I teach a weekly mindfulness meditation class and this is the passage we'll be working through today:
Today's focus is on 1st part of the final pillar of mindfulness, which is taking a non-judgmental stance. In this portion of practice, we are going to focus on ridding our inner negative narratives.
A non-judgmental stance essentially means opening oneself up to other possibilities. It is a way of taking in a circumstance and “being with” whatever initial response is there. It’s hailed by psychologists that we have NO WAY of controlling our initial response, therefore WE MUST RESIST the urge to self blame if our initial response is ego driven or selfish. Taking a non-judgmental stance enables us to take note of our feelings and initial emotional response after a stimulus has occurred. It is a way of being with that initial trigger in a way that is gentle yet assertive. Assertive in the sense that we remember that our initial response is only ONE OF MANY options for response – you indeed have other options to consider.
When we’re cut off on the freeway, through our awareness we can acknowledge that our first response is, “Man that guy’s an asshole” or “Okay peeps in the biz, I know you’re the most important person in the world – but seriously?!” These responses may seem like the only options because they are our automatic response. Yet, when seen clearly – we can become aware that our initial response is often a conditioned habit. Meaning that over time, we’ve been taught and reinforced to respond a certain way when we find ourselves in traffic.
However, have you ever stopped to ask yourself, “What purpose does this point of view serve?” This is one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves during moments of frustration and trial. Asking yourself this question can begin to break down the negative narrative that most of us run constantly in our minds and in the veins of our being. “I can’t do this, I’m not smart enough. I don’t have all the answers, so I’m not even gonna try. I’d need a miracle to pull that off, it’s not even worth the effort.” As you take captive these thoughts in awareness, you begin to understand that you have choices and that you are not a slave to your automatic emotional response.
You’ll come to know that you can and should consider rewriting that narrative in a way that serves a beautiful purpose for you. As you begin to consider options, you’ll begin that understand that in doing so – you can begin to tip the odds in favor of your highest self. It has been proven by psychologists that our thoughts create our intentions, and that through our intentions – we create our lives and our future. Thus, our inner narrative is something really worth taking a look at. Through this strong force comes forth our true power for manifestation.
As our narrative changes from, “I’ll never be good enough to manage school, kids, my job, and life” to “Okay, this is going to be a whirlwind for a bit, but what doesn’t kill you – makes you stronger. And I’d rather die trying than die with my music still in me. Life is short. That grass can be green where I am, so let me find a watering can.” Through this process, our minds become a source of creative problem solving and a new friend rooting for us in the corner rather than a slave driver that constantly beats us down. Ask yourself, “What purpose does this perspective serve?” Is my response/actions/words contributing to peacefulness for myself and others or to the anger and degradation of our world? As you make a habit of bringing these moments into awareness, you’ll begin to feel a sensation of empowerment and freedom. Keep asking yourself, “What purpose does this thought serve” and if the answer is anything other than “to build myself and/or others up” then exchange that thought for one that’s worthy and attributable to the divinity that exists within all of us. By patiently and consistently building a healthy self narrative – we can begin to manifest the lives we truly want.
Today's focus is on 1st part of the final pillar of mindfulness, which is taking a non-judgmental stance. In this portion of practice, we are going to focus on ridding our inner negative narratives.
A non-judgmental stance essentially means opening oneself up to other possibilities. It is a way of taking in a circumstance and “being with” whatever initial response is there. It’s hailed by psychologists that we have NO WAY of controlling our initial response, therefore WE MUST RESIST the urge to self blame if our initial response is ego driven or selfish. Taking a non-judgmental stance enables us to take note of our feelings and initial emotional response after a stimulus has occurred. It is a way of being with that initial trigger in a way that is gentle yet assertive. Assertive in the sense that we remember that our initial response is only ONE OF MANY options for response – you indeed have other options to consider.
When we’re cut off on the freeway, through our awareness we can acknowledge that our first response is, “Man that guy’s an asshole” or “Okay peeps in the biz, I know you’re the most important person in the world – but seriously?!” These responses may seem like the only options because they are our automatic response. Yet, when seen clearly – we can become aware that our initial response is often a conditioned habit. Meaning that over time, we’ve been taught and reinforced to respond a certain way when we find ourselves in traffic.
However, have you ever stopped to ask yourself, “What purpose does this point of view serve?” This is one of the most important questions we can ask ourselves during moments of frustration and trial. Asking yourself this question can begin to break down the negative narrative that most of us run constantly in our minds and in the veins of our being. “I can’t do this, I’m not smart enough. I don’t have all the answers, so I’m not even gonna try. I’d need a miracle to pull that off, it’s not even worth the effort.” As you take captive these thoughts in awareness, you begin to understand that you have choices and that you are not a slave to your automatic emotional response.
You’ll come to know that you can and should consider rewriting that narrative in a way that serves a beautiful purpose for you. As you begin to consider options, you’ll begin that understand that in doing so – you can begin to tip the odds in favor of your highest self. It has been proven by psychologists that our thoughts create our intentions, and that through our intentions – we create our lives and our future. Thus, our inner narrative is something really worth taking a look at. Through this strong force comes forth our true power for manifestation.
As our narrative changes from, “I’ll never be good enough to manage school, kids, my job, and life” to “Okay, this is going to be a whirlwind for a bit, but what doesn’t kill you – makes you stronger. And I’d rather die trying than die with my music still in me. Life is short. That grass can be green where I am, so let me find a watering can.” Through this process, our minds become a source of creative problem solving and a new friend rooting for us in the corner rather than a slave driver that constantly beats us down. Ask yourself, “What purpose does this perspective serve?” Is my response/actions/words contributing to peacefulness for myself and others or to the anger and degradation of our world? As you make a habit of bringing these moments into awareness, you’ll begin to feel a sensation of empowerment and freedom. Keep asking yourself, “What purpose does this thought serve” and if the answer is anything other than “to build myself and/or others up” then exchange that thought for one that’s worthy and attributable to the divinity that exists within all of us. By patiently and consistently building a healthy self narrative – we can begin to manifest the lives we truly want.
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