It is obvious, and we know it intellectually, but when life sends us storms, we are often surprised. How we meet those challenges mindfully determines, to a great degree, how we will be affected. AND…making mindful choices to meet life’s challenges is a process that cannot be rushed.
Be it illness, loss, a fading flower, or a betrayal, every arrival challenges us to pause and take a few moments to notice our usual reactivity ( hating, resisting, pushing away). Then invite a nice long, slow, easy breath and see clearly what is really present. Sensations in the body such as tension and contraction give us the first clue. Habit patterns and rumination in the mind give us the second clue. And a tumble of emotions, when recognized, give us the third clue.
It is our choice –always- to resist and suffer more OR to soften and maybe grieve or regret, depending upon what has arrived at our door, and then if possible, to meet what is present with some equanimity. When we make mindful choices we suffer less.
So the first step is to become aware that you are suffering by using mindful attention. The next step is to console yourself, the way you would comfort your own child. Take care not to rush or bypass this step. You may be tempted because of the discomfort or pain. The third step is remember that you are not alone. We humans experience human suffering and it is a choice to make it better or worse. We might even choose to look for some beauty in our tenderness. Believe it or not, sometimes there are gifts and new growth that come with life’s storms.
My neighbor’s photo of a recent rainbow reminded me of both the storms and the beauty. Thanks Barb
#Heartbasedmindfulness #MBSR #katemitcheom #branfordCT #meditation #HaycockPoint