Your heart has an intelligence
There is a wisdom to being that is beyond intellect
An expansive heart based intelligence that can guide you beyond rationed reason.
Feel awareness breathing from your heart into the souls of your feet, the palms of your hands and the top of you head.
As you move from meditation consider how you might act from a place of connection.
It can help ease anxiety around being with others and orient us to a sense of deeper connection.
Building a Meditation Habit
"Setting up our intention is at least half of learning.
Its like aiming at a target with a bow and arrow."
Hey Legends
Meditation is a simple practice & profound teacher, but building a meditation habit can be tough.
As with building any new habit you're likely to face resistance and distractions.
Your willingness & ability to commit to practicing will help you overcome many of these challenges.
Getting clear on your intentions or why you want to meditate can be a powerful driver and taking some time to plan & prepare can support in bringing the practice to life.
Here's some questions that might help you
Intentions
Spend some time (15 - 20 minutes) exploring your intentions for this course/ your meditation journey/ the next four weeks.
1. What do you hope to get out of mindfulness and meditation?
2. Why is this important to you?
Bring a sense of curiosity and exploration to this exercise - for some of us this may come easy and for some of us it may be a bit of struggle, this is something that may evolve as you progress and if you are not completely clear on your answers that's ok too.
Planning
When will I practice?
Where will practice?
How long will I practice for?
What resistance or challenges am I likely to face?
How will I respond to challenges and resistance?
Remember these questions are designed to help you foster a sense of commitment and create a plan to make meditation a habit.
If you have a different approach you might use that instead or along with these questions.
Enjoy
Billy Telfer
Tiger & The Monk
Stillness
“Within you there is a stillness and a sanctuary to which you can retreat at anytime and be yourself.”
Herman Hesse
Reflection
"Without reflection, we go blindly on our way, creating more unintended consequences, and failing to achieve anything useful."
- Margaret J. Wheatley
Did you set intentions that speaks to a changes you seek to make this year?
Have those intentions come to fruition?
If you are to realise that which you seek you must learn to see.
To see your past beyond the fog of rumination and the illusory wall of ignorance.
To see the present moment in the light of mindfulness
To see your future as a product of your choices & actions (& some luck), not something your passively hope for.
Reflection is a way of seeing your past in a skilful light.
Splitting the Reflection Process into 3 categories, Progress, Process and Person, can be a helpful way to monitor your progress & objectively critique your process, without having your sense of self worth tied up in the process.
Some questions that might help you see your past in a way that might empower your future
Reflect on Progress
If you’ve set measurable goals this is a simple one.
Are you any closer to the metric you're measuring?
What is it that you’re measuring? Is it moving in the right direction?
How far do you have to go? What's the next metric you're aiming for?
Reflect on Process (your process is the path to your Vision, it's not about you as being but about what you do)
Did I do what I set out to do (did I follow the plan/processes I set for myself)?
If so what helped me to that? How can I keep it up or improve moving forward?
If not why not? What do I need to do differently to improve?
Am I closer to my Vision thanks to choices I've made & actions I've taken this year?
How will I improve my process moving forward?
Reflect on Person (these reflections are more qualitative, more about you as a being than what you've been doing.)
What are some moments you have to be grateful for?
What did those moments feel like?
Who have you connected with so far this year?
How did you relate to those people?
What were some emotions you felt this year?
How did you relate to those emotions?
What's made this year meaningful to you?
Why?
How will you live better moving forward?
Master Thy Self
"He who cannot obey himself will be commanded."
Nietzche
Listen deeply.
Lead yourself well.
Tune into that which serves and let the rest fall away.
Beyond impulse there are thoughts (judgements, beliefs, critiques), beyond thought there is emotion, beyond emotion a sensation that sparked the emotion.
All this stirs up energy.
That energy is your life force.
It can be wasted or it can be used.
Knowing how to access that energy is brings peace & potency
Knowing what to do with it is purpose
These are great blessings.
Om Sri.
Becoming Wise - part 2
“Action expresses priorities.”
Gandhi
Knowing is not enough.
Thinking is not enough.
One must do.
If a lesson is received and not acted upon it’s value is lost.
Education and Motivation without application are just entertainment. Illusions with no substance.
But when education & motivation are given life through action they become Wisdom & Inspiration.
To BE Inspired & Wise is a great gift.
Try This:
1st ask yourself …….
What’s one thing in your life you could add, change or remove that you know would be good for you?
then …….
Do it!!
How much of your greatness is hiding behind simple steps?
Taking of The Armor
“I made myself a hut within human borders, but there is no noise of wagon or horse.
You ask me how this can be so?
When the mind is far away, the land follows of itself.”
Tao Yaun - ming.
Breath the Inner Mountain Into Existence
Notice how easy it is for our tools to become our masters.
Phones. Computers. Work. Time. Money. Mind. Ego.
Put down everything for a moment & simply Be. |
Step away from busyness, reactivity & roles and visit a space of restful awareness.
Still, Silent, Listening.
Go beyond the ego that clings & grasps and get's distracted & deceived
Beyond impulse and compulsion
Into peace
In this space the master see the tools & realises the master.
From this place the way unfolds.
Om Sri
Knowledge Can Be Shared, Wisdom Must Be Realised
"The effort you yourself must make,
The Perfect One's simply Point the Way"
Dhammapada
Meditation is a Great Teacher
If practiced diligently, ardently , patiently and consistently meditation will offer you many lessons.
If you are willing to take those lessons and implement them into your life you will be changed.
Meditation can change your brain, the way you see the world and the way you experience yourself.
It can help reduce stress, lead to more focus and clarity and improve your relationship with emotions.
Meditation works - we know this through science, personal accounts and the test of time.
But if meditation is to work for you,
YOU MUST PRACTICE!
Try this…..
Just One Thing
”Do one thing at a Time, and while doing it put your whole Soul into it to the exclusion of all else.”
Swami Vivekananda
The Path to Mastery can seem exhausting to the one who's mind is impulsively orienting to to what's next & compulsively clinging to what's been.
The daunting task seems exhausting to the mind that perceives all the possibilities as an impossible to do list.
But the master who practices mindfully, focuses only on the task at hand is blessed with potency & peace that empowers purpose with an enthusiasm that's near inexhaustible.
Om Sri.
Try This:
Practice doing just one thing at time.
Offer what you’re doing your full attention and energy.
If you notice you’re getting distracted come back to the task at hand.
In a distracted world the capacity to focus is super power.
This super power can free you from overwhelm and exhaustion an support you in executing with excellence.
Learning To See
You seek to the view at the top of the mountain, first you must learn to see at the bottom.
Often we set intentions that speak to a change we seek to make.
And often these intentions do not come to fruition.
If we a determined and have a change worth making we may continue to seek.
But if we want to realise that which we seek we must learn to see.
To see our past beyond the fog of rumination
To see the present moment in the light of mindfulness.
To see our future as product of our choices & actions (and some luck), not what we passively hope for .
Reflection is a way of seeing our past in a skilful light.
Some questions that might help you see your past in a way that might empower your future
What did I do well last today?
Did I do what I set out to do? If so what helped me do that? How can I keep it up or improve? If not why not? What do I need to do differently to improve?
Am I closer to my Vision thanks the choices and actions I made today?
What will I do tomorrow in service of my vision?
What do I have to be grateful for?
What did those moments feel like?
What people did you share today with?
How did you relate to those people?
How did you feel today?
How did you relate to your emotions?
What made toady meaningful to you?
How will you live this tomorrow to make it better than today?
These questions, or some version of them, can be asked daily and/or weekly.
They are great support in staying on track and course correcting when needed.Mindfulness is a way of tuning into the present moment so we can be there for life and respond in service of our Vision.
You can do this right now -
Notice what you're thinking?
What are you feeling?
What sensations can you notice in your body (feet, legs, hips, spine, arms, hands, neck, head)?
What do you sense (see, hear, smell, feel, taste) all around you?
What's it like to slow down enough to pay attention to your experience in this moment?
What would the best version of you do next?
Challenges & Resources
Alterpiece - Hilma af Klint
On the path to greatness there are many challenges (both internal and external).
Navigating these challenges skillfully is the path to greatness.
The Resources we use (both internal and external) to navigate these challenges are the essence of your greatness.
Know Your Self
What are some challenges you've faced in the last week on your Vision Quest?
What resources did you (or could you have) used to skillfully navigate these challenges?
Honour Your Self
What can you do for yourself so that you're more ready to meet challenges skillfully and resourcefully?
Grow Your Self
If the same challenges came up again how could you handle them even better?
What challenges might you face this week and what would the best version of you do in response to these challenges?
Into Source
Deep Gratitude for Mother Earth and this blessed life.
Beyond the mind.
Into the world
Beyond thought
Into feeling
Beyond Conditioning
Into Conditions
Beyond momentum
Into the moment.
Beyond time & space
Into here, now.
Beyond the Ego
Into Source.
Why Do You Meditate
Hung Ying - Ming, Master of 3 Ways.
Hung Ying - Ming, Master of 3 Ways.
Why practice meditation?
To know yourself deeply?
To free your self of stress?
To harness your power of attention and focus?
To rest in peace?
To expand your consciousness?
But why????
What would you do with your life if you were more self aware, less stressed, well rested, more able to focus and more conscious?
When you find the Why behind the Why.
When you live with a sense of intention.
When you orient toward the person you want to be, not just the stuff you want to collect.
Then life begins to make sense and it's easier to know what to do.
Then you're life force feels like it's been given meaning.
This is a great blessing
Hung Ying - Ming, Master of 3 Ways.
Hung Ying - Ming, Master of 3 Ways.
Are You Me?
Do you realise you're a you?
Or do you only recognise yourself as me?
Could it be that the “reality” of me is an illusion of the mind (& the culture we live in)?
Me cannot exist without We
And are We just a bunch of You’s?
We are not separate from that which gave US life
We are not separate from life itself
And what are We here for?
To other and destroy?
To love and enjoy?
OM SRI
WE
A Transmission from the Sun
Listen to the penetrating warmth of the Sun as it vibrates through you being
Listen to your body with your body
Listen with your whole being to your whole being
Listen to as opposed to listen for
Listen to the moments which feel sweet & free
Listen to the penetrating warmth of the Sun as it vibrates through your being
Listen to the silence of the subtle breath, if you can bear it
Listen to the harmonizing amplified breath if you can’t
Listen to the noise for long enough to hear the signal
Listen to the Signal
Listen to Life.
OM SRI>
Gratitude
“By recognising our blessings we begin to realise we are blessed.”
How you perceive the world is how you receive the world.
By reflecting on the positive moments that litter our lives we begin to tell a fuller, more inclusive picture of our past.
We come to know those moments in life which brought us a sense of joy.
The more familiar we become with these moments the more likely we are to notice them when they are upon us.
This can allow for a richer, more joyful and tuned in experience of presence.
These positive moments of reflection & presence can also empower our future.
When challenges present themself they are balanced with recognition of many moments of gratitude which makes it easier to access a sense of resilience and hope.
Try this very simple practice : Everyday write down and reflect on 1 - 3 things you are grateful for.
The following questions might help deepen your reflection.
*What happened?
*Who was there?
*Where were you?
*How did you feel?
*What were you thinking?
*How did you body feel?
Chi
Tune into Your Life Force
& aim it at something of service
Tune into Your Life Force
& devote it to Om (grace) Sri (greatness)
Tune into Om
& Honour it with Sri
Catching up with the New Year
January comes to a close and it can be a reminder of how fast time can pass us by.
It can be a reminder that good intentions and good deeds require some discipline if they are to be united.
If you think that the first month of the year went too quick for you to execute on some of your resolutions then perhaps it may be helpful to slow down a little.
To take the time to reflect on the month that was so that you may learn from it and step more wholeheartedly into the one that will be.
A simple framework for stepping into our greatness can provide us with an empowering and insightful tool for reflection and projection
A Framework to Support Greatness
Plan - set a plan for what you want from the day, week, month, year ahead.
Preparation - prepare your self and your environment as best you can
Practice / Execute - do the thing, the task, the activity, the work, the behaviour, the action - that's going to get you closer to your destination. Execute with excellence.
Reflect - an opportunity to review our process, to recognise what we did well, where we could improve and how we can make this month better than last (remember that consistency is a key quality - repeating a winning process is strengthening that process.)
The gift of reflection is the power to engage constructively with what we know of our past so that we might learn and grow more strongly into our future.
This can be a step beyond mindless rumination and disempowering self criticism.
With that being said lets use the same framework to guide our reflection\
Reflecting to Learn and Grow
How did you go?
Did today, this week, this month fee like a win?
Did today, this week, this month bring you closer to your goal?
Did you plan well?
Did you prepare appropriately?
Did you execute with excellence?
Did you reflect consistently, honestly, productively?
What challenges did you face?
How might you handle those challenges better in the future?
Does anything else seem helpful of relevant as you look back on the month that was?
Begin Again
Based on this reflection and your goals repeat the above process so you might move forward more strongly
Plan . Prepare . Practice . Reflect
Plan - What's you plan for the month ahead?
Prepare - How will you prepare yourself and your environment to make this month a success?
Practice - Execute with excellence. What will you do? When will you do it How will you do it?
Reflect - Did you plan well? Did you prepare appropriately? Did you execute with excellence? How will you improve?
The Tiger & The Monk
Without the Monk the Tiger is a slave to impulse.
Without the Tiger the Monks freedom is trapped with in.
Stillness
“Rest in the Mystery of Stillness,
Allow it to be your guide.
Be taken into the mystery.
Even though you don’t know where you’ll be guided to
Because you don’t know where you’ll be guided to
If you knew you wouldn’t need a guide.” Om Shri
Momentum and Motivation During Lockdown
The gym is place where we train more than just our bodies
It's a sanctuary in which we can cultivate the energy, resilience and momentum that helps us thrive during the day.
It can be a powerful, experiential reminder of our physical and mental strength, our personal evolution and our capacity for growth.
Being in lock-down can be quite challenging, it can be a little disorientating having a new schedule and way of being to deal with.
Not having access to the gym can add to our sense of loss.
But it doesn't have to be that way.
With a little bit of reflection, creativity and discipline you can build the inner resources and outer environment to help you thrive and grow in these strange times
Reflection
Why did you start training in the first place?
What are your goals?
What would you like to achieve from being at the gym?
These could be physical or psychological attributes, they could just be a way of feeling.
E.G Stronger, more muscular, more mobile, leaner, more energy. Confidence, discipline, personal autonomy, achievement. A feeling of being energised, pushing your limits, honouring your health and your body by moving regularly etc, etc…
If you can get really clear on this why and it's still meaningful you’ll have some fuel for the fire.
For some of us a strong why/goal got us into the gym but then something else took over and (whether we realised it at the time or not) we fell in love with something about the experience.
Why Do You Love Training?
What is it about the experience of hitting the gym that you really dig?
This can take some time to figure out, be patient.
Reflect on what you love about the gym - this is likely to be a combination of certain thoughts (or lack of thinking), feelings or emotions, physical sensations or a general state of being that you experience before, during or after the gym.
Creativity
Once you're clear on why you got into the gym and what you got from the gym you can set a plan to develop (or at least maintain) the qualities that support your why and create an environment that supports the thoughts, feelings and sensations that shape your experience.
Some questions to help this process
What can you with what you've got to work toward your goals? (There's always something.)
How could you replicate some of the environmental factors that shape your gym experience?
What internal qualities can you cultivate in the current circumstances?
Discipline
Creating plan is like drawing a map, you are no closer to your destination until your walk the path you've set out for yourself.
Have a whole hearted crack, do it for a week and reflect.
Did it work?
Do you feel fulfilled?
Do you feel better than when you didn't do it?
What can you do to improve next week?
How can you make this new way of being even better?