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]

In Christian theology, the doctrine of original sin suggests that we would all act in a selfish way if we were stripped of our social constraints. Christian apologist, C.. S. Lewis infers humans would not express a sense of fair play without influence from God. So under it all, are we good or evil? I can't begin to answer that here, but mindfulness allows me to be better at whatever I do. If that entails making the world a better place, I will have to make that a focus point.

[PartTimeBrewer]

"Compassion doesn't say 'I'm with you because I pity you' or 'because I feel sorry for you.' Instead the message of compassion is an acknowledgement of our shared humanity. It says 'I am with you because I am you - I recognize you in me and me in you. And we're in this together.' "  ~ Jason Garner

[Westerly_2]

Thumbs up!

[PartTimeBrewer]

"If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher."  ~  Pema Chodron

[PartTimeBrewer]

"Vulnerability in the face of constant change is what we all share, whatever's our present condition."  ~  Sharon Salzberg

[PartTimeBrewer]

Vulnerability held in common, this recognition is to me the source of compassion. I can wonder why I feel such towards others and why others don't share the emotion so easily, but it doesn't matter. It's there down in me. I just need to keep it in awareness.

[PartTimeBrewer]

"Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world."  ~  Sarah Ban Breathnach

[PartTimeBrewer]

"For things to reveal themselves to us we need to be ready to abandon our views about them."  -  Thich Nhat Hahn

[PartTimeBrewer]

"Whatever you do, do it slowly and intentionally. You will enjoy it more and become happier."  ~  Haemin Sunim

[PartTimeBrewer]

"We can't expect our brains to not think or our hearts to not feel. We can't ask to never be angry, or stressed, or sad. Meditation isn't an antidote to life. Our practice is to see, to feel, to more fully immerse ourselves in life...and to accept it, ourselves, and each other."  ~  Jason Garner

[PartTimeBrewer]

"Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck."  ~  Dalai Lama XIV

[PartTimeBrewer]

I've probably posted this in the past, but it's worth repeating. It runs deeper than the old "Be careful what you wish for." It's not just a warning that there may be unforseen negative consequences, but a reminder of the wonders you might miss out on for lack of imagination.