Feel, breathe, think…honestly
There are thousands of reasons we need to push ourselves, to grow, to stretch, to learn. There are no shortages of books and lectures (and newsletters…) on how to improve ourselves. So much so that we can easily loose sight of the real meaning and the true power in self-mastery. To even begin down this path requires an openness of mind and heart. In this space we can connect to our innermost selves. Our innermost selves…that sounds ominous. Connecting to who we are is a foundational piece to living a truthful life. I’ve heard it explained as 'we need to go in to get out’. Whatever past grievances that we have not let go of are keeping are feet in a bucket of cement. Going ‘in’ and examining who we are, what gifts we can bring forth, how we want to move in this world brings us closer to living a truthful life. Until we spend time in this space and feel it, breathe it, and think honestly, we will remain ‘stuck’. As Socrates reminds us, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” In the spirit of being honest, we understand that this means there will be uncomfortableness and perhaps much pain. Let’s draw strength from a Bruce Lee quote, "The enemy of development is pain phobia: the unwillingness to do a tiny bit of suffering. As you feel unpleasant you interrupt the continuum of awareness and you become phobic and this weakens the heart of the will." We got this. There will be pain. Check. What can we do to ‘go in’? Through a course that I’m currently taking, I’ve learned three things that can get us started. Before I list those, let’s go back to the first paragraph and remember, “To even begin down this path requires an openness of mind and heart.” Good enough. Here are the three things:
Insight meditation - “…you call your attention to the question you seek an answer to (or the problem you are struggling with) and simply allow your awareness to rest on it…What comes up should be an insight about the issue you hadn’t considered before."
Contemplation - “is a process similar to insight meditation but where the object of awareness is not your own question or challenge, but an external source of inspiration such as a Bible verse or Rumi poem…"
Journaling - “is an excellent tool to complement these drills and is a great insight method itself. Writing down, or journaling, thoughts, ideas, fears, desires, and other things that come up during an insight meditation or contemplation drill will help you notice patterns in your thinking…"
This is plenty to get us started. Try this. Spend time ‘going in’. Let’s feel, breathe, think…honestly...
To your journey, Lisa Schaffer GreenNote Fitness P.S. Check out my Facebook page for inspiration. https://www.facebook.com/GreenNoteFitness P.P.S. Discover GreenNote Fitness recommendations for recovery, supplements, protein bars & powders, nutrition, equipment, and more.
