Choose This NOT That

A week or so ago, Vince and I were visiting my parents in sunny, hot Arizona. I took my mat in hope of having the opportunity to find a class or just spend some time to practice when not sleeping in or relaxing at the pool. I was fortunate enough to find a class that fit in our pool schedule. We started on our backs with eyes closed. The teacher said "today allow yourself to focus on what feels good & focus on what you are able to do in your practice. You get to choose where your attention goes." Ohhhh yeah, now I remember, I can choose to suffer or not suffer. Seems too good to be true.


Since that class I have been focusing my attention on choice. The examples of how this plays out are endless so I'll just throw out a few. Today, in the car with Vince I said "hey, I want to know if you think I should be offended by what so & so said to me Friday after the meeting." Then, wowza, I caught myself and began to laugh. Why would I choose to be offended? If i choose offended i will suffer (probably so would she) and if I choose not to suffer, we are both happy. Just last week I rolled out of bed at some obscene hour to get up and travel to an out of town meeting. As I was lying in bed I heard what apperared to be an owlebration (celebrating owls) in our front yard. Ohhh, choice between feeling sorry for myself that I had to get up and Vince got to sleep in or on how amazing it is that we have so many owls singing on our street. Last month, I tried a pair of pants on and they were a little snug (I'm being gentle on myself here) I could choose to focus on the snug or I could focus on how I have been doing better at getting some cardio in even amidst a pretty jampacked schedule. As I have been writing this I have the opportunity to choose whether to focus on the birds singing or I could focus on the hideous 1980's rock music blaring out of a neighbors garage. Is it starting to be obvious which is going to lead to suffering? That was an easy one...obvi the 1980's headbanger music is one definition of suffering.


This could come across as being about focusing on the positive. However, what I'm trying to convey here is that in each moment we get to decide where we are going to put our attention. Is it going to be on suffering or peace? Is it going to be on this? or on that?


You choose, I'm going to practice choosing this peace, not that suffering.
Ami

Add Love to the Task-List

It’s rainy and dreary and I’m working and getting ready to study for a class I’m taking. Although I swore to one of my favorite friends and co-workers (see pic) that I would stop saying I’m so behind….I’m sooooooooooooooooooooo behind. I spent some time last night trying to organize my life into a calendar and a task list. It looks very pretty. I’m guessing it won’t feel pretty. It’s the first time I have included yoga, meditation, exercise and writing into my daily task list. I put them each there, every day, some of them with a completion time of ten minutes.

I realize that years ago (maybe even now), people would have thought it was insane to need to schedule in your personal time. However, with my current schedule, I believe it’s this structure that will remind me minutes on my yoga mat count just as much as answering the 136 emails waiting to be returned in my inbox. There is a great line in one of the Mumford & Sons songs that says “where you put your love- is where you put your life.” I guess you could say I’m adding my love to the task list.

I hope you will join me and put something you love on your list.

Ami