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Monday, December 16, 2013

mindful monday

image courtesy of shambhala sun

this weekend i was blessed to spend friday night and saturday with sharon salzberg and sylvia boorstein and was truly enamored. i wanted to share highlights penned into my idea book in hope that you, too, could bask in the inspiration.

- the art of mindfulness is not falling into oneself.
- ask "is this for my benefit and the benefit of those around me?"
- ask "what do i really need right now in order to be happy?"
- our problem is that we want too little.  why is your sense of aspiration so meager? what holds you back?
- most important time of meditation is when you sit down to do it.
- we cannot stop cognition but we can stop the long stories and discursive thoughts in meditation by bringing awareness to the sensations.
- in each moment we experience one of five senses {or the sixth which is the mind} and each is either pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral
- how do you related to the joy and pleasure coming at you?
- pain is transformative.
- email apnea - stop breathing when doing email.
- before meetings, appointments, etc., ask "what do i want to see emerge from this meeting?"
- think "may i meet this moment fully. may i meet it as a friend."
- remember that everyone is the way they are because they can't be anyone different. 
- is your mind a terrible neighborhood where you wouldn't go alone?!
- suffering and the end of suffering does not come from avoiding.
- best kind of generosity comes from a sense of abundance.
- acknowledge what is true and real in your own experience, then work to turn it around.
- remember to always begin again. 
- ask "is my mind clear or not?"

such juicy nuggets. i hope you, too, find a dose of inspiration here. 

oh, and i picked up sharon's latest book real happiness at work: meditations for accomplishment, achievement, and peace {hmmm, winter online book club pick?}, am loving it, and think you will, too. who doesn't need a little mindfulness during the working hours? 

wishing you a beautiful and mindful week ahead. bisous. x 

 

{to explore mindfulness further, join the "mindfulness: tranquility within" e-course}


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2 comments:

goodmoodyogagirl said...

Thank you for sharing. Great take-aways. Mindfulness is so wonderful & beneficial.
Thank you!
Diana

Dawn said...

Thank you for these. I especially needed this one "our problem is that we want too little. why is your sense of aspiration so meager? what holds you back?"