The practice: appreciative awareness

“Turning towards what you love saves you.” Rumi

Daily Challenge: Mindfulness is a practice of awareness, taking the time to notice what is happening within us and all around us; and we can do this in an appreciative way.  The old saying, “we slow down half as much, we notice twice as much” is at the heart of the practice.  When we slowdown from the busyness of our lives, we create the space to remember what we are grateful for, what matters most, slowing down to recognize the goodness in our lives.  When we practice appreciative awareness, we can feel a shift in perspective, focusing on what’s right rather than what’s not.  This shift in awareness can bring forth a tremendous amount of peace, contentment, and sense of belonging.

So, today, see if you cultivate an attention that is appreciative; see if you can appreciate something in your daily life that you normally overlook, something you often take for granted.   Slowing down, we may find the simplest things in our lives can bring a tremendous amount of happiness and fulfillment… from being whole heartedly present.

 “There are two types of seeds in the mind: those that create anger, fear, frustration, jealousy, hatred and those that create love, compassion, equanimity and joy. Spirituality is germination and sprouting of the second group and transforming the first group.” Amit Ray

Meditation Challenge: As you sit in stillness today, see if it is possible to be with your body and your breath in a way that brings a sense of appreciation to the moment, a sense of gratitude to the mind.  Maybe taking the time to appreciate a moment of stillness, a moment of letting go and relaxing. Appreciating a moment that allows the nervous system to relax and unwind, a moment of self-care. And maybe you extend this appreciative awareness to your breath, something you do close to 27,000 times a day without giving it a second thought, something that is simply taken for granted. With appreciative awareness, we can remember this beautiful gift of life.  

They say mindfulness is remembering but it also the direct opposite of taking life for granted. As you strengthen your appreciation muscle, notice how this affects your perspective each day. Mindful Meditation is a training of the mind to look inward for happiness and contentment.

“Around us, life bursts with miracles–a glass of water, a ray of sunshine, a leaf, a caterpillar, a flower, laughter, raindrops. If you live in awareness, it is easy to see miracles everywhere. Each human being is a multiplicity of miracles. Eyes that see thousands of colors, shapes, and forms; ears that hear a bee flying or a thunderclap; a brain that ponders a speck of dust as easily as the entire cosmos; a heart that beats in rhythm with the heartbeat of all beings. When we are tired and feel discouraged by life’s daily struggles, we may not notice these miracles, but they are always there.”  Thich Nhat Hanh

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The practice: curiosity