"When you know you don't need to change, that's when you change" Mingyur Rinpoche.
This was from an interview on the podcast 10 per cent happier. I realized after listening to this that I don't have to "stop" hating myself. Being aware of that piece of coal in my heart is like knowing where the diamond is. As with cravings, I just need to accept this aversion and let it transform itself. If that were my only meditation, I would have all that I need
"To whatever degree we know deeply that we have what we need within ourselves, we will let go" Narayan Helen Liebenson
NHL meant this more about connecting with our sacred core, our place of enough. The more deeply and intuitively I am connected to my gut energy, however, the easier it is for me to let go of all the weakening habits I've accumulated.
Going home is the most treacherous and challenging part of the adventure.
As I think about putting this book into book form, I remember that movie about the climbers coming back from ascending a glacier in Peru. Going down is harder and more treacherous. How we make it home and make it to a place of peace after a peak meditative experience is a much more challenging journey, than getting to the peak experience. How do we live after we have awoken?
Who would I be if I didn't hate myself?
A question posed while reading Byron Katie. If I don't have a clear enough picture of that it's going to be hard for me to return home, because I don't even remember what home feels like.
The 3 words of Dzogchen.
Recognize (the primordial state beyond concepts). Decide (to be in this state). Know (that is is self-liberating.
The impact of informal practice on awakening
I learned a lot from Culadasa's The Mind Illuminated, but the best take away was his assertion that awakening will always be stunted if our informal practice is weak. The end of day review is something I want to bring into the new year
Intermittent fasting is not a sustainable nutrition plan for me
I've come back to fiber fueled eating, which meant going through a transition, and even some weight gain. But I truly believe it's what's best for my body, and for the planet. That said, I'm not eating unlimited fibre in front of the computer or TV. I am building better intuition about what I really need to eat to feel happiest and liberate myself from cravings and self hatred.
I can become a digital minimalist
December I cut out streaming. I'm trying to re-introduce it judiciously. Limiting the emotional thrillers to a couple of episodes a week. Balancing different kinds of shows and trying to keep it to under an hour a day during the week.
To make my cleaning algorithm intuitive, I need to truly focus on the cleaning habit I'm mastering
Focus and attention is the foundation of learning. If I want these cleaning algorithms to take, I'm better off bringing my attention to a short practice many time a day for a while, like shining the sink, or 15 minutes, than doing binge cleaning while a watch an empty tv show. This is how I learned to meditate. It's how I'm going to learn to clean.
Attention is the foundational, core habit, of socio-emotional learning
I really got the importance of attention, which I may have been mixing up with concentration in the past. This is partly from Culadasa, partly from my work with UNESCO. But I'm beginning to understand how vital attention is learning. Awakening, I am starting to believe, is the unity of attention and awarenes. It's that simple. And that difficult to master.
Saturday, January 2, 2021
Top insights of 2020
