We spent 3 days mostly in silence. I never thought I could do that. Partway through, during a sharing time, one member said, "Meditation is simple but not easy." AMEN to that! I love the mindfulness. Being present in a non-judgmental way. Stepping back when thoughts become difficult (intrusive thoughts--the reason I got into this in the first place) and observing. "Now I am thinking X." Sometimes I say, "Now I am thinking this thought that is wasting my time." Not sure how non-judgmental that is, but it definitely gives me perspective.
We also practiced bringing kind awareness to our thoughts or worries and letting them be--without analyzing, suppressing or encouraging, just letting them run their course. Shortly they will be replaced by other thoughts and other emotions, maybe pleasant ones. After all, our mind spends its day thinking.
One way to think of mindfulness is as prioritizing. None of us has much problem prioritizing work and family, some days work gets more attention, some days family. But some experts say that being good to ourselves is a prerequisite to everything else. Not hedonism or self-indulgence, but self-compassion. Surely nothing in God's Word tells us otherwise. It is not hard to see that being kind to ourselves would be pleasing to God. And that self-acceptance is part of our journey of faith.
If we treat ourselves as kindly as we do our children or a good friend or even a loved pet, we're also in a way fostering our independence. I like that idea. If we can self-soothe--maybe sing to our self, read the Psalms, make our self a warm drink or even rock our self to sleep--it's like being our own care-giver.
On the retreat we also practiced meditative walking. Walking and the Lord's Prayer go hand-in-hand quite nicely. I tried that when walking the labyrinth, then added other prayers. Or saying the Rosary if you are Catholic. Or just reciting your gratitude list.
On the retreat we also practiced meditative walking. Walking and the Lord's Prayer go hand-in-hand quite nicely. I tried that when walking the labyrinth, then added other prayers. Or saying the Rosary if you are Catholic. Or just reciting your gratitude list.
I've found other repetitive tasks where I can meditate as well. Sweeping is one, long strokes back and forth on the deck, drive and patio. Or raking. Many outside chores. Cooking too--chopping, stirring, kneading, patting, pounding. My mom used to pat her meatloaf gently, like you would a baby's bottom. I can see her doing it.
I feel like these practices can help us have a healthier mind. And maybe help us be more fruitful in our Christian life. What do you think?
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