WEEK 14
Meditation Practice
This week we’re sticking with the same 17 minute daily meditation and taking our Sunday meditation up to 25 minutes.
You might notice that your mind calms down pretty quickly by now or you might find it still takes a good 10-15 minutes for the thoughts and worries to settle — but those last couple of minutes of calm, that glimpse of peace, is enough to remind you that living in a state of ease and grace is possible.
Monday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Tuesday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Wednesday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Thursday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Friday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Saturday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Sunday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 15 minutes Body Awareness + 5 minutes Loving-Kindness
You might notice that your mind calms down pretty quickly by now or you might find it still takes a good 10-15 minutes for the thoughts and worries to settle — but those last couple of minutes of calm, that glimpse of peace, is enough to remind you that living in a state of ease and grace is possible.
Monday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Tuesday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Wednesday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Thursday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Friday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Saturday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 12 minutes Body Awareness
Sunday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 15 minutes Body Awareness + 5 minutes Loving-Kindness
Mindful Living Practice — Take a Break From Social Media
According to many spiritual traditions, attachment is the root of all suffering. And you’ll probably have experienced times in your life when attachment has caused you to suffer — maybe when a relationship has broken down and you’ve found it hard to let go because you were attached to the person, or when you’ve lost your favourite piece of jewellery because you were attached to the thing, or when you lost your job as a manager because you were attached to the identity.
We become attached in subtler ways too — to our phones, to food, to our routines, to having things done a certain way. Social media is a big thing we are becoming more and more attached to — on average people spend two hours a day online and 210 million people are estimated to suffer from social media addiction.
You’ll know you’re attached to something if you find that taking a break from it is difficult or anxiety-inducing. But releasing your attachment by taking a break from whatever it is you’re attached to, will release you from suffering too.
This week practise non-attachment by taking a week off social media — avoid using Facebook, Instagram, Twitter… Notice if the urge to check any of them arises and simply watch how it passes without you needing to do anything about. Not only will it release your attachment to these online platforms but it will help you understand how they serve you — maybe mindlessly scanning your phone is a form of procrastination? Or maybe a distraction? Or maybe a substitute for real, meaningful face-to-face connection? Notice how much space it frees up in your life and see if you can use that time for something more nourishing and meaningful.
We become attached in subtler ways too — to our phones, to food, to our routines, to having things done a certain way. Social media is a big thing we are becoming more and more attached to — on average people spend two hours a day online and 210 million people are estimated to suffer from social media addiction.
You’ll know you’re attached to something if you find that taking a break from it is difficult or anxiety-inducing. But releasing your attachment by taking a break from whatever it is you’re attached to, will release you from suffering too.
This week practise non-attachment by taking a week off social media — avoid using Facebook, Instagram, Twitter… Notice if the urge to check any of them arises and simply watch how it passes without you needing to do anything about. Not only will it release your attachment to these online platforms but it will help you understand how they serve you — maybe mindlessly scanning your phone is a form of procrastination? Or maybe a distraction? Or maybe a substitute for real, meaningful face-to-face connection? Notice how much space it frees up in your life and see if you can use that time for something more nourishing and meaningful.
If you can, see if you can keep up the mindful living practices from the last few weeks too. If you need a reminder, I’ve popped them below.
Week 1 -- Don’t Scratch the Itch
Week 2 — Non-Harm
Week 3 — Non-Stealing
Week 4 — Speak Only Kindness
Week 5 — Take a Break From Intoxicants
Week 6 — Conscious Relationships
Week 7 — R.A.I.N
Week 8 — Send Happiness
Week 9 — Let Someone Else Be Right
Week 10 — Wash Up
Week 11 — Play
Week 12 -- Practise the Pause
Week 13 — Practise Intentional Meandering
Week 1 -- Don’t Scratch the Itch
Week 2 — Non-Harm
Week 3 — Non-Stealing
Week 4 — Speak Only Kindness
Week 5 — Take a Break From Intoxicants
Week 6 — Conscious Relationships
Week 7 — R.A.I.N
Week 8 — Send Happiness
Week 9 — Let Someone Else Be Right
Week 10 — Wash Up
Week 11 — Play
Week 12 -- Practise the Pause
Week 13 — Practise Intentional Meandering