One of the key themes that runs through all my work is the importance of community, connection, and sharing our gifts as fully and unabashedly as possible. For me, this also includes sharing others' gifts as well. I received a newsletter today from Dr. Rick Hanson, a Northern California-based neuropsychologist doing incredible work with studying (and writing about) the intersections of brain science and contemplative practices. He has a new book out called "Buddha's Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and Wisdom" that is very useful reading. He's also started a weekly newsletter I recommend, called "Just One Thing," which offers a weekly practice that you can do to foster more of what Rick writes about in his book.
I wanted to share this week's posting, which Rich has given permission to share freely, in the hopes that it offers you an opportunity to expand your repertoire of practices that - with a small investment of time - may further help you breathe and walk your Spirit more moments of each day. Enjoy, and feel free to go to Rick's site and learn more about the incredible work he's doing in this very important, cutting edge area of growth.
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The Practice
Why? As Fred Bryant of Loyola University (Chicago) and others have shown, savoring life's pleasures is a powerful psychological resource. You are not pushing away things that are hard or painful. You are just opening up to the sweet stuff that's already around you - and basking, luxuriating, and delighting in it. This activates the calming and soothing parasympathetic wing of your autonomic nervous system, and quiets the fight-or-flight sympathetic wing and its stress-response hormones. Besides lifting your mood, settling your fears, and brightening your outlook, the practice of taking pleasure offers physical health benefits, too: strengthening your immune system, improving digestion, and balancing hormones. |
How? Relish the pleasures of daily life. Start with the senses: · What smells good? The skin of an orange, wood smoke on the air, dinner on the stove, a young child's hair . . . · Tastes delicious? Strong coffee, delicate tea, French toast - chocolate! - tossed salad, goat cheese . . . · Looks beautiful? Sunrise, sunset, full moon, a baby sleeping, red leaves in autumn, fresh fallen snow . . . · Sounds wonderful? Waves on the seashore, wind through pine trees, a dear friend laughing, silence itself . . . · Feels good on your skin? Newly washed sheets, a good back scratch, warm water, fresh air on a muggy day . . . Next, include the mind: What do you like to think about, to remember, to plan? Bring to mind a favorite setting - a mountain meadow, a tropical beach, a cozy living room chair - and reimagine yourself there. Last, savor these pleasures. Sink into them, take your time with them, let them fill your body and mind. Marinate in pleasure! Notice any resistance to feeling really good, any thoughts that it is foolish or wrong or vain . . . and then see if you let that go. And fall back into pleasure. Don't cling to pleasure - that will just make you suffer, sooner or later. Instead, open to pleasant sensations and thoughts, let them in, let them fill you . . . and in the natural flow of things, let them go. Enjoy yourself! |
