Tag: Stress Reduction

The open space

Karl Duffy6 Comments

File:Wicklow Mountains National Park Glenealo Valley 02.JPG

Yesterday was a lovely Spring morning and I was driving through the beautiful countryside of Co Wicklow to start an MBSR Course in Arklow. The mountains in the distance, the lambs playing in the fields, and the brightness of the light made it easy to feel a mind that was spacious. When that happens I find that I do not struggle with life as much. And our meditation practice is simply that – letting the mind settle, become more spacious and resting in that.

There is a foundation for our lives, a place in which our life rests. That place is nothing but the present moment, as we see, hear, experience what is. If we do not return to that place, we live our lives out of our heads. We blame others; we complain; we feel sorry for ourselves. All of these symptoms show that we’re stuck in our thoughts. We’re out of touch with the open space that is always right here.

Charlotte Joko Beck, Nothing Special

photo j h jansens

Teach us to sit still

Karl Duffy4 Comments

Still-Water

For the Week that is in it, an extract from TS Elliot, Ash Wednesday:

Blessed sister, holy mother, spirit of the fountain, spirit of the garden,
Suffer us not to mock ourselves with falsehood
Teach us to care and not to care
Teach us to sit still
Even among these rocks,
Our peace in His will
And even among these rocks
Sister, mother
And spirit of the river, spirit of the sea,
Suffer me not to be separated

And let my cry come unto Thee.

Where else

Karl Duffy2 Comments

Primula_aka

If you are unable to find the truth right where you are,

where else do you expect to find it?

Dōgen

Noticing thinking

Karl Duffy1 Comment

busy44

It flows on without stopping
Through thousands and thousands of turns.

“A moment before thought” is
Already wrong thinking.

To try to say anything more
Is embarrassing.

T’aego, Korean Zen master, 1301–1382

.

Doing each thing well

Karl Duffy1 Comment

File:Seattle Pagdiriwang - child playing with rice.jpg

To know the ten thousand things,

know one well

Miyamoto Musashi, 1584 –  1645,  The Book of Five Rings

photo joe mabel

Is it good or bad?

Karl Duffy3 Comments

File:S1-.jpeg

We can never fully know the meaning of what is happening to us now. Life-defining moments often become clear only in hindsight. We often miss what is in front of us by leaning too far into the future, or having too fixed a plan for our life. Cultivating a “Don’t Know” mind helps us allow things unfold in their own time.

There was an old man with a small farm in China many years ago. He had one son, who did most of the work on the farm and a neighbour, himself old with a son.

One day the old man’s horse ran off, and the neighbour, seeing this, said, “How terrible, your horse has run off, now work on your farm will be so difficult.” To this the old man replied, “Maybe good, maybe bad, we’ll see.”

The next day the old man’s horse returned leading a group of wild horses, and the neighbour, seeing this, said, “How wonderful! You have many horses, now you have great wealth and may live easily.” To this the old man replied, “Maybe good, maybe bad, we’ll see.”

The next day the old man’s son was thrown from one of the wild horses and broke his leg, and the neighbour, seeing this, said, “How terrible, your son has broken his leg, now your work will be doubled as nurse and farmer.” To this the old man replied, “Maybe good, maybe bad, we’ll see.”

The next day the king’s men came to the farms seeking all able men to fight a distant battle, and the neighbour, sobbing as his son marched off, said “How fortunate you are for having an injured son, mine will surely perish.” To this the old man replied, “Maybe good, maybe bad, we’ll see.”

A Taoist Tale