GREETINGS ALL!
I am in the process of developing my mindfulness skills. There are various definitions for the term. "Mindfulness as a psychological concept is the focusing of attention and awareness, based on the concept of mindfulness in Buddhist meditation." "Mindfulness helps us to stop living by reacting to pressure, freeing us from destructive mental and emotional patterns. It changes our habitual way of reacting unhelpfully. We learn and practice staying calm and making sound and creative choices. To be mindful is to be in each moment and live our lives with understanding."
I am in the process of developing my mindfulness skills. There are various definitions for the term. "Mindfulness as a psychological concept is the focusing of attention and awareness, based on the concept of mindfulness in Buddhist meditation." "Mindfulness helps us to stop living by reacting to pressure, freeing us from destructive mental and emotional patterns. It changes our habitual way of reacting unhelpfully. We learn and practice staying calm and making sound and creative choices. To be mindful is to be in each moment and live our lives with understanding."
It is my hope you will join me in my mindfulness
adventure. I intend to post my insights and thoughts for the day. My spiritual
inspiration has opened my eyes---this is part of my new life and I still have
much to contribute.
Best Wishes!
Best Wishes!
SEED THOUGHTS
ReplyDeleteSeek your truth in Nature
---This is a wonderful place to start to develop mindfulness skills. When I am out in Nature it is easy for me to release ruminating thoughts of the past and the future. I can let my fears be burned away by the sun. I can let the wind carry away trivial, daily worries. I can accept the unconditional acceptance of the trees. I can just “be and know.” Let the seed thought bloom in your mind and release your inner knowing and insight—your own internal vision. (If you can go outside and rest in nature for this meditation, try to be in this meditation for a minimum of 15 minutes, if possible have your bare feet in contact with the earth, walk, sit or lay flat for the meditation)
SEED THOUGHT: Find your place in Nature, choose wisely this is the course of your evolution.
ReplyDelete---My reflection tells me there are many layers in a seed thought. That the thought like a seed has a potential life inside it. Whether the thought grows depends on how much energy and attention you give it. I can reflect on finding my place in the ecological Nature, nature of Humanity, or my nature Mind/Body/Spirit. Or I could reflect on the life of a seed as a metaphor for my life's evolution.
SEED THOUGHT: Nature and the Spirit are one in the Creator. Creator and Creation are one.
ReplyDelete---Reflection tells me the seed thought is interpreted individually. It resonates with the part of self, which seeks insight. I can look at the microcosm or the macrocosm. I can meditate on Spirit alive in everything—that Spirit is the energy that holds everything together. I can reflect on God’s relationship with His/Her Creation, or a parent’s relationship with his/her children, or the individual as the creator of their universe.
The seed thought is a path for a journey toward insight. It is active meditation. One is mindful because one is attentive to self revelation. One does not control the thought, or desire a particular outcome. Peace comes by accepting the insight as revealed.
SEED THOUGHT: Seek your inspiration in Nature. Let the sun burn away the dross and the Soul will shine.
ReplyDelete--Reflection shows me that the dross of life can represent many things in life. (define dross: unwanted material that is removed from a mineral, such as gold, to make it better; something of low value or quality.) I often meditate in the sunlight. I imagine the sun is burning away stagnant emotions, biased attitudes, and maladaptive behaviors. Sunshine feels like Love. Light is God’s Love—light energy was the first creation as Light was separated from Dark. When we separate our own light from the dark, we love ourselves.
SEED THOUGHT: Reach for you real root.
ReplyDelete--Reflection tells me the word root can lead to many routes for meditation. Root and route are homonyms in English--this in itself creates an interesting path (route) for meditation.
Define Root
1. a : the usually underground part of a seed plant body
b : any subterranean plant part
2 a : the part of a tooth within the socket;
b : the enlarged basal part of a hair within the skin
c : the proximal end of a nerve
d : the part of an organ or physical structure by which it is attached to the body
3 a : something that is an origin or source (as of a condition or quality)
b : one or more progenitors of a group of descendants
c : an underlying support : basis
d : the essential core : heart
e : close relationship with an environment
4 a : a quantity taken an indicated number of times as an equal factor <2 is a fourth root of 16>,
b : a number that reduces an equation to an identity when it is substituted for one variable
5: the lower part : base, the part by which an object is attached to something else
6: the simple element inferred as the basis from which a word
7: the lowest tone of a chord (as C in a C minor chord)
SEED THOUGHT: Seed you’re/your truth.
ReplyDeleteWhen I typed this out I saw that I had written one word twice with two spellings. From Freudian and Jungian psychology, as well as many religious traditions we know there are no accidents. The seed thought has a dual focus. “Seed [in your mind that] you are truth” and “Seed your truth,” or I could reflect on the ideas and values that make up the seed [kernel] of my truth.
--Reflection tells me to consider that I am truth and that it is possible for me to seed truth.
Define seed:
1. Botany a mature fertilized plant ovule, consisting of an embryo and its food store surrounded by a protective seed coat
2. the small hard seed like fruit of plants such as wheat
5. the source, beginning, or germ of anything the seeds of revolt
6. Chiefly Bible offspring or descendants the seed of Abraham
7. an archaic or dialect term for sperm, semen
8. Sport a seeded player
9. the egg cell or cells of the lobster and certain other animals
11.Chemistry--a small crystal added to a supersaturated solution or super cooled liquid to induce crystallization
go or run to seed
a. to produce and shed seeds
b. to lose vigor, usefulness, etc. “gone to seed”
1. to plant (seeds, grain, etc.) in (soil)
2. to form or shed seeds
3. to remove the seeds from (fruit, etc.)
5. to scatter certain substances, such as silver iodide, in (clouds) in order to cause rain
6. (General Sporting Terms)
a. to arrange (the draw of a tournament) so that outstanding teams or players will not meet in the early rounds
b. to distribute (players or teams) in this manner
I removed seemingly redundant definitions. It is revealing to contemplate a seemingly negative definition “gone to seed, or to loose vigor and usefulness.” I realized that the seed thought could be a vehicle to examine the positive and negative aspects of our lives. I can reflect on certain aspects of my life and have these areas maintained their “vigor, usefulness?”
SEED THOUGHT: The path is individual each walks at a pace. The willingness to walk defines the sacredness of the path.
ReplyDelete--Reflection tells me the core of this thought is respect. Do I walk, do I run, do I pause to reflect on the environment, or do I appreciate the journey? What is willingness to walk? What makes the path sacred? Do I honor my fellow traveler? Respect is Love in action.
SEED THOUGHT: Do you walk in the sunshine or in shadow? You choose the time of day to walk.
ReplyDelete--Reflection tells me the individual defines for him/herself the meaning of walking in sunshine or in shadow. What does it mean to walk in “shadow”—it is not inherently a negative word unless that is ones choice. Ultimately, the thought seems to be about self-responsibility.
SEED THOUGHT: How glorious is the sunshine in our life: how pensive the moonlight. Together they are a day.
ReplyDelete--Reflection tells me to value the cycles in life—the sunshine, the moonlight, and the day. Is a day defined by linear time, or is it defined by the actions we take? What did I do with my day (an allotment of time)?
SEED THOUGHT: ➢ Nature is living poetry: each Life a musical composition.
ReplyDelete--Reflection leads me to contemplate beauty. Nature, poetry and music are embodied beauty; they transcend and take us into the depths of human experience mind/body/spirit, sensory and intellect. Beauty has structure and form. When we engage with beauty it’s power diminishes chaos in our lives. Each of us has the power to create beauty. Do you hear the music of your life? Do you accept your power?
Native American Peoples encourage us to walk the Path with Beauty. When I think on this I know the choice is mine, in big actions or in small actions, do I create a Life of beauty, or ugliness.
SEED THOUGHT: Each day sings a new song. Where do you find your harmony?
ReplyDelete--Reflection leads me to contemplate a “new song.” A song is defined as a short metrical composition, especially one in rhymed stanzas; a lyric, or a poetical composition. A song has rhythm, movement and pace. It tells a story.
I can define harmony---the structure of musical composition (the structure, relation, and progression of chords), pleasing or congruent arrangement of parts, correspondence, accord, tranquility, and internal calm, an interweaving of viewpoints into a single narrative.
I can sing alone or I can sing in a chorus. I can contemplate my harmony with self (mind/body/Spirit), others, and the wholeness of Life. Is my life a song?
SEED THOUGHT: Inspiration is to breathe deeply and take in Spirit.
ReplyDelete--Reflection leads me to the many meanings of inspiration: a divine influence or action on a person believed to receive sacred revelation; the action or power to move the intellect or emotions; influencing or suggesting opinion; the drawing of air into the lungs; something that is inspired. I can consider how do I take in the breath of life and nourish my spirit? How do I release the inspiration I am given into the wholeness of Life?
SEED THOUGHT: What Inspires you? All are worthy of Inspiration.
ReplyDelete--Reflection leads me to focus on breathing deeply and taking in inspiration, breathing in divine revelation, exploring what is sacred to me. What do I venerate and experience as holy in Life and Creation? I can reflect on my attitudes do I accept and embrace that all are worthy of Inspiration—other people, other cultures, all living things, and myself. Do I hoard my inspiration or does it flow through me, nurturing me like oxygen, to be repurposed into action?
SEED THOUGHT: Are you a “caretaker”? Can you take care of others if you cannot take care of yourself?
ReplyDelete--Reflection leads me to consider ways I can “take care” in my life. It is easy to recognize and to have compassion for the needs of children, the elderly, and those who are suffering . But I struggle with being compassionate for my self. The final statement tells me to respect my self, honor my uniqueness, love myself, and be generous with my self-acceptance. If I do not value taking care of myself, how do I reach out to others?
Is my definition of care taking too narrow? Am I taking appropriate care of the environment, my personal resources, my neighbor, and all living things?
SEED THOUGHT:What does it mean to be a “human being’? It means to be in humanity.
ReplyDelete--Refection leads me to think about and consider my personal definition of “being ness.” How do I want to be as a person? What attitudes, behaviors and actions represent the true me? What is my relationship to the wholeness of humanity? (Define humanity: 1. Humans considered as a group; the human race, 2. The condition or quality of being human, 3. The quality of being humane; benevolence, 4. A humane characteristic, attribute, or act.) Do I accept the humanity of others, women, men, children, other races, religion, ethnicities and cultures?
When you look in a mirror and study the reflection, do you see your humanity, or do you see your image? Consider this and know you create both.
SEED THOUGHT: Your potential is endless. Seek your solace on the horizon.
ReplyDelete--This thought confused me the ideas seemed disparate without connection. I investigated the word meanings. Potential is the chance or possibility that something will happen or exist in the future, or an inherent quality that can be developed to make something better, or ability that one has that can be developed to help the individual become successful. Solace is to assure, reassure, comfort console, allay, and soothe. Horizon is the apparent junction of earth and sky, the great circle on the celestial sphere formed by the intersection of the celestial sphere with a plane tangent to the earth's surface at an observer's position, range of perception or experience, something that might be attained.
I can consider that I live between earth and the celestial sphere. I have the assurance that I have the qualities to make Life better. Do we ever fully realize our potential, or is it endless possibility? When we walk toward the horizon do we arrive, or is it the changing landscape of Life’s experience? “Seek you solace,” says there is compassion available to us if we seek it and allow self to be open to Solace.
SEED THOUGHT: The path is the Path. It is surveyed and staked out by each individual.
ReplyDelete--Reflection tells me that where I go in life is up to me. I am walking on a decision tree of potential. I can veer off a certain course by a couple of degrees and over time end up in a vastly different place. The landscape of destiny is created by my choices (free will.)
To survey is to examine comprehensively, inspect carefully; scrutinize, determine the boundaries, area, or elevations of (land or structures on the earth's surface) by means of measuring angles and distances, using the techniques of geometry and trigonometry.
Do I climb mountains? Do I set boundaries? Do I make a 90-degree turn? I am always on the Path whether I walk mindfully or carelessly.
SEED THOUGHT: Each occupation holds within it the opportunity for service.
ReplyDelete--Reflection asks me to consider how I spend my time; everything I do is an occupation. Does the occupation serve others, does it serve me, or does it serve beauty (culture, the environment, life, Life)? Where do I invest my sacred energy? An opportunity is a favorable or advantageous circumstance or combination of circumstances, a favorable or suitable occasion or time, or a chance for progress or advancement.
Do I seize the opportunity to create joy as I take action in my life?
SEED THOUGHT: Intention and truth are the measurements of right purpose.
ReplyDelete--Reflection leads me to consider how I set my intentions? How do I determine my actions? Do I consider the results, or do I surrender to randomness?
As I seek truth do I conform to consensus fact, or reality, or do I seek what is real and genuine to me? One man’s myth is another’s truth. Do I live in a world where the earth is flat, or do I accept that knowledge evolves?
Have I chosen right purpose? Is my goal balanced, level, square and true? Have I empowered intention with truth, resolution and commitment?
SEED THOUGHT: To seek attention is to say, “I need.” To give attention is to say, “I love.”
ReplyDelete--Reflection tells me both situations are meaningful and right for others and for me. Love’s energy is enhanced when it is shared. When we are stingy with love it’s power is diminished.
Do I accept that sometimes I hurt and "I need?" Other times "I unconditionally give" out of the heart of joy. Do I accept my moments of need as well as my moments of strength? Or do I deny my truth?
SEED THOUGHT: When you bake your bead, leaven it with love and eat with joy.
ReplyDeleteHow comforting and warm this thought is. It reminds me of my childhood and my mother. A tradition in my family is that everyone learns to bake bread.
--Reflection leads me to thoughts of bread as the staff of life—manna from heaven. Baking bread is very hands on and you produce food to nourish the body and feed the soul. Leavening causes bread to rise and become light. It gives bread its texture, and body. Love makes life light and gives life texture and body. I am encouraged to partake of life with joy. This thought feeds mind, body and soul.
SEED THOUGHT: A good listener is identified by the desire to know the truth. Silence is an open door for communion.
ReplyDelete--Reflection asks me to consider my ability to listen. Do I listen with a personal agenda in mind? What are my characteristics as a listener—am I judgmental of self or the speaker; am I a debater looking for a flaw in the argument; do I listen with cunning so I can manipulate the speaker; or do I listen with appreciation and joy to the speaker’s truth. Do I honor the moment—someone has chosen to share a piece of self with me?
How do I feel about and respond to silence? Am I afraid of silence? Does silence convey weakness, insecurity? Or does silence open the door to understanding and empathy?
SEED THOUGHT: When thoughts flutter like the butterfly, know you are in transition. Honor the beauty.
ReplyDelete--Sometimes I step beyond thinking into knowing. As I reflect on something, I am thinking, considering, analyzing, synthesizing, finding meaning, creating meaning. This is very beneficial but sometimes we transcend the rational mind and into spiritual knowing. Clear knowing, or clairsentience, is revelation from one’s spirit self. When I have found myself in a state of clairsentience, which is a rare state, I have found I just know and know what to do.
This SEED THOUGHT takes me to that place of inner knowing. I read the thought and I know it is true. I am encouraged to look for my transition, to honor the opportunity for growth, and then to see the beauty. (Beauty is more than a pleasing outward appearance. Beauty is a quality of life that represents the truest essence of the thing or moment—it’s essential aliveness.)
Your response to this seed thought may be one of reflection. While another seed thought may take you to a spiritual revelation.
SEED THOUGT: Seek a moment’s peace each day and Life’s chaos becomes ordered.
ReplyDeletePeace is a lack of violence or conflict behaviors. Peace is freedom from fear, while fear holds us hostage. I can seek peace, harmony, within the parts of self, with others and with the environment. Chaos is the abyss, the black void in Creation. Chaos is a place where chance is god. Chaos is the disordered state of unformed matter and infinite space.
--Reflection leads me to consider the universe I create. Do I choose to fall into the dark abyss, or do I initiate harmony? Do I refrain from violence (injury) in my behaviors, words and attitudes toward self, others, and the environment? Do I choose to be at the whim of randomness, or do I choose to live empowered, to create stars from dust?