in the moment with kids, was bipolar and more
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In a message dated 1/8/2006 6:28:49 A.M. Eastern Standard Time,
crissyhall@... writes:
Leslie, " Do you do any sort of meditative practice that helps you BE
in the MOMENT?" I could really use help with this!!! But I'm
clueless on meditating, any suggestion on where to start?
**********
There are others on this list that are more knowledgeable about such
subjects, but I enjoy Eckhart Tolle. He does not teach meditation, but about
accepting the present moment. He has a couple of books and CD series.
Right this second, things are as they are. You can't change that, but you
can begin to let your mind quit trying to make it different than it is and you
can begin to stop focusing on what is going to happen next. When you start
to notice what your mind's thoughts are at any given moment, it is usually in
the past or future, rarely right now. "This should have been taken care of
already" or "I need to get the laundry started."
So my "right now" practice can be to just stop what I'm doing and watch my
children. Really watch them. It is pretty neat. I often find my mind
slipping in and out, other thoughts creep in. That's OK. I accept that is as it
is, too. It is incredibly peaceful and creates a stronger connection with
your children, I think. Even just a few moments a day or week of this makes a
difference.
Here is a quote from Eckhart's new book, A New Earth. "How do you bring
Being into the life of a busy family, into the relationship with your child?
The key is to give your child attention. There are two kinds of attention.
One we might call form-based attention. The other is formless attention.
Form-based attention is always connected in some way with doing or evaluating.
'Have you done your homework? Eat your dinner. Tidy up your room. Brush your
teeth. Do this. Stop doing that. Hurry up, get ready.'
What's the next thing we have to do? this question pretty much summarizes
what family life is like in many homes. Form-based attention is of course
necessary and has its place, but if that's all there is in the relationship with
your child, then the most vital dimension is missing and Being becomes
completely obscured by doing, by 'the cares of the world,' as Jesus puts it.
Formless attention is inseparable from the dimension of Being. How does it work?
As you look at, listen to, touch, or help your child with this or that, you
are alert, still, completely present, not wanting anything other than that
moment as it is."
Hope this helps!
Leslie in SC
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
crissyhall@... writes:
Leslie, " Do you do any sort of meditative practice that helps you BE
in the MOMENT?" I could really use help with this!!! But I'm
clueless on meditating, any suggestion on where to start?
**********
There are others on this list that are more knowledgeable about such
subjects, but I enjoy Eckhart Tolle. He does not teach meditation, but about
accepting the present moment. He has a couple of books and CD series.
Right this second, things are as they are. You can't change that, but you
can begin to let your mind quit trying to make it different than it is and you
can begin to stop focusing on what is going to happen next. When you start
to notice what your mind's thoughts are at any given moment, it is usually in
the past or future, rarely right now. "This should have been taken care of
already" or "I need to get the laundry started."
So my "right now" practice can be to just stop what I'm doing and watch my
children. Really watch them. It is pretty neat. I often find my mind
slipping in and out, other thoughts creep in. That's OK. I accept that is as it
is, too. It is incredibly peaceful and creates a stronger connection with
your children, I think. Even just a few moments a day or week of this makes a
difference.
Here is a quote from Eckhart's new book, A New Earth. "How do you bring
Being into the life of a busy family, into the relationship with your child?
The key is to give your child attention. There are two kinds of attention.
One we might call form-based attention. The other is formless attention.
Form-based attention is always connected in some way with doing or evaluating.
'Have you done your homework? Eat your dinner. Tidy up your room. Brush your
teeth. Do this. Stop doing that. Hurry up, get ready.'
What's the next thing we have to do? this question pretty much summarizes
what family life is like in many homes. Form-based attention is of course
necessary and has its place, but if that's all there is in the relationship with
your child, then the most vital dimension is missing and Being becomes
completely obscured by doing, by 'the cares of the world,' as Jesus puts it.
Formless attention is inseparable from the dimension of Being. How does it work?
As you look at, listen to, touch, or help your child with this or that, you
are alert, still, completely present, not wanting anything other than that
moment as it is."
Hope this helps!
Leslie in SC
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]