It may be that when we no longer know what to do,
we have come to our real work
and when we no longer know which way to go
we have begun our real journey.
Wendell Berry
Month: November 2010
Challenges
A full life is not made up of an uninterrupted succession of pleasant sensations
but really comes from transforming the way we understand and work through the challenges of our existence.
Matthieu Ricard, The Art of Meditation
When fear approaches
When your mind is reeling in confusion, breathe deeply into the centre of your chest.
Connecting to ther core of your being this way extends loving kindness to yourself , even when there is none in sight.
Ezra Bayda
Can we get a bailout from our fear?
Was listening to the radio from Ireland earlier this evening. It is striking to note how economic uncertainty generates fear, and this fear can cause so much turmoil. It shows us how much we like the illusion of knowing where we are going and get so anxious when we realize that so many things are outside our control. At times like this we can see people feeling unprepared and scared in what they see as a harsh and hostile world.
Cetainly, when times are difficult it is only natural to feel sorrow, fear, despair, confusion, discouragement, and so on. It is however, striking to note how quickly we move to think that something is wrong with us. We seem to think that it is our right to feel that things should go well for us, and that if we start to feel depressed, lonely, or inadequate, that something has gone wrong with the plan for our lives. True, it is natural to have fears that arise from time to time in response to real situations. However what we notice is that an underlying presence of fear is often in the background throughout our days and that seems to be something that we simply have to work with. We cannot turn to outside distractions to bail us out. Each day a lot of our time is often simply concerned with dealing with this presence. Our practice teaches us one way : to sit with these feelings and to see them, like other mental events, as passing through the mind, and stop them before they develop into the full-blown fear that makes practice difficult. We try to stay with the felt experience in our bodies, and separate that from the storylines which so easily arise. I know this in theory, and can do it today becaue the economic siutuation in Ireland does not affect me as I no longer live there. However, in other matters, closer to home, I do not find it as easy. I get hooked too easily in the storyline and identify with it, believing its “truths” about me and my lack of strength, and get uncertain about my direction and my goals.
Fear spreads; it is our constant companion. It seems to be the default position of our minds. Our practice is essentially how to work with it and continually soften out hearts in the face of it. Wisdom comes from accepting that good times happen and bad times happen. We try to be present no matter what.
We cannot be in the present moment and run our story lines at the same time. Impermanence becomes vivid in the present moment; so do compassion and wonder and courage. And so does fear. In fact, anyone who stands on the edge of the unknown, fully in the present, without a reference point, experiences some fear. That’s when our understanding goes deeper, when we find that the present moment can be completely unnerving and completely tender at the same time.
Pema Chodron, Comfortable with Uncertainty
Simply saying things clearly
One thing mi
ndfulness practice encourages us to make space for what is going on in our life, notice it, and express it clearly and concretely. It is a good practice in working with what is going on inside us, as well as what is going on between us and others. Simply naming can be a first step in dealing with difficult situations, as was shown in two UCLA studies which looked at the practice of labeling emotion states .
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to record brain activity, researcher Matthew Lieberman Ph.D, found that assigning names to negative emotions reduces the intensity of activity in the amygdala — the part of the brain that acts as an alarm system and sets off stress-related reactions. By simply putting a name on the distress, Lieberman says, you can wield more power over your amygdala’s activity. For example, when you attach the word ‘angry,’” he explains, “you see a decreased response in the amygdala”.
We are shown how to do this simple, gentle naming of experience in this poem by American writer David Budbill:
Say rather: Its a nice day. Pass the mashed potatoes please Look, there’s a chickadee. Your voice makes me swoon. Let’s plant the beans. I miss my dead mother so much today I want to touch your face. Clean up the mess! What’s better than a cool glass of water? I feel so sad, all I want to do is cry. What time is it? I want to touch you everywhere. Let’s go for a walk. Will you have tea with me? Let’s play some music. I dont want to die. Come visit again soon.David Budhill, Don’t Speak in the Abstract
Not looking to the past or the future, only now
A quote from the writings of Meister Eckhard, the the great genius of medieval mysticism. He emphasized the need to quieten and empty the mind of all concepts in order to deepen our understanding of what is essential. Though written from a Christian perspective in the 13th Century, these words could come from the current writings on mindfulness:
There exists only the present instant… a Now which always and without end is itself new.
There is no yesterday nor any tomorrow, but only Now, as it was a thousand years ago and as it will be a thousand years hence.
Meister Eckhard (1260 – 1328)
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