James > Recent Status Updates

Finally, an actual exercise instead of just filler visualizing.

Feeling the movement of the abdominal walls, when the author shows me they can successfully squat and deadlift 2x their bodyweight safely, frequently, and not get injured without abdominal bracing, I'll believe them regarding this.
Otherwise, for hundreds of thousands of years we didn't lift that kind of weight the way we do today, so we are not adapted for it. I'll listen to Mark Rippetoe on abdominal bracing.

Imagining the movement of the diaphragm, well there is a picture of a woman doing the action, however again, visuals superimposed showing the movement of the diaphragm would be of help here.

Touching the diaphragm, again, visuals would help.

Visualizing the diaphragm would be easier had this book provided more, well, visuals of the diaphragm.

Since this is the final practice I've decided to read the entire remainder of the book.
I intended to stick with the smile practice longer than a week anyway, turning it into a lifelong practice, as I'm known to have "resting a-hole face". Part of my aversion to smiling and showing teeth is a missing tooth, however, that shouldn't inhibit me from continually smiling without showing teeth.

Again I mostly forgot to do this practice, it doesn't help that it is monotonous. Even the deeper lessons point to the vast multitudes of life/beings necessary to create a single raisin.
Asking a practitioner to think about the entire process of each ingredient in each food one consumes at each meal is a big ask. To do this effectively, you'll still be thinking about the process and not eaten by next the mealtime...

I remembered the first couple of days, and keep forgetting since then.
The practice could be shortened to thanking those involved before starting to eat, then while eating think of who each of those people involved are and thanking them individually.
Having to think of all the steps and ingredients involved to manufacture what one is eating then trace who were all involved in all that before eating is tedious.

Another mindfulness practice involving food. These are wonderful because they present so many opportunities to do so, but often it's easy to forget and just mindlessly eat, especially when hungry rather than just due to appetite.
Eating while writing this has made me realize just how ignorant I am to the different processes of how processed foods are created.
Also how connected things are, without a beginning or end.

Mindful driving or being a passenger didn't go so well, even trying to be mindful while walking/running didn't make much change, because I already focus a lot on my posture, form, technique, and etc. while walking and running.

I do have a disagreement with the deeper lessons. Being a dedicated student and shoshin are great, however, I draw the line at unsolicited advice, especially if from immoral/unhealthy persons.

These deeper lessons regarding mindful driving don't completely translate to my mindful walking or running, but some do.
I am unsure if I am being "properly" mindful, but I pay attention to my posture, breathing, muscles, foot stability and ground contact, technique, and so on. As well as sidewalk and grass, elevation, temperature, and brightness. I usually am listening to an audiobook or music, but look for wildlife

I don't drive, I am rarely a passenger, and do not take the bus very often (maybe 2 - 4 times a week). I'll probably just turn this into mindful walking/running, which is something I already do most times to work on posture, technique, and form, since I basically walk or run everywhere. I'll often run instead of waiting for a bus, and beat it to my destination. I also do multiple 5km- 20km runs weekly.

The extra week for appreciation definitely helped as I remembered to do it at least once daily. I did stop writing in my gratitude journal, but I'll get back to it today.
Regardless of if one can feel joy from others' joy, even if they dislike or are jealous of them, the practice of being less negative in one's thoughts is definitely worthwhile. I have really noticed and lost patience for others' constant negativity.

As with previous exercises remembering to do this one is presenting difficulty.
Reading the deeper lessons has definitely shown me that I can make what I appreciate more simple than I what I was trying to do. Just being clothed, warm, and fed or not at war or sick.
I'll give this one an extra week to work on, just because I only remembered 3 times over the past week.

I've not been in an appreciative mood or state of mind the past several days, but I'll give it my best going forward.

I barely remembered to do this, as it's hard to remember to absorptive listen to others when going through one's own life feeling either constantly criticized, unheard, or completely ignored.

It also proved to be easier with some than others.

This absorptive listening has been especially challenging for my ADHD brain which LOVES to talk however doesn't like listening to other people.
I keep forgetting to do this practice as well, which doesn't help working on the skill of it if I don't ever remember that I'm trying to do it.

Again a weird suggested reminder, an ear and a sponge? What?

I've been working on active listening already, but clearing my mind and not responding unless prompted or it's clearly wanted will be difficult.

I did not start this one off well.
I definitely noticed my aversion and anger when I showed up ready to work at 5 minutes to 6am and my coworker berated me for being late (shift starts at 6am, so no, I wasn't).
While noticing my anger is getting easier, actually doing something about it and to avoid it in future will be the real work.
Being told at the end of this section to practice loving kindness feels a bit late

This will be interesting.
I usually feel my anger is justified toward people as it's due to finding them stupid, rude, ignorant, and inconsiderate. I also don't hate many, and if I do a make steps to cut them from my existence and experiences.

Remembering will be a challenge. HATE HATE temporary sharpie knuckle tattoos?

Sorry, but this one is wrong.

"A mindfulness book says ignore the sensation of hot and cold"
*Dips hand in boiling water and obtains partial thickness burns*
*Swims in a lake for an hour during winter and gets hypothermia*

When my skin turns red from either something to hot or cold, or I cannot properly flex or extend my appendages, that is definitely too hot or cold.

I have been tolerant to ranges of temperature to a point. My local pool has showers that are difficult to get warm, they are always ice cold, I don't mind a cool shower but there's a limit, and that's hypothermia.
I have issues with sweating when I sleep, so I find it difficult to not adjust my thermostat as needed. Too high, guaranteed sweating; too low, no sweating, but too cold for comfortable sleep.

I like being temperate, I dislike extremes of hot or cold.
"I'm better in winter."
"Well I'm better in summer."
You're both mad, I prefer room temperature and being neither hot nor cold, but warm.

This will be an interesting one for me for sure.

I stuck with this one longer than a week. Death is always on my mind, it's inescapable both in life and in my thoughts.
Ruminating on my own desires and desire to end my desires has never brought me happiness, quite the opposite.
Ruminating on the fragile impermanence of others when with others has opened up my heart and allowed me to be happy while showing friendliness and compassion.

Alone I still desire my ending

"This Person Could Die Tonight" that is exactly what I've been thinking about myself all this week that I've been sick with COVID.
Pretty heavy meditation, feels like a drastic escalation to go from "hey, enjoy smelling stuff" to "think on others' mortality."

Hopefully it doesn't overlap with the thought "I'm going to make this person die..."

I've been sick with COVID all week and had no sense of smell, I still don't, so this meditation was undoable.
However, that ontop of a previous nose surgery in September, means I am very aware of the sensation of losing my sense of smell and very appreciative to have it. Honestly, it's my favorite sense.

Also, pg158 "I step outside and I take deep breath and I get real high and I scream from the top of my lungs..."

I am usually good about noticing smells and thinking on smells, especially with a recent nose surgery that has enhanced my sense of smell.
Unfortunately, strong smells bother me more now. Not good or bad smells either, just any strong smell.

I think I'll like this one.

I wasn't as mindful about suffering as I could have been.
Dropping off my practice for a month did regress my ability to be mindful. I noticed this in not managing my ADHD symptoms as well as before, the reason I had to pick up the practice again.

The word suffering kept me on the lookout for physical pain rather than thinking on Duhkha.
Lesson slightly altered due to the well known inaccurate English translation.

I dropped off in my practice. However, the thing about meditation is that that is a part of it. Becoming aware that your thoughts went away from the focus of your meditation and then gently bringing your mind back to your chosen focus.

Study suffering. The thing that started Siddhartha's journey. 🤔

From experiencing mindful eating, this will be more difficult than it appears.
Likely finishing the meal and putting down the utensil afterward.