Sabbath for Concentration

Today is my sabbath - when I step out of the fray and regroup. We are at the beginning of the end of summer, with an active week ahead, and I want to take time to prepare myself - body, mind, and spirit.

The First Quarter is yang, a time to take decisive and smart action on my intentions; time to remain flexible, use my obstacles as fuel for growth, and show full effort for priorities.

Agenda:

1. Read "Your Heart Was Made for This"

2. Spiritual growth goals

3. Expressing Needs in the World

1. Read "Your Heart Was Made for This":

I'm reading this book by Oren Jay Sofer (2023), with the subtitle, "Contemplative Practices for Meeting a World in Crisis with Courage, Integrity, and Love". It has 26 short chapters on innate qualities we each have, that we can cultivate and develop as inner and external expression, meant to be read and practiced in order, one every 1-2 weeks.

Part One explores six core qualities, and the 5th is Concentration, similar to mindfulness, but more about focus, effectiveness, and deep connection - a "collected and stable heart". It's when I can gather all my attention to one task and filter out distractions, without needing to power through - it's a holistic process of flow and full, transformative time; I want to be present, and at the same time, be aware, knowing what's happening moment by moment.

"Concentration depends on clear intent, interest, relaxation, and wholeheartedness. ... Clear intent means knowing our aim and simplifying our field attention, setting aside everything else." Wholeheartedness is akin to devotion. 

The benefit of concentration is that it will minimize all the worries, restlessness, impatience, craving for comfort, torpor, and apathy that hold me back - it's a way to become aware of these hindrances, set them aside, and refocus, over and over again. "The best approach to strengthening concentration is to take things one moment at a time, being clear and deliberate about what you are doing and why."

Reflection: Notice how I feel when I am truly concentrating - I am released from prison; healed; nourished and refreshed. Notice also how I feel in the absence of concentration, when I feel scattered and I am worrying or fretting. 

2. Spiritual growth goals:

“...ask me not where I live, or what I like to eat, or how I comb my hair, but ask me what I am living for, in detail, ask me what I think is keeping me from living fully for the thing I want to live for.” ~Thomas Merton

Spiritual growth is the basis for a better and more harmonious life, a life of calmness, courage, and inner strength. My goals for spiritual growth might include the fruits of the Spirit described in Galatians 5: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control, and the Stoic virtues of wisdom, morality, moderation and courage, and Ben Franklin’s Virtues, and my testimonies of integrity, simplicity, mindfulness, discernment, and equanimity.

What is keeping me from living fully for Love and for the earth? What spiritual discipline might help me to find greater Light?

Journal: As I move in to the fall, and transition from balance and flow into Love and receptivity as my focus, I want to grow in concentration, wisdom, curiosity, patience, and kindness.

Plan this week: 

• Concentration journal - note times I've been able to keep attention on tasks and people
• Obstacle journal - Broaden my anger journal to include moments when I am distracted with worry, impatience, or torpor.

3. Expressing Needs in the World:

On Sundays I often go through this Ongo practice to define the Needs I want to express: 

1. Sit for a couple minutes and then invite in three questions, and write the answers in my journal:

• "If I knew this was the last week of my life, what is one Need or quality of life I'd like to be or express more fully?" 
• "What's one quality of life I'd like to contribute more to one of my relationships?"
• "Whats one quality of life I'd like to contribute more to my community?" 

2. Consider each of these Needs, one at a time, and feel the surge of this energy in my body. 

3. Invite myself to take one action each day this week to express the energy of one of these Needs, or bring it alive in my relationships. Be sure it's done in the spirit of invitation, not demand, and that it is specific and doable.

4. After doing the action, be sure to take a minute to visualize the happiness or fulfillment I experience, and extend it out to all beings.

The Needs that come to me today are Clarity and focus, Attention, and Communication. After sitting with the energy of these, I've listed some ideas for action:

• Clarity and focus: Practice 5-4-3-2-1; practice being engaged; record moments of concentration and distraction. 
• Attention: Listen and flow with family; season my plans.
• Communication: Reach out to each committee with my ides.