Fb was an inappropriate venue for spending time with myself. I was led here. I may be as surprised as you that I'm here - that is, if you are the surprise-able type. Know that the archives are in chronological order, with most recent posts at the bottom. The readings are the opposite, with the most recent posts at the top. Things may be more clear if you begin at the beginning. But then, why follow convention…do as you please. That's a habit which I'm trying to cultivate even more.
I woke up this morning, found my book, read my readings. the first had to do with "really seeing" those around us. It
reminded me of Byron Katie's work, where the first questions of her work are, "Is it true; Is it really true; and how do you know that it is true"? My friend Bob used to talk about the "bubbles" he would create in his head of how he thought things "were," only to find out that what was in his bubble didn't always match reality. True, that - the part about how what is in our head doesn't always match what is in the world around us.
The second had a little piece that addressed spontaneity. It proposed that spontaneity - many times - was no more than
a reaction to something that passes our path, and to which we react. It went on to say that spontaneity was not reacting by doing those things in the moment that we wanted - or not doing those things in the moment that we didn't want. Rather, "true" spontaneity was about changing our patterns with intention - even changing patterns of a lifetime.
That second one gave me pause for thought. I do think that I can be pretty spontaneous - but thinking about changing patterns of a life time? I am going to have to sit with that
one. What gets tricky is this: I think that some habits start out as good things - they save us time - they give us an efficient way of doing things so that we don't have to think about what we are doing. Take, for instance, brushing our teeth. If we had to think about how we brush our teeth, and relearn that motor act after every single meal - it could take up a lot of time and space. However, as our lives
change over time, habits we have developed may no longer serve us. Take, for instance, emotional habits. If I learned to withdraw from an abusive relationship when I was young in order to self-preserve, that very habit may interfere with me being close to others when I am grown. I learned to act in a certain way that was healthy at one point in my life, but perhaps now it is no longer needed. Hence - reading number 1.
Awareness. Practicing the opposite of "self-deceipt."
Asking, "Is it true?" So, in theory, I suppose, practicing the tenants of first reading might just open us up to the tenants second.
Mindfully aware seems to be the theme today...seems like a good theme to start my week. That combined with my Alexander Tip of the week - "love the ground" - may just get me through.
And, with that, I must leave. I spent over 30 minutes cleaning up my email inbox this morning. While decreasing
the clutter was good, it has taken some time and my day is calling. There is yet another inbox at work awaiting my "clearing" - and numerous other things as well waiting for me as well. I know this - not because that is the nature of the work, but because I found a "to do" list in my calendar last night...ahem, ahem...it was the "to do" list that I thought I had lost on Friday...ahem, ahem. Some things are right under my nose, and it's hard to see.
One day, I found myself packing my office to move to NY. It needed doing, but I had no intention of doing it on that day, at that time. A friend came by and commented, and I
told her what I just wrote - I had no intention of boxing up my office that day, but it seemed I was boxing up my office. She replied, "When it's time to pack the China, you pack the China."
When it's time to find the list - I'll find the list, yeah?
And now it's time to get on with the day. My morning is 1.5 hours old. It's past time to pack the China.
