Mindful Voice Integration
Managing Moments on Life's Journey
We humans, the funny creatures!
Isn’t it funny that we think we are logical and rational beings? – While in constant pursuit of feeling good. Whether we believe it happens through becoming rich, doing interesting work, pursuing happiness or buying expensive things, it all comes down to wanting to feel good. All our behaviour is driven by us wanting to feel good.
When we are in conflict all we want is to feel good again, usually we try this by pointing out how awful the other party is. When we feel blue, we easily give into instant gratification: ‘give me those Tim Tams!’ When we are feeling ok we can be a bit more patient and plan how we can feel good. We might plan a holiday, work hard for a promotion, arrange a family get together or celebration, or buy ourselves a new wardrobe or stereo.
We believe that we can feel good (I mean intensely good) all the time, many of us even believe that we deserve it! The pursuit of Happiness is big industry. We believe that it is a state that can be achieved if only……
Buddhism says that happiness is the precursor to suffering, because it doesn’t last, everything changes all the time and intense happiness is a chemical reaction, a rush of chemicals similar to speed or amphetamines. Like with all ‘intoxicants’ it comes to an end when the body builds up tolerance.
Ruth Ostrow in ‘The Weekend Australian’ shared a Jewish joke; An old man is asked if he is happy. He answers: ‘I’m not HAPPY’ (said with arms in the air, voice raised loudly), I’m ‘happy’; (said quietly with a bit of a shrug). That type of happiness is more about contentment and requires appreciation and gratitude.
Ken Wilber (great philosopher) says it is about finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. This brings us back to mindfulness, here are seven keys to Mindfulness by William Meek.
- Non-Judging: taking the role of an impartial observer to whatever our current experience is.
- Patience: cultivating the understanding that things must develop in their own time.
- Beginner’s Mind: having the willingness to observe the world as if it was our first time doing so. This creates an openness that is essential to being mindful.
- Trust: having trust in ourselves, our intuition, and our abilities.
- Non-Striving: the state of not doing anything, just simply accepting that things are happening in the moment just as they are supposed to. For people from the Western cultures, this seems to be one of the more difficult components.
- Acceptance: completely accepting the thoughts, feelings, sensations, and beliefs that we have, and understanding that they are simply that only – just a bundle of thoughts, and not ‘Me’.
- Non-Attachment: avoidance of attaching meaning to thoughts and feelings, or connecting a given thought to a feeling. Instead, let a thought or feeling come and pass without connecting it to anything, observing them exactly as they are.
Until next time!
Warm regards
Charlotte
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