The Value of Feeling Free

Mindfulness Talk:

Yesterday I was walking around the neighborhood, deep in thought, when I darn-near stepped on a kid who rolled right off a small grassy hill and onto the sidewalk.  She scrambled up, clearly still dizzy, and started right up that hill to try it again.  Was she working to be the best hill-roller she could be?   Was there a group of hill-rolling kids she wanted to be a part of?  Come on, I know exactly why she was doing it!  I remember the simple freedom of rolling down a grassy hill in spring!

What a fresh reminder of Aparigraha.  Aparigraha is when we participate in an activity for the simple sake of participating in an activity.  As adults, so many of our activities are done for the sake of getting better, doing better, being better.  But Aparigraha reminds us to lighten up!  Try new things, just for the sake of trying something new.  Roll down a grassy hill every once in a while!  

And if we take a deeper dip into Aparigraha, we find that it isn’t just about bringing fresh activities into our life.  It’s about bringing this fresh feeling into all of our activities.  It’s about taking noticing of our reward-craving and acceptance-seeking.  It’s about taking notice when we are clenching onto something or toward someone.  Or onto a belief about ourselves.  When we take notice of our attachments, we have an opportunity to realign and reorientate ourselves, to unclench our hands from some of that control.  To roll down that hill.  

Until next time,

Laura

Meditation:

Finding Present Meditation: Sit next to moving water, or find moving water sounds. Maybe this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJZxtO9XNno

As you breathe, imagine this water flowing freely through your whole body.

Continue this meditation, or begin the mindfulness meditation.

Mindfulness Meditation: Breathe and focus on your body as a whole, water moving freely and calmly.

As you do this, you may notice an area of the body that is clenching a bit, the pathway a bit squeezed. Put your attention to this area and just notice. As you put your attention to this area, a thought or feeling or image may arise. If it does, just notice it. After a while, it will wash away. Maybe this unclenches or unblocks the path, or maybe not. It doesn’t matter. Notice the moving water just as it is. You might keep your attention here, or you return to breathing and focussing on your body as a whole, water moving freely and calmly.

You may notice another area of body that is clenching a bit, the pathway a bit squeezed. Put your attention on that area. If a thought or feeling or image arises, just notice it. Notice the moving water just as it is. You might keep your attention here, or you return to breathing and focussing on your body as a whole, water moving freely and calmly.

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