Glass half empty

 You have just walked into the kitchen, and on the table, you spot a glass with some water, that has been left there carelessly by someone else once their thirst was satiated. As you reach out an irritated hand, picking up again after whoever it was, does the glass seem half-empty to you? Have you just labelled yourself pessimist? Or is it half full, which makes you an optimist? Which one of the two kinds of people in the world are you?

What if there is a third possibility? What if the sight of the empty space above the water in the glass reminds you that you could fill it up to the top, and drink it all yourself. What if the remaining water in the glass reminds you that the lemon thyme on the windowsill needs some watering, and you pour it there? What if the carelessness of  that other person just opens up possibilities for you to view it as a blessing?

When we write our journals of gratitude, we take so much care to remember each “good” thing that happened. We write them down and feel blessed, and rightly so. What if we also write down the “bad” things that happened, in recognition of the possibility of their being blessings as well? What makes an experience good, or bad? Is it the colours we paint it with?

Dear Journal, I am deeply grateful that I cracked forty push ups today. My core feels so much stronger, and I will soon be able to progress to preparing for hand stands. Thank you.

Oh, by the way, dear Journal, I am so deeply thankful that I fell down the stairs today. I now know, for sure, that hopping down the stairs with my eyes closed, and hands held above my head, is a bad, bad idea. Thank you.

photo credit: http://www.123rf.com/stock-photo/glass_half_full.html

This short post was inspired by the “theme of the week” of one of my yoga teachers, Tania Burgess. Please visit and like her Facebook page.

Love

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Preparing for 2013. And Beyond.

I have often made up my lists. Called them New Year Resolutions. To Do lists. Intentions. I have kept them in view and read them everyday ( sort of). I have sealed them in an envelope to bring out at the end of the year ( then lost them, never to see them again). I have made long lists (aim long and I could hope to reach at least a few) and short lists ( keep it realistic). I cannot report that I have met with much success. My life has been pretty Average.

As 2013 approaches I have not been thinking of resolutions. I have been thinking of the journey since January 1 2012. I would have ultimately made a few resolutions/set intentions, and encouraged my son to do the same. But probably with the same world weary, cynical optimism that seems to characterise me. But the ubiquitous Facebook ( I am addicted, are you?) prompted me into action.

This is what I saw, shared by my sister, from a page called The Pagan Circle:

 
This January, why not start the year with an empty jar and fill it with notes about good things that happen. Then, on New Years Eve, empty it and see what awesome stuff happened that year. Good way to keep things in perspective!

Perhaps this is a great way to go. No. This is a great way to go.  I know I will feel elated as I watch the notes grow. Because good things happen. All the time. Sometimes in floods, sometimes in trickles. The problem is that I tend to forget them. I get bogged down by my failures, and irritations, and my constant battles with demons that I should have laid to rest decades ago.

I showed the picture to my son, and he seemed very taken with it immediately. That young man is a greater cynic than I ever was. But he nodded vigorously. He also asked a few pertinent questions. So we will have a family jar. I will go out today and buy a nice fancy jar, to make it extra special. I know even a simple one as shown in the picture, will work just as well. But I am excited.

Last week I was not feeling anything about 2013. Now I cannot wait, for 1 January, 2013. Actually I may just start filling that jar today, and go through my recorded blessings on 31 December 2012. That will give me practice for 2013. Perhaps my gratitude levels will be so high, I will attract more blessings in 2013! J.

Love

PS Okay, My life has been Mostly Awesome,. But Average is what it feels like most of the time.

First Impressions: The Circle Begins

Aside

After reading class 1 on my “learn meditation page” of choice, I decided to go ahead and incorporate the exercise in my own way.

Fresh from the resolve, and eager to get going, I hunkered down that night for my five minutes before bed. I looked at the time, set my intention for five minutes and settled down to the first of the first steps. Breathe in and out at least 7 times. I don’t really know how many times I actually did so, I was concentrating on breathing in the life force and love, and breathing out my frustrations and negativity. I noticed a slight tendency to hyper ventilate and adjusted my in breath to less long. Which then meant I had to shorten my out breath as I did not have enough air in me to breathe out. Sigh! Then, of course, there was the noise. The trucks rolling past on the highway, the last of the neighbours hunkering down for the nights, and finishing up in their kitchens, and a host of other noises that I normally do not notice.

Aha! I am supposed to notice them, and let them go, so I did. I did not think there was any reduction to the noise level, but my breath calmed down, and the tightness in my chest softened. And all of a sudden I thought, “That would be five minutes” and my eyes popped open. Feeling a little “hmm… need to learn a bit more”, I looked at the time, and what do you know? Exactly five minutes!  So I must be doing something right!

I had the heaviest, deepest sleep that night for a long time. My limbs felt heavy, and even in my sleep I was aware of a heaviness. Let us not forget the dreams! The dreams were vivid, and scary and adventurous. I had trouble waking up in the morning…

So my morning was rushed and chores grabbed me before I could settle down and meditate. But I got that bit done before that 7:20 am hit its mark and the need to madly rush out into the day manifested.

All through the day I felt removed. I had a standard 21st Century muddle of a day mixed with work, friends, family and chores, with its attendant pulls, pushes and drags.  But I did not feel like those things quite touched me. Not that I was unemotional, but it felt like the emotions were an outer part of me, and hence something that I observed and let go, rather than get gripped by them. It was a wonderful, liberating feeling.

I think I am going to love this. I think I am going to be able to carry this on.

Have you joined us on the Bodhi Circle yet?

PS: this morning, during the time I meditated, I did not notice any back ground noise at all. It was still. Quiet. Interesting. Time for Class 2.

Shaking off your shackles….!

Shaking off your shackles….!.

I have just had a shattering experience, of sorts, and this post, helped me ground myself. Yes, I feel victimised, and yes, what happened was outside my realm of control. But I can see at least two places where I have responsibility for the choices I made, and how they created the event that happened to me.

Thank you, Mohini, for this post. Thank you for bringing light.