WEEK 9
Meditation Practice
Because it can take a little while to make time in your life for longer meditations (10 minutes plus), we’re keeping our meditation practice to 10 minutes Monday-Saturday with a slightly longer practice on Sunday — 15 minutes of Breath and Body Awareness followed by five minutes of Loving-Kindness.
Monday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 5 minutes Body Awareness
Tuesday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 5 minutes Body Awareness
Wednesday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 5 minutes Body Awareness
Thursday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 5 minutes Body Awareness
Friday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 5 minutes Body Awareness
Saturday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 5 minutes Body Awareness
Sunday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 10 minutes Body Awareness + 5 minutes Loving-Kindness
Monday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 5 minutes Body Awareness
Tuesday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 5 minutes Body Awareness
Wednesday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 5 minutes Body Awareness
Thursday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 5 minutes Body Awareness
Friday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 5 minutes Body Awareness
Saturday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 5 minutes Body Awareness
Sunday — 5 minutes Breath Awareness + 10 minutes Body Awareness + 5 minutes Loving-Kindness
Mindful Living Practice — Let Someone Else Be Right
Many of the harmful habits that cause us to suffer are pretty well hidden — and, to the outside wold, something like over-working may even seem like an enviable trait. But, these subtle addictions to things like social media, TV, productivity, busyness, self-righteousness… are things that contribute to our suffering because we are using them as a substitute for what we really need — peace, harmony, belonging, play, intimacy, connection, love.
Something I’ve had to work on personally is my need to always be right — which was simply a substitute for my real need for acceptance and belonging. Sometimes we get so caught up in our need to prove ourselves, in telling people how wrong they are and how right we are, in turning every discussion into an argument we need to win, that we lose our compassion.
There will be times in life where we have to choose between being kind and being right. This week, practice being kind. Let your partner have the last word, let your colleague take the lead on the project even if you think you can do it better, let your husband put the flatpack desk together the way he wants to do it instead of following the instructions.
Letting someone else be right will wake you up to what you really need and why you cling to always needing to prove how right you are. What do you really need when you are fighting for the last word? To be listened to? To be respected? To be seen as someone whose voice matters? This week, focus on letting go of your addiction to being right and bringing your awareness to what you really need.
Something I’ve had to work on personally is my need to always be right — which was simply a substitute for my real need for acceptance and belonging. Sometimes we get so caught up in our need to prove ourselves, in telling people how wrong they are and how right we are, in turning every discussion into an argument we need to win, that we lose our compassion.
There will be times in life where we have to choose between being kind and being right. This week, practice being kind. Let your partner have the last word, let your colleague take the lead on the project even if you think you can do it better, let your husband put the flatpack desk together the way he wants to do it instead of following the instructions.
Letting someone else be right will wake you up to what you really need and why you cling to always needing to prove how right you are. What do you really need when you are fighting for the last word? To be listened to? To be respected? To be seen as someone whose voice matters? This week, focus on letting go of your addiction to being right and bringing your awareness to what you really need.
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 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