Healing Ourselves and the World through Mindfulness
“In a nutshell: The cultivation of mindfulness is not only an invaluable means of appreciating the present moment and healing the body; it is a discipline that opens our senses and gives us a way to cope with the distress and dissatisfaction of our lives and move toward the creation of a better world.” (from http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/books/books.php?id=9509)
relationality
orthogonal institutions
thinking turns situations into problems → situations require a response - require an analysis and observation
you make / u have - thinking is a fabrication - a screen between us and direct experience
clear thinking is powerful, but often it isn't clear
untrained mind-fabricating, proliferation… - invisible
seeing it with equanimity
less clinging and grasping
detecting fabrication
like writing on water
intention not to make anything
do we really know what is happening in an event? (news?)
removed from our direct experience until they (events) become our direct experience - can we be orthogonal, inclusive, compassionate, wise?
Shouldn't we be more engaged?
being aware of what we know and not know…
not to get caught up and blinded by our blind emotions
take practical steps to nurture new possibilities
what are we doing with our creative energies to heal the body politic
Suspension of distraction
communing, making eye contact, less absorbed with daily preoccupations
wordless presence
recognition of dis-ease (9/11)
everything is impermanent - institutions can't stop it
things are fundamentally uncertain - terrifying people
the mind forgets rapidly
embodiment of our deepest principles: linger collectively in suspension of distraction
Capabilities
capturing the full spectrum of our capabilities, rather than narrowing ourselves to only making & thinking
massive interior ignoring of who we are and where we live
own to our own sentience, come to our senses
start paying attention & wake up to things as they are. all else will follow.
(…)
Notes taken while listening to the audiobook: