aware & non-reactive…
Archive for May, 2016
Awakening
Tuesday, May 24th, 2016Once entangled in a cycle of chronic stress, our central nervous system no longer returns to a “rest and digest” (parasympathetic) state and instead stays ready, vigilant and wired for “fight or flight” (sympathetic state).
Awakening
Saturday, May 21st, 2016Entangled, we sense our attention narrowing, and perceive a loss of control as the thoughts & feelings flood our consciousness and powerfully alter the whole of our being.
The Fickleness of Breath Awareness
Friday, May 20th, 2016What happens when we observe our breath- when it becomes the focus of our attention? Do we notice our breath becoming deeper and slower? Does the space or gap between our “in-breath” and our “out-breath” tend to grow longer? When our breath begins to slow and deepen- how then does our mind and the rest […]
Awakening
Friday, May 20th, 2016Flooded with present awareness, we lean into the completeness of each moment with a consciousness that is spacious and empty.
Is this it?
Thursday, May 19th, 2016This is a classic Gahan Wilson cartoon from the New Yorker in the 1980s. As beginners in the practice of meditation or contemplation, we often struggle with our expectations for what it is we will uncover, discover, or transform from our efforts “to sit” and to simply “be”. What’s fundamentally important to the practice is […]
Awakening
Thursday, May 19th, 2016In practice, the sound of the bell is considered our gateway into a space of calm and stillness. In this meditative space, we are not moving, talking, or thinking. Here and now, we simply come back to our breathing. We sit quietly and listen with all our being.
Awakening
Tuesday, May 17th, 2016A ‘hungry mind’ is fueled by curiosity- the intentional act of searching out what we have yet come to know. It is this curiosity that helps us to become skillful learners.