| MINDFULNESS
Dear All
Meditation is like going into an old attic room and turning on the light. We then
see everything; the beautiful treasures we are grateful to have unearthed , and the
dusty corners that inspire us to say to ourselves ‘I had better clear that up’.
and relics of the past that we thought we had got rid of years ago.
We acknowledge them all with an open, spacious loving awareness.
Remember that it’s never too late to turn on that light. Your ability to break an
unhealthy habit or turn off an old tape doesn’t depend on ho long it’s been running
A shift in perspective doesn’t depend on how long you have held the old view.
When you decide to turn on the switch in the attic, it doesn’t matter whether it has
been dark in there for ten minutes, ten years, or decades. The light still illuminates
the room and banishes the murkiness, letting you see things that you couldn’t see before.
So practising Mindfulness – also called ‘Wise Attention’ – is making the choice to
step into the quiet shade instead of running away from difficult thoughts and feelings.
It’s knowing when to take your foot off the pedal – that you are going too fast.
That drivenness to get somewhere a constant need for stimulation or distraction.
Instead of being swept away by our usual conditioned reactions be curious:
notice how it feels in the body when we are fully present with what is – touching it deeply, being touched by it.
Notice, also, how many times you perform an action without really being there.
Try slowing down an everyday activity, such as making a cup of tea or brushing your teeth.
Notice your emotions, thoughts and feelings, whatever they are, and meet them with
a gentle awareness, acknowledging ‘This is happening right now, and its perfectly ok’
Or “This is a moment of suffering “, speaking to yourself with kindness as you would to a dear friend .
I wish you all well. I am hoping to try and run a half-day Mindfulness session in
the coming weeks. If you are interested in this, please let me know.
As things are at present this will take some planning. Zoom sessions may be
my next challenge – again, let me know if this interests you.
With Love, Warmth and Kindness
Sue |
