Morgana wrote:
I´ve read the book, and I think, just like with anything else, it´s a matter of balance. For me this wasn´t a new concept; I had read other spiritual books where they talked about "mindfulness", and living in the present rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. I think it´s possible to take this book too literally though. Maybe this is a personal thing, but there are times when dwelling on something from the past- going over and over an experience in my head- can help me to process the experience better, to understand better what really happened, to possibly learn from it, and then to ultimately let it go. It´s like a circular thought process that ends in catharsis. Of course, "dwelling" in the extreme is also psychologically unhealthy, and at some point one has to let go. I hope I can make the point I´m trying to make clearly- I don´t mean one *should* dwell unduly on past events either- I just mean that sometimes my brain seems to need to think about something, and it does so automatically, and my trying to "control" my brain away from that to stay in the present doesn´t seem to do any good. So, though I do agree with some of what he writes, and the idea of "mindfulness" is a good one, I think one can not be this way all the time, and there is nothing inherently "bad" about not being this way either.
Another for instance: I am very often inside my own head while doing mundane tasks. Why do I need to concentrate on the joy of washing the dishes while I´m doing that? What´s wrong with daydreaming? I´ve washed dishes so many times, and I don´t find it particularly interesting anyway, so why can´t I be thinking about my choreography while washing dishes? Maybe I´ll get a great idea while doing some mundane task- (this often happens. In fact, the physical repetition of doing something like that can often help my brain to think of solutions to problems, or get creative ideas).
There are also times when it is simply nicer to escape from the present. Last year, I was terribly ill and for much of that time my life was hell. My way of dealing with it was by going out of my reality, and going into a fantasy world. I think our minds do some of the things they do because it helps us to cope.
I strongly agree that it's a matter of balance and that dwelling in the extreme is unhealthy.
I've benefitted much from similar teachings, and have been finding that setting aside too much mindfulness is important. That being said.. every moment is as it should be.... no matter which direction I gaze.
12 Apr 2011, 5:37 pm
