Mindful Challenge

Here is a  Watering Seeds strategy you may find helpful  - developed by sister Jewel of Plum Village, and introduced by Meena Srinivasan in TEACH BREATHE LEARN. She writes " When I share this practice with my students we commit to watering helpful seeds in each other so we can partner in becoming the best we can be." 

WHY NOT TRY THIS AT HOME, and make it this weeks FAMILY MINDFUL CHALLENGE! When you begin to notice strong emotions in yourself or in another, practice BCOOL, and explore the possibility of responding a different way. Changing habit patterns of reaction can be REALLY HARD! This can be a great tool to give you just enough space to RESPOND instead of REACT and create new helpful habit patterns. BCOOL can help water seeds of Patience, kindness, FORGIVENESS, understanding, tolerance, GRATITUDE etc. 

What seeds will you water?

BCOOL    

- by Sister Jewel from teach breath learn by Meena srinivasan

B-breathe: take 3 deep breaths.

This helps create awareness of what is happening here and now

C-calm: your breath can help you calm yourself

 O–ok: once you calm yourself down, you’ll know that you are ultimately okay and that 

 whatever you are facing is workable. We need to be able to accept whatever we are

 experiencing.

O– observe: once you feel better you can observe the emotion while it is happening.Naming the emotion can help us feel less overwhelmed. Whatever the emotion is try not to judge it, there is nothing wrong with feeling the way you do. Instead ask yourself “where do I feel this emotion in my body?”, “Why is this emotion here?”

L-love: Using your breath, hold yourself with love. Be kind to yourself when you are experiencing a challenging emotion. If it is still too overwhelming return to your 5 senses, or your breath to help you. You are not trying to ignore your feelings, just see them clearly.

STILLWATER

from A Handful Of Quiet & A Pebble for Ypur Pocket

 by Thich Nhat Hanh

"Breathing In I see myself as still water   

Breathing out I reflect things as they truly are"

Have you ever looked at a lake and seen the trees reflected perfectly in it’s waters? When our minds are calm they reflect things as they are.

Have you ever thrown a pebble into a lake and watched the reflections then?  When our minds are disturbed by ripples of hurt, jealousy, or anger, we get confused, and can become the victim of our own wrong perceptions.

Have you ever been so sure that a friend or loved one had done something to hurt you… only to find out later that you were wrong?

A wrong perception can be the cause of a lot of suffering – and all of us are subject to wrong perceptions every day.

That is why it is so important to take the time everyday to become still, and quiet, and to reflect on what is happening inside and around you. Practice the habit of asking – am I sure my perception is right? 

-Thich Nhat Hanh

Take this weeks playful challenge, & find out...

SOoo... how surE ARe YA???

Life can be a tipsy topsy 

world of illusion

and things aren't always as they seem.

In the leaning tower above which side leans more? 

Print, cut, rearrange, and see for yourself!

(or see below for the answer)

Guess who's shadow... scroll to the end to find out

A portrait or a street scene?   

Close-up & far away - Who do you see

A bearded man?                       A man upset?                            A dog?

      

How many?

 what does it say? anything else?

It's our shadow!!

what about now? .... upside down! 

(above answer: both tower pictures are identical)

WAKING UP Gatha

Make this poem & stretch part of your families morning routine

Start your day the flower fresh way with this 2 minute centering exercise.

Modeling the habit of stopping to bring body & mind together is a powerfully simple gift we can give to our children by example. 

Legs grounded, feet wide, knees slightly bent, 

send your roots deep into the Earth.

 When your ready say "Waking up I smile" 

As you inhale deeply, smile, stretch your arms high above you & reach wide. 

Wriggling fingers, lift up onto your toes then (exhale) down onto your heels, as you imagine soaking up the morning sun. On In-breath say "24 brand new hours before me" as you alternate holding writs & gently tug/lean first to one side then the other.

 Exhaling, we slowly lower our extended arms as if our 2 hands are brushes painting the world, and crossing over each other into a gentle hug we rock a bit as we promise ourselves 

"I vow to live them mindfully". 

On the inhale each arm in turn sweeps wide spreading (with the right arm) "with Love",

 (and with the left) "and compassion" 

We exhale to end with palms together as we bow "for all beings"

- Gatha from Planting Seeds 

*TAKING CARE

of your strong emotions

The Next time you find yourself in the grip of strong emotion break free from old habit energy & try what Ahn does... stop, and return to your breath

*"When someone makes you angry, it is better not to respond with words as it is so often an escalation, and neither person knows how to stop.

STOP what you are doing

NOTICE your breathing

(fast , slow, deep , shallow)

NOTICE your emotion & name it

(“I see you there…” anger, resentment, frustration etc.)

Say to yourself…

Breathing in I know that I am angry

Breathing out I am taking good care of my anger

After a few breaths usually there is a slight change,

a softening of the emotion inside of you

Breathing in I see anger in me

Breathing out I smile to my anger

After doing this for a while you may still be upset, 

but your emotion will begin to calm down"

"When we take care of our anger like this, we learn how to act in a way that does not create more unhappiness for ourselves or those around us.  Mindfulness acts just like rays of the sun. Without any effort, the sun shines on everything and everything changes because of it. When we expose our strong emotion to the light of mindfulness, it will change too, like a flower opening to the sun."

*from A Pebble for your Pocket by Thich Nhat Hanh

STOPPING WITH SOUND

Invite your family to practice

Choose a daily sound in your home that will remind you 

to completely stop what you are doing and notice your next 3 breaths 

(it could be the doorbell, telephone, water running, pet sounds, etc.) 

Stop to smile and say hello to yourself 

~ take a minute to go deeper, connect, and notice where you are holding tension. 

If you like, you can recite the "Listen Listen" poem as you relax...  all it takes is the length of 3 breaths. The next time the sound is heard, see who remembers!

In breath

"Listen listen, this wonderful sound"

out breath

"brings me back to my true self"