Many meditation teachers give instruction on looking for the gaps or pauses. This can begin in our daily meditation practice, looking for that tiny moment between breaths. It is a very small window but once we begin to notice this gap we can become aware of the briefest moments of nothing. That moment when we are not thinking, our mind is silent, and then of course thought happens because we notice it. But it’s there and we can become awake to it.
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When we first begin to learn what Mindfulness is and how to apply it to our lives we learn that mindfulness can mean many different things.
Mindfulness means Awareness, or coming Awake to our Senses - how we think, speak, physically and emotionally feel in each moment, and this awareness, or lack of awareness, effects how we walk through our lives. When we choose to approach our lives in awareness we can chose to create healthier habits. Creating new healthy habits to put in the place of not so positive habits can make big changes in our life. One example of this is we become aware of any self demeaning thoughts we may have and catch those thoughts mid-stream and make a change. If we find ourselves saying something like “I’m so stupid for doing that!” then catch it with our awareness we can choose to replace it with “no, I’m not stupid. I simply made a mistake, and that’s okay”. By doing this we change our thoughts and we change how we relate to ourselves and others. After a while these new habits are simply part of our life and we may notice we are more relaxed, lighter and happier. In Sati meditation we practice Mindfulness or Awareness. We become aware of our breath and use it as an anchor, keeping our focus there. We also become aware of how we are holding our body when we sit, we become aware of the temperature around us, the sights, the sounds, and the smells. We literally “Come to our Senses”. We notice, acknowledge, accept, let go, and come back again to our breath. We don’t argue that the temperature is too warm or cool, we don’t complain or find fault in the sounds - we simply notice, acknowledge, accept, let go and come back again to our breath. In the 20 minutes or so that we devote to our practice each day, we are creating new habits, new ways of viewing and experiencing the world. And we can bring these new Awarenesses into our daily encounters creating a happier life for ourselves and others. *Joanie Lane is the Director and a Teacher at "A Positive Light" Center for Spiritual Awakening. For more information on Joanie and the center visit www.apositivelight.com A new year often comes with ideas on how we would like to "improve" ourselves. We may even make resolutions to make these changes. But I propose that you ask yourself this; are you not already perfect, whole, and complete? Perhaps the key to a "better" you is in slowing down, breathing, and aligning with your true self.
In our practice of meditation we find the pathway to our true self. We release the needless clutter in our lives and realign with our authentic nature. We can consciously refresh our spirit by restoring our natural alignment with our path. When your spine and joints are spaciously aligned, you move effortlessly in the body. When you are aligned between the grounding earth and your guiding star of wisdom above, you move effortlessly through life. While setting goals is important, being sure to set realistic, healthy and simple goals is equally as important. Lofty goals tend to set us up for defeat before we even begin. But through meditation - that is breathing, quieting the mind and allowing your natural growth to open to you - we can distinguish the small and valuable changes that our inner spirit thirsts for. “Maybe the journey isn't so much about becoming anything. Maybe it's about unbecoming everything that isn't you so you can be who you were meant to be in the first place.” -Unknown May you align with your authentic self in the new year. *Joanie Lane is the Director and a Teacher at "A Positive Light" Center for Spiritual Awakening. For more information on Joanie and the center visit www.apositivelight.com or her blog Joanielane.com |