Make each moment
an occasion to live
deeply,
happily,
in Peace.
- Thich Nhat Hanh
Monday, May 31, 2010
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Monday, May 10, 2010
A Little Behind....
Hi everyone! I've gotten a little behind on posting on this blog.... or maybe it is that I haven't been very present in the last month or two.... maybe a little of both.
The first task I put focus on was trying to be present when as the saying goes - while chopping and carrying, or doing the daily chores of life. I found myself challenged by this, especially while folding laundry.
I would like to share what I've recently come up with.
When one is folding laundry, it it's not about a pair of socks being "exciting." It is about being present with what is REAL rather than what is imagined or made up.
One can only be 1 of 2 places, present with what is real or in the mind.
In the mind is not real, is it imagined, it is either past or future. Where are we instead.... in a disagreement you had yesterday? What I am going to eat for dinner? Where we will go on vacation. It's fine to think about these things. A decision about dinner has to be made at some point. But one does not need to be so focused on these things to the exclusion of what is really happening here and now. (For additional reading on thoughts, please see the post on Simply Spirituality, How to Make a Watch Disappear.)
My experience has been that everything begins to feel more alive..... try it and let me know what you experience in the comments section below!
Friday, March 12, 2010
A Call to Presence
By: Leonard Jacobson
To be fully awake and enlightened simply means to be fully present in the moment of now. To be present is the simplest thing. It is your natural state.
Every moment, you have a choice. Will you be present in the truth and reality of this moment or will you allow yourself to be seduced into the world of the mind? All thoughts take you out of the present moment. And then if you believe in those thoughts, which most of us do, you get lost in the world of the mind.
For most of us, we have become so habituated to thinking, that thoughts never end. They have a life of their own. We are not even choosing to think. Thinking is happening all by itself and we are simply pulled from one thought to another, never really experiencing the sacredness of this moment.
The present moment is free of memories of the past and imaginings into the future. And so the pain and limitations of the past magically disappear when you are present. Anxiety about the future also disappears. You are just here now, fully present in this moment. When you are fully present, your inner experience is one of peace, love, acceptance, power, truth and compassion. Separation and fear dissolve. You exist within Oneness.
When you bring yourself fully present, thoughts stop and your mind falls silent. But there is an even deeper level of silence waiting to emerge. As your mind becomes silent, an inner door is opened, allowing an infinite and eternal silence to emerge. This infinite and eternal silence is the very essence of your Being. It is your true nature. It is the essence of all existence. It is the eternal silent presence of pure consciousness. It is the "I AM" of you. It is that dimension of you that exists in Oneness with all that is. It is your Buddha nature. It is awakened man. It is awakened woman.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Mindfulness Quote
Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now
without wishing it were different;
enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes
(which it will);
being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way
(which it won’t).
- James Baraz
Sunday, February 14, 2010
Stillness is a Powerful Action
Stillness is a Powerful Action.....
by Leo Babauta
From Zen Habits blog
by Leo Babauta
From Zen Habits blog
It’s a bias of our culture that stillness is regarded as lazy, as being stuck in inaction, as a negative.
It’s not. It’s an action, and a powerful one.
What’s more, it can change your day, and in doing so change your life.
You’re in the middle of a frazzled day, swamped by work and meetings and emails and interruptions, or hassled by kids and phone calls and errands and chores. You pause. Stay still for a minute, and breathe. You close your eyes, and find a stillness within yourself. This stillness spreads to the rest of your body, and to your mind. It calms you, centers you, focuses you on what you’re doing right now, not on all you have to do and all that has happened.
The stillness becomes a transformative action.
Stillness can be a powerful answer to the noise of others. It can be a way to push back against the buzz of the world, to take control. It can remind you of what’s important.
How to Practice Stillness, oddly, doesn’t come naturally to many people. So practice.
1. Start your day in stillness. Whether it’s sitting with a cup of coffee as the world awakes, or sitting on a pillow and focusing on your breath, stillness is a powerful way to start your day. It sets the tone for things to come. Even 5-10 minutes is great.
2. Take regular stillness breaks. Every hour, set an alarm on your computer or phone to go off. Think of it as a bell that rings, reminding you to be still for a minute. During this minute, focus first on your breathing, to bring yourself into the present. Let the worries of the world around you melt away — all that is left is your breath. And then let your focus expand beyond your breath to your other senses, one at a time.
3. When chaos roars, pause. In the middle of a crisis or a noisy day, stop. Be still. Take a deep breath, and focus on that breath coming in, and going out. Find your inner stillness and then let your next action come from that stillness. Focus on that next action only.
Let stillness become your most powerful action. It could change your life.
“Through return to simple living Comes control of desires. In control of desires Stillness is attained. In stillness the world is restored.” ~ Lao Tzu
It’s not. It’s an action, and a powerful one.
What’s more, it can change your day, and in doing so change your life.
You’re in the middle of a frazzled day, swamped by work and meetings and emails and interruptions, or hassled by kids and phone calls and errands and chores. You pause. Stay still for a minute, and breathe. You close your eyes, and find a stillness within yourself. This stillness spreads to the rest of your body, and to your mind. It calms you, centers you, focuses you on what you’re doing right now, not on all you have to do and all that has happened.
The stillness becomes a transformative action.
Stillness can be a powerful answer to the noise of others. It can be a way to push back against the buzz of the world, to take control. It can remind you of what’s important.
How to Practice Stillness, oddly, doesn’t come naturally to many people. So practice.
1. Start your day in stillness. Whether it’s sitting with a cup of coffee as the world awakes, or sitting on a pillow and focusing on your breath, stillness is a powerful way to start your day. It sets the tone for things to come. Even 5-10 minutes is great.
2. Take regular stillness breaks. Every hour, set an alarm on your computer or phone to go off. Think of it as a bell that rings, reminding you to be still for a minute. During this minute, focus first on your breathing, to bring yourself into the present. Let the worries of the world around you melt away — all that is left is your breath. And then let your focus expand beyond your breath to your other senses, one at a time.
3. When chaos roars, pause. In the middle of a crisis or a noisy day, stop. Be still. Take a deep breath, and focus on that breath coming in, and going out. Find your inner stillness and then let your next action come from that stillness. Focus on that next action only.
Let stillness become your most powerful action. It could change your life.
“Through return to simple living Comes control of desires. In control of desires Stillness is attained. In stillness the world is restored.” ~ Lao Tzu
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Folding Laundry
I just finished folding laundry. I tried... I REALLY tried to be present with the laundry, but just how stimulating is it to be present with a pair of socks?
I even turned off the TV. Usually I sit and watch TV while I fold, just to take my mind off the folding... BUT that is exactly what this year long experiment is all about - being more present no matter where I am or what I am doing...... being with the folding and being with the socks and not, instead, being lulled off by Matt, Merideth and Al.
For those of you who know my Simply Spirituality blog I've written about my laundry folding friend. I wrote about her in the July 2009 post titled Taking Stock/Mindfulness. She folds laundry more peacefully than anyone I've ever seen! I actually enjoy watching her fold laundry because of that sense of peace she brings to it. (Yes, I know that sounds a little nutty!) I will just add that this is a very busy person with her own business, kids, pets, a house.... but when it comes to folding laundry she slows down somehow!
As a follow up, when I was at her house recently, we were in her daughter's room. My friend picked up a FITTED sheet and calmly folded it as we talked. I have trouble staying present folding the socks.... I doubt that I have ever folded a fitted sheet in any manner resembling peace or presence. In my book, that is definitely something to be over and done and finished with in as little time as possible. If there's a few wrinkles, no one will notice when you put it on the bed again! ; )
I am going to ask for tips below in the comment section. I would especially like to hear from my laundry folding friend, if she will give all of us, some of her tips and explain how she accomplishes this feat! That is if she can fit it in, in between all those other things she has going on!
Join me in the present!
Penelope
I even turned off the TV. Usually I sit and watch TV while I fold, just to take my mind off the folding... BUT that is exactly what this year long experiment is all about - being more present no matter where I am or what I am doing...... being with the folding and being with the socks and not, instead, being lulled off by Matt, Merideth and Al.
For those of you who know my Simply Spirituality blog I've written about my laundry folding friend. I wrote about her in the July 2009 post titled Taking Stock/Mindfulness. She folds laundry more peacefully than anyone I've ever seen! I actually enjoy watching her fold laundry because of that sense of peace she brings to it. (Yes, I know that sounds a little nutty!) I will just add that this is a very busy person with her own business, kids, pets, a house.... but when it comes to folding laundry she slows down somehow!
As a follow up, when I was at her house recently, we were in her daughter's room. My friend picked up a FITTED sheet and calmly folded it as we talked. I have trouble staying present folding the socks.... I doubt that I have ever folded a fitted sheet in any manner resembling peace or presence. In my book, that is definitely something to be over and done and finished with in as little time as possible. If there's a few wrinkles, no one will notice when you put it on the bed again! ; )
I am going to ask for tips below in the comment section. I would especially like to hear from my laundry folding friend, if she will give all of us, some of her tips and explain how she accomplishes this feat! That is if she can fit it in, in between all those other things she has going on!
Join me in the present!
Penelope
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