Mindfulness

[PartTimeBrewer]

              I am starting a new thread here mainly for purposes of my own catharsis. It is my intention, at least at this point, to make regular contributions. Of course, if anyone else has anything to add, they are more than welcome. If you have any input, please contribute.

              Over a year ago I decided to deal head-on with my self-diagnosed adult attention disorder, (ADD). The inability to stay focused was becoming too stressful. I found myself sitting around watching the clock tick, yet I couldn’t keep “on task” with any project I started. Nothing was getting done and just starting something was becoming depressing.

              The smart thing to do was probably to get professional help, so instead I decided to try to heal myself, at least as a first try. Cognitive therapy and pharmaceuticals (UGH) might be the approved way to go but I decided to try meditation first.

              18 months and countless self-help books later, I still can’t bring myself to a regular, formal meditation program. But, along the way, I discovered informal mindfulness. Yes, I know it is the “Fad” right now. It is hard to navigate modern social trends without “tripping over” somebody extolling the benefits of mindfulness.

              Let me add my voice to the chorus.

[PartTimeBrewer]

"Most people try to squeeze their uncomfortable thoughts into a wardrobe for so long, thinking they are keeping that room tidy, but when it's one rubber ducky too much, the entire wardrobe explodes."
~ Angelika Alana

[PartTimeBrewer]

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
As an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they're a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks

[PartTimeBrewer]

Starting today, I have a new opportunity, the opportunity to practice what I preach. My regular postings here will likely become a bit erratic, as I am having all of my teeth extracted in preparation for treatment of an oral cancer. The prognosis is good, 80-90% likely curable, but the obstacle has become my path for now.

[PartTimeBrewer]

"Bringing order to clutter, I begin to see, is not just about putting my spices in alphabetical order. It’s about balancing the twin poles of spiritual life: cherishing life and holding it sacred, while knowing that it will pass away." - Anne Cushman

[PartTimeBrewer]

"Difficult truth: A lot of people are practicing emotional avoidance and calling it a positive mindset.” ~Unknown

[PartTimeBrewer]

"Happiness is not something that exists out there. It’s not something waiting to be discovered. Happiness arises from mindfulness, from acceptance, and from meeting even the most difficult experiences with compassion."
~ Bodhipaksa

[PartTimeBrewer]

"Our inner monsters are not going to let us have a moment's peace until we pay attention to them...What am I keeping hidden about myself and projecting onto others."
~ Poppy Jamie

[PartTimeBrewer]

"To perceive the world differently, we must be willing to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds."
~ William James

[PartTimeBrewer]

"The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another."
~ William James

[PartTimeBrewer]

“Much of spiritual work is slowing down enough to let our minds come into harmony with our hearts.” - Ram Dass

[PartTimeBrewer]

"Like wildflowers, you must allow yourself to grow in all the places people thought you never would.” ~E.V. Thompson

[PartTimeBrewer]

Suffering happens in the gap we maintain between reality and our expectations of reality.