthy, you are valuable, you have purpose, and you are loved.
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I am offering a FREE 30 minute Zoom call (or phone call) to discuss your meditation needs.
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email me to set up a time: info@inhaleexhalemindfulness.com
Meditation should always be available to everyone so no one will be turned away due to lack of funds. Contact me. Let's talk about it.
