Hello everyone,
This week we read up to p 50, so next week we start Part One: Surrender. We talked about patience, acceptance, curiosity, non-identification and letting go, both in terms of our meditation practice and out in our lives.
This week's question concerns curiosity and non-identification. How have you used this concept to break your habitual thought patterns, or how can you see yourself using it? I mean, by bringing an open-minded curiosity to the situation and not relating to thoughts as "me or mine," how does that change your response? Kevin says, "If I identify thoughts as mine, I also tend to react emotionally." Have you experienced this?
I know for me, that when I used to identify as my thoughts and feelings there was no escape from them. I thought they were just who I was and there was nothing I could do about it to change it. Now I know that they are impermanent and do not define who I am, as they change from moment to moment. When I am curious about thoughts and feelings, without seeing them as defining me, I can better not react from a place of conditioned response or over emotion. And in doing so, I can treat myself more kindly than I used to and not "scold the puppy".
What about you?
I have learned through experience that feelings are not facts. They can be there, they can be true or not. I have to ask myself if this is mine to carry, does it matter right now, will it affect me or my sobriety? I allow what comes up to be there, decide if I need to let it go and keep going. Remaining curious keeps me growing. Paying attention is important to acceptance today. Being patient with myself and others. Knowing that what is going on is happening regardless of my thoughts or feelings. I can change my reaction to it. Grateful for it all. Thanks Lori for the question that allowed me to think about what we read about yesterday.