Meditation

[mfh]

I got this email today reminding me of the webcast on Wednesday and subsequent Wednesdays. Jack Kornfield, a leader in the field will speak THIS Wednesday on the importance of acknowledging feelings and emotions in Mindfulness...a topic very relevant to we who grieve a huge loss. It is at 5pm Eastern, 4 central etc. So I encourage everyone to listen to this webinar. Because i paid for the series, I will get some other access and papers and will share anything I get that I can share with all of you. Here is where you sign up for this FREE series (free if you listen live on Wednesdays). http://www.nicabm.com/

PS I have no clue who this Ruth person is...this is sent to all registered folks automatically.

Hi Mary,

I'm so excited this week, and here's why . . .

. . . we're kicking off the Making Mindfulness Work webinar series, and Jack Kornfield, PhD is my first guest.

He'll be sharing how mindfulness can help people let go of the past to create a more positive sense of self.

Here's a look at all of the topics we'll be covering:

• How Mindfulness Training Changes Healing
• Why Over-Identifying with a Role Can Cause Tremendous Suffering
• How to Use Mindfulness and Loving Awareness to Become Free of the Past
• Thinking "Skillfully": How to Apply Mindfulness to Solve Conflict
• Mindfulness Strategies for Overcoming Feelings of Unworthiness, Shame and Guilt
• Why We Must Bring a Quality of Beginner's Mind to Our Work

Jack will also get into why it's so important to acknowledge feelings and emotions in practicing mindfulness.

You're all signed up for the webinar. Remember to mark your calendar for Wednesday at 5pm EDT so you don't miss a minute.

All best,

Ruth

Ruth M. Buczynski, PhD
President and Licensed Psychologist
The National Institute for the Clinical
Application of Behavioral Medicine
http://www.nicabm.com

[kayc]

Mindfulness should be made known to all, should be taught and lived. Life is nothing without appreciation for what we already have, what exists, what is.

Thank you for sharing your poems, Mary. I like the first one.

[feralfae]

Dear Mary,

I am looking forward to sitting down to this feast of spirit you are sharing when I have more energy.

Thank you for the gifts you bring to us here.

Much Love,

Fae

[enna]

I for one am all set for the Wednesday webcasts. Our healing continues.

[mfh]

Me too, Anne. I must rush home from book club for the first one and on the 30th I will have to watch the rerun which I get as a paid participant. I am doing a watercolor all day class...portraits...taking a picture of Bill with me. We shall see.

Peace, mary

[mfh]

Dear Mary,

I am looking forward to sitting down to this feast of spirit you are sharing when I have more energy.

Thank you for the gifts you bring to us here.

Much Love,

Fae

Great ,fae! Enjoy. Mary

[enna]

Thank you for all your notes on the Mindfulness Retreat, Mary. I have not gotten to the links yet, but I will. Anne

[MartyT]

Here's a good article on some of the most common misconceptions about mindfulness: What Mindfulness Really Is

[mfh]

Excellent explanation in this piece and a great addition to my retreat notes...clear and concise and accurate. Thanks, Marty.

[mfh]

Thank you for all your notes on the Mindfulness Retreat, Mary. I have not gotten to the links yet, but I will. Anne

You are quite welcome Anne. I put links in for those, who like you and me, are information addicts.

[mfh]

Tomorrow is the first of several Mindfulness webcasts, see earlier posts. Following it is Matthew Fox....on the modern mystic. Your chance to attend two free seminars that may assist you on the grief journey.

http://theshiftnetwork.com/FourfoldPathOfTheModernMystic

[mfh]

Well, I fell asleep and missed most of the Mindfulness webcast. I am tired. I will get the link to the recording and then comment on it. I do have the transcript but I will wait for the recording. I hope some of you watched it. I bet you did, Anne and wonder how you liked it.

Mary

[enna]

Yes, Mary, I did watch it and soaked in much of what these wise people had to say. Most interesting topic for me -

My thoughts on today’s first webinar on mindfulness: “How to grow love and compassion out of the seeds of suffering.”

Wow! An interesting topic for me since my recent dx of CHF (congestive heart failure.) The inner fear, the turmoil, the isolation all play a big part in accepting my illness… It is the same, I think, with any significant loss in one’s life.

My illness is not who I am and I am not the first person to go through this – I’m so much more than this disease I have and it will be necessary to tend to the disease but not identify with it. I liked some of the suggestions or tools the speakers laid out in beginning to cope – one being to name the disease and to acknowledge what it is I’m thinking like being terrified or being so upset that this happened to me or being sad that my life has to slow down more, or being just plain scared.

I liked the idea that 95% of our thoughts are reruns, that our mad monkey minds are almost unstoppable, and that we have such a lack of self worth when it comes to having compassion for ourselves. I thought I was the only one who felt that way!

It was suggested that we need to be held and shown loving kindness, we need to know that compassion for ourselves is not being self-centered, we need to be reminded that we are worthy of love. Those in the profession of bringing mindfulness to others need to not be afraid to show tenderness, to connect in a more human way and not be so clinical. Those who are suffering can sense that in a doctor if there is no human concern shown for the patient.

I think we show compassion right here on this forum. Showing compassion to others here who have lost a loved one can trigger self-compassion. We can train ourselves to see the beauty in others and therefore see our own beauty.

So, I will need to come into emotional balance and be more aware of my feelings. I need to recognize that I am my own medicine. I did not buy the Gold Membership so I will not be able to go back and listen to these wise people again but I think I listened with an open heart and really am beginning to see the goodness and beauty in my own person. Can't wait for next week's webinar. Anne

[Wifflesnook]

Oh thanks for that summary Anne. I started watching in bed (it wS ten pm here) and fell asleep. I found Jack Kornfield's voice rather grating to listen to (I have experienced this before) but wished I had managed to hear him out, especially as from your notes he said some very apt things.

[kayc]

When I clicked on that link it was a registration form for something for Saturday, so how did you hear someone's voice?

[mfh]

Kay, I am not certain if you clicked on the Matthew Fox link or the Mindfulness link posted by Marty a few days ago. Here is the link to the Mindfulness series. One talk is done but there are 5 more free talks on Wednesdays.

http://www.nicabm.com/mindfulnesswebinarseries2013/freesignup/

If you clicked on the Fox link, you did have to register for that first even though it was free. That is over now. On Modern Mystics.

Peace

Mary

[kayc]

Well it said it is on the 19th at 10:00 and you can view the webcam 15 min. earlier. And I think it said it would be somebody named Fox. I remember because the 19th is George and my anniversary, it's Sat.

[kayc]

Well I guess I missed the first one but have signed up for the others to come.

[mfh]

Well I guess I missed the first one but have signed up for the others to come.

You went to the Matthew Fox talk that followed the Mindfulness talks. That is over and was good on being a modern mystic. He is a guy who grew up here in Madison, was a Dominican priest for 34 years, silenced by the pope for a year because he was "radical" when he started to teach creation spirituality and a different approach to spirituality. He left priesthood and is still writing and teaching. I like him a LOT. Yes, you missed that one.

[kayc]

Yeah, that's the one I would have liked to have heard since I have an interest in both mystics and mindfulness.

[mfh]

Oh, Kay, I know you do and I am sorry you missed Matthew. If I get wind of anything else by him or on that topic, I will notify you asap. Do you know of Anthony de Mello? He was a Jesuit born in India, died young and wrote a book called Awareness. Great book. Here is a link to the website and articles. Mary

http://demellospirituality.com/awareness/

[kayc]

No I had not heard of him or his book. I have a lot of good books to read, but had not been able to read since George died unless very short like an article. Recently I read through two short books, beginning to end, it gives me hope that I may be able to focus on reading again, at least I hope so. I'm sure it was stress and my job added to that.

[mfh]

http://www.matthewfox.org/

http://www.youtube.com/user/drmatthewfoxfcs

These are Matthew Fox links you may like, Kay.

[mfh]

No I had not heard of him or his book. I have a lot of good books to read, but had not been able to read since George died unless very short like an article. Recently I read through two short books, beginning to end, it gives me hope that I may be able to focus on reading again, at least I hope so. I'm sure it was stress and my job added to that.

I do think focus on reading is difficult when we are grieving or in stress. I struggle right now with reading but soon see that struggle behind me...it is frustrating for you, I am sure as it is for me. I find listening to books helpful...in the car I am listening to To Kill a Mockinigbird right now. It is so well written it takes my breath away...I saw the movie many times but the movie and book are too totally different experiences. My friend owns it and loaned me the audio book. You might check the library for books on tape.

[mfh]

Anne, I still have not listened to Kornfield but will before next Wednesday's broadcast. This week has gotten away from me. I have not gotten the download audio yet and have no clue what format it will be in. When we logged on they asked us not to share....hmmmmmmm....tempting....a moral dilemma??? Oh, how I want to.
Mary