Mindfulness - Your Present Moment

It is with the heart that one sees rightly.
For what essential is invisible to the eye.
                                                     The Little Prince

We are back to the awareness that the way I think influences who I am and who I am influences what I do.

Lee Thayer in Leadership: Thinking, Being, Doing shares:

Behind and under and before every perception, every feeling, every decision and every action, there are habits. Habits of mind, habits of perception, habits of feeling, habits of reaction and action. “The World” about which we speak so loosely does not “inform us. We are “informed” by our own thinking and feelings about what that world is like and what is going on in it.

In short, The first and last leadership lesson is this:

We are led by our habits of feeling, of thinking,
of perceiving, and of understanding.

Get those right, and everything beyond becomes possible. Get those wrong, and the outcomes will always be something you didn’t choose.

When Susan Scott was writing Fierce Conversations, someone said she should write one about work and another one about outside work.  Her comment was: Whether you squeeze an orange at home or at work what do you get?  Jon Kabat-Zinn’s book title says it well:  Wherever You Go; There You Are.

I remind myself: Be slow to react when triggered. I never know what the other person has been through or is experiencing.

This video from the Cleveland Clinic is a moving reminder of empathy is our human connection to one another.

 

 

 

You will enjoy the following Mindfulness Series from Evolution Counseling.

“The wisdom of the East presented in a way the Western mind can understand. Series of articles with meditations, philosophy, and psychology to help you achieve mindfulness in the 21st century.”

 

 

It is always a matter of perception.

Healthy Habits   /  Healthy World
Heal Thy Habits /  Heal Thy World

If it is to be it always starts with me.

Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine shared the following suggestions:

What’s good for you is good for the planet; It’s just that simple. Keep this checklist of healthy habits on your refrigerator or computer desktop as a reminder that it only takes a few thoughtful acts a day to make a difference.

Meditate and Contemplate. Spend at least5 to 10 minutes a day meditating or in prayer. When your mind is at peace, you’re less stressed and more open to change. You become more mindful of your actions and how they affect yourself and the world around you.

Eat Two Vegetarian Meals. When you buy food that’s grown locally, you expose yourself to fresher taste and fewer pesticides. Eating less meat also reduces your consumption of saturated fats, and your carbon footprint. A vegetarian diet promotes heart health and con­serves water, energy, forest lands and pastures.

Exercise for 20-30 Minutes. It’s great to go to the gym, but a brisk walk can get your heart pumping, too. Before you get in the car, ask yourself, “00 I really need to drive to this particular destination?” Then think how great you’ll feel after you walk or bike there, saving gas and reducing greenhouse emissions as well.

Recycle, Reuse and Refuse. It takes a lot of energy to manufacture new products and creates air pollution, too. Before you toss anything in the trash, ask yourself if you can recycle or reuse it. Then refuse to buy products you know harm your health and the environ­ment. One simple way? Limit your use of plastic bottles, which often contain chemicals that can get into your drinking water and food.

 Earth Day is celebrated on April 22, 2013.

The reality is that Earth Day is everyday.

You cannot watch this video without getting a shot of oxytocin. Happy Valentine’s Day.

Simon Sinek speaking at the Vistage Conference “THINK Big!” spoke about this hormone. Check out the Vistage Blog to learn more.

He said: With Oxytocin in the body, it makes me do things selflessly. It is the generosity chemical. Generosity is doing things for people with no want of return. It’s a transaction if I do something for you and you expect something back. In the Liberty Mutual ad you see the selfless giving.

One of Simon’s recent Tweets:A team is not a group of people that work together. A team is a group of people that trust each other. Stan Westreich, a dear friend, shared a story that reflects what it means to trust. In doing a deal with someone that was concerned with all the small type of a contract Stan heard his father say: I know a thousand ways to break a contract, but I do not know how to break a handshake. Do you want to shake on the deal?

Dan Ariely touched on this in his book Predictably Irrational. Ariely’s Chapter 4:The Cost of Social Norms speaks to these differences that Sinek touches on. These relationships are based on Trust and Relationship. The market norm is based on a financial transaction. If you turn a social norm into a financial transaction, the social norm based on trust and relationship goes away. Seldom if ever can it be regained.

From Lee Thayer’s: Leadership Virtuosity

In the book Message to Garcia, Rowan did the thing asked of him. He carried a message to Garcia. We need people, Hubbard says, who will be loyal to a trust. Take the message, do what needs to be done, never even asking “How?”

You need people you can trust in that way. Every leader knows that trust is indispensable to any multi-person task or endeavor. But in our “modern” organizations, we spend more time explaining why something wasn’t accomplished than would have been required to do it in the first place.

Trust is not primarily a psychological thing. It is not about feelings. Trust was the operational imperative in hunting bands long before there was any “psychology.” It is the glue that provides the necessary interdependence required for survival or success. But it depends implicitly upon competence.

And then it depends upon conscience. People who don’t have the necessary level of both are not to be trusted. On your flight from A to B, you have to trust your flight crew to have both.

…Publius Syrus, the Greek leader and philosopher who lived and wrote in the 1st-century B.C., had this to say: “It is better to trust virtue [meaning extreme competence] than fortune.”

Translation: Put your trust in competence, not in the hope that trusting others will enhance their competence. And it is even better to trust conscience than competence. A highly conscientious person will develop or find the competence needed to carry out any task to fruition.

Leadership virtuosos trust conscience and the capacity to learn how above all else.

Dr. Dzung Vo MD and his team at the Kelty Mental Health Resource Center created a program for adolescents who are dealing with chronic pain, chronic illness and depressive symptoms. Their hospital based program: Mindful Awareness and Resilience Skills for Adolescents (MARS-A) has been most beneficial for those who have been through it. When the finished video is published, I’ll let the mindful community know. Again it has: Impact!

Dr. Vo was one of the presenters at the 3rd Annual Bridging the Hearts and Minds of Youth: Mindfulness in Clinical Practice, Education, and Research presented by the UCSD Center for Mindfulness.

In the Healthy Lifestyle section under Mindfulness you can download for free, four audio meditations of Dr. Vo’s in MP3 format. A long and short Mindful Body Scan and also a long and short sitting meditation. There are other audio by Dr. Locke that can be downloaded.

You will also find their Mindfulness Quick Reference Sheet very helpful.

Now almost two months ago, the STOP sign outside my window gave me the message of what to do after my thyroid surgery.

Last Sunday, coming in from the garage after the Marathon Clinic, I was thinking of all the things I wanted to get done so I could watch the NFL games.

I don’t know why it caught my eye. It was one of Kip’s little potted plants that was growing at the top of the steps. I hadn’t seen it growing. Didn’t even notice it until that moment as its flower rested on the doormat. I hadn’t seen it micro-inching its way until thee two white specks rested their weary heads against the mat.

So again, the world shared it message with me. About taking time and that it is all about the Practice. Little by little. Millimeter by millimeter. Nothing spectacular, until I realized that it went unnoticed until I almost stepped on it.

What lesson has the world shared with you recently about Mindfulness?

New Momentum For Human Unity was started in 2006 by a group of friends – educators, artists, creative business administrators, writers and meditators – who committed themselves to transform human life from violence, devastation and poverty to one of caring and peace.

Francis Rothluebber heard about Auroville, an experimental city in Southern India founded on principles of shared leadership, sustainable development and new consciousness. Some 2,000 people from 40 nations demonstrate what is possible when people commit to live together in unity beyond the boundaries of nation, religion and race.

Francis was intrigued and traveled there with a dear friend to see for herself. That experience inspired them to make a documentary and to share Auroville’s story: the City of the Dawn.

New Momentum for Human Unity was created to support the efforts to create the City of the Dawn

They have just published their first edition of: One. the mind aware.

Our mission is to create a better life on and for this planet through the evolution of human consciousness and the transformation of human relationships, by encouraging mindfulness of our interconnection and by the power of selfless love.

The large format book creates awareness as the quotes evoke reflections that are mirrored in the wonderful work of many artists and the images captured by contributing photgraphers. The insights of Thay, Thomas Merton, Rumi, Anne Frank, Teilhard de Chardin capture in words what the artists have shared through their creative images.

One. the mind aware is truly a gift from the heart-mind.

Peace Is Possible
The Moment We Experience
Our
ONEness
First,
and
Celebrate Our Differences
Second

A wonderful gift to share while supporting the mission of New Momentum.

My mentor, Lee Thayer, shared this quote years ago and which my daughters were raised on: If you want to know the future: Create it.

This is what Auroville has created. The award-winning documentary film, City of the Dawn, explores Auroville, India, an experimental city, founded on principles of shared leadership, sustainable development and new consciousness. This intentional community was created to be a living embodiment of human unity, a laboratory for the future that wants to find new ways to coexist that benefit all.

This was 10 days ago. I am feeling pretty good on the 3 or 4th day after surgery, I was thinking how quickly I could get back to my normal routine and do my groups: Vistage 29/777/687, Lifestyle Change at Integrative Medicine, and the Marathon Clinic. Back to my work of counseling, consulting and coaching.

I am sitting on the couch reflecting. The doctor said rest 2 weeks. Then start to get back into my routine the next 2 to 3 weeks. I know I can get back sooner. I am feeling good even with the hour spent attempting to intubate me of the 6 hours of surgery.

I looked out the window. Thirty feet away my answer from the world pulls me up short. There on the NE corner of 29th and Palm is my answer. It’s been there several years. I was upset at first when they put it there. I spoke out against it. I fought against it. I thought it was for everybody else. Now I know it’s for me. I take a breath. I relax my shoulders as I breathe out. The red hexagonal message is my friend. It’s there for me. It’s been there all the time. I just needed a mindful moment to hear. I am once again in the learning mode.

Here are two ways to help you capture your own mindful moments. Elisha Goldstein who co-authored with Bob Stahl A Mindful Based Stress Reduction Workbook has now written The Now Effect has created a great way to support you in becoming more aware and mindful through Your Daily Now Moment

Coming January, Phyllis Cole-Dai is sharing a daily “mindfulness poem,” usually by a contemporary or recent poet on her website: A Year of Being Here. She shares a daily sip or slice of poetic encouragement to “be here now.” You can sign up on the website or by liking her project’s Facebook page

On November 27th, Phyllis shared a poem, near and dear to my heart. When I first heard it years ago, it spoke to me of welcoming whatever comes my way. It was what Doug Bouey and Rick Eigenbrod shared with me after their return as Pelegrinos or Pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago de Compostella. You order what you order. And you get what you get. So Rumi’s poem, The Guest says whatever comes, welcome it. It was November 27th, that I went into surgery at 9:15 am pretty certain that with all the signs and symptoms of my thyroid tumor, it was malignant. So I was prepared for the worst.

The Guest House
by
Rumi

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.

“The Guest House” by Rumi, from The Essential Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks with John Moyne. © HarperCollins Publishers, 1995.

Years ago, I first came across an introductory page in a book by Ida Rolf with the title: Admonition For 1977. It’s one of those pieces that has sat in the back of my mind over the past 35 years, especially when I get tangled up in my own righteousness and knowing.

At the time I did not know it, that it would become a foundation in my practice of Mindfulness.

Lee Thayer talks about being in the learning mode. The problem is that I can easily be caught up in the Knowing Mode. Being in the learning mode means I need an unrelenting curiosity about anything that might bear upon my performance of my role of becoming more present, aware and living my life intentionally. Becoming more aware, present and intentional tomorrow than I was today. And each future day beyond.
Yet if I want to know the future, I create it by being in this present moment.

There are numerous translations if you search the internet for : Buddha “Do not believe anything merely”.

This is my composite of Ida’s and those other translations I’ve read.

The Kalama Sutra

The Kalama Surta is the Buddha’s reply to a group of townspeople of Kalama. They asked Buddha who were they to believe of all the ascetics, sages, holy ones and teachers They came through their town confusing them with their contradictory truths, teachings, beliefs, and one true way.

• Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it,
• Nor traditions because they are old and have been handed down from generation to generation and in many locations,
• Nor in rumor because it has been spoken by many,
• Nor in writings by sages because sages wrote them,
• Nor in one’s own fancies, thinking that it is such an extraordinary thought, it must have been inspired by a god or higher power,
• Nor in inferences drawn from some haphazard assumption made by us,
• Nor in what seems to be of necessity by analogy,
• Nor in anything merely because it is based on the authority of our teachers, masters, and elders,.

However, after thorough observation, investigation, analysis and reflection, when you find that anything agrees with reason and your experience, and is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, and of the world at large; accept only that as true, and shape your life in accordance with it; and live up to it.

These words, the Buddha went on to say, must be applied to his own teachings.

Review The Contemplative Tree and see where your practice is.

James Hollis in his book, Finding Meaning In The Second Half of Life, touches on this issue under what he calls “personal authority” or more appropriately the recovery of personal authority. You can summarize that task in the above Kalama Sutra or in Hollis’ definition: “Personal Authority means to find what is true for oneself and to live it in the world.”

So ahead is a wonderful experience of a lifetime.

Some quotes from Buddha to bring home the point

As the Fletcher whittles and makes straight his arrows, so the master directs his straying thoughts. All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think, we become.~ Buddha

We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make our world.~ Buddha

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.~ Buddha

All acts of living become bad by ten things, and by avoiding the ten things they become good. There are three evils of the body, four evils of the tongue, and three evils of the mind.
The evils of the body are, murder, theft, and adultery; of the tongue, lying, slander, abuse, and idle talk; of the mind, covetousness, hatred, and error.~ Buddha

The question I raised back in the early 1980′s was: Why Do Runners Heel Strike? I had purchased a Sanyo recorder in 1979 that did slow motion recording in a 20 minute cassette format. It was the beginning of teaching runners about running what I called; Ball/Heel/Ball. If you march in place the ball of the foot touches, then the heel, and as the foot lifts back up the ball is the last to leave the ground. Marching in place ball/heel/ball there is no sound and one can lightly touch the ground quietly.

In a previous blog post, Joyce Wycoff wrote an article in May 1996 entitled: Today’s Certainties and Tomorrow’s Absurdities and quoted me:

Running shoes will continue to advance in design and technology. They will continue to neglect a major component: Man, the thinking body.

An atavistic paradigm shift will take place. Runners and walkers will realize it’s not the shoe, it’s an innovative thinking body. A new line of shoe will be created that allows proprioceptive feedback to the thinking body. All of the thick running and walking shoes will be replaced by thinsoled foot covers which allow the human animal to take control of their youthful movement once again.

Traditional Tai Chi, Yoga, Stretching for the Thinking Body, etc. will grow. Companies like Nike, Addidas, Reebok and their approach to shoes will be tomorrow’s absurdities.

Tim Brennan back in 2003 sent me a pair of his prototype shoes that were to become today”s VivoBarefoot. I wore them for a few weeks but since they size 12 and I wear a 13, I gave them to my Rolfer, Victor Geberin, who wore them for years.

As you watch Ruthie in the video, notice how she lands as she walks and runs.

As you walk over the next few weeks, think elliptical trainer. All I ask you to do is as your foot lands, lift it a quarter of an inch and as it swings through place it down sooner so that you land on the heel of your shoe NOT the back-of-the-heel-of-the-shoe. If you hit on the back-of-the-heel-of-the-shoe, your stride is too long and you’re stopping yourself with each step. That lifting a quarter of an inch and thinking elliptical will smooth out your walking. And if it smooths out our walking, it may just make a difference in your running – if you are a back-of-the-heel-of-the-shoe striker.

Check out The Natural Running Centerr.