I Practice Mindfulness
We see with our eyes, we perceive with our senses...the color of the sky, the sound of the bird chirping or the vehicles passing, the touch of the breeze. All these outer things that we perceive..are just as they are.
And then there is our response to these things at the very moment we perceive them.
"Grey sky..is saddening. Blue sky with those clouds looks amazing. The voice of that bird is so lovely. I don't like the sound of these vehicles passing, it's too noisy. The breeze is so gentle, i love it!" Etc.
The same goes with the situations we encounter in our day to day life. The situations are just as they are. Its our response to these situations that brings out all kinds of emotions...anger, sadness, joy, happiness.
Again, same goes with these emotions we feel. Being aware of these emotions, there are the emotions...and then again there is our response to the emotions.
"I was happy, now i'm sad and crying..I shouldn't be feeling this way. I shouldn't be angry. I am so happy today, it is amazing, i want to stay like this forever. I feel peaceful and serene now."
The response to good emotions is good...and to negative emotions is avoidance. But they just are emotions. Let them be. Being aware of them, without any response, without any labeling...requires no effort. Just an awareness.
The same goes with the thoughts, even the past memories, experiences. They are just that. Its our response to those thoughts, to those past memories or experiences..that pulls us and entangles us again and again.
Like...I read something yesterday, and it brought up some past memories and emotions. But they were just that.. Memories n emotions. Being aware of them, without any response or without judging, they passed on. It took a few hours, but they did pass on. Coz whatever arises, passes on too. And what is, is..always.
Most of the times, we are aware of our surroundings and what we are doing. We are being mindful of the situations we are in. We are aware of the vibes of people around us. We are aware of how we are feeling and even our thoughts. But how much are we aware of our responses to all that?
Are we aware that we like the happiness n joy, dislike the sadness n loneliness? Are we aware of how we react when we are around the people we like and how we react to the people we don't like? We don't have to make an effort to be detached from the thoughts, emotions or whatever it is that we hold on to. Just an easy awareness of how our response or reaction is, the holding-on drops on its own...there's neither attachment nor detachment.
Being aware of those responses, brings a serene calmness of the mind. I guess that's what is called Equanimity, balance of the mind.. :D
P.S.- An added question: Are we aware of the awareness? :)
And then there is our response to these things at the very moment we perceive them.
"Grey sky..is saddening. Blue sky with those clouds looks amazing. The voice of that bird is so lovely. I don't like the sound of these vehicles passing, it's too noisy. The breeze is so gentle, i love it!" Etc.
The same goes with the situations we encounter in our day to day life. The situations are just as they are. Its our response to these situations that brings out all kinds of emotions...anger, sadness, joy, happiness.
Again, same goes with these emotions we feel. Being aware of these emotions, there are the emotions...and then again there is our response to the emotions.
"I was happy, now i'm sad and crying..I shouldn't be feeling this way. I shouldn't be angry. I am so happy today, it is amazing, i want to stay like this forever. I feel peaceful and serene now."
The response to good emotions is good...and to negative emotions is avoidance. But they just are emotions. Let them be. Being aware of them, without any response, without any labeling...requires no effort. Just an awareness.
The same goes with the thoughts, even the past memories, experiences. They are just that. Its our response to those thoughts, to those past memories or experiences..that pulls us and entangles us again and again.
Like...I read something yesterday, and it brought up some past memories and emotions. But they were just that.. Memories n emotions. Being aware of them, without any response or without judging, they passed on. It took a few hours, but they did pass on. Coz whatever arises, passes on too. And what is, is..always.
Most of the times, we are aware of our surroundings and what we are doing. We are being mindful of the situations we are in. We are aware of the vibes of people around us. We are aware of how we are feeling and even our thoughts. But how much are we aware of our responses to all that?
Are we aware that we like the happiness n joy, dislike the sadness n loneliness? Are we aware of how we react when we are around the people we like and how we react to the people we don't like? We don't have to make an effort to be detached from the thoughts, emotions or whatever it is that we hold on to. Just an easy awareness of how our response or reaction is, the holding-on drops on its own...there's neither attachment nor detachment.
Being aware of those responses, brings a serene calmness of the mind. I guess that's what is called Equanimity, balance of the mind.. :D
P.S.- An added question: Are we aware of the awareness? :)
F
