But all of that stuff fits into my waking hours with a some kind of ease and flow. The busy-ness I sense is an illusion: I have lots of free time for chatting and playing games. And any tasks I don't complete will roll over to the next week of summer with no major consequences.
I'de like to ban the word busy from my vocabulary and replace it with "full and fun".
Agenda:
1. Read "Present Moment Awareness"
2. Ponder use of my time
3. Shibashi
1. Read "Present Moment Awareness":
I've been studying the Emotional Balance Book, and trying to practice awareness of thoughts without much success; just can't seem to get a grasp of the techniques.
So I got this book by Shannon Duncan (2001) that takes awareness one step at a time: First, body and senses; then beliefs and limitations; then emotions; and finally, reactivity. It seems like a straightforward plan!
The first tip is to choose a focus tool that will remind me to use the techniques in my life - I can use a phone alarm, or specific sounds (bird song, sirens, etc.) that I might hear randomly throughout the day. I should rely on these reminders as much as I need to in the beginning, until the techniques become second nature.
The second tip is to take time to ponder each part of the book -ask how it applies to me, and how I feel about it. I am aiming for a state of being, with clarity and confidence. The first ponder exercise is to imagine a level of relaxed confidence that illuminates my path with clarity; a state of being that is not influenced with past burdens or future worries. This is open-minded present-moment awareness.
Chapter 1 is Right Here, Right Now. She talks about how we become absorbed in our worries and miss out on the life we are living in the present. So, anxiousness and restlessness are barriers to awareness, and enjoyment of life.
Right now in this moment I notice my nose is dry, and my back aches. The freight train (a mile away) is rattling and bumping along. W is sighing and stirring in bed. A spider is crawling down the outside of the dark window. My coffee is hot and bitter. I'm aware that my day will open up and begin in an hour, and I have a lot of writing and work to finish before then, but I have no need to act on it yet. I'm aware that I LOVE this quiet, contemplative start to my day.
2. Ponder use of my time:
Think about how I feel when I don't complete the tasks on my calendar:
Yesterday, for example, I did not work on my art project or prepare for today's project with Artie, and I regret that. Last night the feeling was a short black scowl, and then I moved on; but even when I don't linger on thoughts of regret, the feeling clings to me like a damp shirt; the black scowl pops up again this morning as anxiousness.
How would it have been if I had stopped yesterday to ponder the use of my time, and asked myself to choose: Do the tasks now, or be at peace with not doing it? Could I then let go of the angst and anxiousness? Maybe yes, maybe no.
3. Shibashi:
I've practiced shibashi off and on for years but really want to make it a corner stone of my renewal / resilience practices going forward. I've decided to focus on one of the 18 movements each day for the next few weeks, and today I'm on:
2. Broadening the Chest: As the arms open wide, contracted Qi energy in the chest is unblocked. This strengthens the heart and lungs and helps reduce insomnia and depression.
Breathe in - raise body - draw arms up to shoulder height and width - elbows and wrists slightly bent - palms face down.Turn palms facing each other - draw hands away from each other - arms fully extended to sides - keep elbows slightly bent
Turn palms facing each other - breathe out - draw hands together until shoulder width apart.
Turn palms to face the front - fingers upwards and slightly curved - sink body down with knees slightly bent - draw arms down to thighs - palms face out to backwards.
Repeat 6 times
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