Week 20: See The Color Blue

I would like to offer a moment of silence in recognition before introducing this week's practice.

 

"In honor of their suffering, let's work to create a world in which there is no war. May their souls be blessed."  
- Marianne Williamson

---

The Practice:

SEE THE COLOR BLUE

"Become aware of the color blue wherever it appears in your environment.  Look not just for the obvious instances, such as the sky, but also for subtle appearances and for all variations of blue." (p.95) 

A Reason:

Color is POWERFUL.  Blue in particular has a seemingly infinite number of shades and emotions that it can invoke.  From the vast blue sky that soars above us to the infinite black-blue of a deep lake to the energetic blue-green of a turquoise stone, blue permeates our lives.

This week we are invited to notice not only the more obvious blues that appear, but also the subtle shades of blue that dance with other colors.  It is a fascinating way to play with our broader attention (expanding our awareness to a cloudless sky, for example) and our focused, detailed attention (noticing the blue in a shimmer of a bubble arising from the soapy, dish-filled sink).

Simply noticing blue (and the effects that this mindful awareness has on you) is enough for this week.   For those who are as fascinated by color as I am, here are a few fun and/or informative sites that I've found on color:  (If you have any other suggestions, please add them in the comments or over on the Facebook page!)  Please note: I do not necessarily endorse any products or programs mentioned on these sites...

http://www.colormatters.com/ 

http://www.colorquiz.com/about.html  (A fun quiz based on color psychology)

http://www.colourlovers.com/  (an awesome site I've used before to consider color palettes)

http://www.worqx.com/color/  (very informative site on all-things-color-theory)

http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-messages-meanings/color-meaning-symbolism-psychology/all-about-the-color-blue.html  (an interesting site offering tons of facts on blue!)

I love color!  I've spent far too long already finding these sites, but please, add more if you have them!!


My Practice:
The first time I skimmed through the "How To Train A Wild Elephant" book, this one caught my attention.  Unintentionally since then, colors (including blue) have popped out at me at random times.  I am really looking forward to giving my focused attention to this practice!

I'm pulling out random items from my closet that include blue to wear this week.  I will also be donning a unique necklace and ring as a reminder.  You can also try a blue dot on your hand, as suggested in the book, or even blue post-it notes randomly placed around your environment.  Let me know what works for you!


Discussion Questions:

• Is color awareness part of your normal awareness, or is it something you rarely consider?

• Take a look at your wardrobe: Do you own many blue clothes?

• What do you think of when you think of the color blue?  (Dark Blue?  Pale Blue?)

Week 20: Practice Review (Say Yes)

Thanks to Danielle Laporte for this timely reminder.

This week was a challenging one. I found my practice of saying "yes" slipping from my mind (even if the eyes drawn on my hand did bring a bit of a smile to my face).

There is a space we are given in between question and response, in between action and ourreaction, in between one thought and the next. We often rush so quickly through this space that we don't even know it is there. It is in this space that we are invited to pause and to consciously choose what happens in the next moment.

Our responses are often habituated. The kids yell; I say stop. The alarm goes off; I hit snooze. The food sits in front of me; I take a bite. Sometimes the response is beneficial. Other times, it is actually detrimental to my well-being and practice of awakening.

What if I let the kids yell - what would happen? What if I got up the first time the alarm went off? What if I chose what I was eating instead of letting it choose me?

In this practice of saying yes, we are asked to pay attention to this space. I'll admit: I didn't. Time after time, I gave a habituated response.

In those questions that linger - those ones that don't have a deadline but run through our thoughts until dealt with - we are given time to contemplate. That space where we are allowed to consciously choose is more drawn out. These are good questions with which we can practice saying "yes" - ones that I found were a bit easier to handle.

Knowing I was facing an emotional week, I said yes to sitting down when I needed to, journaling when I felt the desire, and saying "yes" to the creative spirit when she called (even if that meant cleaning didn't get done).

I will continue this practice, embracing even the smallest of questions. Sometimes, even when fully awake in my practice, my outward answer will be a peaceful "no". But the power of my practice will come when I finally learn to always say "yes" to that intuition, to that unknowable source that guides me to a peaceful alignment.

I want to thank Christy for the link shared over on Facebook: The Brave Girls Club site posted a very synchronous post this week...all about saying YES! Check it out here:

http://www.bravegirlsclub.com/dailytruths/may2112.htm .

So what did you find yourself saying yes to? Did you say no more often? What do you think about the idea of the space in between?

So are you off to a beautiful weekend??

You know the answer.

Thanks to Danielle Laporte for this timely reminder.

This week was a challenging one.  I found my practice of saying "yes" slipping from my mind (even if the eyes drawn on my hand did bring a bit of a smile to my face).

There is a space we are given in between question and response, in between action and our reaction, in between one thought and the next.  We often rush so quickly through this space that we don't even know it is there.  It is in this space that we are invited to pause and to consciously choose what happens in the next moment.

Our responses are often habituated.  The kids yell; I say stop.  The alarm goes off; I hit snooze.  The food sits in front of me; I take a bite.  Sometimes the response is beneficial.  Other times, it is actually detrimental to my well-being and practice of awakening.

What if I let the kids yell - what would happen?  What if I got up the first time the alarm went off?  What if I chose what I was eating instead of letting it choose me?

In this practice of saying yes, we are asked to pay attention to this space.  I'll admit: I didn't.  Time after time, I gave a habituated response.  

In those questions that linger - those ones that don't have a deadline but run through our thoughts until dealt with - we are given time to contemplate.  That space where we are allowed to consciously choose is more drawn out.  These are good questions with which we can practice saying "yes" - ones that I found were a bit easier to handle.  

Knowing I was facing an emotional week, I said yes to sitting down when I needed to, journaling when I felt the desire, and saying "yes" to the creative spirit when she called (even if that meant cleaning didn't get done).

I will continue this practice, embracing even the smallest of questions.  Sometimes, even when fully awake in my practice, my outward answer will be a peaceful "no".  But the power of my practice will come when I finally learn to always say "yes" to that intuition, to that unknowable source that guides me to a peaceful alignment.

 

I want to thank Christy for the link shared over on Facebook:  The Brave Girls Club site posted a very synchronous post this week...all about saying YES!  Check it out here:  http://www.bravegirlsclub.com/dailytruths/may2112.htm .

So what did you find yourself saying yes to?  Did you say no more often?  What do you think about the idea of the space in between?

 

 

So are you off to a beautiful weekend??

You know the answer.

Week 20: Practice Review (Say Yes)

Thanks to Danielle Laporte for this timely reminder.

This week was a challenging one.  I found my practice of saying "yes" slipping from my mind (even if the eyes drawn on my hand did bring a bit of a smile to my face).

There is a space we are given in between question and response, in between action and our reaction, in between one thought and the next.  We often rush so quickly through this space that we don't even know it is there.  It is in this space that we are invited to pause and to consciously choose what happens in the next moment.

Our responses are often habituated.  The kids yell; I say stop.  The alarm goes off; I hit snooze.  The food sits in front of me; I take a bite.  Sometimes the response is beneficial.  Other times, it is actually detrimental to my well-being and practice of awakening.

What if I let the kids yell - what would happen?  What if I got up the first time the alarm went off?  What if I chose what I was eating instead of letting it choose me?

In this practice of saying yes, we are asked to pay attention to this space.  I'll admit: I didn't.  Time after time, I gave a habituated response.  

In those questions that linger - those ones that don't have a deadline but run through our thoughts until dealt with - we are given time to contemplate.  That space where we are allowed to consciously choose is more drawn out.  These are good questions with which we can practice saying "yes" - ones that I found were a bit easier to handle.  

Knowing I was facing an emotional week, I said yes to sitting down when I needed to, journaling when I felt the desire, and saying "yes" to the creative spirit when she called (even if that meant cleaning didn't get done).

I will continue this practice, embracing even the smallest of questions.  Sometimes, even when fully awake in my practice, my outward answer will be a peaceful "no".  But the power of my practice will come when I finally learn to always say "yes" to that intuition, to that unknowable source that guides me to a peaceful alignment.

I want to thank Christy for the link shared over on Facebook:  The Brave Girls Club site posted a very synchronous post this week...all about saying YES!  Check it out here:  http://www.bravegirlsclub.com/dailytruths/may2112.htm .

So what did you find yourself saying yes to?  Did you say no more often?  What do you think about the idea of the space in between?

So are you off to a beautiful weekend??

You know the answer.

Week 20: Say Yes

The Practice:

"In this practice we say yes to everyone and everything that happens.  When you notice the impulse to disagree, consider whether it is really necessary.  Could you just nod, or even be silent but pleasant?  Whenever it is not dangerous to you or others, agree with others and with what is happening in your life." (p.91) 

A Reason:

I can already hear the resistance to this one....or is that just me??

I want to make a clear distinction here.  This practice is about opening to experiences we usually (and unconsciously) block ourselves from and flowing with whatever IS; NOT about stressing and wearing ourselves out.  For those who have a tendency to say "yes" all too often (and end up over-booking yourself and feeling guilty), I invite you to take a different approach to this practice.  Perhaps you say YES to that voice inside of yourself telling you to say "no" to the other invitation.

That being said, it is time to say YES.  It is time to stop fighting what is and agree with life.  We resist so often that which seems undesirable, that which goes against our expectations, that which creates fear.  When we instead open and say YES, we expand what is possible in our lives.  New doors open.

This is a much deeper mindfulness practice than some of the others we have done.  On the surface, saying yes is either easy or seems inappropriate.  This week, we are being challenged to go beyond that simple "Uh-HUH" and examine our resistance to accepting what is.  I look forward to seeing how this goes.  

My Practice:

I already have knots in my stomach thinking about this.  My practice for many years was learning to say "no" - to stop trying to please everyone by giving the automatic YES response.

I am going to go through this week as mindful as I possibly can, saying YES to the deeper truths that I want radiating in my life.  That might mean smiling to my children and saying "yes" by offering a different suggestion (not saying yes to a second bowl of ice cream, but offering to go for a walk, for example).  This might means saying "yes" to reading a book instead of watching the t.v. show.  This might mean silently saying "yes" to the person in front of me who wants to drive slower than I want to go.  This will be an excellent practice in accepting what is and examining what No's and Yes's have lead me to where I am.  (Perhaps even reflecting on what I want to say yes to in the future.)

I unfortunately can't upload a photo right now, but I thought, given the depth of this practice, I'd make my reminder a bit more light-hearted.  I plan to draw two little eyes on the side of my hand, making a little face that will smile and nod at me.  (I'll upload a photo later to make this a bit more clear.) 

Discussion Questions:

• What do you find yourself saying "no" to frequently?

• What resistance do you feel to this practice?  What excitement do you feel?

• Imagine saying "yes" this week.  Scan your body - what do you notice?