I have the same experience with anxiety - the ability to understand why Anxious Seana is here and what her purpose is - is hard to feel without judgment. Anxious Seana is thoughtful and thinks she's protecting me - I try and meet her with kindness and be grateful. Although in practice I find this to be almost impossible! Thank you Jac.
Thanks for the comment, Seana! My (zen) teacher would say: just keep returning to that meeting her with kindness and gratefulness, again and again. You get better and better with practice, and, eventually, it becomes embodied. It's the returning to attention (and intention) that matters. The future takes care of itself (or at least becomes less fraught) with the action in this moment, right? every time you return to attention, you're breaking that cycle of karma and opening up opportunities for understanding and growth — and reduced suffering.
I have the same experience with anxiety - the ability to understand why Anxious Seana is here and what her purpose is - is hard to feel without judgment. Anxious Seana is thoughtful and thinks she's protecting me - I try and meet her with kindness and be grateful. Although in practice I find this to be almost impossible! Thank you Jac.
Thanks for the comment, Seana! My (zen) teacher would say: just keep returning to that meeting her with kindness and gratefulness, again and again. You get better and better with practice, and, eventually, it becomes embodied. It's the returning to attention (and intention) that matters. The future takes care of itself (or at least becomes less fraught) with the action in this moment, right? every time you return to attention, you're breaking that cycle of karma and opening up opportunities for understanding and growth — and reduced suffering.