Posts Tagged ‘Joy’

2 Oct

The Now and the Not Now! One is the mother of time

Posted by Marty in Assorted. Tagged: , , , , , , , , .

Pixabay: IamColorBlind

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From “Presence: the Art of Peace and Happiness”

“In order to avoid the now, we have to imagine the ‘not now’, which is time.

Thus, the separate, inside self is the mother of time.

If we think of peace and happiness in this way–as an absence of agitation and lack, rather than a positive state of the body or mind–they never become objectified.

They never become an object that can be sought in the realm of the mind, body and world, but always remain synonymous with the simple knowing of our own ever-present being as it is, independent of the conditions of the mind, body or world. “

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My Two cents: Is this why we can not chase happiness?

If peace and happiness are as an absence of agitation and lack, we need to stop searching, trying to complete ourselves externally.

What an enormous shift for our lives, changing our focus from an object to being present, empty, alert, calm.

Does this change the way you think or feel?

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26 Sep

Performing Acts of Kindness Can Reduce Depression in Disagreeable People: By Traci Pedersen

Posted by Marty in Assorted. Tagged: , , , , , .

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When people who are prone to hostility make an effort to engage in acts of kindness toward their close loved ones, it can significantly reduce their depression, according to new research published in the journal, Translational Issues in Psychological Science.

 

For the study, more than 640 mildly depressed volunteers (average age mid-30s) participated in one of three online compassion training exercises or a control group. The volunteers were asked to complete the instructions and report back via an online platform every other day for three weeks.

 

Two months later, those participants deemed the most disagreeable showed the most significant reductions in depression and greatest increases in life satisfaction when they performed acts of kindness in close relationships.

 

Highly disagreeable people often lack empathy, even in their close relationships, says lead author Myriam Mongrain, professor of psychology at York University’s Faculty of Health. But, she points out, “everybody needs people.”

 

 

“As a result of their hostility and lack of cooperation, disagreeable types risk getting rejected or ostracized,” says Mongrain. “There is a lot of conflict in their relationships, and they suffer the consequences. We found that providing concrete suggestions to those individuals, giving them ways in which they could express empathic concern in their close relationships was tremendously helpful.”

 

 

“Implementing these new behaviours might have left them feeling affirmed and liked in their close social circle. This might have been the anti-depressant ingredient in this group,” she said.

 

Continue reading →

24 Dec

the effects of meditation have shown:

Posted by Marty in Assorted. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

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Joan Miró (Spain, 1893-1983)
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Davidson
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“Let me recap what our studies of long-term meditators as well as the effects of a relatively short course of meditation have shown:
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• Mindfulness-based stress reduction enhances left prefrontal activation; this is a marker of the Fast to Recover end of the Resilience continuum and is associated with greater resilience following a stressful challenge.
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• A more intensive period of mindfulness meditation improves selective attention and reduces the attentional blink, moving people toward the Focused end of the Attention continuum.
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In both cases, mindfulness strengthens prefrontal regulation of brain networks involved in attention, in part by strengthening the connections between the prefrontal cortex and other brain regions that are important for attention.
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• Compassion meditation can nudge you toward the Positive end of the Outlook dimension; it strengthens connections between the prefrontal cortex and other brain regions important for empathy.
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• Compassion meditation also likely facilitates Social Intuition.
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• While you might expect most forms of meditation to nurture Self-Awareness, at least the kind that makes you more attuned to bodily sensations such as heartbeat, we found that neither Tibetan forms of mindfulness meditation nor Kundalini yoga forms of meditation were associated with better performance on a task that measures awareness of one’s heartbeat.”
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13 Jul

Meditation has different depths, layers, states of absorption, called Jhanas in the Pali tradition!

Posted by Marty in Assorted. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

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“In Pali, jhana literally means “to think” or “to meditate.”
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Consequently, the term is open to a wide variety of uses and interpretations and there has been much debate about its precise meaning.
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In this book, jhana practice refers to a traditional sequence of specific states of absorption where the mind is secluded from sensory impingement and deeply unified with a chosen object.
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Attention is not distracted by stray thoughts nor affected by the flutter of moods.
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Even physical sensations and sounds eventually fade as the mind becomes entirely immersed in a single coherent focus.
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Jhanas are states of happiness that can radically transform the heart, reshape the mind, imbue consciousness with enduring joy and ease, and provide an inner resource of tranquillity that surpasses any conceivable sensory pleasure.
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Jhanas are states of deep rest, healing rejuvenation, and profound comfort that create a stable platform for transformative insight.
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Throughout the development of jhana, we intertwine the calming aspects of concentration with the investigative aspects of insight meditation.
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The fruit of concentration is freedom of heart and mind.”
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13 Jul

. “ABSORPTION INTO JHANA STATES”: Excerpt From: Catherine, Shaila. “Focused and Fearless.”

Posted by Marty in Assorted. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

  
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When the mind abandons its contact with the senses, including discursive thinking, the concentrated absorption of jhana begins. (In this book, jhana practice refers to a traditional sequence of specific states of absorption where the mind is secluded from sensory impingement and deeply unified with a chosen object).
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The mind is utterly still and focused on its object (breath).
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The specific object of focus becomes progressively refined in the development of concentration, from the physical sensations of breathing, to a perception of light. Rapture, pleasure, and equanimity may accompany the bright radiant mind, while attention is continually directed toward the place where the breath is known.
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As these perceptions grow increasingly subtle, attention remains connected and the subtle perception of breath is recognized as a perception of stable brightness in mind.
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In jhana, attention is virtually merged into its object (breath), creating an impression of complete unification.
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Even if there is sensory impact from sounds and sensations, the mind remains completely unmoved.
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Sensory contact—even strong pain or loud noise—does not disturb the tranquillity or affect the unification of the mind with its object of concentration.
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It is as though you don’t hear anything, yet the capacity of hearing is not impaired.
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It is as if you don’t feel pain, and yet the bodily processes are functioning.
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There may or may not be subtle awareness of the impact of a sound or physical contact, but the mind lets go so automatically that there can be no sensory residue to disturb the concentration.
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Because the mind is so still that even pain will not disrupt the attention, jhana can be sustained for very long periods of time.
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30 Sep

Choices today, right now?

Posted by Marty in Assorted. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , .

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.Todd Gontarek
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Abstract or Finite (Concrete)?
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Thoughts or Action?
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Dissociation or Present Moment?
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Loss or Gratitude?
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Taker or Giver?
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Worry or Acceptance?
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Doubt or Surrender?
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Exist or Live Fully?
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Sad or Happy?
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Unworthy or peace of mind (extended happiness)?
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16 Sep

Joy versus Happy part two:: a little long but what a resource!

Posted by Marty in Assorted. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

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“Falling from a Star”
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“The word joy is equally vague, since, as the psychologist Paul Ekman has shown, it is associated with feelings as varied as the pleasures of the five senses:
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amusement (from the the chuckle to the belly laugh);
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contentment (a calmer kind of satisfaction);
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excitement (in response to novelty or challenge);
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relief (following upon another emotion, such as fear, anxiety, and sometimes even pleasure);
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wonder (before something astonishing and admirable,
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or that surpasses understanding);
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ecstasy or bliss (transporting us outside ourselves);
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exultation (at having accomplished a difficult task or undertaken a daring exploit);
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radiant pride (when our children earn a special honor);
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elevation (from having witnessed an act of great kindness,
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generosity, or compassion);
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gratitude (the appreciation of a selfless act of which one is the beneficiary);
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and unhealthy jubilation, schadenfreude (in relishing someone else’s suffering, such as through revenge).
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We might also throw in rejoicing (in someone else’s happiness),
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delight or enchantment (a shining kind of contentment),
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and spiritual radiance (a serene joy born from deep well-being and benevolence),
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which is indeed more an enduring state of being than a fleeting emotion.
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