#reflection exercise

Greet each morning with a ritual. Try this one, suggest by the Dalai Lama: “Today I am fortunate to have woken up, I am alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others, to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings, I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others, I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”

The next time you have an opportunity to watch people communicate, cover your ears for a few minutes and just watch. What are you noticing that might not be communicated with just words? -          adapted from Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey

At various times throughout the day, stop and ask yourself: “Is this what I really want to be doing?” Pause for a moment of silence, listen, and see if an answer arises from within.

To practice presence so that you can listen for this awareness in your interaction with others, take 13 minutes for this guided meditation.: http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/c/4/0/c40664f32c9c18fd/2012-12-12-Meditation-Coming-Home-to-Presence-TaraBrach-hq.mp3?c_id=7246586&expiration=1422560898&hwt=5d46a205eb9c31ea64c948fe7fa98208

Questions to reflect, draw, or journal with: --In your everyday life, how might you notice the distinction between encountering a person in their uniqueness and encountering the presence they carry? --After an encounter with someone this week, reflect on the following: how would you describe the quality of their presence? --What habits can you develop that will allow you to reduce the distance between yourself and others and to be more present with them?

After a conversation this week, reflect back with the following questions: o   Was I willing to look beyond appearances in order to try to see your depth and uniqueness rather than looking at the role you occupy and the way I might categorize you? o   Was I willing to focus on who you are in this moment and what you are talking about here and now rather than being preoccupied with the things you’ve said in the past? o   Was I willing to focus on what was emerging between us rather than being overly concerned about your impression of me and what I was saying? o   Was I willing to withhold judgment and improvise when you said something that disturbed, disappointed, or defied my expectations? Exercise modified from Diane M. Millis

·       Initiate a conversation each week with the same person (for the next 10 weeks!)

Notice an experience where you felt a sense of failure or self-doubt or emotional struggle. Reread the quotes above and listen for insight, shifts in perspective or feelings about your situation. Now try out this 6 min. self-compassion break from Kristen Neff: www.self-compassion.org/01-Kristin-Neff-The-Self-Compassion-Break.mp3