Wise Heart Way

Principal #8: Mindfulness of the body allows us to live fully. It brings healing, wisdom, and freedom.

Practice: Walking Meditation

Jon Kabat-Zinn: Science of Mindfulness

Very helpful for beginners like me. Recent Speaking of Faith podcast: Jon Kabat-Zinn: Science of Mindfulness

not fixed

I'm behind on my Wise Heart reading, but even farther behind on my posting here. Miss Racing Thoughts is always challenged to make action catch up to intention. So I am backtracking a bit  to Chapter 4, The Colorings of Consciousness and the practice: Recognizing Mental States.

As the Wise Hearts know, I've been doing group therapy for a little over a year now. The term "therapy" rankles me. "Therapy" connotes something negative, something that needs to be "fixed." I have always been the person who needs to be "fixed" -- in my own mind, and in the minds of my significant others. No wonder I  always dragged around a feeling of heaviness and suffered a low-grade depression.  Now I look at my drive to understand myself in a different and more positive way. And -- glory be -- Buddhist psychology supports me. 

Principle #7: Mindful attention to any experience is liberating. Mindfulness brings perspective, balance, and freedom.

Practice: Establishing a Daily Meditation

On the Mend

Dear Wise Hearts,

I’ve been very sick for the last few days, suffering from a severe case of bronchitis.  I can’t remember when I’ve been so sick that I had to stay in bed for three straight days.  I slept a lot, and occasionally roused myself to wander around the house a bit, drink a little juice, then returned to my sweaty sheets.  When I was awake, I couldn’t really concentrate enough to read, so I’d stare at home improvement shows on HGTV.  I actually experienced the sensation of boredom! I have literally been a slug, and as most of you know, that calls up all kinds of anxiety for a type-A personality.

But this morning, I’m feeling better and I’m reminded of how beneficial three days of doing nothing can be. It’s a sort of psychic cleansing.  This morning, my head feels clear.  My heart feels light.  And though I’m weak physically, I seem to have renewed appreciation for the health and stamina that I take for granted.