THE NEW NORMAL
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present experience . If we are angry , we are aware of our anger and accept that we are angry . By accepting the emotion , and allowing it to be , it loses its hold over us . If we judge our anger , and try to push it away , it strengthens its hold on us . Likewise for anxiety , frustration , and hurt . Beyond difficult emotions , we can also bring awareness to better appreciate moments of grace : the lesson well taught , an autumn breeze , a good meal .
Acceptance of our emotional experience does not imply acceptance of underlying causes . Injustices need to be challenged , behaviors need to be shaped , grades need to be finished . But by accepting our own emotional experience of injustice , misbehavior , and mundane work , we can proceed in a more skillful and constructive manner .
The Practice
Just as we wouldn ’ t expect to pick up a trumpet , having never played it , and perform the Haydn Concerto in front of a school assembly , so too we cannot expect to bring awareness and a non-anxious presence to an anxious emotional system without having practiced . I have found it enormously helpful to begin my day 30 minutes early in order to practice mindfulness meditation . This practice allows me , later in the day , to perform more skillfully in the face of anxious emotional systems . Duration of practice is less important than consistency . A daily
I have found it enormously helpful to begin my day 30 minutes early in order to practice mindfulness meditation . This practice allows me , later in the day , to perform more skillfully in the face of anxious emotional systems .
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five-minute practice is more helpful than a weekly 60-minute practice .
While there is a wealth of information about mindfulness practices online and in print , here are a few basic suggestions :
• Sit comfortably in a quiet place with your eyes closed or softly focused ( no need to get into full lotus position ).
• Bring attention to your breath by noticing where in your body the sensation of breathing is most prevalent ( nostrils , chest , belly ).
• Your mind will wander ... that ’ s what minds do . When you notice that your mind has wandered , that is the moment of awareness . Smile , congratulate
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CSEE Connections Fall 2021 Page 23