A Whole lot of Distraction

To temporarily put an end to this distraction series, let's just say, just because i feel like saying it, that if we embrace these distractions as part of the Whole, we will become more Whole. Not because we are less than Whole, but because we have accepted more of the Whole, more of ourselves.

And who said distractions had to be negative? Ever hear of SOS - "shiny object syndrome?" I have it. Just ask my husband. Anything beautiful, sparkly, quirky, unique, interesting, etc... can catch my eye in a moment's notice, taking me off course. And sometimes those shiny objects may have been just the light I was looking for, whether it be inside or outside of myself. But the more light I see without, the more capacity I build for seeing it within. And vice versa.

So when it all boils down and is ready to serve on the table of your life - it's perfect. With or without distractions on the side. 

Distraction Extraction

(note: there will be references to the previous blog, so if you feel lost, distract yourself and check out yesterday's post)

So I now choose door number 2 - eliminate the distraction.

We try to get rid of that which distracts us in a number of ways. Whether we get up and turn off the radio, change our breathing, count to 10, leave the room, clean the house, the distraction really hasn't gone anywhere. After the radio, there will still be another noise. Our breath will change again. 10 only lasts for the count of 10. And the house will get dirty again. So we really never eliminate anything if you think about it. Even people. When someone leaves us, or even dies, don't you notice that there is another personality to come in and push all the right buttons?

So when we set out to eliminate the distractions, it seems to really work. But haven't we just distracted ourselves from the distractions? This is not a bad thing btw. It's  a good tool to have. It can help us get off a thought train, a hamster wheel.

It takes me back to door number 3 - if I can start loving, embracing, welcoming, accepting distractions as part of my reality, I may experience them in a different way. And instead of using distraction replacement therapy, I can start relationship counseling with my Self and my Distractions. 

Distractions

So there you are. Sitting. "Meditating." Start with a little breath work. Sit a little longer. And what happens? Are you more or less calm? What has stopping your momentum done for you but shine a light on that which occupies you? And that which was occupying you, is now called a Distraction.

How do we deal with distraction? Radio too loud? Turn it off. House too dirty? Clean it. Offensive smell? Leave the room. But what about those distractions that are more challenging to run away from? For example, I'm on an airplane with a crying child next to me (I can't turn it off), who is throwing Cheerios in my lap (I can clean it up, but it keeps on coming), and someone farts. I'm in a plane and can't leave. All of these things distracting me from something that I perceive as "more important."

Let's go back to meditating. I'm distracted by my thoughts, my laundry list. I'm distracted by my tight shoulders, my aching hip. I'm distracted by mu judgement of myself for being distracted instead of "one-pointed." What are my options?
1) i can remain in the pain of my distraction
2) i can try to eliminate my distractions
3) i can embrace my distractions
4) anything else you can think of

"I choose to explore door  number 3, Bob!" So what if, instead of trying to "fix" my distractions, I breathe into them, embrace them, even welcome them, as part of me and my experience. As part of my Wholeness. As part of The Wholeness. So I breathe in, acknowledging the distraction. I breathe out, hugging the distraction. At the very least, I'm changing my relationship to the distraction, which will change my experience of being distracted.

What if we start to welcome those pesky, squirrelly, niggley, wiggly aspects? Maybe by acknowledging them, they lighten up, or even move on? Maybe I learn something? Maybe I find a way to peacefully co-exist. Maybe nothing changes. But it will change, because we have changed how we respond, even if only for a moment. And that changes everything. Maybe enough to distract us from our distractions so we can move on and get more in the present moment.

Tomorrow - what happens if we try to eliminate the distractions...

what was I saying?  oh yeah...

;)

Sharing is caring

And I'm sharing. In this moment I am so full of it, I want to share all of it with you! So in the spirit of Let's Make a Deal, do you want some of what I'm full of? 

I'm giving you all the _____________ you want! It's up to you. Do you want it? Let me know and I'll tell you what's behind the curtain.

The bliss of ignorance

If we don't know what we are missing, we can blissfully live our painful lives.

Auto correct me

Wiping the tears from my eyes reading auto-correct texts. Then I got to thinking- the same bloopers come out of our mouths everyday. We start to tell the truth from the present moment, but halfway through, we blurt out something else.

Is there a place in our brain we can turn off auto-correct? Oh yeah, that would b yoga.

Quality vs Quantity

Quality vs quantity. Which is it? And why is it important that we know?

Regarding yoga practice, I've been told both. The quality of your practice counts for a great deal, but you must have 1,000,000 repetitions of your mantra. Or is the quantity assuming that 999,999 will be of a lesser quality, and it really only takes 1 to do the trick?

One great bite of food. Is that all it takes? Or what about 1,000,000 lesser bites? And if I have 1 amazing chocolate bar in my house, is that enough? What about when it's gone? Will it keep feeding me for the other 999,999 days? 

Maybe quality v quantity is an upscale issue. When we have quantity, then we move on to quality. Maybe until the root chakra is taken care of, meaning we have enough to survive, then we move on the second chakra- preference. Quality. 

Only when we feel we have enough, does the issue of quality come in. But if we haven't let go of fear, the memories or samskaras that were back in the days when we didn't have enough, we may never feel like we have enough.  And no matter the quality, we will still seek the quantity. It still won't be enough. 

So if we perceive ourselves as hungry, less than, not worthy, inadequate, unlucky, unlikely, then no matter the gifts we bestow or receive, it will never be enough. That one perfect repetition of mantra will not be enough, even though it was enough. 

Only when we know we are enough, will enough be enough. And that is quality and quantity.