'I heal and grow in the present moment.'
In my perfect world I teach social and emotional learning that is largely based on the skills of mindfulness and applied thinking...and then blog about it. Mindfulness is a practice that helps us feel grounded and present in our bodies. Mindfulness practice creates the conditions for a person to observe their thoughts, feelings, sensations, and impulses. As we practice this awareness (mindfulness being awareness and awareness being bigger than our thoughts since we can observe more than just our thinking when we are intentionally aware) we can then learn the principle or idea of applied thinking. Applied thinking to my mind means that when we notice thoughts that limit us we can: 1. purposefully change the thought to one that is more manageable and doesn't 'take away' from our experience (this takes practice then it becomes a habit...like most things), 2. consider what these thoughts are linked to (a belief?) and then consider the belief and how it could be changed or shifted to add to one's experience as opposed to limit one's experience (and ultimately contribute to the greater good).
A young person in my life whom I love very much told me several years ago that she would not go hiking with me because she just 'wasn't a nature girl.' Huh...wuh? Does a person under the age of ten really have this figured out? That's a low end example of which there are numerous ways each of us limit ourselves on a regular basis. Other larger examples would be based on our more entrenched and exclusive (as in 'exclude'...not 'This is an exclusive party for top execs only.' -- obviously they mean the same thing but one of those examples many of us have become in awe of instead of aware of) beliefs that include politics, religion, culture, education, etc. etc. I'll give you a few examples...except that I won't...not jumping off that ledge.
Instead of having a conversation about limited beliefs around politics and religion I much prefer to confuse the hell out of you and talk about a meditation around letting go and connecting to. Right on!
So I do this mindfulness practice that includes imagining oneself lying in a field or being suspended in the ocean (the latter I only do with select audiences - being in water could be horribly anxiety producing to some - I personally love the feeling of being suspended in deep water...without sharks). Anyway, we create this experience of safety, peace, comfort as we imagine it with our eyes closed and then let go of the field or water and then let go of the physical body. So you can imagine this - if you shut your eyes you can get the general idea. These experiences are best considered by drawing awareness from your heart center rather than mind (the mind has already told you to stop reading this because it makes no sense...however, the internet and electricity make a lot of sense).
I often use phrases like 'bring your awareness out of your mind and into your heart' which makes total sense to me. Another person who I am quite close to and also love very much was visiting and I made a comment about heart awareness. This person gave me nothing! No pause. No consideration. I got a 'what did you just say?'...'well that's just crazy...I'm not buying that.' Hopefully I wasn't selling (?)
Anyway...back to letting go of our physical space. So you can imagine the darkness and now the feeling of connectedness (?) This darkness is infinite - no beginning and no end. We then take that darkness and draw it into our core....(and then go back into our body, into the field, into the chair we are sitting on...). So now we can imagine this infinite 'space' in the core of our body. Within this space lies the creative ideas, inspired thoughts, and unlimited possibilities that I constantly mention in posts. I have trained myself to belly breathe and imagine this space in my belly and repeat 'creative ideas, inspired thoughts, unlimited possibilities' and it brings me to peace in an instant...or at least gets me out of what could become a spiral of negativity and self doubt.
I interrupt to say that three women just ran by (I am sitting outside in the front of my place) and I heard one say: 'Okay...so you already have bad sex...'. I wonder how the rest of that went.
The last consideration I want to share (and I will expand on in other typings) is about a person's story. This comment may draw criticism however I am only hoping to offer ideas and not arguments. So the question is: How relevant is a person's story? Take a breath. When we are in a school setting or clinical setting and we are interviewing and getting all this information - to what extent is it truly relevant? (I think I know the answer to that...so I'm not really asking...I'm allowing for a broader context that would contribute to an overall belief). What I'm getting at goes back to the first line of this post, 'I heal and grow in the present moment.' I'm going to go yoga on you here (I so wish I could claim yoga...I want to be a cool yogi so bad...obviously not bad enough to attend class on a regular basis)....so in yoga they say to have a 'beginner's mind'. A beginner's mind being a fresh perspective in the moment. Having a conversation with a friend that is truly rooted in the present moment without considering past comments that were hurtful or assumptions about what the other might be thinking or how the other might react - a fresh, new moment deplete of all the many things that we often bring with us that take away from a true, authentic connection. So when working with alternative youth if we are constantly considering the 'story' are we creating a moment that allows for healing and growth? When we feel sorry for someone and rush to 'do things' for the person who has the 'sad story' (or on the other end...rush to do things for the wealthy family?) are we contributing to healing and growth or indirectly limiting? Obviously there is a place for empathy and being nice. If you are willing...let's really challenge our belief about the dignity and worth of all human beings...if this belief is entrenched to the same extent that 'water is wet' how is that evident? This idea is just something to consider...please don't add negative energy to your body in opposition and a desire to argue...unless you can separate arguing and negative energy. Consider or let go...pretty please.
'And then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was greater than the risk it took to bloom.'
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