This felt very close to something our own traditions have always known.
Awareness is not something to hold or polish. It is what notices, even for a moment, and then steps back into silence. In the Upanishads, the Self is not described as a state to reach, but as that which is already seeing every state pass.
What I liked most here is the simplicity of it. No chasing. No fixing. Just a gentle returning to what is already awake.
It reads like a reminder and those are the ones that stay.
WOW, VMB, if we were playing baseball, you’d surely be awarded the trophy for knocking the ball out of the park! In this moment what I’m noticing and appreciating so deeply (I’d like to think my Being just made a bow to your Being) is your ability to choose words that I “get” and at least for today my sensing is visceral. Having instances of remembering is new for me. For me, it’s an AHA moment. A “blinding flash of the obvious.” And, as a student, I continue to be gobsmacked by how you, the teacher, shows up at exactly right time for me to see, to hear, to feel your heart and to make meaning from your words. You and David Whyte each have a way of saying: “Dear Sandy.” Thank you for your Being and for your writing. Namaste. ❤️🙏
the pulse metaphor shifts everything. ive spent so long trying to sustain awareness, thinking thats what practice meant. realizing consciousness flickers and thats not failure, thats just how it works, feels deeply permissive. the part about catching yourself in boredom or hurry without fixing it resonates so deeply with me. so much of my training was about correction, not recognition.
Brilliant articulation of why presence cant be sustained through effort. The pulse metaphor clarifies the mistake most practitioners make when they think awareness should be constant. Catching yourself in boredom or hurry without trying to correct it is counterintuitive but I've noticed the samething when the impulse to fix drops away, something settles naturally. The diver image helps illustrate that anchored quality.
The most profound shift in my effectiveness as a coach has been relinquishing my need to fix, change or alter anything. The magic of cco-presencing, creating the space for my clients to be present to their feelings, body, thoughts, narratibve, without judgement in the best of times creates space around what one has tightly identified with...and choice. This has changed my life and practice.
Reading this, the “me that is me” took a big breath and just smiled. Relaxing that inner tension, again, for a moment.
I grew up trying to please un-pleasable parents, only to trade all that, as a young adult, for an un-pleasable religion. Trying to function within legalism, to measure up to perfectionism is . . . hell on earth. Exactly what is needed is to extract yourself from identifying with your works and STOP measuring your performance. 🙏
Hello dear one. This was quite helpful as it brought a deeper awareness how my inner critic can make me feel “not enough” even when I’m aware of its visits and know exactly what it’s up to. Your clarity is a tremendous gift, gratefully accepted.💜In this moment I have the courage to face this day and I know whatever may or may not happen I will carry on. Thank you.💜
Fastidious remembrance. I never would have juxtaposed those 2 words but so gently powerful.
Ditto for catching yourself in the act of being.
A very cranky painful not-the-way-i-wanted-it-to-go day just changed. Without me even getting out of bed AGAIN to try to start over & prove it isn’t Groundhog’s Day & I am Bill Murray (never even saw the movie but know enuf. Maybe)
This felt very close to something our own traditions have always known.
Awareness is not something to hold or polish. It is what notices, even for a moment, and then steps back into silence. In the Upanishads, the Self is not described as a state to reach, but as that which is already seeing every state pass.
What I liked most here is the simplicity of it. No chasing. No fixing. Just a gentle returning to what is already awake.
It reads like a reminder and those are the ones that stay.
WOW, VMB, if we were playing baseball, you’d surely be awarded the trophy for knocking the ball out of the park! In this moment what I’m noticing and appreciating so deeply (I’d like to think my Being just made a bow to your Being) is your ability to choose words that I “get” and at least for today my sensing is visceral. Having instances of remembering is new for me. For me, it’s an AHA moment. A “blinding flash of the obvious.” And, as a student, I continue to be gobsmacked by how you, the teacher, shows up at exactly right time for me to see, to hear, to feel your heart and to make meaning from your words. You and David Whyte each have a way of saying: “Dear Sandy.” Thank you for your Being and for your writing. Namaste. ❤️🙏
I think my soul just sighed in relief. Thank you🙏💚
Yes, I can catch myself when I’m pleased, with your most enlightening essay! Thank you.🙏
A lot to think about in this one. Hopefully while reserving a little attention for being.
the pulse metaphor shifts everything. ive spent so long trying to sustain awareness, thinking thats what practice meant. realizing consciousness flickers and thats not failure, thats just how it works, feels deeply permissive. the part about catching yourself in boredom or hurry without fixing it resonates so deeply with me. so much of my training was about correction, not recognition.
Brilliant articulation of why presence cant be sustained through effort. The pulse metaphor clarifies the mistake most practitioners make when they think awareness should be constant. Catching yourself in boredom or hurry without trying to correct it is counterintuitive but I've noticed the samething when the impulse to fix drops away, something settles naturally. The diver image helps illustrate that anchored quality.
The most profound shift in my effectiveness as a coach has been relinquishing my need to fix, change or alter anything. The magic of cco-presencing, creating the space for my clients to be present to their feelings, body, thoughts, narratibve, without judgement in the best of times creates space around what one has tightly identified with...and choice. This has changed my life and practice.
Reading this, the “me that is me” took a big breath and just smiled. Relaxing that inner tension, again, for a moment.
I grew up trying to please un-pleasable parents, only to trade all that, as a young adult, for an un-pleasable religion. Trying to function within legalism, to measure up to perfectionism is . . . hell on earth. Exactly what is needed is to extract yourself from identifying with your works and STOP measuring your performance. 🙏
Hello dear one. This was quite helpful as it brought a deeper awareness how my inner critic can make me feel “not enough” even when I’m aware of its visits and know exactly what it’s up to. Your clarity is a tremendous gift, gratefully accepted.💜In this moment I have the courage to face this day and I know whatever may or may not happen I will carry on. Thank you.💜
Fastidious remembrance. I never would have juxtaposed those 2 words but so gently powerful.
Ditto for catching yourself in the act of being.
A very cranky painful not-the-way-i-wanted-it-to-go day just changed. Without me even getting out of bed AGAIN to try to start over & prove it isn’t Groundhog’s Day & I am Bill Murray (never even saw the movie but know enuf. Maybe)
💝