Attention
Posted: October 18, 2013 Filed under: Random Workout | Tags: Attention, blogging, Buddha, compassion, cycling, fitness, freshly pressed, gluten free, happiness, health, holistic, hope, kindness, life, love, meditation, motivation, musings, New Age, Omaha, Practice, Religion and Spirituality, running, trail running, wellness, whole foods, yoga, Zen 10 CommentsI am not absentminded. It is the presence of mind that makes me unaware of everything else-
It never fails folks. I string together a series of post(s) discussing spirituality, intimacy, love, passion, yoga, meditation, mindfulness and inevitably the emails come pouring in with such graceful comments like:
“All this stuff you have been trying to talk about – comes naturally. Especially intimacy and physical relationships. If you need instructions on how to enjoy these, something is wrong with you.”
What is the underlying reason that discussing our feelings, no matter what they may be – Rattles our cage so much?
There are those among us (check your blog role and yoga studio) who solely identify themselves as spiritual simply by observing holy practices, being a natural lover, super flexible and sporting the latest fashion trends. This behavior Dear Reader? Is akin to calling ourselves athletes when we are merely spectators of a sport …
Are you a fan (short for fanatic), a spectator of yoga, cycling, sex, running, walking – whatever? Or are you a participant?
Embracing a spiritual life requires participation over observation for the encounter, surrendering to a spiritual transformation.
Notes:
Have a beautiful weekend and please take care.
CultFit 
I used to live my life ‘observing’ everything from the window of a fast moving bus. Then I met my wife, she had a serious illness for more than 8 years and through her and the journey we took together I became much more of a participant in life and spirituality. Interesting how near death experiences make one see…life.
You and I both brother, you and I both … I would like to focus on the journey the two of you took together, shine a more profound light on it. To endure hard times with someone we love is an amazing and profound experience in life – hell, as a dude I’ll even say its beautiful, because it is. May your hearts be filled with happiness and joy this weekend, take care mate!
Shine a light? I have to get my head around updating my ” About me” page. That’ll be your best insight. In a nutshell – Lupus – kidney failure – followed the doctors, 2 years – ignored the doctors – went natural. Kidney transplant – recovery – graduated university – working LIVING!. Meditation – education – exercise and love all around. It works. In the right hands it’s a book. Little guy / lady vs big pharma …and almost everyone else…and we won. Life is good even on crappy days. Peace.
It’s so true. I always feel like you gotta walk the walk before you can talk the talk. And of course, those who really are participating have the least to prove so they speak about their journey the least! I also feel like these topics rattle cages because they are scary to think/talk about and deal with. Keep sharing, keep posting, keep inspiring. ❤
Will do and thank you for your support! I hope your weekend is off to an amazing start, take care!
It makes me smile to think of people believing these things take no thought at all. It’s like believing shavasana is the easiest pose.
To truly master any of these things we go through the cycle of childhood; doing it all naturally and with no thought, to the uncomfortable and self conscious world of adulthood; doing it consciously and fumbling, and finally, with work and thought to doing it more purely until we do it as enlightened beings; and we become as children again.
For virtually everyone, the process is inevitable or we don’t progress.
I see this a lot unfortunately -Pff shavasana, tadasana … “Easy!” When I encounter this now I seemingly always come back to intention – What does this person want to take away this morning? And like you said “… the process is inevitable or we don’t progress.”
In my 35 years of being a holistic therapist, listening to thousands of people on my table, I don’t agree that sex, intimacy, etc. comes easily for people. If that were the case, there wouldn’t be wars, divorces, lonely people, rape, on and on. Even the physical act of sex is challenging and scary for many people. And intimacy…..I find very few people able to truly be intimate with themselves, let alone another person. So personally, I am grateful for your venture into discussing these things.
I hope to continue this important discussion well into the future. I understand I tend to talk in circles, randomly you could say … 😉 However I do have a clear intention as to why … As an instructor nothing stops a creative and balanced flow more than mentioning to focus on your breath, “most people” instantly allocate and pin all their resources on breathing, which dilutes the entire experience. Runners are the same, ask them to think about foot placement and their breathing and focus veer sideways into a hedge!
I suppose we could use the term awareness, and awareness is an extremely powerful process to go through. 🙂
That’s a fantastic point you make there. Participation, at least in my case, takes practice. Great post!