Dear Friends,
As we continue to explore the fourth wise effort of sustaining wholesome states, I found this advice from Gil Fronsdal on preserving moments of peace and joy very helpful:
If you feel happy and unusually settled and peaceful, maybe it is not the time to get lost on the Web, or the news, or start doing something that is going to get you angry. Maybe there’s a way to maintain the wholesome and keep it going. Be careful not to sacrifice it for some petty irritation.
Dharmette: Right Effort (4 of 5) Growing the Wholesome
https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/17437
Sustaining wholesome states invites us to honor the sweetness of the present moment. James Crews captures this beautifully in his poem “Note to Self”, from his latest book Unlocking the Heart: Writing for Mindfulness, Courage, and Self-Compassion:
Leave the TV off tonight and put
your phone on silent. Pour the wine
in your glass down the drain.
Taste the homemade raspberry jam
friends sent packed in a box
with balled-up newspaper so the jar
wouldn’t break on its way to you.
Treat each fragile moment like that
and make of this instant something
sweet to smear on toasted bread,
then feast alone while standing
and staring out at the bare magnolia.
As Gil closes his talk, he offers a practice to deepen our connection to sustaining the wholesome:
set a timer for one or two times an hour and [come] into a place of stability, steadiness, and settledness. Then do something from this place in an unwavering way and see if other wholesome qualities have a chance to follow in the wake of that stability. As if that stability opens the door and you see what other wholesome things want to come from you. You might be surprised by what is in there that wants to come out.
Reflections:
- What small actions help you sustain wholesome states in your daily life?
- How does pausing to connect with stability open the door to other qualities of mind and heart?
May this practice and reflection inspire sweetness and steadiness in your day. I invite you to let me know how it resonates with you.
With good wishes,
Andrea
I love this instruction. Stay with the sweetness that is already present. Thank you.
Hi Joy, I find this helpful too – I am glad the instruction resonated with you. Wishing you many moments of sweetness to sustain and savor.
Each daily email is supportive I find so thank you so much Andrea! Today’s really knocked it out of the park . “What small actions help you sustain wholesome states in your daily life?
How does pausing to connect with stability open the door to other qualities of mind and heart? “ I took time to reflect on these inquiries and also started a mindfulness bell ringing each hour to experiment with :)What a refuge and support ! Deep bows 🙏🏼💫
Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing your reflections! I am glad the email resonated with you and inspired such a meaningful experiment with the mindfulness bell. It is wonderful to hear how this is offering refuge and support. Deep bows back to you for your practice and willingness to explore.