To conclude the series on ‘Accepting What Is’, we will talk about this place where the heart knows something that the head has not yet agreed to hear: That something is over – and that’s okay.
Tag: education
An Experience of Life Already Fulfilled – An Invitation for an Inventory
One of the most important spiritual practices is the practice of awareness of death. Sorry for the dramatic opening, but it's true. And if we're lucky, we'll live a long enough life to look back and ask ourselves: "Did I live a life worth living? Did I fulfill myself?" Each of us has different definitions of what a "life worth living" is, and that's perfectly fine, as long as we are sure that indeed, these are our definitions, which we have tested and explored with awareness and we have decided that they are right for us, and not because we have adopted what our society has dictated to us, without daring to even put a little question mark at the end. So the invitation this time is to bring forward this death-bed retrospective evaluation of my life, and so I can relate to each night when I go to sleep as a kind of small "death", before which I make the same retrospection, and recognize everything I have achieved until today. And the next day, a new day, we do it again.
Chapter 6: Shaving the Mirror – Why It Never Works
This blog is about getting to know ourselves, with how our minds work, which are the only ones we can really get to know. And we are not about blame, blame has never led to substantial results. We are in the business of an honest and brave observation to see where the suffering, the pain, the discomfort in our lives comes from. We are interested in what will bring us happiness and a life of satisfaction, and you know, one of the sayings I connect with the most is attributed to Albert Einstein, and paraphrased it defines: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” So the invitation here is to do something different.
Chapter 5: Why Expectations Are Really Bad for You
Because you see, the point is that the mere fact that I express a certain idea, does not really obligate the other party to act on that same idea. This is a huge mistake that we all fall into – certainly as parents, teachers and spouses. Now, this certainly does not mean that I cannot set boundaries in case of a clear violation of acceptable behavior – acceptable according to my own standards or the group’s. But expectation introduces a completely different element. expecting something from someone is, in other words, taking my happiness, or at least my momentary peace of mind, and put it in the hands of the other party.
Chapter 4: How to Teach Self-Compassion – Part 2
If I accept myself as I am, I will never improve. And this mistake is so common. Even among adults like us, who have already experienced a thing or two in our lives, certainly among teenagers. Because you know, in everything we do, we are motivated by fear or love. Unfortunately, most of the time we are motivated by fear, and we have a pretty good evolutionary reason. Evolutionarily, if we weren’t good enough, we didn’t survive. The familiar story of Fight, Flight, Freeze. But that was a long time ago. Today the one who fights for his survival is our ego, our “survival” is purely psychological. But it is no less strong and powerful. Never underestimate the power of the ego, it doesn’t let reality get in the way.
Chapter 3: How to Teach Self-Compassion – Part 1
So first, does it really work for us, this self-judgment? Does it really spur us on to be better? There are always those who insist it spurs them on to try harder, to achieve more, but that is not my question. After all, at the end of the day, we want all these things that we strive so hard to achieve because we believe they will make us happy (which is a question for investigation in another session). This self-judgment, which at least as I experience it when it rears its head, or as my dear students report, can be harsh and cruel, does it really contribute to my happiness? And in general, can I really compare myself to others? Do I know what is really going on in their minds? Was I born with the same tendencies, beliefs, skills or abilities so that there is some external parameter by which I can really compare us?
Accepting (and loving?) what is
So what am I actually saying? That I shouldn't strive to change things I don't like in my life? That I offer a defeatist worldview? Definitely not. There are times when it is necessary to stand up and take action to change the situation, and even if it is not necessary, there is nothing wrong with wanting things to be different. I only suggest that we do it intelligently, consciously, so that we don't spend our lives in continuous resistance to what life brings our way. I suggest an attitude which allows acceptance of the whole range of life's experiences - because they are all part of the journey.
Chapter 2:Just Like the First Time – Life with a Beginner’s Mind
We really like to be “experts”. We love this place where we “know” and “understand”. And, the double quotes are not accidental. But the more we “know”, the less open we are to experiencing what life offers us, and we simply recycle the life we’ve already lived. as simple as that. It is very convenient to run back to our stories about ourselves and others – it is familiar, it is safe, and even if the stories are unpleasant, they are ours. But the invitation is to do exactly the opposite. Don’t be afraid to let go of the stories, and come to the world, and to every interaction it offers to us, with a beginner’s mind. Because from there you can start learning, growing. And this is what life is all about, really.
What is Mindfulness Anyway?
Mindfulness, conscious attention, is the ability to be attentive and aware of what is happening in our minds, in our lives, in the present moment. Mindfulness is basically observing what the senses perceive, the thoughts passing through our minds, the sensations of the body. We can practice mindfulness in meditation, on the pillow, and we… Continue reading What is Mindfulness Anyway?
Pizza Happiness and Education for Meaning
Today the school year starts. And every year the excitement is just as great, and even more. Anyone who is not a teacher will not understand this. There is something addictive about these new beginnings that we teachers get every year; The possibility of something new - similar and different at the same time. New… Continue reading Pizza Happiness and Education for Meaning
Mindful Education 