At its core, mindfulness is a heart-centered practice. Engaging in any Heart Practice one can experience the fundamental wholeness and goodness in ourselves and others, discovering the innate truth of our interdependence. We are never truly alone, not ever.
HEART PRACTICES
This gratitude meditation is based on the story of Sono a Zen master who hundreds of years ago in Japan, was known far and wide for her healing wisdom. No matter what the pain or affliction, Sono offered one simple remedy – Every day repeat this mantra:
“Thank you for everything, I have no complaints whatsoever.”
As the story goes, those who took her advice to heart found happiness and healing.
It is said that mindfulness is like a bird; it needs two wings to fly. The first wing is clear seeing, and understanding our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. The second wing is is compassion and the ability to attend and befriend it all. This meditation reminds us that we, like everyone person on the planet, are human and in that humanness, we have much in common.
During times of crisis, it’s natural for our minds to go into protection mode. That’s just what the mind does. Daily it is inundated with a continuous stream of problems it can not solve. As a result, we experience distress throughout our bodies and personal peace can seem unachievable. This meditation offers small actions to strengthen our personal peace which then ripples out to others.
The lake meditation by Jon Kabat Zinn asks us to sit with the intention to hold in awareness and acceptance of all the qualities of mind and body. To identify not only with the content of thoughts and feelings but to touch into the vast unwavering reservoir of stillness, and awareness beneath.