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Jon Kabat-Zinn says, "you can't stop the waves but you can learn to surf" ~ my Inner Inmate says, "you can't stop the waves but you can learn to meditate in the surf"
Hello <<First Name>>
If it's available to you, PAUSE and bring your attention to your heart center - your heart space...noting the physical, emotional and energic sensations that may be present. Thank you
Lately, at this time of year it seems like I write about the effects of a storm on our area. Of course, in So Fl being in the ‘cone of uncertainty’ is part of life. One would think that going thru this every year would make it more tolerable, particularly as a mindfulness practitioner…but nope, not for me. The pre-storm anxiety is always stressful - watching the continuous updates, waiting in line for gas, running around looking for water, batteries and other supplies.
Adding to the anxiety this year was waiting for the infamous right turn for 50 hours while Dorian was just 90 miles away. Here in Jupiter, we experienced tropical storm conditions during the time Dorian was ‘stuck’ over the Bahamas. During this 2-day waiting period, I found practicing mindfulness to be quite enlightening (yes that is me in the picture above meditating in the surf). Mindfulness allowed me to experience my anxiety, stress, frustration without resisting, judging or adding commentary - without adding injury to insult. This made the situation more tolerable. Learning to accept and be with the direct, raw experience of anxiety and other negative emotions is one of mindfulness great benefits…something sages and songwriters have been telling us for years (as you can see, I find humor quite helpful also):
*“One is a great deal less anxious if one feels perfectly free to be anxious.” - Alan Watts.
*“The trouble with Archie is, he don't know how to worry without getting upset” - Edith Bunker.
*"Anxiety was born in the very same moment as mankind. And since we will never be able to master it, we will have to learn to live with it—just as we have learned to live with storms.” ― Paulo Coelho
*“Do not let your difficulties fill you with anxiety, after all it is only in the darkest nights that stars shine more brightly.” ― Ali Ibn Abi Talib AS
*“It’s OKAY to be scared. Being scared means you’re about to do something really, really brave.” ― Mandy Hale
*”If a hurricane doesn't leave you dead it will make you strong. Don't try to explain it, just nod your head. Breathe In, Breathe Out, Move On” ~ Jimmy Buffett
Practicing mindfulness also helps reduce the distractions from the chaos before and after the storm, as the nanny, ‘Mindful Poppins’ sang, “A Spoonful of MINDFULNESS helps Distraction go down, Distractions go down, Distractions go down, Just a spoonful of MINDFULNESS helps Distractions go down, In a most LovingKindful way”
And then there is the value of being in the present moment, right here, right now with our experiences just as they are. The Beatles knew, “He's a real now-here man / Sitting in his now-here land / Making all his now-here plans to know-body.”
With ongoing and dedicated practice, we gain insights and wisdom. This is often scary as we investigate our minds. The Rocket Man, Elton John sang, “Oh, don't let the sun go down on me Although I search myself, it's always someone else I see,” perhaps warning us about the fear and disappointment that arises with an ever-deeper understanding of reality (fear, disgust, and misery are actually the names of some of the stages on the mindfulness-informed Path Of Insight, collectively called the Dark Night stages). When we come to these stages, which can be subtle or can feel like being on a roller coaster facing backwards, the advice is to ‘keep going...straight ahead...don’t go back.’ And to do so with friendliness and curiosity, but take breaks if needed.
Eventually, we come to see that “the fundamental things apply as time goes by” - everything is just what it is and how it is in this moment and only for a moment. Things change, are impersonal and we suffer when we cloud what we are experiencing with our perceptions, opinions, wants and don’t wants. In other words, “A kiss is just a kiss.”
This leads us to the realization that the true source of happiness always comes from within. The source of joy arises from one's existence in this very moment, even though it is occasionally brought about by some external event or acquisition. Unhappiness arises from going beyond the reality of the Now and creating a story out of the past or the future which, because neither exists, has no reality in the present moment other than in our minds.
But if as U2 sang, you “still haven't found what you’re looking for,” that is, you are not happier, not gaining insights, not seeing the impermanence of all objects, not seeing any progress with your practice, remember non-striving, one of the foundational practices of MBSR. Letting go of trying to achieve a particular stage, state or feeling will ironically allow progress to advance. Perhaps then, you will realize that, as St Frances said, “what you are looking for is what is looking."
All we hear is media ga ga
Media goo goo
Media ga ga
All we hear is Media ga ga
Media blah blah
Media, what's new?
Finally, a word about the aftermath. We were gratefully spared the brunt of the storm, but our Bahamian neighbors were not. It’s wonderful to see all the help and relief efforts coming from our community, including our mindfulness community. Mindfulness by stressing our connectedness and interdependence is not so much a self-help technique, but more of an “other-help” practice as it cultivates pro-sociality, generosity and service work. These are not just good for the receivers of the efforts, actions and dollars, but for the giver. Lots of research supports the physical and mental health benefits of giving and doing service. Still, beware, vicarious trauma occurs in disaster relief workers as well as mental health practitioners. Left unchecked vicarious trauma will negatively impact mood, sleep, behavior, interpersonal relations, personal values/beliefs, and job performance. The hallmark of vicarious trauma is a disruption in perceived meaning and hope. Vicarious trauma is usually applied to professional settings, but one can get anxious, depressed and feel helpless and hopeless from watching too much of the TV coverage, social media updates and hearing about the problems and challenges that Bahamians are going thru, and in particular the rising death toll.
Please pay attention to how you are feeling and how you are doing if you are involved in relief efforts. And if you are not. Stress, anxiety, anger, sadness, disappointment, hopelessness can occur any time, with or without a hurricane -- need I remind you of driving on the South Fl stressways? There is always a need for vigilance, awareness, and compassion, and for interventions like MBSR - for mindfulness may safeguard against the effects of major traumatic events, as well everyday hassles, and buffer the aftermath of the storms - the internal as well as the external ones! I am very grateful to say our classes are good to go and enrolling, as updated below!
“How can a person deal with anxiety? You might try what one fellow did. He worried so much that he decided to hire someone to do his worrying for him. He found a man who agreed to be his hired worrier for a salary of $200,000 per year. After the man accepted the job, his first question to his boss was, "Where are you going to get $200,000 per year?" To which the man responded, "That's your worry.” ― Max Lucado
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MINDFULNESS WITH GUS & MARY BETH
UMASS Certified MBSR teachers
Mindfulness 2.0 A Deeper Dive
5-week program with new topics and practices:
Pain vs Suffering - awareness in meeting “unpleasant”
Equanimity- nonjudgmental, non-reactive acceptance of what is
Curiosity & Joy - antidotes to judgement, aversion & grasping
Forgiveness & Gratitude - the internal and external experience
Participants’ Choice - topics that arise organically from group practice/discussion
Saturdays, Sept 28 to Oct 26
10:00-11:30am
Best Life Counselling
JUPITER, suite 107
561-346-7225 / 561-222-1928
Flyer HERE
drop-ins sessions open to all levels of experience will continue on
Sept 21st, 10 - 11:30 AM
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MBSR/mindfulness classes open for enrollment:
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Gus Castellanos' Fall MBSR classes now open for registration:
- Wednesdays, 5:30-8pm, Sept 25 - Nov 13 with the Sari Center at Good Samaritan Medical Center, West Palm Beach. CEs available. Partial scholarships offered to 1st responders, their families and anyone in need of financial assistance Flyer HERE
- Tuesdays, 6-8:30pm, Sept 24 - Nov 12 with Mindful Kids Miami, South Miami. OPEN to the PUBLIC. M-DCPS Discount. Master Plan Points & CE’s available!. Link HERE
- Mondays, 6-8:30pm, Sept 23 - Nov 11 with UMindfulness, UM Wellness Center, Coral Gables campus. CEs available. Link to register
**space still available Scott May & Carolyn Sant Angelo MBSR class: Wed 4-6:30 pm, Sept 11 - Oct 30 at River of Grass Congregation in Davie, LINK HERE.
Debra Annane MBSR course Thurs, 6:30 – 9:00pm, Sept 19 – Nov 14 with UM Osher Center For Integrative Medicine at UHealth Fitness & Wellness Center. Link HERE
Calcagnini Center For Mindfulness MBSR classes for the rest of 2019 and 2020 listed HERE and link HER
Valerie York-Zimmerman MBSR course Thurs, Sept. 26 – Nov. 14, 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. in South Miami. Scholarships are available for public school teachers. Contact Valerie at ijourney@att.net. Space is limited. Orientation: Thurs., Sept. 19, 2019, 6:00 – 8:00
Mindful Kids Miami offers 8-week MBSR classes on:
Tuesdays, 4-6:30pm, Sept 24-Nov 12 at Broadmoor Elementary Link HERE
Tuesdays, 4:30-7pm, Sept 24-Nov 12 at Mandarin Lakes K-8 Link HERE
Thursdays, 3-5:30pm, Sept 26-Nov 14 at Ferguson High School Link HERE
Saturdays, 10am-12:30pm, Sept 28-Nov 16 at MKM offices South Miami Link HERE
Patricia Isis, PhD 8-week Mindful Self-Compassion Mondays, Sept 18 - Nov 4, 6:30-9pm at Mindful Kids Miami office, South Miami. M-DCPS Discount. Master Plan Points available. Link HERE
South Florida Center For Mindfulness offers these MBSR classes:
Link for all of these classes HERE
MBSR con Adriana Moreno-Zarate miércoles, 25 de septiembre - 13 de noviembre, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm with UMindfulness, UM Wellness Center, Coral Gables campus. LINK HERE
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