just sat and was working with the words 'in' and 'out' which then changed into 'receive' and 'let go'. As soon as they changed I noticed my grasping and almost a sense of panic on the in-breath.
Also observing the space in between the out and in breaths like the space in between thoughts. Often remember Lorraine's image of the carriages on a train and the space in between them through which you can see the sky. (that's how I have remembered it. i'm sure it didn't start out as a train!)
nice one Ruth - I take it you didn't shove the hair-twirler's bow anywhere inappropriate?
Ooh - yes, I sometimes think about the space in-between notes ... even notes that sound joined together often can't be - there was a moment when my hand was moving ... and when I used to teach guitar I found that students who could grasp the concept of moving in the gaps - however small the gaps might be - learned faster. I like the train analogy.
Thanks for letting me know Mary. I understand ... it felt very 'out there' to reply, let alone post it!
Off now to Devon. Wedding tomorrow .. urgh. Still, plenty of quiet moments on beaches and moors too. Time to breathe. Take care all,
I sat this morning and for the first time found myself irritated with the practice. Not worried about my mind drifting, but irritated that I felt I had to do it. Oh dear. So I tried to observe the irritation. I suppose this is just another thing the mind is throwing up for me to work with. Disconcerting though.
Ruth, thanks yes I like the train analogy too.
Stray: Enjoy the wedding ... and the beaches. And thanks.
Hope Beth and Lorriane have caught up on sleep :-)
Hey, everyone! I don't know about Beth, Mary, but I slept in today after taking a nap the second I got home from classes yesterday. So I think I'm catching up on sleep...
Ruth, I laughed out loud at your mention of the "hurling the hair around gal"...it's such a vivid image. And I love "receive" and "let go": so much more soothing than "in" and "out"!
Jean, it heartens me to think that in the chaos of all that paperwork, you're finding moments of sanity. And it really heartens me to think that new students who are feeling overwhelmed by all that paperwork might happen upon the oasis of "your" sanity.
Safe travel, Stray. Eat a piece of wedding cake for me, eh?
I sat for about 15 minutes last night before curling into bed with a book: a little meditation before bliss. And this morning I sat about 15 minutes before settling in front of the computer. Now that I'm leading this weekly sitting group at school, I feel like I need to practice; otherwise I'd be a hypocrite.
And speaking of needing to practice...it's been a long time, Mary, since I've sat a long retreat, but there was usually a turning-point somewhere along the way where I'd first get increasingly ANGRY at having to meditate. After sitting with that anger for a while, it passed...and it often was replaced with a sense of gratitude that I had the opportunity to meditate. Somehow, that switch from obligation ("I have to") to opportunity ("I can") was completely transformative...but it was a switch that naturally happened, not one that I could force.
Perhaps anger is a first step toward gratitude. Perhaps if you show your anger a genial sense of welcome, neither grabbing it nor shoving it away, it will ripen into something else. Or maybe not. :-)
Hi everyone, just checking in, thanks for the good wishes. It was great fun to be with Lorianne the other night, and to talk to the bishop about our virtual "meditation group" which he thought was amazing. - especially the once-a-month-all-together-sit.
Anger. Yeah. Sigh! Right now I am SOOO tired of cleaning and going through my past and running around, and want to just STOP - but it must be done and there's no one else but me and my husband to do it. Today we were in the dirt-floor basement sorting old toxic photographic chemicals to be taken to the household waste collection tomorrow. I get pretty testy and try to take those deep breaths and keep working with it. So -- hugs and solidarity to everyone who is having similar issues at work or around moving or whatever. That sign on my desk still says, in Zen calligraphy, "Everything Changes" and it's true.
5 Comments:
just sat and was working with the words 'in' and 'out' which then changed into 'receive' and 'let go'. As soon as they changed I noticed my grasping and almost a sense of panic on the in-breath.
Also observing the space in between the out and in breaths like the space in between thoughts. Often remember Lorraine's image of the carriages on a train and the space in between them through which you can see the sky. (that's how I have remembered it. i'm sure it didn't start out as a train!)
nice one Ruth - I take it you didn't shove the hair-twirler's bow anywhere inappropriate?
Ooh - yes, I sometimes think about the space in-between notes ... even notes that sound joined together often can't be - there was a moment when my hand was moving ... and when I used to teach guitar I found that students who could grasp the concept of moving in the gaps - however small the gaps might be - learned faster. I like the train analogy.
Thanks for letting me know Mary. I understand ... it felt very 'out there' to reply, let alone post it!
Off now to Devon. Wedding tomorrow .. urgh. Still, plenty of quiet moments on beaches and moors too. Time to breathe. Take care all,
xx
I sat this morning and for the first time found myself irritated with the practice. Not worried about my mind drifting, but irritated that I felt I had to do it. Oh dear. So I tried to observe the irritation. I suppose this is just another thing the mind is throwing up for me to work with. Disconcerting though.
Ruth, thanks yes I like the train analogy too.
Stray: Enjoy the wedding ... and the beaches. And thanks.
Hope Beth and Lorriane have caught up on sleep :-)
.. and that Jean is not too submerged in paper.
Janice: congratulations from yesterday !
Hey, everyone! I don't know about Beth, Mary, but I slept in today after taking a nap the second I got home from classes yesterday. So I think I'm catching up on sleep...
Ruth, I laughed out loud at your mention of the "hurling the hair around gal"...it's such a vivid image. And I love "receive" and "let go": so much more soothing than "in" and "out"!
Jean, it heartens me to think that in the chaos of all that paperwork, you're finding moments of sanity. And it really heartens me to think that new students who are feeling overwhelmed by all that paperwork might happen upon the oasis of "your" sanity.
Safe travel, Stray. Eat a piece of wedding cake for me, eh?
I sat for about 15 minutes last night before curling into bed with a book: a little meditation before bliss. And this morning I sat about 15 minutes before settling in front of the computer. Now that I'm leading this weekly sitting group at school, I feel like I need to practice; otherwise I'd be a hypocrite.
And speaking of needing to practice...it's been a long time, Mary, since I've sat a long retreat, but there was usually a turning-point somewhere along the way where I'd first get increasingly ANGRY at having to meditate. After sitting with that anger for a while, it passed...and it often was replaced with a sense of gratitude that I had the opportunity to meditate. Somehow, that switch from obligation ("I have to") to opportunity ("I can") was completely transformative...but it was a switch that naturally happened, not one that I could force.
Perhaps anger is a first step toward gratitude. Perhaps if you show your anger a genial sense of welcome, neither grabbing it nor shoving it away, it will ripen into something else. Or maybe not. :-)
Have a great day/weekend, everyone.
Hi everyone, just checking in, thanks for the good wishes. It was great fun to be with Lorianne the other night, and to talk to the bishop about our virtual "meditation group" which he thought was amazing. - especially the once-a-month-all-together-sit.
Anger. Yeah. Sigh! Right now I am SOOO tired of cleaning and going through my past and running around, and want to just STOP - but it must be done and there's no one else but me and my husband to do it. Today we were in the dirt-floor basement sorting old toxic photographic chemicals to be taken to the household waste collection tomorrow. I get pretty testy and try to take those deep breaths and keep working with it. So -- hugs and solidarity to everyone who is having similar issues at work or around moving or whatever. That sign on my desk still says, in Zen calligraphy, "Everything Changes" and it's true.
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