I really must stop catastrophising!

As part of my on-going development as a mindfulness trainer I regularly attend supervision meetings.  The aim of these sessions is for trainers to discuss any issues they may have either with their own meditation practice, or with their work with others.  We also have time to discuss books we've read about the subject, interesting courses we've seen, future workshops that we are planning and the merits of internet dating (Yes I did say that!).  Well it's not all work work work!

Anyway, it was at one of these supervision sessions that the idea of "trust emergence" was discussed.  It's a Buddhist principle which, in a nut shell is about not always planning everything to the nth degree but going with the flow and seeing what emerges.  So for instance, instead of me sitting down with a specific subject for my blog, I just wait and see what inspires me and what my subconscious throws up.  I've just realised that my definition isn't perhaps as eloquent as I'd like so for a more edifying description, see below:

To 'trust' is to make the leap of faith required to enter the seething sea of change. 'Emergence' refers to the process by which the complex things we experience arise spontaneously from underlying contributing factors.  Insight Dialogue: The Interpersonal Path to Freedom…(Paperback)

by Gregory Kramer, Chapter 13

 

I really loved this definition and the idea of jumping into "a seething sea of change".  I called my first blog "leap of faith" and it took me about 20 minutes to press the send button when I'd written my first post.  This was because I was totally outside my comfort zone, standing on the precipice of a brave new creative world.  I didn't know what outcome would emerge from my random ramblings, I just had to trust that it was the right thing to do and jump!!!  Having landed firmly on the other side, well ok I may have hit my head on the way but no other major injuries (no bruised ego or wounded pride......well not yet anyway) I can look back at the view and think "I'm really glad I did that".  I never thought I would sit at a computer and feel excited at the idea of writing a blog or be able to cope with the fizzing adrenaline rush that consumes me when I haven't got a clue what to write!!!  But I'm still here and I'm still writing.

 

So I guess I'm inviting you to have a go at a little "trust emergence".  Do you always need to know where you are going and plan for every eventuality?  Is your path mapped out for you or can you take a diversion because who knows what's down this road as opposed to that road; what view you may miss or experience you may not have.  "Trust emergence" is really about being totally in the moment or "mindful".  Just letting things happen and going with the flow.  Why don't you give it a go and see what "emerges"!

 

One quick story to finish off with:

 

The other evening I was awoken by the sound of our side gate being rattled.  It was 5.30 am and still dark outside.  Hub was, as usual, dead to the world, puffing and blowing so I gave him a nudge - D!  There's someone trying to break in!    He stopped snoring and sat up bleary eyed!  "Someone is trying to break in at the side gate!!!  What shall we do?"  By this stage D was awake and confirmed that the said gate was indeed rattling like a rattley thing!  I ran to the back bedroom window - the security lights were on....gulp!  D ran to the front - that wasn't on (BECAUSE HE'D NOT REPLACED THE BULB DOH!!!).  Unfortunately, it was at this point that we realised we didn't have a view of the side.  I therefore made the executive decision to race down to the kitchen and set of the infra-red alarm sensor in a bid to scare off the burglars!  I felt sick with anticipation as I went into the kitchen as I could see the side light was also on - someone was definitely there trying to break down our side gate.  Alarm goes off - cats go wide-eyed with fear - I go wide-eyed with fear and then look round to see D, fully dressed armed with mini-D's cricket bat. "DON'T GO OUTSIDE!!!"  I say.  "What if they beat you up? ". I was terrified, but with a small sense of pride at my bloke being all manly!  I stand behind him, not knowing whether to arm myself with the bread knife  (risky) or the cat scratching post (just weird!!)  and we took a deep breath and tentatively opened the back door.

 

And there, in the darkness he stood,

 

Bobby the badger!

 

And so you see, that's what happens when you have a powerful mind!  Talk about catastrophising!

 

Have a good week.

 

Mindfulmissyxxx