This weeks live class: MIDL 39 Stillness Meditation
This weeks live class: MIDL 39 Stillness Meditation
In MIDL Mindfulness Training 31 - 36 you develop your skill in cultivating wholesome qualities of heart and mind that combine / bring together. This includes further refinement and understanding of the MIDL softening skill developed through the softening doorways.
MINDFULNESS TRAINING
31/52: Loving Kindness 3
MINDFULNESS TRAINING
32/52: Develop Forgiveness
MINDFULNESS TRAINING
33/52: Develop Gratitude
MINDFULNESS TRAINING
34/52: Softening Door 1
MINDFULNESS TRAINING
35/52: Softening Door 2
MINDFULNESS TRAINING
36/52: Softening Door 3
Simple Instructions:
Systematically send loving kindness to yourself, loved one, neighborhood then the world.
Purpose:
Benefits:
Summary:
In MIDL Mindfulness Training 31/52 you take the foundation of loving kindness developed in the two previous training, to embrace all beings. This is done by first generating the loving feeling towards yourself and those close to you, then gradually widening it to your neighbours, suburb, city, country, world to the whole universe. In this way loving kindness is cultivated to be unconditional and not only focused towards those that you can benefit from. When decondtioning defensive habitual patterns it is necessary to replace these habits, once weakened, with positive qualities of heart if we are to live a meaningful life.
Instruction:
Meditation is practiced in a seated position.
The Six Stages:
1. Bring awareness to your whole body as it sits.
2. Bring to mind an image of yourself and encourage the ‘wish for’ your own happiness and peace.
3. Bring to mind an image of a loved one and encourage the ‘wish for’ their happiness and peace.
4. Picture loving feeling filling every cell of your body.
5. Expand loving feeling into the room around you.
6. Picture loving feeling flowing out the windows, over the suburb around you. North, south, east, west flowing outwards in all directions until it covers the whole world.
How Often?
Practice daily for 1 week or until the feeling of loving kindness flows freely. When practicing pervasive loving kindness we can follow three simple steps. During this meditation we begin with our self, then a loved one then gradually include all beings.
Step 1: Loving Kindness to yourself
Sit down comfortably, make a half smile on your face and bring an image of your self in a happy state of mind smiling at you. Gently repeat:
“may I be well ........”
“may I be happy........”
“may I be peaceful .
Keep gently repeating these phrases to yourself, in no hurry, and really mean it. Smile when you say it. The key is to develop the feeling of love that comes from this wish of kindness.
Step 2: Loving Kindness to a Loved One
Make a half smile on your face and bring someone you care for or respect to mind. Gently repeat:
“(insert their name) may you be well ........”
“may you be happy........”
“may you be peaceful ........”
Keep gently repeating these phrases to yourself, in no hurry, and really mean it. Smile when you say it. The key is to develop the feeling of love that comes from this wish of kindness.
Step 3: Loving Kindness to all beings.
Make a half smile on your face expanding your awareness outwards to include all beings. Gently repeat:
“May all beings be well ........”
“may they be happy........”
“may they be peaceful ........”
Keep gently repeating these phrases to yourself, in no hurry, and really mean it. Smile when you say it. The key is to develop the feeling of love that comes from this wish of kindness. Carry over the loving feeling generated on yourself and your loved one and apply it to include all beings.
Investigation:
Investigate the effect your state of mind has on cultivate loving feeling. Play around with smiling, as if you wanted the other person to know how much you care, observe this interaction. Observe the flow and change of loving feeling when swapping from one person to another to all beings.
Simple Instructions:
Offer forgiveness towards your, then another for anything that has been done to bring hurt to your heart.
Purpose:
Benefits:
"Forgiveness does not say that what happened is ok, but rather it says "What has happened, has happened and I can not change it; I will not suffer over this anymore". As long as we do not forgive our self or others we will be living a life conditioned by our relationship to the past. By putting down our pain through forgiveness, the pains of the past come to an end and awareness more easily dwells within the present experience creating the conditions for wisdom to arise."
Summary:
In MIDL Mindfulness Training 32/52 it is time to develop forgiveness towards yourself and others in order to put down the pain of the past. Forgiveness does not say that what happened is ok, but rather it says "What has happened, has happened and I can not change it; I will not suffer over this anymore". As long as we do not forgive our self or others we will be living a life conditioned by our relationship to the past. By putting down our pain through forgiveness, the pains of the past come to an end and awareness more easily dwells within the present experience creating the conditions for wisdom to arise.
Instruction:
Meditation is practiced in a seated position.
The Three Stages:
Step 1: Ask Yourself for Forgiveness
Sit down, close your eyes and bring yourself to mind. Forgive yourself for all the things you have done to bring harm to yourself.
“(your name here), if I have done anything to hurt you in any way, knowingly or unknowingly, please forgive me.”
Say this slowly and gently with meaning three times and each time picture yourself gently saying back: “I forgive you.”
Step 2: Ask Another for Forgiveness
Now think of someone that you have hurt in some way. Ask for their forgiveness to allow healing by silently saying to them:
“(their name here), if I have done anything to hurt you in any way, knowingly or unknowingly, please forgive me.”
Say this slowly and gently with meaning three times and each time picture them gently saying back to you: “I forgive you.”
Step 3: Offer Forgiveness to Another
Now think of someone that has hurt you in some way. Offer them your forgiveness to allow healing by silently saying to them:
“(their name here), for any hurt that you have caused me, in any way, knowingly or unknowingly, I forgive you.”
Say this slowly and gently with meaning three times and each time picture them gently saying back to you: “thank you.”
How Often?:
Practice daily for 1 week or until the feel that you have forgiven your past. Then practice weekly or as needed to no longer create any past pain.
Investigation:
Observe the relationship between memories and past pain. Be curious about how your mind clings to and creates a reality called the past. A reality that if you observe closely can not be see, here, in this room, now. A reality that only you can know or experience. Observe how selective past memory is, how this selection is influenced by the emotion that was present when the memory was made. Observe how the mind focuses in on only one aspect, but when observed that the memory itself is unclear and uncertain, can not be trusted or believed. Observe the freedom and feeling of lightness that arises when you put down past pain.
Simple Instructions:
Offer gratitude by reflecting on simple things in your life that you have to be grateful for, encourage the grateful feeling.
Purpose:
Benefits:
"While forgiveness is concerned with healing your relationship towards the past, gratitude is concerned with establishing awareness within the present experience through removing longing for the future. When gratitude is not present we lose sight of what is important within our life and start focusing on how we feel things should be. This creates a divide between reality and our desires causing suffering to arise within our life."
Summary:
In MIDL Mindfulness Training 33/52 you intentionally bring awareness towards the simple things within your life in order to cultivate a sense of gratitude. While forgiveness is concerned with healing your relationship towards the past, gratitude is concerned with establishing awareness within the present experience through removing longing for the future. When gratitude is not present we lose sight of what is important within our life and start focusing on how we feel things should be. This creates a divide between reality and our desires causing suffering to arise.
Instruction:
Meditation is practiced in any posture.
The Four Stages:
Step 1: Reflect on Small Things in Life
Sit down and reflect on small things in your life you have to be grateful for. Your house to keep you dry, clothing, food to eat, water to drink. Simple things that you may have taken for granted.
“Thank you for all that I have in my life”
“Thank you for my ( _ _ _ _ _ _ )” “I am so blessed.”
“Thank you for my ( _ _ _ _ _ _ )” “I am so fortunate.”
Keep gently repeating these phrases to yourself, in no hurry, and really mean it. Smile when you say it. The key is to develop the feeling of gratitude that comes from this reflection.
Step 2: Reflect on People in Your Life
Now reflect on people within your life that you are grateful for.
“Thank you (insert name) for loyalty and friendship.”
“I really do appreciate having you in my life.”
“Thank you (insert name) for all you have done for me.”
“I am blessed to have you in my life.”
Keep focusing on them in your mind allowing the feeling to grow.
Step 3: Allow the Feeling to Grow Within
Next send your thoughts of gratitude out into your neighborhood, suburb, city, state, country and beyond.
“Thank you for all that I have in my life, I am truly blessed.”
How Often?
Practice daily on waking or before falling asleep. Look for opportunities to reflect on and express what you are fortunate to have within your life..
Investigation:
Observe the relationship between discontent and constant rumination in regards to the future. Observe your mind obsessing on complaining about what is happening now. Notice to correlation between this habitual complaining and your state of happiness. Observe the contentment that arises within your mind when you are focused on what is right instead of what is wrong within your life. Observe how focusing into the future causes disharmony within your life while focusing on what you have to be grateful for creates harmony.
Simple Instructions:
Mentally picture parts of your body lifting, feel the muscles respond and then abandon the intention within your mind.
Purpose:
Benefits:
Caution:
During this meditation we intentionally trigger painful memories to develop understanding of the relationship between our body, breathing and mind. If you are currently experiencing anxiety only practice this technique under the guidance of a trained professional.
Summary:
In MIDL Mindfulness Training 34/52 you cultivate the MIDL skill of abandoning the desire 'to do' within your mind, by engaging and abandoning the desire to move within different parts of your body. Through this softening doorway you will learn how to observe the resistance that arises within your body from the desire to react and also the peace that arises within your body and mind when that desire is abandoned. This Softening Door is also used as a MIDL Softening Technique for lowering the symptoms of anxiety when based on habitual chronic fear due to past trauma.
Instruction:
Meditation is practiced in a seated position.
The Six Stages:
1. Ground awareness within the experience of your body as it sits.
2. Picture your arm moving, feel the muscles gather ready to lift without lifting the arm.
3. Then drop the desire to move and feel the relaxation come to the arm and the mind.
4. Cycle different parts of your body, lifting and dropping the desire on each part twice.
5. When fully relaxed lift and drop your whole body.
6. Feel your body lift and drop naturally with each in and out-breath.
How Often?
Practice daily for 1 week by bringing your awareness to the experience of your whole body as it sits and systematically lift and drop different parts of your body until you develop a deep understanding of the connection between abandoning desire and deep physical and mental relaxation.
Investigation:
Take interest in how when the intention to move is created, your body responds to this desire through creating tension. Be curious in regards to the physical relaxation that you feel in your body when that desire to move is abandoned. Also take interest in the disturbance that arises within the mind with the creation of the desire to move; the mental relaxation and stillness that arises with the mind with the abandonment of that desire.
Simple Instructions:
Place fingers below belly button, take 5 slow breaths by extending the lower abdominal muscles out and lowering them back again.
Purpose:
Benefits:
Caution:
During this meditation we intentionally trigger painful memories to develop understanding of the relationship between our body, breathing and mind. This technique can also be trained through intentionally stress breathing in order to learn how to turn off stress hyperventilation in daily life. If you are currently experiencing anxiety only practice this technique under the guidance of a trained professional. The basis for this skill is MIDL Mindfulness Training 3/52: Retraining Stress Breathing Patterns.
Summary:
In MIDL Mindfulness Training 35/52 you cultivate the skill of re-engaging the diaphragm in diaphragmatic breathing to turn of the habitual stress response. This is part of the MIDL skill of deconditioning the anxious cycle as well as deconditioning habitual defensive patterns of mind. Once this skill of 'abandoning' with the re-engaging of the diaphragm has been developed it can be used in seated meditation for calming the five hindrances to meditation and in daily life as a way of deconditioning harmful habitual patterns of reaction. The ability to re-engage the diaphragm when it dis-engages due to the stress response is a primary MIDL Softening skill and should be refined. This is also a main technique for removing anxiety created by habitual stress breathing.
Instruction:
Meditation is practiced in a seated position.
The Seven Stages:
1. Ground awareness within the experience of your body as it sits.
2. Bring a difficult memory to mind and observe within your body, breathing and mind.
3. Place fingers just below belly button, pressing in slightly to feel the movement.
4. Slowly extend lower abdominal muscles out-wards to draw breath in through the nose.
5. Slowly lower abdominal muscles back in-wards to expel breath out through the nose.
6. Intentionally slow down the out-breath to re-engage the diaphragm after 5 breaths.
7. Sit still for 10 seconds and observe the change within your mind, body and breathing.
How Often?
Practice daily for 1 week by bringing your awareness to the experience of your whole body as it sits . Bring a difficult memory to mind and observe the effect it has on your body, breathing and mind. this same process of observation of the stress response can be done by taking five intentional stress breaths. Once your breathing patterns has changed to stress breathing you then intentionally take 5 diaphragm breaths to re-engage the diaphragm in autonomous, rest / digest breathing. This should then be applied in daily life whenever you notice that your breathing patterns have changed as part of the process of mindful deconditioning.
Investigation:
Be curious in regards to the relationship between mental resistance and the stress response. Take interest in regards the physical and mental changes that you experience when you are stress breathing.
Take interest in regards the physical and mental changes that you experience through re-engaging of the diaphragm, observing after 10 seconds.
Simple Instructions:
Picture your breath starting below your belly button, bring it up into your chest, extend each out-breath through your nose relax.
Purpose:
Benefits:
Caution:
During this meditation we intentionally trigger painful memories to develop understanding of the relationship between our body, breathing and mind. This technique can also be trained through intentionally stress breathing in order to learn how to turn off stress hyperventilation in daily life. If you are currently experiencing anxiety only practice this technique under the guidance of a trained professional. The basis for this skill is MIDL Mindfulness Training 3/52: Retraining Stress Breathing Patterns.
Summary:
In MIDL Mindfulness Training 36/52 you cultivate the skill of slowly releasing the out-breath through your nose, as if sighing, in order to experience deep mental relaxation as a basis for 'abandoning' participation with all experience. Extending the length of the out-breath slowly through your nose has the effect of relaxing the frontal lobes of brain creating the conditions for mindful non-participation. This Softening skill is also used for deconditioning the unpleasantness attached to memories.
Instruction:
Meditation is practiced in a seated position.
The Five Stages:
1. Ground awareness within the experience of your body as it sits.
2. Bring a difficult memory to mind and observe within your body, breathing and mind.
3. Intentionally take a few slow out-breaths through the nose to mentally relax participation.
4. Observe the effect that slowing the out-breath through the nose has on the mind.
5. Observe the effect that slowing the out-breath through the nose has on thinking.
How Often?
Practice daily for 1 week by bringing your awareness to the experience of your whole body as it sits . Bring a difficult memory to mind and observe the effect it has on your body, breathing and mind. Observe any tension with your mind, the response within your body and the acceleration of the thinking process. Take a few slow breaths out through your nose and relax all mental participation with any thoughts that are present.
Investigation:
Observe how thinking dissolves with this mindful non-participation. Start to apply this method in your seated meditation. Whenever your attention wanders off to thinking, acknowledge it, ground awareness within your body and then take one slow breath out through your nose to bring about mindful non-participation. When beginning mindfulness of breathing slowly breathe out through your nose, then relax and wait for the breath to come in by itself, autonomously. In daily life observe habitual thinking patterns and let a slow breath out through your nose to mentally relax and withdraw your participation in them.
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