5 Mindful Musings, June 14, 2024

Hi everyone,

Here is your weekly dose of "5 Mindful Musings", a brief list of what's helping me live a more mindful life.

WHAT I AM HOPING

I hope you don’t think you’re not good enough. Just because we share mindfulness exercises with you, it doesn’t mean you’re not already good enough or wonderful enough however you are.

We are all already loveable - AND helpful reminders to be present for this unfolding life can go a long way for some of us who may need a little extra support. :)

WHAT I AM REFLECTING ON

"Forgiveness is a thorny issue. Most of us have been taught that it’s a good thing. So we had a really honest exploration of what gets in the way of our forgiving. Things like being afraid that if we forgive we will forget, and harm may be repeated. Or wanting an acknowledgment of wrongdoing by the other. Vengeance, or maybe our desire to punish, or the expectation of justice. But forgiveness is not about justice. Forgiveness doesn’t condone unskillful and evil action by others. Some actions are unforgivable.

We work with the person not the action. In my experience, all forgiveness is ultimately about self-forgiveness. it is a fierce act of self-compassion. A willingness to touch what might feel like unapproachable suffering with awareness infused with mercy. It doesn’t heal all relationship issues or bypass necessary grief or anger. It doesn’t necessarily lead to reconciliation. Forgiveness is not a fix-all. However, it can help us to set down our identification with old pain. And it can open our hearts to love again." - Frank Ostaseski

WHAT WE JUST SHARED

Vicarious Joy - Guided Meditation for Happiness.

Sometimes our reaction to the happiness of another is one of jealousy or perhaps even anger. By reacting in this way, we unnecessarily separate ourselves from joy, the very thing we wish we had!

When we open our hearts and recognize that all joy shared becomes our own, we begin to experience more happiness every day, by learning to rejoice in the joy of others.

In this meditation script for happiness, we first connect to the feeling of joy by bringing to mind a past happy experience. Then, we imagine someone else feeling the same, to sense what it feels like in our bodies when we are happy for them.

Practice Time: < 10 minutes

Purpose: Cultivating Joy

May Help With: Emotional Intelligence, Gratitude, Contentment

Practice Level: Intermediate

WHAT I AM PRACTICING

Gratitude.

I feel grateful to be alive with so much to be fascinated by. To be cared for by loving parents. To be nourished by the earth, the sea, the sun and the rain. I feel grateful for our mindfulness community. To be in support of one another on our path to be awake, loving, and grounded. I am grateful for this breath. This body. This heart-mind. This raw experience of pulsing energy. I surrender to the intimate awareness of these things. Their value becomes apparent when they are linked to everything else, from which I am born with each inhale. I feel increasingly grateful to be connected with this, that, us, you.

Thank you. (We have a free online Gratitude course available anytime for you. Here is a downloadable guidebook.)

A POEM I LOVE

Soul receives from soul that knowledge, therefore not by book

nor from tongue.

If knowledge of mysteries come after emptiness of mind, that is

illumination of heart.

- Rumi

With gratitude,

Sean Fargo, Founder, Mindfulness Exercises

Join our online community for guided meditations, group discussions, free downloads and live workshops here: Connect Mindfulness Community

What is your main mindfulness goal?

• A Reduce Your Stress
• B Improve Your Sleep
• C Build Your Mindfulness Habits
• D Teach Mindfulness to Others

Enter your answer here for personalized support.

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