Formations

Fresh from a shower the beautiful twilight sky is filled with swallows darting and feasting away.

My little dog pees, walks, and sniffs away, unperturbed.

It's interesting humans have this capacity to appreciate the various external forms and internal feelings going on about us. Likewise this capacity also gets us into a mess when things do not go smooth in life.

A simple bout of flu can be a big thing for me as my sinus gets easily infected and makes it a long tedious road to recovery. My work plans are derailed, my time is spent cooped up at home. I feel aches, heavy headed, limp, clouded. Anger is easier to spark off and there is hesitation to communicate. Bad habits start to surface such as watching Youtube for hours aimlessly.

So how has the practice of mindfulness helped me? Foremost, I am better able to watch these feelings and realize it's not very practical in aiding recovery. I think this watching is very different from my past response which unknowingly lets the mind go astray. There is a quicker turn around to get back to the business of rest and recovery.

I am also better at observing which parts of the body need attention. I can better keep anger in check by not speaking and I can pull away from that long running TV drama on Youtube. It takes a while to return to my body with its present ill state so hopefully with practice I can better smile at suffering.

Reminders from the Five Mindfulness Trainings:

When anger is manifesting in me, I am determined not to speak.

I am determined not to try to cover up loneliness, anxiety, or other suffering by losing myself in consumption.