just be!

                  

Sometimes it's too confronting being too mindful

I was talking to a friend recently, & I do realise that I'm always saying that! We were talking about awareness. As a yoga teacher for many years, awareness is something that is a wee bit misunderstood, I think.

Very often, in yoga, one is encouraged to be aware of oneself, one's inner "stuff": generally meaning reactions. If there was ever a way to become reactionary, this is it. Trying to be aware of the inner "stuff" coming up as you hold a conversation, particularly when it's confronting is silly, in my opinion. Of course, if it's confronting to you, then the thoughts & emotions, they are going to be bubbling up. That's just the way that we humans are. 

There is an easier way

We could try being aware of what is happening with the other person, their body language, our own main feeling about it all, & it will be less of a turmoil than being so self absorbed that we are only aware of our own reactions.

Or, we could "just be"

In this discussion about awareness, my friend said: why not (in the above circumstances), just be? Apparently this is one of Eckhart Tolle's teachings. And it's brilliant, for when we "just be" everything flows better, we react less, we are somehow, more knowing. We become more peaceful.

I recall a friend telling me how she had done just that, after reading Eckhart Tolle's 1st book. It was during a traumatic event for her, & she kept saying to herself: "just be", over & over, & once she managed it, as the reactions set in, she did her utmost to keep coming back to "just being". It worked.

So, I have been "just being". So peaceful. So happy. Just be still in the moment, & this is an inner thing, & in just being, those powerful good sensations will present themselves. If we practice things like this when we are okay, it then becomes easier to do it when life is not so easy. We can get through "stuff" easier.

Just Be leads to Just Do It

And I have been thinking about "just be" in other contexts too. Because I've been posting about Getting Things Done, I thought: why not work out what a few attributes for getting whatever it is, done. For example, I had been working very hard, very busy, & my wee cottage had gotten, shall we say, a tad messy (understatement). So this morning, I've been saying, "just be neat, organised". And then, "just do it". My first big chores got quickly done. I was impressed. I actually feel a housekeeping whirlwind building up within me.

So if we wanted to get something done: 

• what would be 1-3 attributes that would help you? 
• do you know someone who gets things done? What attributes do they have that you could use as a mantra? If you wanted to get fit but found it overwhelming
• what attributes does a fit friend have? 

Put those attributes into a mantra. It can be a word added to "just be", like "just be......":

• healthy
• happy
• fit, 
• enthusiastic. 

As long as it works for you. Or,  even try something like "just be organised. fit", because this would mean that you would organise your time for fitness to happen.

So, a couple of easy things to fit into our unique life: 

• just be,
• & just be "----------". 

I am quite happy about fitting these 2 into my life, & I'm still using "just do it", simply because it has worked well for me.