When our “doing” is below par, it’s time to look to the “being”.

Mindfulness Talk:

I’m not very impressed with myself this week.  I got a couple of disappointing numbers.  I missed a couple of things.  I said a couple of things.   Sigh.  

It’s so tempting to skip right into action.  “What can I do to move forward?” “What can I do to make this better?”  “What can I do to be better?”  

But mindfulness asks us to tap the breaks.  There is something in between, and it’s vital to our sense of well-being.  We need to step back and look at ourselves, silently with stillness and compassion.  Psychologists call it the Ego, yoga calls it Ahamkara, Eckhart Tolle calls it the Becoming Self.  In the everyday world, we are always striving to “become”.  We have a desire to move forward, to do better and be better.  We set goals and have dreams for ourselves.  This is the everyday world!  

But this is not the whole world.  

To know our whole self, we need to see what Tolle calls our Being.  Your Being is the spirit or spiritual part of yourself.  Your Being is already perfectly whole and exactly as it should be, because it is part of the universal spirit (or God, if that rings true for you). There is nothing your Being needs to do. Nobody is asking anything of you. “Being” isn’t striving or pushing or bettering.  “Being” is connected, accepted, awesomely ok.  

I didn’t “become” very well this week.  But before I jump right into more “becoming”, I’m stepping back and reminding myself that this is not all that I am.  

Until next time,

Laura

Meditation:

Finding Present Meditation: This meditation use sound bowls as our concentration. Maybe try this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhXDF8bmav8

As you concentrate on the sound, imagine yourself as a whole being. Imagine a glowy, shimmery being that is you. With each inhale and each exhale, focus on yourself as a whole, shimmery being.

Continue doing this meditation, or begin the mindfulness meditation.

Mindfulness Meditation: Imagine yourself as a whole, shimmery, glowy being. Now imagine your whole, shimmery being standing right up to a starting line. Don’t cross the line. Just breathe. With each inhale focus on your whole, shimmery self. With each exhale, notice your whole, shimmery self.

As you stand at that starting line, you may notice a thought or feeling or image arise. It might be urging you to do better or be better. To show what you can do. It’s ok, just let it. Just notice it. Resist the temptation to step over the starting line. You are perfectly ok just standing here. Notice how it gives up and floats away. Go back to breathing and noticing your whole, shimmery self.

You may notice another thought or feeling or image arise, urging you to do better or be better. Just notice it. You are perfectly ok just standing here. Notice how it gives up and floats away. Go back to breathing and noticing your whole, shimmery self.

Closing Routine: When you are ready, rub your fingers and take three cleansing breaths. Or find a closing routine that works for you.