Today is the Third Quarter Moon: This waning moon energy is yin - quiet, internal, heart-driven, intentional Being-ness. At this phase we can ease off a bit on actively pursuing goals, slow down, go within, and attend to inner work and self-care.
On this late October morning, when the air is cold and our future is uncertain, my focus turns to discipline and equanimity.
Agenda:
1. Read "Comfortable with Uncertainty"
2. How to meditate in ten minutes
3. Renewal plan
4. Evaluation House
5. Monthly journal brainstorm
6.
2. Read "Comfortable with Uncertainty":
The theme throughout this book is training in tenderness for life, called bodhichitta. "We train in the bodhichitta practices in order to become so open that we can take the pain of the world in, let it touch our hearts, and turn it into compassion."
My feelings about sitting meditation are pretty established: I don't like it. But I also can't manage my go-to alternative of walking meditation right now. I can't even manage Meeting for Worship with any integrity. Perhaps I would benefit from a super-short morning meditation practice?
2. How to meditate in ten minutes:
Andy Puddicombe (Headspace) wrote an article that is helpful:
1. Get settled:
- Sit comfortably in a chair with hands resting in lap.
- Keep back straight, neck relaxed, chin slightly tucked in.
- Commit to spending the full time on the meditation - set a 10 minute timer.
2. Breathe deeply:
- Defocus eyes, gazing softly into the middle distance.
- Take five deep, audible breaths: in through the nose and out through the mouth.
- On the last exhalation, let eyes gently close.
- Settle into body: Gently observe posture.
- Notice the sensations of bottom on the chair and feet on the ground.
- Feel the weight of arms and hands resting in lap.
- Acknowledge your senses: notice smells, sounds or tastes, sensations of heat or cold.
- Scan body from head to toe, observing and taking note of any tension or discomfort.
- Scan again, and notice which parts of the body feel relaxed.
- Now turn awareness to thoughts. Notice any thoughts that arise without attempting to alter them.
- Gently note underlying mood, just becoming aware of what’s there without judgment. If there’s nothing obvious, that’s fine, too.
- Bring your attention to breathing, the rising and falling sensation that it creates and where these sensations occur.
- Focus on the quality of each breath, noting whether it’s deep or shallow, long or short, fast or slow.
- Begin silently counting the breaths: 1 -inhale, 2 -exhale, 3 -inhale, up to 10, then start again at 1.
- While doing this, it’s completely normal for thoughts to bubble up – just guide attention back to the breath. Don’t rush the breathing and just allow it to continue at its own pace and rhythm. Continue until the timer sounds.
- Spend 20-30 seconds just sitting. Enjoy the rare chance to let your mind simply be.
- Become aware once more of the physical feelings of the chair, the floor, arms and hands resting in lap. Notice anything you can hear, smell, taste or feel. Slowly open eyes.
3. Renewal plan:
I try to renew all four dimensions of my life (body, mind, heart, and spirit), as Stephen Covey taught: I spend about an hour each day on a combination of physical, mental, and spiritual regeneration activities, plus work to improve my social skills and relationships. Today's waning half moon is my opportunity to review how I'm doing, and make note of new ideas for the month ahead.
- Body & Discipline: Stretch every morning and take a daily walk. Plan and prepare healthy meals.
- Mind & Vision: Write in my journal and blog about my priorities, about stress and self-care; set realistic goals: simplify to 3 projects, and practice a short daily meditation.
- Spirit & Ethics: Go into our garden every day for 15 minutes to connect and provide service to nature, and continue to research and write about earth care.
- Heart and passion: Be sure to PLAY with my grandsons, and be creative! Meet with friends to vent - letting go, even just a little, can make me feel lighter and more in control.
Today I get to reflect back on the first 3/4 of the Harvest Moon lunar cycle that I'm passing through. My theme has been Balance and Resilience. I reviewed the intentions I set at the new moon and drew a house with 2 rooms:
- A room for celebration of all I have accomplished already this month.
- A room for discerning what to do with the unfinished parts (Some of these I will finish in the next couple days, some I will save for next month, and some I will release because they have become irrelevant or didn't go as planned.)
5. Monthly journal brainstorm:
At the new moon (next week) I will transition from one focus to another, and a whole new field of opportunity. This week I'll take time to brainstorm my goals, dreams, and exciting ideas for the next 30-days, without judgement - including at least a few crazy, improbable notions - and write a very brief synopsis of the next month of my life.
6. Surrender, rest, recuperate:
This next few days is a time to be empty; the time for striving is past. As the moon’s light fades into darkness I get to relax and surrender to the universe.
Some things will always be out of my control. As the moon's appearance dwindles, I let go of useless beliefs, unreasonable expectations, grudges, defensiveness, projects that don't fit into my life, and anything else that isn't working for me. I turn these all over to the Divine and give thanks, my way of opening to receive new intentions in the new month.
Then I give myself permission to rest!
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