Twelve Blog Posts of Andrea (#6)

(SIX)

“To grow in love and service, you — I, all of us — must value ignorance as much as knowledge and failure as much as success… Clinging to what you already know and do well is the path to an unlived life. So, cultivate a beginner’s mind, walk straight into your not-knowing, and take the risk of failing and falling again and again, then getting up again and again to learn — that’s the path to a life lived large, in service of love, truth, and justice.” Parker Palmer

I think the sentiments expressed here are easier when there is "conformation bias" so to speak--- embracing a beginner's mindset when the encounter confirms a path you think you are supposed to be on, or have chosen. It's hardest when you're confronted with ideas, paths, possibilities you've never considered, been exposed to, or invited to explore. It's hardest when what you have to be open to may even go against what you've experienced. It's so hard for us to consider something outside of what we believe to be true, even when we know that we don't know.

Ignorance, or a beginner's mind, is hard to allow, also, when it is simply for the greater good. To embrace ignorance for the sake of growing as a human, learning how to be better when you don't think anything is wrong with the way you're going about life is tough. Who chooses to complicate their lives in this way? Yet, we must if we want to fully live, to keep learning, to be better. It's probably why Jesus calls his followers to become like little children. Children are not without pride (granted they do not have nearly the arrogant pride we adults do), yet they know they don't know most of what they need to live and grow. So they ask questions; they listen and stay open to other possibilities when presented with them, and even when they are not. They look for and believe that other possibilities are out there. They embrace a greater level of humility with the people in their lives that they can rely on. They trust. This is why trusting relationships with people who can guide us are so important. People can be messy, and people can be messengers. So when we humble ourselves and invite other teachers in, we can get better at being human. We get better at love and service to one another. Humility is always rewarded.

I do not know what I do not yet know. This is why I read from a variety of authors and surround myself with people who experience life differently than I do. This is why I listen and ask questions. It is also why I share my thoughts with others. Though I do not embrace any and every wind of teaching, I always learn something about myself, other people and how to see the world even when I do not accept or agree with the lessons or the teachers. Humility requires wondering, questioning, seeking, examining and reflecting. This is one reason I pray. I believe that God gives wisdom to those who ask, and wisdom comes through examining the world and one's life in reverence and humility before the Creator of both.

I agree with Parker Palmer. On this sojourn, to fully live, we all must embrace being beginners again and again.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

Twelve Blog Posts of Andrea (#4)

mind-ful-ness

How many of you hear the word mindfulness then check out?  I used to.  The word conjured up images of people with a whole lot more self-control and a longer attention span than I could ever muster.  Just hearing the word made me tired. My shoulders would slump a little because deep down mindfulness seemed like one more thing I could try that would be good for me but impossible to maintain. Imagining failure before you even start can have a what’s-the-point effect on you. Despite the rave reviews, personal testimonies and millennia of evidence touting the benefits of practicing mindfulness, I did not think it was something I could start and sustain. I bet after reading that you’re now thinking about the thoughts you’ve had about mindfulness, what the term calls to mind for you, how it makes you feel.  Guess what!  That’s mindfulness.  

1. the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.

2. a mental state achieved by focusing one's awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one's feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.

That little graphic above helped me to think of mindfulness in its most basic terms. Thinking about it as being present with my body helped me to determine what this quality or state looks like in my day-to-day and has allowed me to craft and adopt practices which work for ME. I spend time each day simply sitting in silence and solitude.  I daydream. I let my mind wander then try to recall what thoughts came floating by.  I breathe, and pay attention to what I am feeling in key parts of my body. I sip coffee and pay attention to the smell and taste. I stretch. I close my eyes and listen to the space I am in.  I do one thing at a time. I actively slow down and tell myself to do so, over and over, until I am fully aware and engaged in whatever it is I am doing- watering my plants, washing dishes, eating, praying. And the benefits of these practices and others are more calm, more control, more clarity. I have been experiencing a stronger mind-body-heart-soul connection.  This translates into greater connection to God, myself and others. Being more mindful means I can better love all three.  I cannot explain the difference, but I can surely feel the difference. 

Mindfulness is simply living your life wide awake, at a pace that allows you to experience it fully, even the most mundane parts.  If your interest has been piqued, spend a few moments thinking of how mindfulness might look in your life, what ways of practicing it would feel natural to you, and where can you start small today.