#474 What is Meaningful Work?

     Work that helps to reduce suffering and promote wisdom & joy can be considered meaningful. 
     Meaningful work can range from cleaning duties (at home, at work, or voluntary) to national politics.
     Clearly it's not precisely what one does, but the intention of mindfully, skillfully helping people, other living beings and the environment.
     This is not a "should" but an intelligent "we must", because the cosmos simply works like one complex organism. Each individual human either promotes harmony & optimal function OR creates chaos & pathology.
     If you live in a one bedroom apartment can a member of your family vandalize & steal from the family OR does each member have to work intelligently to support the family?
     As individuals we simply must understand - down in the marrow of our bones - the fact that we live in a closed system. Our every thought, word & action must be harmonious with our one collective life. Parker Palmer refers to this as "living an undivided life." To do so, we must be AWARE & KIND - MINDFUL moment-to-moment.

Apollo's Chariot by Odilon Redon

#457 Why Practice Mindfulness

     The need for self-regulation takes priority over and necessarily precedes self-exploration & liberation. The critical thing to remember is that adequate self-regulation is NOT "as good as it gets" and that mindfulness practice is an effective, well-trodden path for self-exploration, and beyond.

     "the intention behind traditional Eastern mindfulness practice is transformation, liberation, & compassion for all beings,

     whereas in the Western context, the intention includes more secular motivations such as time-out from daily stress, development of better coping mechanisms, or as a means of self-regulation."

       Thurman SK. Review of 'Neuroscience, consciousness & spirituality.' Mindfulness 2013; 4(3): 286-88.

      "The goal of meditation at its deepest level has been liberation from the egoic self; developing a sense of harmony with the universe; and the ability to increase one's compassion, sensitivity, & service to others. These goals may include, but go beyond, personal self-regulation or self-exploration."

        Shapiro DH. Examining the content and context of meditation; A challenge for psychology in the areas of stress management, psychotherapy, and religion/values. Journal of Humanistic Psychology 1994; 34(4): 101-135.  

clauluna   www.dpreview.com

#362 Finding Humanity's Common Core Goals & Values to Make Life Workable

      “In addition to meditation’s use as a self-regulation and self-exploration strategy, it has also been used as a technique for self-liberation and for compassionate service to the world. Within the traditional religious contexts, these four aspects of meditation have been understood as part of a developmental continuum, with the lower levels necessary, but not sufficient, for the attainment of the next level. The goal of meditation at its deepest level has been liberation from the egoic self; developing a sense of harmony with the universe; and the ability to increase one’s compassion, sensitivity, and service to others. These goals may include, but also go beyond, personal self-regulation or self-exploration. For example, meditation as a stress management technique can be learned just for its self-regulation effects (eg to calm the mind) or for its help in deepening caring for others. As a subject in one of our meditation research studies noted, ‘relaxing and clearing my mind helps open my heart.’
     Although there are differences and complexities in efforts to determine unifying principles across spiritual (and secular humanistic) traditions, there are in fact some common goals and values. These include emotional transformation – decreasing unwholesome qualities/evil inclinations, while increasing qualities of love and compassion; service to others, justice, ethical living, right action.”

       Shapiro DH. Examining the content and context of meditation; A challenge for psychology in the areas of stress management, psychotherapy, and religion/values. Journal of Humanistic Psychology 1994; 34(4): 101-135. 

Udayan Sankar Pal   www.facebook.com/UdayanSankarPal

#46 Non-doing

     “Do not confuse motion and progress. 
     A rocking horse keeps moving but does not make any progress.”                   Alfred A. Montapert
 
     “Effortless activity happens at moments in dance and in sports at the highest levels of performance; when it does, it takes everyone’s breath away. But it also happens in every area of human activity, from painting to car repair to parenting. Years of practice and experience combine on some occasions, giving rise to a new capacity to let execution unfold beyond technique, beyond exertion, beyond thinking. Action then becomes a pure expression of art, of being, of letting go of all doing – a merging of mind and body in motion. … magic of true mastery … moments of grace and harmony.
 
     Thoreau said, ‘To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.’”
 
       Kabat-Zinn J. “Wherever you go, there you are. Mindfulness meditation in everyday life.” Hyperion, NY, 1994.

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