But I always think that the best way to know God
is to love many things
Vincent van Gogh
with thanks to Nicolas for the photo
Tag: Mindfulness
Living with our fears
A quote from the – always thought-provoking – teaching of Thich Nhat Hanh, who is in hospital having suffered a brain hemorrhage a few days ago, in response to the request from his community for our thoughts and support. It suggests a way of working with whatever frightens us – illness, not knowing, demands in work and life that seem too challenging, our own sense of not being good enough:
The first part of looking at our fear is just inviting it into our awareness without judgment. We just acknowledge gently that it is there. This brings a lot of relief already. Then, once our fear has calmed down, we can embrace it tenderly and look deeply into its roots, its sources. Understanding the origins of our anxieties and fears will help us let go of them. Is our fear coming from something that is happening right now or is it an old fear, a fear from when we were small that we’ve kept inside? When we practice inviting all our fears up, we become aware that we are still alive, that we still have many things to treasure and enjoy. If we are not pushing down and managing our fear, we can enjoy the sunshine, the fog, the air, and the water. If you can look deep into your fear and have a clear vision of it, then you really can live a life that is worthwhile.
photo oyvind holmstad
New and unique
No Moment is the same as any other. Each is unique and contains unique possibilities.
Beginners mind reminds us this simple truth.
The next time you are seeing someone who is familiar to you, ask yourself if you are seeing this person with fresh eyes, as she or he really is,
or if you are seeing only the reflection of your own thoughts about this person
Jon Kabat Zinn, Full Catastrophe LIving
photo EEIM
Always waiting for something to slot into place
Always our rationalization is the same –“Once this situation is remedied, then I will be happy.”
But it never works that way in reality: The goal is achieved, but the person who reaches it is not the same person who dreamed it.
The goal was static, but the person’s identity was dynamic.
Philip Moffitt
photo twilightsojourn
Getting sucked in
Mindfulness also means to remember… what? Mindfulness pulls us back to a greater living reality, reminding us that life is more than our own repetitive thoughts or fears or desires. Rooted in the present tense world of the body rather than the thoughts, the strangely named mindfulness (bodyfulness? Lifefulness?) delivers us from the hellish centrifugal force of our own egos.
Tracy Cochran, The Open Door
photo justin 1569
A story about workplaces and days
There’s a story that Ed Brown, the Zen chef , tells about his early days with his teacher, Suzuki Roshi. Ed was the head cook at Tassajara Zen Mountain Centre in California in the 1960s and was well known for his volatile temper. Once, in a fury, he went to his teacher and complained about the state of the kitchen: people didn’t clean up properly; people talked too much; people were distracted and unmindful. It was chaos on a daily basis. Suzuki Roshi’s reply was simple: “Ed, if you want a calm kitchen, calm your mind”
Found in Pema Chodron, Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change, with thanks to Bianca for the loan of the book
photo jeppestown
