Mindfulness and Christianity: Miscellaneous Notes

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.