Mindfulness and Non-striving
Sometimes we must admit that things are no longer working. Sometimes it’s as easy as learning something new or trying a different approach. This isn’t to minimize the major things that sometimes don’t work like relationships, jobs, habits, and other big life stuff. One of the “9 Attitudes of Mindfulness,” according to Jon Kabat-Zinn, is the notion of non-striving which asks us to let go of doing and just sit with being, to be present, to be here now.
This summer, after months of trying, I had to face it- my meditation practice was no longer working for me. For years I had practiced a mindfulness-based meditation, holding my awareness for specific purposes depending on what I needed each day. My practice and I had a pretty solid thing going; it felt good, my cup was full, and I felt grounded in the sereneness of my meditation. Until I didn’t.
Mindfully changing
Once upon a time, I became a yoga teacher and lost my focus for daily meditation. It is a strange and disorienting story.
Being a yoga teacher has given me so many gifts and beyond getting the privilege of sharing the practice with my growing community, it is also showing what is meant for me and what I need to release. I’ve since explored and learned a new technique for meditation, one that is based on the ease and comfort of the practitioner. This summer has become my era of releasing and my meditation practice has undergone a major glow-up. I’m letting go of what doesn’t work and embracing something different for me. So far, so good.
Possibilities
Non-striving asks us to embody openness and to do so without expectation. Could we sit with the possibilities of non-striving and shake our hands free of control? What could that look like? The challenge lies in the paradox of letting things be as they are but releasing what is no longer working. A decision is the first step to an action. Whether on the mat, the cushion, or in the classroom, what are some areas where tiny tweaks could potentially create ease and comfort?
