I'm
including in this email some "homework" exercises a fellow FAC
meditation teacher, Ken Bent, uses with his group.
Be
well and happy! Love, Joel
Meditation
Group Homework Assignments
Discovering
Present Benefactor Moments
With
the intention to rediscover the innate goodness of those around us, try to
notice those little moments of kindness that occur with us, each and every day:
a kind word of encouragement that comes just when we need it; someone holding a
door for us, an unexpected offer of help; noticing the beauty of the natural
world around us; a simple smile from a stranger, someone brings baked goods to
shared; etc. See what YOU can notice, what
stands
out for you. These are the 'present moment' benefactors that you can notice and
relate to, each and every day. As our fellow meditator, Ron, says, "Look
to those 'accidental' benefactors as the true spiritual benefactors".
To
make this a deeper spiritual practice: Write down or journal your experiences
during this time.
Discovering
Benefactors from Our Lives
Take
a Sticky Note and write the word “Benefactors” on it. Put it somewhere you will
see it every day, like on your refrigerator door, bathroom mirror, kitchen
cabinet, car dashboard, etc. Whenever you notice this note, Stop. Take a
breath, relaxing the mind, read the word “benefactors” again and see who
or what comes to mind for you as a benefactor. Keep a note pad handy to write
down what comes to mind. Do this for a month and see what comes
up
for you.
For
advanced practice: Notice how many times you see the note and Don't Stop to
reflect. Taking Difficulties into Compassion
After
leading an extended version the On-The-Spot practice from page 190 of Awakening
Through Love, I lead the practice again, quickly, taking less than a minute to
go through the steps of the practice, showing how this practice might actually
be done during your busy daily life. Then, I give a hand out or include the
steps of the practice in my weekly email and encourage the group to try this
practice, as it seems to fit in their own lives.
Noticing
Reactive Emotions
Over
the next week, see if you can notice a time when you react to someone with some
motivation other than compassion: anger, jealousy, fear, defensiveness,
greed... Notice how you react in that situation. Perhaps you will notice this
before you have reacted verbally or physically in the situation, perhaps when
you are in the middle of your reaction, or perhaps
after
the situation is completely over and you are looking back on it. Then see if
you can think of a way you could react with compassion in similar situations
and ask yourself, "What prevents me from acting with compassion in these
situations?" Really be honest with yourself to see if you can see a
pattern of thinking or reacting that comes up with this type of person, this
type of situation or when you are in a certain frame of mind.
Remember
that awareness of our reactions is the crack in that shell keeping us separate
from our true self and from others, who are really just like us.
Other
On-The-Spot Practices
(Thich
Nhat Hanh offers a lot of this type of practice)
Try
one of the following practices for the coming week:
Stop
Light Practice: When you come to a
stop light, keeping your foot firmly on the brake, take a deep breath in,
releasing it slowly, letting the mind relax into its own natural openness. When
you hear the sound of a horn behind you, it is time to focus on the road and
release the pressure on the brake.
Waiting
In (or On) Line Practice: While waiting in line at the store, stand comfortably
straight, noticing any tension in the body and allowing that to release. Then
notice what thoughts are going through your mind as you
'wait':
she really has 13 items not 12; I really wish the line were moving faster; why
don't they open another register; can't they see I am in a hurry?; etc. Can you
try to allow yourself to stand in line and just be standing, just be breathing
and just allowing thoughts to arise on their own without having to follow them
or push them away?
Telephone
Practice:
Place
one of those small sticky notes on your telephone. When you here the phone
ring, and see the sticky note, Stop, Breathe, Smile and then answer the phone.
Scientific research proves that if you smile, your attitude will be more
positive toward the other and the other will feel better interacting with you,
even though they never see you smile.
Cell
Phone Practice:
Many
cell phones allow you to put a picture as “Wall Paper” or as a background photo
for the screen and also allow you to type some text over it.
Choose
a beautiful picture from nature for the background and a short inspiring quote
for the text. So, each time you open your phone you can stop and experience the
beauty of nature with the heart and some inspiration
for
your mind at the same time. Some possible phrases you could use are:
-
You are loved by many
-
Be Attention
-
Friendliness is next to Godliness
-
All you need is love...
-
I love my family
(Come
on, you don't need my help with these. You already know what inspires you)
Neighborhood
Practice
You
walk the same routes many times a week; down the hall at work, to the corner
store, around the neighborhood, etc. For the next week, set the intention to
notice something new on your walk, each time you go. You will be amazed at what
you are missing in your life.
Independence
Day Reflection
Reflect
on how these meditation practices have changed you and the way you look at the
world. True independence would be to let go of all of our habitual patterns of
thinking and reacting and see the world just as it is. How do you see the world
today, as opposed to whenyou began your spiritual practice?
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