practicing
lately i've found such joy in: noticing, enjoying, thinking, savoring and being thankful. reading a book by desmond tutu, i discovered him calling them "disciplines". usually when i think of disciplines, i think of something hard up front that leads to delayed gratification. these five, however, are so much fun that i've begun calling them "spiritual pleasures" because the very act of practicing them is often reward enough.
there are additional payoffs too. i'm calmer. i seem to show up where i'm supposed to and have authentic conversations. my perspective has increased, as has my ability to create and share space. i appreciate things more.
(the contrast is stark. i have also experienced what i believe to be the opposites of these pleasures: rushing, mindlessness, inattention, hurriedness and complaining. when i am guilty of these, how much i miss!)
to be perfectly honest, practicing the pleasures also creates some tension. american society isn't a real friendly one when it comes to the art of paying attention and enjoying life. i also find there isn't time to talk about the exciting discoveries i've made along the way because that would require reflection and listening, two rare commodities in 2010. and, at other times, i am just plain overwhelmed by the speed and forcefulness that swirls around me. and role models? my teachers are mostly authors, some still alive & some not, who have shared their experiences, like bishop tutu, in book form.
i know that it is much, much more than a life of leisure. summer was a key time for an introduction, and the school year is a perfect venue in which to continue my practice of delight.
join me?
there are additional payoffs too. i'm calmer. i seem to show up where i'm supposed to and have authentic conversations. my perspective has increased, as has my ability to create and share space. i appreciate things more.
(the contrast is stark. i have also experienced what i believe to be the opposites of these pleasures: rushing, mindlessness, inattention, hurriedness and complaining. when i am guilty of these, how much i miss!)
to be perfectly honest, practicing the pleasures also creates some tension. american society isn't a real friendly one when it comes to the art of paying attention and enjoying life. i also find there isn't time to talk about the exciting discoveries i've made along the way because that would require reflection and listening, two rare commodities in 2010. and, at other times, i am just plain overwhelmed by the speed and forcefulness that swirls around me. and role models? my teachers are mostly authors, some still alive & some not, who have shared their experiences, like bishop tutu, in book form.
i know that it is much, much more than a life of leisure. summer was a key time for an introduction, and the school year is a perfect venue in which to continue my practice of delight.
join me?
hmm, you put words to something I've been experiencing this past year as well. In the midst of the stress and the chaos, I started noticing color combinations everywhere, the yellow trees against the blue sky, the bright playground against green grass, the pale green of the fremont against a soft gray sky, and so on. And then certain expressions on my children's faces would just stand out, and as they would talk excitedly at me, I'd just stare and them and drink in their beautiful faces. I'm enjoying slower activities now as well. I feel my brain changing with these experiences. I like the idea of this being spiritual disciplines. It is a worthy pursuit.
ReplyDelete