Christine Masi
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Hmmmmm my intention at the start of the class was to renew and deepen my meditation practice and now that the class has ended, my intention feels the same. That said I do feel as a human have positive qualities and challenges.
-I have always been curious of people and nature, the stories each can tell or spiritually convey. I am an introvert by nature yet love to laugh out loud. I am enjoying being in my 60s which has given me such a sense of awe of the world both the good and the not so good.
Challenges – being an introvert and being misunderstood by others who live by busy schedules and activities. I can be a patient listener but sometimes my excitement to express my thoughts gets in the way. I get uncomfortable by pauses especially when I’m nervous and speak too quickly. I would like to become more comfortable with pauses because I believe that is where the magic is.I feel privileged to have gone on this class journey with truly thoughtful, intelligent and generous individuals. Thank you for your honesty in your essays and your dedication to your practice! Namaste.
Kate,
Such heartfelt words especially your sentence,
“I am pretty good at recognizing everything as practice and I take joy in practicing”. That sentence is inspiring to me! Thank youDominic
I too share your feelings of imposter syndrome and difficulty with speaking in front of a large group.
This course I feel challenged us both to take brave steps. I think we both have earned receding a bit of inner applause!For me parenting was the first experience of feeling alone in my internal experience while tending to the care of a child, especially during the challenging times. I would have an expression – just step up. Which meant put aside for the moment your inner turmoil and be there with as open a heart as you can.
I also remember that the last year of my mom’s life she needed much care. She was semi bed ridden and need help with life’s daily tasks. My mom was not a nurturing parent and my siblings and I were not given a whole lot of TLC. The first few months of caring for her I felt angry. How could I give to her when she gave little to her children. To my amazement, I gave as much love as I could and one day the quote of St Francis came to my mind, it is in giving that we receive. I finally understood what it meant. In helping my mom, I was given an opportunity to develop a loving relationship with her and the inner hurts I was able to let go of.
Gwen
I was amazed by how you held your team and most importantly yourself! What could have been an overwhelming negative experience for all, you were able to make lemonade out of lemons. I hope your team went on to becoming compassionate leaders because of your guidance!Kelly,
Yes parenting was the first life experience that came to my mind as well! We need to be their guides and allow them to find their own way even when it means doing a lot of internal counting to 10.Reflecting on my past parenting, I often opted for idiot compassion to quickly untangle a tantrum or later an argument. But I know when I practiced “tough love” and was calmly strong and steady I was practicing wise compassion. I hear about trend of gentle parenting and I worry that parents may not be laying clear boundaries for their children. They need to develop a soft front and a strong back balance as Ginny wrote in her essay.
I liked the description of the tree in Trungpa’s description of the enrichment karma. A tree feels to me like an example of wise compassion. Really all nature is wise compassion. Peaceful, gradually developing, abiding in the environment and shedding and pruning as needed.
Ginny
The right to life movement is a great example of idiot compassion. Especially in the way you laid it out using the quote:
“Idiot compassion rests in devaputra, or the mara of pacifying, which Chogyam Trungpa says is, “a spiritual practice based on ego, ego’s benefit.” It is a practice “involved with the duality of subject,” it is either this way or that way. Idiot compassion does not accept what is happening in the moment and working with that.”I appreciated your courage and wisdom of wise compassio!
Betsy,
Thank you for the link to an article on idiot compassion as well as your thoughts. I thought the article gave a nicely detailed explanation of the concept.The 4Rs concisely frames the trauma sensitive process. But for me it’s so much more complex. At this point in my meditation training, I’m very much a beginner and have much to still learn. I think all I could offer to someone experiencing distress is how I would want to be supported with acknowledgment, kindness and dignity. With trauma, as Karen said there is self aggression and recognizing one’s distress and gently addressing with non judgment can help to bring some ease.
I think introducing at the outset of meditation the tools of grounding, refocus from breath to body sensation or outer focal point, can help to give someone a strategy and a container prior to getting into difficulty mid meditation.I also found helpful a video blog Susan had with David Treleaven on 12/21/18
The 4Rs concisely frames the trauma sensitive process. But for me it’s so much more complex. At this point in my meditation training, I’m very much a beginner and have much to still learn. I think all I could offer to someone experiencing distress is how I would want to be supported with acknowledgment, kindness and dignity. With trauma, as Karen said there is self aggression and recognizing one’s distress and gently addressing with non judgment can help to bring some ease.
I think introducing at the outset of meditation the tools of grounding, refocus from breath to body sensation or outer focal point, can help to give someone a strategy and a container prior to getting into difficulty mid meditation.I also found helpful a discussion Susan had with David Treleaven in 2018
David
Thank you for taking such care with your students! “Morning meeting” and meditation! Life long skills you are giving to the them.Karen
I had never heard the phrase, self aggression in meditation practice. It makes sense to me because trauma survivors can tend to be over achievers or over pleasers as well as a lot of self blame. Tuning into the physical signs in our bodies is very important to recognize to help either ourselves or another.Kate,
I liked how you went through each point with thoughtfulness. The quote by Carl Jung for me put words to how to be a witness and a presence for ourselves and another who is experiencing a trauma flashback in meditation.For me meditation is becoming more aware of what is going on in my life. It brings everything that is swirling around that most times I busy myself to not tune in
Meditating brings thoughts, emotions and body sensations to full awareness. The breath for me is the focal point to be with whatever arises.
For example, if I begin meditating feeling anxiety, my breath will locate where in my body I am sensing the discomfort. I breathe into that sensation and sometimes the sensation becomes my focal point if it feels particularly strong. Often, I notice after meditation, the sensations have shifted and eased
