Welcome to Manology - Communicating with sensation, emotion, and our thoughts - May 1st.
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 it’s 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. – Jelalludin Rumi, “The Guest House”
Tonight we will be practicing some HOW skills of mindfulness. The how to “welcome and entertain them all!” As Rumi puts it. The how of doing this with honor. Some of this will be familiar, yet with new activities comes a new form of practice.
Underneath is some information that may be helpful for tonight’s activities, I hope you find it educational and practical.
1. Non- Judgmental Stance
See, but don’t evaluate – just the facts. Focus on the “what”, not the “good” or “bad” the “terrible”, the “should” or “should not”. Unglue your opinions from the facts, from the who, what, when, and where. Accept each moment, each event as a blanket spread out on the lawn accepts both the rain and the sun, and each leaf that falls upon it. Acknowledge the helpful, the wholesome, but don’t judge it. Acknowledge the harmful, the unwholesome, but don’t judge it. When you find yourself judging, don’t judge your judging.
2. In the Moment
Do one thing at a time. When you are eating, eat. When you are walking walk. When you are working work. When you are in a group, or a conversation, focus your attention on the very moment you are in with the other person. Do each thing with all of your attention. If other actions, thoughts, or strong feelings distract you, Let Go Of Distractions and go back to what you are doing – again, and again, and again.Concentrate your mind. If you find you are doing two things at once, stop and go back to one thing at a time.
3. Effectively
Focus on what works. Do what needs to be done in each situation in order to meet your larger goals. Stay away from thoughts of “right”, “wrong”, “should”, “should not”, “fair” and “unfair”.Play by the rules. Act as skillfully as you can, meeting the needs of the situation you are in, not the situation you wish you were in.Let go of vengeance, useless anger, and righteousness that hurts you and doesn’t work.
See you tonight in the GFC’s group room from 6-7:30.
Justin Telfer
