Warm greetings friends.
As many of you are (and I fully recognize not all of you) I’m coming out of the fog of processing the huge and difficult changes happening in the US and rippling around the globe.
For many of us, it might be a time to scream or cry, maybe get some hugs or get quiet, and rest, or maybe binge some series on TV – all okay, all very real ways to express emotions. And it might not be the time to meditate for some, for some meditation is a refuge. No judgement at all either way.
A big snag for many of us right now is expecting things to be a certain way to be happy or thinking we know what will happen before it does. These are sure ways to cause stress, discomfort, suffering or as the Buddha said – Dukkha. We might through the wisdom of experience have an idea of an outcome, but we can’t be sure. I practice ‘don’t know’ mind and recently heard Ajahn Nyaniko express it as ‘can’t tell’. Mix and match them as needed. : )
Also, remember when we practice mindfulness, we are creating the neuronal pathways and strengthening the ability to be in the moment whatever the moment entails. Knowing that neural pathways are malleable and using self-reflection, we can begin to utilize skillful means to take care of ourselves and each other.
Like noticing our patterns of behavior in mind/body. This capacity allows the option of choosing to not continue those patterns that are harmful — and as importantly, to use that strength to turn towards the ability to lean into that which is helpful.
One way to carry this out is to feel thoughts and emotions as sensations in the body and not analyze them.
Sensing is cultivated and part of being embodied. Sensing doesn’t have to have words, so again it’s removing a possible story from sensations, or staying unentangled as my teacher Ajahn Amaro says in Catastrophe/ Apostrophe.
And join me at Spirit Rock if you can – either online or on land. I’ll be teaching Inner and Outer Awareness, Interoception and Emotional Intelligence, which is what I’m writing about. The ability to be aware of how we are feeling inside through sensations, is a way to stop the mind from freaking out, or overreacting.
By releasing tensions in the body caused by thoughts and emotions we can cut the cord right there, not get caught and spun in discursive thinking. We can soothe the nervous system by changing the breath, soften tightness in the body to release whatever is being held there- this has come to my rescue many times.
Please practice with me if you can, either in person or online. Let’s stay in this together.
In kindness, Jill
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