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#marchmindfulness
In the Tibetan language to meditate means “to become familiar with.” Meditation can also be used interchangeably with “self-observation” and self-development. In order to become familiar with anything or anyone, we must spend time observing it, like getting to know a really good friend: it’s the hanging out on great days and not so great days, when we are at their best, delighted and engaged, as well as when we are irritated, agitated, triggered or down right mad. It takes time, frequency and consistently to really know and get familiar with our Self. Along the way of this familiarization and observation might be the feelings of humility, compassion and healing for who and how we encounter ourselves to be.
When we are able to go from doing something and start to watch ourselves doing something we get a new perspective. When coaches have athletes watch video of themselves in action, athletes can start to change and refine their actions to become more refined, purposeful, effective. Similarly this happens when we meditate and get to know ourselves. We start to observe ourselves not just when we are on the meditation cushion but out in the world. We notice and observe when we experience joy, irritation, jealousy, humor, and more. This process of becoming familiar with ourselves takes observing, awareness, unlearning and changing. You see yourself as you are and notice if there are new and other possibilities.
Interestingly two favorite books on meditation have the word “love” in the title and another favorite has the word “heart” So it’s very clear that meditation is not so much about or affecting the mind, although it does, significantly, but definitely the “proof” of meditation is in the way we love. Someone can spend hours on the cushion or daily listening to a guided meditation. But when our actions change to more compassionate, generous, and kind, until we start to love ourselves more in a way that leads to treating ourselves with more respect and compassion, until we start to see ourselves in “the other” meditation might just be happening in the mind. #reallove @sharonsalzberg #meditationfortheloveofit #sallykempton #apathwithheart @jack_kornfield
#marchmindfulness in her interview with @oprah #supersoul @amyschumer shares about the way #meditation is a great way for #introverts to recharge (she’s an introvert, of course!). She practices #tm #transcendentalmeditation which is technique if meditation using a mantra or phrase repeated silently to oneself.
To hear the whole interview, see link in bio