Well this is it. Today we woke up at the usual time, did our energizing exercises and then sat in the closing circle. Had breakfast, stalled a whole bunch by chatting aimlessly and then finally filed out, got into our cars and started the trek home.
I found myself ready to go home, but just as nervous coming home as I was coming here. Nervous about re-entry. Nervous about the prospect of being overwhelmed and shutting back down after working my ass off for the past 5 days to open and trudge through all the crap I’ve stored up over the past many years.
But I am just going to stay rooted in the moment and keep breathing.
Here are some more notes from Joseph Goldstein’s talks:
Mental states, judgment, compassion, love etc arise in response to changing conditions – they do their job and they they’re gone. They are not “I.” If they really belonged to us then they would be amenable to our will – we would be able to command them. But they each only follow their own laws.
It’s always simpler to just feel the emotions or physical sensations then to struggle with them through denial or distraction. If there is an overabundance of tension or distraction do a check to see what’s there that you’re denying. Being in this place of denial also means you are not coming from a place of compassion.
Notice what happens when you are in a situation where someone is driving you crazy – how do you respond? Do lock down in tension and judgment? Or can you be aware of that person’s suffering and allow compassion to arise in response?
Ignorance is the cause of not letting in suffering, therefore shutting down compassion.
Satiating desire shores up our ability to close ourselves off to suffering on all levels – which also closes us off to compassion.
Happiness comes by letting it in rather than reaching for it.
Awareness allows us to transform ignorance into compassion.
When I get home I’m going to look up everything Joseph Goldstein has ever done and get my hands on it. I just love this guy.
I can’t wait to see my babies!!
1 comment:
"Notice what happens when you are in a situation where someone is driving you crazy – how do you respond? Do lock down in tension and judgment? Or can you be aware of that person’s suffering and allow compassion to arise in response?"
That's the place I need to come to with my boss! I have 0 compassion for him at this time.
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