"Welcoming" A Christian Wisdom Practice (part 2 of 3)

Dec 29, 2010 12:07

"The practice is a three step process of acknowledging what is going internally during a stressful physical or emotional situation (Focus), "welcoming" it, and letting it go,  Rather than being done at a specifically appointed daily time, it is a situational practice, intended for use in the midst of life whenever occasions of upset occur." (172)

"...'Welcoming' is intrinsically an energetic practice, geared to work at the level of sensation (not attitude), in order to actively imprint kenotic surrender as the innate first response to all life situations.  Through its deliberate training in inner softening and opening , the practice begins to lay down new neural pathways in support of that deeper compassionate flow.....  Kenosis is experienced in (and through) the act of bringing oneself into a state of unconditional presence.  In this more spacious spiritual state, the energy of being which might otherwise have been squandered in useless ...emotional reaction, is recaptured and placed directly in the service of spiritual transformation.".... (177)

1) "Focus or sink in.

"To focus means to become physically aware of what is going on as sensation in your body....draw close to whatever is going on inside you.  Whether its physical pain or emotions such as fear or anger, it will be expressed in the form of sensation.  Pay attention to that.  Is your chest tight? Breathing shallow or forced?  Is your heart pounding?"

"Don't try to change anything.  Just stay present....

"Do not--repeat do not--use this occasion to analyze or justify yourself.  Energetically its like pouring gasoline on a fire: the emotions will only flame higher.  More importantly...self analysis locks you back into your egoic operating system with its constant stream of stories.  The opportunity here is to go beyond that, into your larger self."

"Taking time with this first step is important for a couple of reasons.  First-- as in all good biofeedback work--being consciously present to your body guarantees that you wont repress the emotion or dissociate from it. (two perennial occupational hazards of the spiritual path)  Second, it forces you to stay with sensation, which is where the work is going on anyway." (178)

2) "Welcome"

"This next step seems decidedly counterintuitive.  Anchored there in the midst of your upset, you begin to say, softly and gently, "welcome
anger' or 'welcome fear, or 'welcome pain.' 
Why would you want to do a crazy thing like that? (Isn't the point to get rid of the troublesome affliction?)
No, the point is not to let it throw you out of presence...and the only way to do that is to wrap your deeper self around it through the power of your compassionate attention.....What you are welcoming is never an outer situation but the feelings and emotions within you at the moment....(The) act of welcoming roots us firmly in the now.  Once we have endured and integrated what is on our plate, then what we do with the outer situation is for us to decide.  Surrender means doing something out of the power of integrity, not knuckling under to coercion or abuse." (178-9)

3)  Let Go

"The most important point I can make about this step is not to get to it too quickly.  The work is really done in the first two steps, and this last one should be embraced only when you sense that the energy bound up in the upset is beginning to wane on its own.....
Remember that letting go is only for the moment.  (The anger, fear, pain will be back).  But each time you are able to pass it through the light beam of your compassion, it looses more and more of its hold on your being."

Say: 'i let go of this anger (or pain, or fear, or negativity)

Mary Mrozowski, the actual founder of the method, preferred this unvarying litany:
 I let go my desire for security and survival.
 I let go my desire for esteem and affection.
I let go my desire for power and control.
 I let go my desire to change the situation.

Every moment of conscious presence actually takes place in eternity.  (179-80)

(Quotes Kabir Helminsky) 'Whoever makes all cares into a single care, the care for simply being present, will be relieved of all cares by that Presence, which is the creative power.'

"There is a famous story from the Buddhist tradition, probably timeless, but in its most recent renditions, set during the Chinese invasion of Tibet.  A soldier bursts into a monastery cell and thrusts his rifle barrel into the belly of a meditating monk.  The monk goes right on meditating.  'You don't understand.' said the soldier...'I have the power to take your life.'   The monk briefly opens his eyes and smiles... at the soldier.  'No, its you who does not understand.  I have the power to let you.' (181)

(all the rest is commentary)

Source: Cynthia Bourgeault, The Wisdom Jesus, Shambhala, 2008, pp171-182,

buddhism, anger, acceptance, mindfulness, cynthia bourgeault, meditation

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