-
APNC Spring 2020- Mod 1 Lesson 2 Forum
-
18 Replies
-
Mod 1, Lesson 2
What did I notice? What does that show me? What does that teach me?I noticed that underneath the initial peace and quiet of my daily Sit Spot,there was some agitation and/or anger at ANYTHING that disrupted my peace. Haha, this is a great insight for me because it showed me how I’m always searching for “just the right spot” that has just the right sounds, etc. This showed me that I can ALLOW all sounds into my awareness even the ones that perturb me. As I practice more consciously, and allow my awareness to expand, then there is enough space to allow those sounds and or disruptions to co-exist with me and we are in it together.
The next time I did the Objective Awareness exercise including the Release Breath, I had great sorrow arrive. Sorrow and pain for habitat destruction, planetary pollution, Political greed, etc. This sorrow is nothing new to me but when allowing it to be there in conjunction with the release breath, it allowed me to just be with the sorrow and breathe with it, again, allow it. In allowing it, there was a natural release. The divine paradox yet again!! -
My general feeling in this course has been one of almost “well, duh.” So much of it seems natural to me, and the way I have embraced nature since childhood. For that reason, it is also very validating for me. This last lesson helped me with a couple of ideas to lead others who may struggle to develop their relationship with nature. That is especially true about the Sacred Questions. I immediately recognized several opportunities for using them in my daily activities.
To begin with, each lesson I have already been asking myself, “What does that teach me?” I have used that approach to many things I jump into in my life. I am an insatiable learning—striving to learn something new every day, and usually accomplishing it. So, I will continue to use that Scared Question as my approach to daily discoveries.
Secondly, “What am I noticing?” is used as the central tenet for Shinrin-Yoku, but sometimes beginners struggle with that question. So, I see the opportunity to offer them alternative questions such as , “What does this teach me?” or, “What is it telling me?” Still staying in the present, it may be an easier way for some to tap into what is happening to them in the moment.
I know the Scared Questions were intended as a guide for this assignment, but they are a welcome arrow in my quiver. but I digress…
Finally, I have covered how I use objective awareness for these lessons, how I will share it with my Shinrin-Yoku beginners, and now how I will use it in a new situation for me. Understand, I am objectively aware a lot of the time already, so I had to think about what area of my life would be most enhanced by adding objective awareness to it. I realized as I thought about it, that I had stopped using it in an area of my life that it used to be the foundation of—when I am struggling with thoughts that are disruptive or distracting to the direction I want to be headed in, what is that telling me and what does that mean to me? In my doctoral program, we purposely engaged in meta-cognition as an exercise. We thought about what we were thinking, and what we thought about what we were thinking. That allowed me to stay focused on my needs and moving toward my goals, even while being attentive to others’ needs. That is pretty much a sweet spot for me. Returning to this approach I asked myself, “What is this telling me?” And after a day or two, I realized I needed more challenges in my life and acted on that awareness yesterday. By the time this course is completed, I should be able to share where that realization has taken me to that point.
-
Wow, my noticing has been illuminating. It is all I believe I need to achieve peace and clarity. I discovered my main feelings were: tight jaw and belly, feeling disconnected or feeling calm and connected. I realized that slowing down not speeding up is what I need more of. that slowing down is not my normal response and is hard for me. That staying with and being aware of the discomfort in me is hard and something I generally avoid unconsciously. But I am seeing that my world becomes a much safer internal place for me if I can sit with the pain/discomfort, instead of deflect, yell, blame or run to a diversion. I am noticing that work is a diversion. That feeling I need to make a certain amount of money or spend a certain amount of time working has defined me as productive and important. I am noticing all my tendencies to find more work and I am trying hard to listen more deeply. To the voice that wants to find myself in nature, in this work, to not put money or fear in front of this very strong desire I have to deepen. It isn’t going to be found outside of myself, in another job, town or country. It needs to be found within and that journey requires a very different lens. Can I give myself this kind of space as well as commitment to responding differently, so that I can align with my true purpose which in turn will support the health and well being of the world.
-
I have enjoyed hearing about the discoveries that have come to people. Just because I also live in the Shinrin Yoku world, Lynn, I am wondering if you have felt any challenge from this assignment when moving away from the one phrase we use most in forest bathing, what are you noticing? I have loved that grounding question as it keeps me out of my head which I overuse. I have been leery of asking myself about the teaching in a feeling/experience for that reason. Any tensions for you around that, if you feel like sharing…
-
My post: I have found through a practice in the forest of noticing my experience—forest bathing/therapy—that I am able to hear my body’s voice more clearly and pay attention and tend to it. But when I am in the flow of my day inside without dedicated time to dig deep and listen to my body, much is lost that I could benefit from hearing.
So last night, I was doing one of my favorite ritual-albeit under new circumstances given the pandemic. I was watching a slow lovely thoughtful film from the Mountainfilm festival—not shown in beautiful Telluride, but from my own home this time, remotely. I was not in a chair as one would be in a film festival or possibly on the floor as their films sell out. I was folding laundry as I watched a film about Nepal and the coming of new roads that will replace the walking to market way of life. I loved the slow pace of the story and the glorious images and felt serene until a small incident, a calf stuck on a narrow dangerous bridge over a chasm there are many of these in the Himalayas for crossing and they are terrifying and memorable). The calf was blocking traffic and scaring the family the film was following. I felt blocked on the bridge like they did and even teary-eyed, feeling for the little animal as it was being forced to move, so the flow of life could be continue, traffic could cross anew.
Surprised that my state had changed and for this small a reason it seemed, I stopped and did the breathing activity in the middle of the film and in the middle of a pile of laundry. Quickly I felt warmth moving through me as I breathed and meaning arriving, connecting me to the calf to my sad cat who was missing my son who is sheltering with us but is gone for the weekend and finally to me and my big submerged feelings of missing his presence…I was glad I had the assignment of this week to get me taking stock while inside my life and not just outside of it.
-
Once again such wonderful posts from everyone. I can sense the awareness and shift being shared by you all as you intentionally step into the experiential practice of this work. And the insights you all share are amazing!
I am hearing from Stacy, Lynn and Lisa how methodically your feeling and thinking has shifted by allowing yourself time and space to practice the breath and the Sacred Questions. And that is the beauty of these questions, they allow us to be curious about ourselves without judgment or criticism. These questions allow us to look inside of ourselves with a sense of grace so that we can find the great wisdom lying within ourselves that is always there, waiting to show up. And we all have the chance to tap into this part of ourselves in a moment’s notice! Peace, joy, happiness are only one thought or one awareness away from us.
And when we practice this exercise over and over again we are able to learn more about ourselves which influences and impacts our relationship to everyone and everything outside of us. We can literally allow the mind and body to be in harmony so that we can be in true harmony with the earth, with our loved ones, and with our vision.
Keep up the awesome work and I look forward to seeing you all and hearing your insights in our next webinar tomorrow!
-
I focused on greater awareness each morning and evening through all of my senses. It was interesting because I thought I was attentive, but realized afterwards that I was missing the breeze, the spring smells, and numerous different birds. By focusing on awareness through senses in a focused and relaxed way, my body and mind actually increased perception and helped me feel more alive, yet calm. I also included breathing to enhance the experience. What was shocking was seeing, smelling, and hearing so much more by engaging all of my senses. The upshot is that it actually helped me focus, center, and feel inner calmness. Great experience and a powerful tool to help people.
-
When practicing objective awareness, I have noticed a hum, or pulse of energy at my base. If I am able to stay tuned into it, I find it throughout my body and even outside of my body. I notice pain and tension that I hold in my body. At times, persistent chatter that sometimes doesn’t cease during my sit. A list appears of what needs to happen, or what I would like to achieve as the day moves along. Noises become louder and anything outside of the norm i.e. a lawn mower, a garage door opening, neighbors chatting sends me in a spiraling in distraction, anger, frustration and blame. I find myself wanting to be further from society so as to not be distracted, looking for a more desirable position to become more still with myself. “When I am further away from people, then I can really start digging…”
My partner and I recently watched the docuseries “Chernobyl”. I knew it would be difficult and painful, but I have always had a desire to understand more fully our past, so I looked at it as a learning opportunity, and it was.
At times, my boyfriend noticed my reactions to what we were ingesting. In an attempt to support me, he said “It’s not your pain, it’s not your experience, it’s just make-up…”
The next morning, I woke up anxious, scared and very, very sad. As I sat, meditating, I had many emotions surface, mainly grief. It took me some time to realize that I was grieving for humanity, not only for everyone affected by the disaster, but for all those who have been negatively impacted by a larger entity that is unwilling to look past their ego and what is serving them, in order to fully serve those they swore to protect. As I identified the grief, I allowed myself to feel it completely. I cried, a lot, prayed to help us heal as a human collective in hopes we can keep from making the same mistakes, and did some Reiki on the world. It helped.
What concerns me most, is that in the moments of my partner attempting to sooth me, I made the unconscious choice to listen to him. Disassociating from the experience being portrayed on tv, I didn’t allow myself to process what I was seeing and feeling. What is also concerning, is that in sitting, I had to dig to find what I had repressed only hours previously.It showed me that I must allow myself to feel my emotions as they come, even if it makes people uncomfortable.
It teaches me to be more conscious of choices I am making, even if the choice is to dismiss a suggestion made by a loved one, in their attempts to comfort.
-
Immediately following our last class I did the 7 Breaths Meditation and was blown away by it’s simplicity and potency. That meditation led to a daily sit spot meditation ritual during my kids’ nap time – a previously unthinkable way for me to get what I need to recharge.
One day while meditating someone was repeatedly shooting a shotgun in the valley. It felt distracting at first but then I realized it held the message that I was waiting to hear and so I asked the Sacred Questions. I noticed the sound of gun fire. Not because someone was hunting, but because someone was doing target practice. By asking follow up questions I learned that before I can pull the trigger I have to take aim. Instantly I knew what the lesson was referring to.
The 7 Breaths is such a great way to nourish my soul. It creates the space I need to align myself with my heart. With my head and my hands being so occupied throughout the day, the Follow Through step keeps me focused. I also have the peace of mind knowing that I am attending to what is most important. In just two weeks’ time, this practice has already been life changing.
-
“Before I pull the trigger, I have to take aim.”
Whew, Jess, that got me! It brings to mind the power of intention setting. For months I set intentions of direction and clarity. It took awhile, but I was finally gifted those things in immensely profound ways.
Thank you so much for sharing! -
Anna and Jess, such powerful and honest insights to your internal process as you become truly aware with the outside world. Rather than focusing on what is happening around you, bringing in the breath and the Sacred Questions has allowed both of you to take your awareness a few levels deeper. Down to Soul, where there is vast wisdom and clarity. And I always enjoy when others posts resonate and impact other peoples process in these discussions! I also love the “before I pull the trigger, I have to take aim” analogy!
Keep up the awesome work and consistent practice!
-
What did I notice?
I practice objective awareness at a sit spot at my terrace at the back my home. It is something new for me & I enjoy being able to notice & get to know my home environment more. I notice that there are at least 3 different types of birds frequenting our house, because their chirping sound is different (previously I never notice this difference). I also notice the different sound of the rain as it meets with pebbles, leaves, and soil. I can sense the temperature difference, as well as sense the wind direction, with my skin. I’m beginning to notice plant’s smell (somehow my smelling ability is not as good as the other sensory abilities). I enjoy the practice, as it often results in a sense of inner calmness & peaceful detachment. However, there were days when I was not able to notice objectively because my mind was busy thinking about things that I need to do.What does that show me?
It shows me that indeed, it takes practice to be able to come into that space of objective awareness. It shows me that there are actually many interesting things in my surrounding environment, whose existence I was not aware of previously. because I was too busy pursuing other things.What does that teach me?
It teaches me that enjoyment is actually at my fingertip. It makes me think about what it is that I am actually pursuing. I come to the conclusion that I want to enjoy life. I set the intention to create for myself a different work strategy that will enable me to do less & enjoy more. -
Something that really stuck with me after Session 2 was the notion that words are memories. Our brain goes to the “why” and uses memories to make meaning, thus extracting me out of my bodily, intuitive experience and into a thinking experience. I am a wordsmith. Not only am I a writer, I also nearly always have a constant flow of inner narration and dialogue. I’ve been on a journey to cultivate a better balance between my heart and my mind for a number of years now. This notion gave me a whole new, deeper understanding of my own challenge and journey to discover this balance.
After practicing the sensory awareness meditation a number of times and moving into objective awareness, I realized that state was very familiar. I am still sitting with the following idea: I think I fairly frequently move through the world with wide-angle vision and objective awareness. It’s those stretches of time when my inner narration ceases and I feel a wave of peace and a buzz reverberate through my whole body – I’ve always considered myself to be “zoning out” in those moments, and even judged myself for it. I’ve moved in this state since I was a young girl, and it was not always accepted. I now notice I find it really challenging to maintain when in conversation and interaction with others, and I wonder if it is due to the judgment I experienced when I was young. Yet again, I’m experiencing a shift in perspective and am learning to accept and embrace and better get to know this part of me.
Bridging these two points – my relationship with words and my experiences with objective awareness – bring me to my experiences thus far with the 7 Breaths meditation. Sometimes when doing the meditation, I find it really challenging to drop into a place deep enough where the words disperse and my inner knowing speaks up. I’ve arrived there a few times though, and I know it because the messages show up in images instead of words. For the past month, I’ve been basking in vivid scenes and new symbols that are helping guide me into new waters, such as ancestral work.
I feel incredibly grateful for this community and these new tools that are teaching me what is the work I need to do right now.
-
Objective awareness, something I am familiar with and this reflection is a reminder that while I have been astute at noticing in other people I am avoiding the inner objective awareness.
Last week I started some staff wellness presentations at the hospital in cancer care to address some key areas identified in a staff wellness survey. A big one was life balance and mindfulness.
In my fourth session I had three people in person (social distancing) and many others participating online. There was a great deal of resistance to the session and content from the three staff members present, all of whom had never participated in mindfulness. The resistance was palpable, it was in their body language and way they engaged with the content, it even led to some challenged questions around mindfulness and the challenges the world is currently facing.
It was a moment in which I noticed their reactions but was more curious about how I may have been participating in the exchange of dialogue. The session prior I had been late, there was a mix up in the times and I had to dive straight into the content with twenty people waiting online. I wasn’t grounded and raced through the content. I would have benefited from taking a few breaths to centre myself before commencing. To me this illustrated the importance of practicing mindfulness in my own life, I haven’t been as consistent as I would like to be and that was evident in the energy I brought to the session. While that session received really positive feedback and engagement around participants personal stories and experiences the second was wrought with resistance. One thing I said in response to their many questions embedded in the resistance was that understanding or knowing the full effectiveness of our practice is not known until we are in a saturation where we are triggered or challenged and have the awareness to choose a different direction or behaviour in response. That has been with me ever since and a constant reminder I need to be prioritising my own practice in these busy and uncertain times.
I find myself putting off really utilising my alley nature as I am heading off around Australia, camping and hiking for a few months and know that I will be immersed in it 24/7. Aware that this is a great excuse.
Yesterday, I headed down the coast with my sister, we were headed for my Dad’s a quiet block on the edge of a national park, with a small creek. The conversation in the car was around how my sister might address a work problem she was having. Her mannerisms and language are very direct bordering on aggressive. I had to become even more aware of my own energy to ensure I didn’t disengage from the energy all together. It was lovely to arrive at my fathers and step out into the garden where the birds were singing and everything seemed to recalibrate. I spent a few hours wandering around the garden before we had a camp oven dinner. It reminded me how grounded I feel in nature and that I was experiencing some levels of anxiety myself and not all of this was absorbed from my sister.
Between work, planning and having a very limited income I have been experiencing a different kind of anxiety. When I have sat to practice mindfulness and some other techniques we have covered this past few weeks I find myself finding excuses and getting even more anxious. All very clear indicators I need to stay where I am, more frequently. I am prioritising my practice this week. So hopefully I can provide some more insightful reflections in the coming weeks.
-
@sophieturner, thank you for this:
“knowing the full effectiveness of our practice is not known until we are in a saturation where we are triggered or challenged and have the awareness to choose a different direction or behaviour in response.”
I reminded myself of these words today as the toddler was melting down, the babe was crying and I was hungry trying to put lunch on the table. It helped me to keep perspective and to access the inner peace I can achieve so easily in practice.@sara.brells, I also have been trying to practice discerning thoughts from inner knowing / wisdom. Sometimes I’m transported to a time and place through an image from my memory so I tap into my feeling in that place. Other times a I hear a word or a phrase, rather than think it. I can tell the difference because of the way it pops into my mind rather than a sense of connecting the dots with words. Often a phrase will be humorous or just click. I inhale and exhale through as many surrender breaths as it takes to listen. As I do, I alternate between asking or clarifying the question and then I say to myself “wait for it to arise”. Thanks for sharing, I enjoyed your post.
@AnnaNielson, thanks for sharing such an insightful reflection! I find that my most challenging work exists in discomfort so I try my best to befriend it 🙂
