ENcourage Connection

I have been *struggling* with my triggers of panic the last couple weeks. Today was the worse, so I sat down and put in a CD of Pema's. It wasn't long before I was reaffirmed on the "leaning into" whatever I was/ am feeling, and accepting that happiness and sadness, security, and fear all go hand in hand in life. It's our labeling, or wanting to control life that gets in the way of our inner peace.

I highly recommend this book/ CD to anyone struggling with uncertainly, fear, and even happiness to see how they all fit together in bringing peace to your soul. : )

Excerpt from Comfortable with Uncertainty
FromChapter 4: The Wisdom of No Escape

The central question of a warrior's/student's training is not how we avoid uncertainty and fear but how we relate to discomfort.

How do we practice with difficulty, with our emotions, with the unpredictable encounters of an ordinary day?

For those of us with a hunger to know the truth, painful emotions are like flags going up to say,

"You're stuck!"

We regard disappointment, embarrassment, irritation, jealousy, and fear as moments that show us where we're holding back, how we're shutting down.

Such uncomfortable feelings are messages that tell us to perk up and lean into a situation when we'd rather cave in and back away.

When the flag goes up, we have an opportunity:
we can stay with our painful emotion instead of spinning out.

Staying is how we get the hang of gently catching ourselves when we're about to let resentment harden into blame, righteousness, or alienation.

It's also how we keep from smoothing things over by talking ourselves into a sense of relief or inspiration.

This is easier said than done.

Ordinarily we are swept away by habitual momentum.
We don't interrupt our patterns even slightly.

With practice, however, we learn to stay with a broken heart, with a nameless fear, with the desire for revenge. Sticking with uncertainty is how we learn to relax in the midst of chaos, how we learn to be cool when the ground beneath us suddenly disappears.

We can bring ourselves back to the spiritual path countless times every day simply by exercising our willingness to rest in the uncertainty of the present moment—over and over again.

• Re: "Comfortable with Uncertainty". It's the 21st, my B-day *day* Post (actually it's tomorrow, so I am Early. Better than being late?)........ 17:59:31 08/20/2009 meg (1)
  • Not my *actual* birthday. Feb *21st* is my B-Day. However on the 21st of each month, It is my turn to post something inspirational, or something that is helpful to the whole group. : ) (n/t) 07:30:09 08/21/2009 Debbie IN California (0)

In Reply to: "Comfortable with Uncertainty". It's the 21st, my B-day *day* Post (actually it's tomorrow, so I am Early. Better than being late?)........ posted by Debbie IN California on August 20, 2009 at 15:00:55:

Leaning into it.
I have a strong visual for that.
It's scary, but i know that is how to ride it out, as Claire Weekes wrote.
I need to check out that book.
Thanks Debbie.

Have a wonderful birthday tomorrow!

In Reply to: Re: posted by meg on August 20, 2009 at 17:59:31:

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