I went to day one of my friend Daron's meditation workshop on Sunday afternoon. We were asked to write down some mildly unpleasant activities, mildly pleasant, and activities we felt a mixture of both pleasant and unpleasant sensations when doing (or contemplating doing).
It's funny the things that come up. I like washing my hair, but I don't like drying it. I like folding laundry, but resist putting it away. (Just ask my husband who's always wondering where all his clean clothes are...well they are sitting in a nice neat pile on the floor in the family room...that's where).
I enjoy making and drinking tea. I was making a pot of darjeeling this morning. I put two teaspoons of tea in the pot and then I put an extra pinch in...somewhere in my distant past I remember the phrase "and one for the pot". You put in a teaspoon for each cup and a little extra. All alone in the kitchen I say outloud "and one for the pot". So satisfying.
And then there's my homework. When I get to it...and I will...I will become thoroughly engrossed. But it's that starting moment. But here's what I know. In that moment...that precise moment that I actually open the file on the computer that holds my work and pick up my workbook, there will be, I can feel it even now, a tingle of pleasure in the belly, that comes with having begun.
Okay...no more blogging young lady until you've finished your homework!
3 comments:
This reminds me so much of myself! Thanks for the reminder about the pleasure of beginning. :)
I'm curious about the meditation workshop - what was the follow-up to writing down the various types of activities?
We did a couple of practices that involved noticing the breath. On a handout we agreed to commit to a certain amount of time in formal sitting practice. In addition we were to practice noticing our breath in life. We wrote down some activities that we do on a regular basis that we felt were mildly pleasant, mildly unpleasant and a mix. The idea is to choose one of those activities and to notice the breath from start to finish. Check out Daron's website. He's a fantastic teacher.
www.daronlarson.com
Thanks, Kit. This is a useful practice. I find it challenging bringing practices from the yoga mat/ meditation cushion into life - but really want to figure this out. Thanks for the website also. :)
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