Prayer/meditation
I. Intro. Xns? M.
practicers?
Initially thot I'd
talk about M. then Xn'ty, but they kept flowing into each other;
which I realized is how they have become in my experience and
practice. Both are bigger than anyone has plumbed the depths of. And
words about them are the finger that points, but not the experience:
Both must be practiced in order to benefitted from. “Only by
practicing mindfulness will be able to look at everyone else with an
open mind and the eyes of love.” [TN Hanh] “It's
really all about kindness.” [JK Zinn]. Both these statements also
indicate mindfulness is a pathway/means to a more compassionate
way-of-being, which is of course, what Xnty is also. Jesus said “If you know these things, happy are you if you do them.” T.N. Hanh:
“Mindfulness is at the same time a means and an end, the seed and
the fruit.” A means to build up concentration; and the end
of living life—staying
free of distractions.
“Love
received and love
given comprise the best form of therapy. But
love is not easily
commanded or offered by one whose whole life has been marked
by reactive protest against early deprivation.” Gordon Allport
II.
Prayer-meditation “We ought to listen to music or sit and practice
breathing at the beginning of every meeting or discussion.” T N
Hahn
Being Light.
= individuation since light cannot be polluted by that with which it
comes in contact. “You are the Light of the world. Let it
shine!” Jesus
Peaceful Warrior.
Must be a warrior. [story of man with bowl of oil and soldier with
sword behind him.] But if you lose your peace, you are losing the
battle. Mindfulness calls you back. Mindfulness may be thot of as
awareness of the Holy Spirit. Ruach. Breath of life.
M. is the foundation
upon which you can build a personhood.
When you sit on the
bank of your stream of consciousness, you can see that there is some
pollution and useless stuff in the river. If you are not on the bank,
you are in the stream, and you can't discern what is useful and what
is useless [or destructive]. When you are on the bank, you can see
that you might be straining to get somewhere that cannot be attained
by straining, and that straining is the problem. You can stop
straining! You can see, from the bank of the river, that you are
shaking the turtle of life, trying to get it to come out of the
shell; and the harder you shake, the more the turtle withdraws into
his shell! Then you can smile at the absurdity of your actions.
From the bank of the
river you can see that you are going through your life feeling
deprived of something, or regretful about something, or frustrated
about something, or anxious about something. You can observe your own
heart instead of being lost in it—like a fish in the water. We can
practice letting go of the useless stuff. If we simply look deeply
into it, we realize that it is delusional. You should be very
thankful when you dispel one of your delusions. You have removed an
encumbrance to your joy and peace. Joy and peace are by-products of
the realization of Universal Truth—the Truth of Christ—the Truth
by which we and everything are here—the Truth that generated our
consciousness. [Remember, we did not generate our selves through
conscious effort. But we can purify our selves through
conscious effort. We can recognize and move beyond our delusions.]
A poet [Keats] said
“Beauty is truth, and truth beauty..”. I believe it is more
accurate to say that Love is Truth, and Truth is Love. This is also
what the Bible teaches: “God is Love.” And Christ, [God in the
flesh] said “I am the Truth”.
M. is defined as
“Paying attention on purpose in the present non-judgmentally.”
“Non-judgmentally”
does not mean we do not evaluate [and elevate] our consciousness. For
instance, I might be driving down the road on the way to meet a
client in my office mindfully thinking: “There is an aluminum can
beside the road. Looks like a Bud Light” etc. This is a form of
mindfulness and being in the present, if I am aware of what I am
thinking as I am thinking it. I might decide to shift my awareness
to: “How can I best serve the client that I am going to meet? What
did we discuss last time? Where is he/she stuck and how can I best
facilitate forward movement?” This is how we can use mindfulness
to be happier and more productive human beings. It is important to do
this peacefully. The non-judgmental aspect means we do not put down
on ourselves for thinking about the aluminum can. We just peacefully
shift to the love-mindset.
I associate Jesus
with my breath—the Breath of Life—and He delivers me out of the
random chaos of my mind. The “worries and cares of the world that
choke out the fruit of the Holy Spirit.” He delivers me into:
forgiveness [of self and others], peace, loving kindness [JKZ “It
boils down to kindness”. Be kind to each other, tenderhearted,
forgiving ea. other, even as God, for Christ's sake, has forgiven
you.” Eph.], Good will toward the human family, thoughts of how to
love my people today—this moment, etc.
Clear vs. smoky
thinking. Lucidity. When we are mindful we can be clear even if we
are smoky.
Poems Altar Smoke
and Tempo, both representing a shift in awareness.
My personal
experience driving to office from Russel's.
It's disheartening
that most people seem predominantly disinterested in spiritual
growth. What is spiritual growth? It's an interest in unseen things.
You can not see love, peace, joy, fear, guilt, shame. You can see the
by-products of these, but you cannot put any of them under a
microscope or break off a piece like a candy bar and share it with
someone. The mind is unseen. We can see the brain but not the
mind. And we live in it. Isn't it interesting that we live in our
mind, which we neither understand nor completely control. What's more
interesting is that we can become more mindful of our minds, and by
so doing assert some influence thereon. How do you want to influence
your mind? This place where you live? What's more important, tidying
up the house or tidying up your mind?
“I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor.” HDThoreau Mindfulness facilitating compassion/agape love is this conscious endeavor.
CBT is a form of
mindfulness: becoming aware of certain thoughts that are contrary to
peace, and consciously changing them to thot's that bring peace. Like
choosing gratitude.
Theologically
speaking, this is ultimately a journey toward Truth; since Scripture
teaches that truth is good—Gospel—good news. This seems to be
confirmed in the phenomena of the great mysteries of beauty, music
and humor; giving us an opportunity to grow in trust—in God or the
universe, Who or which has given us life. [Of course I fall on the
“Who” side of that postulation.] But even if you fall on the
“universe” side, you might as well trust what you cannot change
about it. You didn't have to be anxious to be given life—seems
unnecessary to be anxious about death or anything that comes in life.
Jesus queried “Can you add anything to your life by being anxious
about it?” I understand that, for those who suffer from some types
of anxiety, a simple statement about trust does not cure it. But if
one presses that universal truth down deep into his psyche, [burning
some new neuron pathways in the most evolved part of the brain] it
can begin to displace the anxiety, or enable one to progressively
transcend it. And transcendence of some manifestations of anxiety and
depression seems to be the best we can currently do, since we do not
seem to be able to eradicate it. Transcendence is the cure, in
some sense.
Mindfulness: paying
attention on purpose, non-judgmentally. Sitting peacefully on the
grassy bank of the stream of your consciousness. Peacefully
observing the clouds of your thoughts pass thru the sky of your mind.
Becoming aware from a more transcendent realm. Like the poem:
“Hurrying from here to there, suddenly I become aware....”
AWARE. We can be lost in what we are doing, which can be OK, or not
OK. But we will not know if it's OK or not OK if we do not become
mindful. When I am birdwatching I am lost in what I am doing, but
that is OK because I choose to get lost in it. I love to get lost in
it! This type of “lostness” is another form of healthy
mindfulness.
Xnty gives us a home
base other than, or in addition to, our breath to come back to [from
all our distractions.]
Hope. Faith. Love.
Gratitude. Trust. Peace. Smiling heart. Certain promises from
Scripture.
Xnty may be thot of
as the embodiment of a certain type of mindfulness—the mindfulness
of Christ Himself.
How can the Xn faith
be used in therapy?
1. Clients are
Christians and open to drawing from their Xn roots in their growth
2. Prayer. Invoking
an awareness of the Holy Spirit: Love, Peace, Comfort, Acceptance,
Truth.
3. A deeper
reliance upon the Truth of Christ – His teachings.
4. Concept of
idolatry [of persons, needs, addictions, etc.]
5. “In the world
you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have overcome the
world”* Embracing the reality of suffering with a cheerful heart.
6. “Peace I give
to you. I come that you might have life, abundantly. These things
I've spoken that you might have joy, the fullness of it.”
7. Discover what is
oppressing you and bring the Truth of Scripture to bear upon it.
8. *I am in you and
you in me and I in the Father [Creator].
9. “Do not be conformed to this world but be transformed
[metamorphosed] by the renewing of your mind”. “Finally,
brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are
honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are
pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever is virtuous and
praiseworthy, think on these things.” Phil 4:8
10. Concept of Light
= individuation. Also “Love your enemies...”
11. Love casts out
fear. Be anxious for nothing.. thanksgiving. Thankful in all
situations. “If we didn't learn a lot...etc. LOVE and GRATITUDE as
enemies of FEAR.
You are a stream of consciousness.
How we become who we are seems to be a random process emerging out of the spontaneous thoughts that have been stored up in our mind in response to life experiences, combined with our particular genetic inheritance. As neuro-scientist Wolf Singer says, "The mind is an orchestra without a conductor." We become what we choose through devotion: Devotion to core characteristics [love, peace, courage, faith, hope, gratitude, etc.]. We set these as our default to come back to from the thousands of distractions that we inevitably experience in daily life. Mindfulness is how we stay in touch with what we are devoted to. This is one of the primary functions of our religious life. The word "religion" derives from latin words meaning to "bind back". True religion binds us to what we are trying to become, and thus shapes us, over time, into that person. We have the wonderful opportunity [it is an obligation, but should be felt as an opportunity] to consciously cooperate with God in the shaping of our personalities. We wake up from our distractions; over and over. We realize that we're not waiting for something to happen. Life is not primarily about trying to get to the next thing. It has to be about being where we are because that's the only place we can ever be! Fear, regret, dread and desire can be parasites to life; and they can be sucking the precious life out of us without us even knowing it. Mindfulness is waking up from this bad dream. The Holy Spirit may be thought of as an awakening influence. Jesus declared that some were “blind” , and He offered “life—abundant life” to people who were biologically alive [bios]. He was offering Zoe. The “fruit” or results of living in the Spirit is a life characterized by “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.” Not a bad repertoire. This is our “default setting”. Mindfulness brings us back to it through the doorway of being-here-now.
The conscious will can, and at times ought to, run counter to the normal flow of life-awareness. The normal flow can be despair, pessimism, dread, fear, chronic anger, feelings of deprivation or entitlement, guilt, shame, hopelessness, etc. We need not try to block or eradicate these—a process that can be fruitless and tiresome—through mindful awareness they can evaporate in the sunlight of a greater, transcendent Truth. The Bible calls Truth “Gospel”, which means “GOOD NEWS!” Not fearful, hopeless, despairing news. Truth leads us to understand that the good and evil interwoven tapestry of life is ultimately good. The important thing is to LIVE this Reality—not just to know it. Jesus said “If you know these things, happy are you if you DO them.”
Begin with Intro. Get to know.
Altar Smoke and Tempo representing a shift in awareness.
Mindfulness = making a conscious shift.
Xnty offers some wonderful Truths to shift into:
1. God is Love.
2. The goodness of God already is. Ann Linthorst of A Time To Love [?]
3. All is well, and all is well, and all shall ever be well.
4. Be still and know that I am God. [Sarah Young of Jesus Calling]
5. I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Jesus
6. I am in you, and have overcome the world. And you are in Me.
7. All things are being worked together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose” which is Love.
8. This is a perfect moment. I have everything I need in this moment. I let go of all desire, need or want except to abide peacefully in this moment.
ACTIVITY
The opportunity is to create a “Home Base”--a default core of consciousness to which to return from all the distractions. Create some new neuron connections. What truth/s do you want to remain close to? Decorate your “home base” with these. [Activity: Take a moment to get in touch with the most comforting, inspirational, life-enhancing truths you have discovered and felt inwardly. Not just nice-sounding platitudes, but truth your soul has resonated with. Write them. Create placards of these and place them on the walls of your mind's home base.] Use mindfulness and devotion to awaken from the distractions of life [or embrace them] in the light of this home base.
What
were you thinking three minutes ago? Maybe it was a complaining
thought or a happy thot—“stinking thinking” per AA. Maybe it
was a thought that diminished [or enhanced] the effectiveness of your
immune system. If you are not aware of what you are thinking, your
thots are random; and the universe of possibility contains mind
content that is life-enhancing and
life oppressing. Mindfulness enables you to discern and choose. It is
awareness of awareness. When
you are mindful, you
can come back to “home base”. Or chase a rabbit if you like. But
at least you know what you are doing.
Below is a quote, the conclusion, of an article by Katy Butler entitled “Living On Purpose”. In it she chronicles certain aspects of the lives of two men, Tony Schwartz and Jim Loehr, [co-authors of The Power of Full Engagement] who were seeking perfection; one in coaching, the other in his own life. Her conclusion represents as close a description, from the secular standpoint, of the Christian worldview as I have seen. She implies that there are forces [Psychological? Social? Spiritual?] that we do not control, and that shape us. We can cooperate with these forces [and by implication resist or “channel” some of them], but we must also practice “self-acceptance”, “persistence”, and “forgiveness”. The article also briefly chronicles the secularization of culture and the helpful religious rituals that were left behind, and the deleterious effects of their loss.
This
may be the greatest paradox of the expanded definition of the
unconscious. The more we know about factors outside our conscious
control, the greater the chance we have to influence and channel
them. At the same time, the more the Renaissance vision of the
perfectibility
of man recedes into the distance, the more our genuine ability to
shape our lives grows, and the more our grandiose sense of complete
control wanes. So does Freud’s magisterial conception of an Ego
that would, after indefinite years of psychoanalysis, supplant the
writhing Id.
This
paradox invites us to look over our lives, take a deep breath, and
hold the reins with a looser hand. We can’t control ourselves. We
can’t even control the factors that control us. We can simply help
shape what helps shape us. We influence our lives, but we don’t
control them. If we want to be effective and happy, we need to
include on our lists of values not only “excellence,” “effort,”
and “integrity,” but “self-acceptance,” “[peaceful]
persistence,”
and “forgiveness.” [and
compassion] This
may be the deeper meaning of the notion of “practice” that the
seeker and the tennis coach have stumbled on, and a way to approach
the vast unconscious with a deeper emotional wisdom. Katy
Butler, “Living On Purpose”
Whatever
is in the unconscious—whatever good or evil forces have shaped us
into what we are—a conscious, peaceful, persistent devotion to the
Love of Christ—agape—will
refine us into what we choose to be. Mindfulness is the means by
which we can practice this Love, because if we are not mindful, we
are randomly living out whatever forces are within us or reacting
impulsively to our environment. And evil exists within the world of
randomness and impulsivity.
The
Holy Spirit keeps us mindful of the Truth that makes us safe and
free.
MINDFULNESS
SAYINGS
Let
our doing come out of our BEING.
It's
not about the object of our attention, but about the attention
itself—with tenderness and conpassion.
It's
about showing up [dropping in] in this moment, which is all that we
have.
Befriend
a silent intentionality.
Just
stopping can be a radical accomplishment.
The
real meditation practice is how we live our lives in the infinite
present moment, which is all we have.
Mindfulness
involves an awareness of relationality—recognizing how we are in
relationship with our thoughts.
Feast
on your life as it is unfolding—stay out of the complaint box.
Settling
into this moment as if it is important. In fact it's the only moment
you'll ever have to settle into anything!
Just
sit. Nothing more. No big deal. A human being falling awake, over and
over again. Reminding yourself that you are alive. Re-bodying
yourself. Coming home.
Stillness.
Silence. Presence. Wakefulness. Being.
Create
a home [or discover the home] for yourself in your body that is a
very good place, that you can return to at any time.
Imagine
your consciousness as a stream or river. Sit peacefully on the grassy
bank of that river and observe your stream of thoughts.
Choiceless
awareness—just being the awareness itself; which is bigger than
conceptual knowing.
Taking
up residency in your home—your body.
You
can chase the rabbits of your thoughts peacefully, even joyfully,
knowing that you have a home to come back to—and never really left.
Some of the thoughts will take you to important and beautiful
places. Others will take you into useless nonsense. But you will know
which is which, because you will not be lost in them.
Nothing
is beyond us that we cannot embrace, welcome, observe, and learn
from.
I
could be happy if only things were perfect—or different, etc.
Someone
asked the Dalai Lama, “What is your happiest moment?” “I think
now!”
You
can practice being home wherever you are; like a snail, carrying your
home with you.
Mindfulness
is being in touch with the great mystery that transcends all our
conceptions.
M.
is awareness of awareness.
SCRIPTURAL
INVITATIONS:
Be
still and know that He is God.
I
have calmed and quieted my soul. As a baby at its mother's breast is
my soul.
Peace
I give to you. My Peace I give to you. Not as the world gives, give I
unto you. Jesus
Don't
be anxious about anything, but in all things by prayer and
supplication with THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known to
God; and the PEACE of God, that passes
all understanding,
will keep you hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
As
a man thinks in his heart, so is he. Whatever is good, true, pure,
just, excellent, praiseworthy—think on these things.
He
makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul! Ps. 23
I
come that you might have LIFE; and that you might have it more
abundantly. [Jesus]
These
things I have spoken that my JOY might be in you, and that your JOY
might be FULL. [Jesus]
In
the world you will have tribulation, but nevertheless, BE OF GOOD
CHEER. I have overcome the world.[J.]
I
am in you and you are in me and I am in the Father. [Jesus]
What
are we trying to do? We are trying to live the best life we can
possibly live. And,
of course, that involves helping others to live their best life. We
are trying to stay awake to this Reality: It is an amazing gift to
be a living human being!!
Our
practice is designed to help us stay awake to certain realities that
keep our lives moving in the direction of the “abundant life”
that Jesus spoke about. And to stay free from distractions, maya, the
“world”, the darkness of zombie-land. Christ offers us a core of
eternal Truth. Mindfulness is a practice by which we can abide in
that Core.
What
is the Core? It's what people who've had NDE's try to describe. It is
the Kingdom of God in which we are aware that the Conscious Core of
this universe, permeating every nook and cranny of it, is LOVE. That
we are here because of Love—and we are man and woman b/c of Love.
Flowers, birds, the sky, ocean, beauty, humor, creativity, etc. all
are here b/c of Love. Evil is here b/c God wants us to be free. He is
not a controller.
But
even in talking about this wonderful Reality, we can drift away from
the inner experience of it, at which time our words are useless. If I
say “God” or “Jesus” or “mindfulness”--these are just
vibrations in the air. The vibrations may or may not awaken us
to
the Reality that cannot be captured in words. There
is a credit card commercial that ends with the question “What's in
your wallet?” At the end of any words about Truth, we must ask
“What's in your heart?” That is what really matters.
My
prayer is that our practice will keep us in peace and
loving-kindness, like the dawning of the sun, shining brighter and
brighter, to the full light of day.
