#608 Fearing the Shallows & Depths

     This morning, in a local jewellery store, I saw a collection of clay wall hangings, each with a woman's face on top, and a slogan, meant to be funny, below. On one of these was written:
          "Deep down, I'm really shallow!"

     This is dark humor - trying to deal with something that's actually terrifying. I think a large proportion of us, women and probably more so men, go to great lengths to remain constantly distracted so as to avoid seeing clearly who / what they are deep down. They fear that their own character / psyche / soul is at best shallow, at worst wicked. This is a hangover from the dark ages of clerics terrifying people with burning in hell forever unless they pay clerics to pray for them. How could, or indeed why would we live meaningful, dignified lives if we believe that we're "rotten to the core"?
     All the world's wisdom traditions have intelligent, educated, well-meaning, civilized representatives. Also, all have shrill representatives who've miraculously evaded a thousand years of human evolution, and misery loves company.
     Meditation practices are avoided at all costs by those who fear getting to know themselves (as well as those who gain by propagating this fear). In meditation we do directly experience the "shadow" aspect of ourselves - the less flattering aspects of our personality that everyone else clearly sees, but which otherwise remains hidden from us. But seeing & understanding our shadow has nothing to do with encountering "the devil". Becoming aware of this part of our subconscious helps us mature and behave as responsible, civilized adults.
     Fortunately, meditation also lets each of us directly experience the very best of human nature. Each of us, fundamentally, is kind, spacious awareness. This wise, mature, civilized aspect is amply able to hold the relatively small, transient shadow aspect.
     Mindfulness practices, which are all forms of meditation, are ancient, time-proven practices, specifically designed to foster human evolution of consciousness. In other words, we CAN intentionally promote our own psychosocialspiritual maturation - but ONLY IF we can overcome fear-based avoidance.

Bess learning from Gretel

#551 Primary Goal Selects our Operating System

     If your primary (overriding) objective is to escape from a burning building, most likely you'll be in full fight-or-flight mode.
     If your primary (overriding) objective is to excell
          • in competitive sports
          • in academics
          • in your profession
          • financially
you will most likely be in the fight-or-flight mode to varying degrees much of the time. These are challenging, competitive (adversarial) pursuits. In order to achieve a coveted material goal, as quickly as possible, people devote pretty well all the time, energy, & other resources they have. There's urgent egocentric striving, whether the fire is "in the belly" to become CEO by age 25, or is in your house & you're desperate to escape. Many live such "a life unexamined", which at some point they realize, was not worth it.
          However, if your primary (overriding) objective is to live as an evolved human being, most of your attention will be on the people and environment right now, relating to them appropriately. There is no struggle against competitors to achieve this. It's a lifelong project & company is very welcome. If you also want to achieve one of the material objectives above eg academics, you will approach it as an evolved human being - in a friendly, collegial, collaborative manner - rather than as an obsessed, self-centered, aggressive cave-man. Your operating system does not need to devolve to succeed in the world. See: http://www.johnlovas.com/2014/05/establishing-new-way-of-being.html

     We still have cave-women & cave-men among us. Such folks believe that being an evolved human being is incompatible with "success" in the "real" world. They believe that cheating, lying, bribery, stealing, bullying etc are necessary, and only the simple-minded reject these. "Greed is good" & "Win at any cost."

     Which is my path: the low road of "wise guys" or the high road of the wisdom traditions?  
     What is my primary goal & overriding operating system?

Human-powered boat day, Venice, June 2014

#549 What Operating System am I Running on Now?

     We have 2 very different "ways of being in the world" depending on which of the 2 very different parts of our brain (operating system) is directing our thoughts, words & behavior: 
          1) a primitive brain stem, we share with reptiles & other animals, that permits a very basic level of functioning
          2) a highly evolved prefrontal cortex that, permits a much more sophisticated, evolved level of behavior - that of homo sapiens sapiens.

     One of these always dominates. Some human beings live the highest quality of life possible, which includes helping the rest of humanity evolve to enjoy the same optimal quality of life. Other fellow humans experience "a living hell" continuously butchering each other, like crazed animals. 
     Most of us are somewhere in between - sometimes inspiring, generally just muddling along, & at times we're (justifiably) ashamed of ourselves. How can we be inspiring more often & filled with regret less often?
     We can all learn to PHYSICALLY FEEL which operating system (part of our brain) is operating AND we can TRAIN to engage our more highly evolved operating system more & more consistently, to optimize our own & others' short & precious lives. It's all part of mindfulness training.

Mado   www.fredmiranda.com

#381 Each Moment - a New Beginning

     "The goal of becoming a better person is within the reach of us all, at every moment. The tool for emerging from the primitive yoke of conditioned responses to the tangible freedom of the conscious life lies just behind our brow. We need only invoke the power of mindful awareness in any action of body, speech, or mind to elevate that action from the unconscious reflex of a trained creature to the awakened choice of a human being who is guided to a higher life by wisdom."             Andrew Olendzki PhD

     An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. "A fight is going on inside me," he said to the boy. 
     "It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil - he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego." He continued, "The other is good - he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you - and inside every other person, too."
     The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf will win?" 
     The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."
       http://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/TwoWolves-Cherokee.html

From Kelly McGonigal's YouTube video - see: http://mindfulnessforeveryone.blogspot.ca/2013/08/384-understanding-willpower-competing.html

#350 Conditioned Reflexes, Autopilot AND Conscious Awareness, Mature Judgment

     During meditation, as loud self-talk settles down, we gradually notice that a much quieter self-talk continues unabated. Also, despite our efforts to let go of thinking, we notice that we're periodically whisked off by a train of thought - one that may not even be particularly interesting. Patiently, peacefully, seamlessly we turn attention back to the here-and-now.
     It takes moderate effort to remain alert, conscious of what precisely is going on in our mind-body moment-by-moment. Monitoring posture, muscle-tone, breath and mind requires moderate effort. Not enough effort, and we go on autopilot or night-time sleep. Too much effort, and we go into striving, doing mode, trying to force something that isn't real, isn't helpful.
     We gradually learn not to take conditioned habits so seriously. Conditioning turns out to be a sadly simple affair as we come to appreciate it in greater detail - with frightening similarity to a drunk's predictable behavior. Sadder still is remaining on conditioning's autopilot.
     Meditation literally allows us to objectively, directly see our (primitive) conditioned reflexes AND gives us the choice, the freedom, the opportunity to try something infinitely better. In "observer-self" we are simultaneously conscious of conditioning AND the creative freedom to choose differently, consciously, wisely. Awareness increasingly stabilizes so we can live in an increasingly mature, evolved, wise manner.

Rick Wianecki   http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/

#316 Fear, Reactivity, Mindfulness, Mature Judgment, Wisdom to Navigate a Complex World

     It's easy to feel tight, claustrophobic, as we worry about our own security, welfare, and health in what seems to be an increasingly hostile, random, uncaring world. We're bombarded with gory superficial details of the tragedy of the day. Invariably we're left wondering why?, "searching for answers," "looking for closure".

     Our primitive brain-stem, retained from our reptilian ancestors, automatically triggers quick action in response to fear, greed & lust, to keep us alive individually, and as a species. The fear we feel on hearing of a tragedy, triggers an almost overpowering anger and impulse for swift revenge. This automatic brain-stem reflex is instant, simple & clear BUT - no longer works (did it ever?).

     We live in an incredibly complex, constantly & rapidly changing world. To survive, and hopefully thrive in this challenging climate, our pre-frontal cortex - the seat of judgment & executive function, the main distinguishing feature of humans - can & must override primitive instincts. This requires consistent training. We have constant reminders of the incredibly foolish behaviors that result when the pre-frontal cortex is bypassed: under the influence of alcohol, rage, "in the heat of passion" or other strong emotions. To live wisely, we need to intentionally nurture our own and others' evolution of consciousness. Mindfulness practice is an excellent, evidence-based way of doing just this.

anttitapani   www.dpreview.com