Happy July dear readers! Beginning with this post we embark on the next half of the year and the next half of our mindfulness practices. Woo-hoo!
How did you do with last week’s practice to study suffering? I admit that it is one of the more curious practices. Not only does it bring more awareness to our own thoughts and suffering but also the suffering of others in subtle ways. I’m still wrapping my head around it at this point.
This Week’s Mindfulness Practice: Silly Walking
Alright, what a way to follow last week’s practice. Are you familiar with silly walking?
Yes, this week’s mindfulness practice was inspired by the Monty Python skit “Ministry of Silly Walks.”
Now that you’re smiling if not laughing, can you see the point of a mindfulness practice using silly walks?
Last week we studied suffering which really starts with oneself and becoming aware of negative thought patterns. Now consider what would happen when the negative voice is ready to rage in your head and instead of going down that path you did a silly walk instead?
What happens to your state of mind or mood?
The objective behind this mindfulness practice is two-fold: to become aware of our negative thoughts and to become aware that only we can change our mood. We cannot depend on people or things outside of us to change our difficult emotions. Doing this task reminds us to take ourselves lightly.
Reflection: Angels can fly because they take themselves lightly. -Unknown
Musings from the Moonroom 