Worry? Me?!

Accepting impermanence is often quoted as a key to adopting and embracing mindfulness.

Easier said than done. If I had a penny for every time I worried about things that might/could happen I'd be very rich.  It's hard not to think about the ifs and the maybes. Harder still if you're the type of person who is loyal, empathetic... Sound familiar?

So do we just not give a thought to the what ifs and the maybes? Do we live for the moment, not dwell on what's happened and just wait to experience everything as it happens?

This is the joy of mindfulness. There isn't a definitive answer here. It's about making the most of things; embracing the ups and downs; accepting that sometimes things don't work out - and sometimes they do.

I'm a list maker, I'm a planner, I like to know what's happening and I like to be able to have some modicum of control about how my life goes. But I also know that s*&7 happens and the best laid plans can go astray.

I don't know exactly what I'm gung to be doing a year from now which is both scary and liberating. Does that even make sense? What I do know is that what's happening now is good so I'm going to make the most of it.

Am I going to worry about what may or may not happen? Probably, but it is what it is. What I do know is that I will carry on enjoying the love of family and friends, change of seasons, friendships , the local area . 

Enjoy being.

And breathe through the worries...

October Wordcloud

 

I do rather like these, it's interesting to see the ebbs and falls of the words each month.

Mindfully being kind

I found out this week that the image below is an ancient symbol for mindfulness: 

I read that the top of the character is symbolic of the roof of houses in Japan and represents protection and presence- sound familiar? This is the Japanese character for house:

The lower part of the character  (under the 'roof') is representative of the heart. This is the Japanese symbol for heart:

These two characters of 'mind and heart' combine in the character for mindfulness and it struck me as particularly beautiful as it really captures the meaning of mindfulness as so much more than 'being present' or 'awareness' but implies the meaning of mindfulness as being awareness from the heart.

How beautiful.

 Now I am not an expert in Japanese characters in the slightest so I have endeavoured to fact check this and haven't found anything that states that I have made an error so I am hopeful that my reading is accurate.

For me this supports my whole approach to mindfulness- being kind, being thoughtful and aware of how we all impact the world around us. I think too often mindfulness is compartmentalised, categorised and put into 'boxes' which say how, when and where to 'do mindfulness'. I see it as something far more transcendental.  It is about living, listening, caring, appreciating, sharing, loving...  And something that is too big to be easily defined. 

I will continue to share my thoughts and experiences of mindfulness but will almost certainly be giving a lot more questions than answers. What does mindfulness mean to you?  Is lt possible to live mindfully in the busy 21st century?

Can you choose kindness?

 

 

It's not all about meditation

 I have been asked to talk at a WI meeting next year. Plenty of time to think about how to go about it.

I can't help thinking about how Tony Blair got it so so wrong with an audience of the WI and the dearly departed queen got it so right HM Elizabeth II

I won't be talking politics and I am not a British monarch so won't have the level of expectation that would have met those two, but I do feel a sense of responsibilty to not mess it up! 

As part of my mindfulness course ( MTTC ) I was able to have a 1-2-1 session with an experienced Dharma teacher, Suchitra Senoy who gently listened as I shared my thoughts.  I haven't yet got a plan (I don't think I need to do 3 months ahead of time!) but I am feeling confident that I can share some insights and give some practical takeaways to the group.

Mostly I intend to demystify and myth bust and show the positives and benefits of living mindfully.

Maybe I will share a recipe at the end too ;) And that isn't me trying to be 'cute'. Go with what I beleive in, share things that I have experienced and show that mindfulness is so much more than meditation. 

It's October

 With the onset of Autumn and darker evenings and mornings there's been a noticeable change in the daily chit-chat .

'irs so cold / dark/ grey/ wet/ grim,' and so on.

I must admit that getting out of bed when it's pitch dark and chilly isn't my most favourite thing to do.

BUT ( and it's a big but) consider the alternative... What if today was the last day you had? What if the words you say to someone are the last you say or the last they hear.

Sometimes a good old moan is just what's needed , but with each anniversary of my journey around the sun I feel increasingly fortunate to be here, to have my loved ones , to have the luxury of being able to moan about the things that don't really matter. 

Mindfulness: noticing what's happening now, being aware , doing kind things. These bring a sense of calm and peace. I've had more journeys round the sun than I have left ( unless something pretty phenomenal happens with medicine !) and I want to live and find pleasure in things that can go unnoticed. 

I won't lie, dark mornings and evenings aren't my favourites, but blankets , candles, fires, hot chocolate and even more blankets are great! And all that rain is filling up the water butts nicely on the allotment! 

Being kind to yourself- a story

 This month I have been receiving a daily email from Shamash Alidina (here ) and it has been a great point of focus during the working week to read the email and take a few moments.  

Moving forward this is something that I may do on the blog- a weekly update perhaps with a meditation. I will work on that idea...

In the meantime, I would like to share the story that Shamash sent out last week as it's been one that has resonated particularly well for me trying not to let the old impersonator syndrome come to the surface as a newbie at work.

Enjoy

***

Once upon a time there was a water bearer who carried two pots of water to his teacher each day.

Each day he would walk to the nearest stream, fill both pots with water, and walk back, one pot on each side of a pole he carried across his neck.

One pot was cracked, and so by the time the water bearer reached his teacher, it was only half full.

This continued for two years, with the water bearer only bringing one and a half pots of water.

The perfect pot was proud of its achievements.

The cracked pot was sad that it could only do half the job it was supposed to do.

One day, the cracked pot said to the water bearer, ‘I feel so upset and ashamed. I’m imperfect and I can’t hold a full pot of water. What use am I to anyone?’

The water bearer told the cracked pot to look on the ground as he carried it.

The cracked pot noticed the most beautiful wild flowers and plants on its side of the path.

The water bearer explained, ‘When I realised you were cracked, I decided to plant seeds on one side of the path, and every day, as you leak, you water that side of the path.

If you weren’t cracked, these gorgeous flowers wouldn’t be here for all to enjoy.’

Moral of the Story: Sometimes you may think you’re not perfect, or your mindfulness practise is not perfect, but how do you know?

This story goes to show that even a cracked pot can be seen as perfect just as it is.

In the same way, you’re perfect just the way you are, with all your imperfections – they’re what make you unique.

So, thank you for being a cracked pot!

***

How to be busy and mindful.

 New job is now a couple of weeks in and I am getting used ( slowly) to being the newbie at work. Plenty of opportunities to practice mindfulness!

I'd be lying if I said I was feeling on top of everything; and why would I be anyway?! So many things to take in. But taking a mindful approach and, perhaps most importantly, catching myself when I start to overthink/overplan is what I have been, and intend to carry on doing.

The standing posture when waiting for the photocopier or in the staffroom waiting to get to the coffee, the walking from one classroom to another, the time between, before and after the lessons. Coming home and really enjoying the cup of tea in the garden ( thank you late summer sun) or inside are all times to stop and just be. All of these are manageable during the busy day. Why is there so much emphasis on being busy all the time. I have gone down that road. I choose the path of taking more time to notice and act, to think and reflect, to respond not react - and when I take an unexpected turning I'll go with it and see what occurs and deal with it at the time. 

Back to the title- how to be busy and mindful; be a little less busy and a little more aware of the taste of the cup of coffee/tea, take time in a queue to breathe and just be in the moment, go outside ( even in the rain- have a coat!) and be kind to yourself and those around you.

This is one of my favourite quotes and I will unashamedly keep sharing it.