Knots in your stomach, angst in your head

Try this the next time you have any anxiety and repeat it daily; it takes ten minutes and it will change your life. It's called Mindfulness Meditation.

Sit in a chair or upon a Zafu (a cushion, like a pillow for meditating). Close your eyes and focus soley on your out in and out breaths. YOu may say a gatha (short verse) like breathing in I am calm; breathing out I release all concerns all anxiety. or simply focus on your breath. When a thought comes acknowledge it but let it go; like the water in a stream.

In the Buddhist tradition and in Contemplative Psychotherapy training, we nurture mindfulness through the practice of sitting meditation. There are many different kinds of meditation. For example, some are designed to help us relax; others are meant to produce altered states of consciousness.

Mindfulness meditation is unique in that it is not directed toward getting us to be different from how we already are. Instead, it helps us become aware of what is already true moment by moment. We could say that it teaches us how to be unconditionally present; that is, it helps us be present with whatever is happening, no matter what it is.

    You may wonder what good that is. After all, don't we want to suffer less? Aren't we interested in tuning in to this natural wisdom, this brilliant sanity, that we've heard about? Aren't those changes from how we already are?

Well, yes and no. On the one hand, suffering less and being more aware of our inherent wakefulness would be changes from how we experience ourselves right now, or at least most of the time. On the other hand, though, the way to uncover brilliant sanity and to alleviate suffering is by going more deeply into the present moment and into ourselves as we already are, not by trying to change what is already going on.
The sitting practice of mindfulness meditation gives us exactly this opportunity to become more present with ourselves just as we are. This, in turn, shows us glimpses of our inherent wisdom and teaches us how to stop perpetuating the unnecessary suffering that results from trying to escape the discomfort, and even pain, we inevitably experience as a consequence of simply being alive.

What does it take to be Compassionate? A Paradigm Shift.

Walking down the street during the midday rush, people are everywhere.  I notice that some passerby’s meet my eyes, some look down or have placed their attention elsewhere.  Understanding genetics, every person has different face, we know this is so, yet, it’s still rather amazing that no one face looks alike. In a mixed crowd, they are Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, bi-racial. Their old, young, and middle-aged.  Among the crowds there are ideal beauties within the range of healthy weight, others too thin, some corpulent; others are obviously homeless, pushing their carts full of wrinkled clothing and odd, inconspicuous belongings. It's sill, but, sometimes, I play a game trying to decide what the person drives or what they're like: happy, sad, generous, stingy, rich, poor, married, single, just by looking at them. Though, overall, I practice looking at everyone as having a uniform character and an equal nature. 

 I practice viewing everyone as a suffering human being; this helps me practice to keep compassion at the forefront of my mind and my interactions. This is a practice because I have had times when I deem someone an inconsiderate ass, or worse;  this has happened plenty of times when I'm driving, for example, when I’ve been cut off and have to slam my brakes on.  I easliy have some choice words roll off my tongue! There are other times too; when someone doesn’t hold a door when they see me, or anyone else, right behind them-even with arms full- and they go ahead and let a heavy door swing back. They never think to hold the door open for one second. Yet, I do know, that once anyone is revealed, we can no longer be defined by our faces and sometimes even by an action. 

Paradigm shifts happen when more knowledge enters our perception. We wouldn’t lash out calling someone an ass if, for instance, we discovered that the person who cut us off just left a doctor’s office and just had bad diagnosis delivered. Or, if we knew, the person who didn’t hold a door was distracted because they just lost their job. With a little information compassion takes the lead in our interactions and judgments’. Truly, all humans are suffering because of their humanness; we all have something that is in our lives, on our minds, that is distressing.

Therefore, a face does not tell someone’s story and a single unthoughtful or reckless action shouldn’t define anyone either.

NPR? Wow. I said, Can you Believe it !?

I did say, "I can't believe it.  This is fantastic!" I am happy. Thrilled. Honored. One of my essays was selected from thousands by NPR, for their This I Believe, programming. I got the letter yesterday. It's funny because I wrote the whole essay in September, last year, right after my Mom died, and it is approximately 1500 words. I was encouraged by a new writer friend of mine that said it was worth putting out there. She helped so much (Thanks Linda). So I decided to submit it. To meet their submission guidelines I had to chop it up significantly; only two paragraphs are in this essay. I also had to meet their theme: This I Believe. My original has nothing to do with a metaphor. Who cares?! They were impressed so I'm fine with it too! Lol. They posted it at <http://thisibelieve.org/essay/95239/> on their website and here's the link.

Please give feedback; I love it! Thanks.