LOVING THE PROCESS

When we are trying on a new behavior, or trying to let go of an old one,we are so outcome driven. It makes it so easy for our egos to beat the wind out of us..  Did we do it?  Was it perfect?  Was it as good as someone else?

Doesn't reading those lines make your body clench up? .....your butt, your tummy and your shoulders??  Wow such pressure............and oddly on doing the wrong thing.

Thomas Sterner wrote a book called The Practicing Mind.

He makes many points that I will not cover here, but the one that really stuck for me was about “loving the process”.  If we could just love the repetition, the mistakes, the messes we make, the failures, we might just stick with something long enough to achieve that lauded goal.

There is an entire field of Psychology based on principles linked back to the french philosopher Gaston Bachelard, called Depth Psychology.

James Hillman, a brilliant grandfather in the Jungian movement wrote often about the essentially healing, transformative nature of observation.   Staying in the present, with yourself, an activity, an image from dreaming, in poetic silence, in reverence we watch.....that is when the magic happens.

There is something sacred in this attention.  Wading into the depth of and experience, as opposed to using our talents to get us OUT of it.  In Carol Rizzola's book, Illuminating the Twilight, she explores the historical and contemporary process of being present for the dying.  "Being present to these storying moments brings to mind what the Ancient Greeks might have called the realm of the Muses, a sacred vessel in which the human psyche of the dying can find healing through expression." 

I give you three other ways to enter this ideology.  All invite something other than the mental, problem solving pieces of ourselves to sit with us.  To observe.  To listen.  To be still.

Being still with ourselves is not the way of the collective.  It is not much honored in our societal, value system, but there are those who have gone before, shining a light for us.  Those who can help us be still, and OMG   even enjoy it..

I invite you to peruse this bibliography and find one to support you being so much more gentle with yourself....  enjoying the ride.    You might be surprised at what changes for you.

Blessings, Misty

Los Osos August 16th, 2014