37. Trusting, Tara
Trusting and Inhabiting Your Being
Tara: In these last sessions of Mindfulness Daily, we'll be exploring how mindfulness and kindness can become a spontaneous part of the way we live, how these qualities of naturally give rise to generosity towards others and gratitude for life. As we integrate mindfulness into the different domains of our life, it's natural that old habits such as obsessive thinking and defensiveness, and worry will still sometimes take over. So, a key element in mindful living is remembering to relax when these patterns arise, to forgive ourselves, and start again fresh in the new moment. Being at ease with the appearance of old habits requires trust. It requires trust in your own awakening heart and consciousness and, ultimately, trust in life itself.
There's a good metaphor for how that trust grows. Indigo cloth has that unique, deep, rich blue, but it takes some time for the cloth to get to that color. When a white cloth is first dipped into the vat of indigo dye, it comes out blue but then quickly fades to just a bit There's a good metaphor for how that trust grows. Indigo cloth has that unique, deep, rich blue, but it takes some time for the cloth to get to that color. When a white cloth is first dipped into the vat of indigo dye, it comes out blue but then quickly fades to just a bit off-white. It's rinsed then dipped again. Once again, it fades quickly but holds a bit more color this time. Only after many rounds of dipping does the color of the cloth finally deepen to have that characteristic-rich indigo hue.
In the same way, every moment you dip into mindful presence, you grow more familiar with and at home and the awareness and kindness that's intrinsic to who you are. You can trust that the process of experiencing mindful moments itself is strengthening your ability to move through the world of joys and sorrows, of dangers and successes with a steady and compassionate heart. Becoming more deeply immersed in mindful living doesn't mean it's all happy times ahead. You're bound to come against challenges, but you might find that the difficult experiences, a lost job, a struggle with health, a coworker you can't get along with, actually teach you. They can grow your compassion, reveal new strengths, and deepen your wisdom. Eventually, you come to trust that whatever's happening can, in some deep way, serve your understanding and awaken your spirit.
To trust in this way is precious. It lets you stumble and get up as you become increasingly resilient, confident, and kind. As your path unfolds, this trust in your own goodness and awareness in life continues to deepen. The poet Pablo Neruda writes, "You can pick all the flowers, but you can't stop the spring." Life wants to renew and express itself. Consciousness wants to awaken and it's bound to do so no matter. The deepening trust in life allows us to let go of our tendency to control everything, to incessantly prepare for the future, and tense against what's around the corner. Instead, we can let life be just as it is. Only in letting be do we gain insight into the nature of reality and feel our full aliveness and joy.
Now, let's spend a few minutes dipping into mindful presence, letting ourselves, like that indigo cloth, grow deeper and richer on what it means to trust and let be. Please take a few moments to settle into a comfortable posture and collect your attention with your breath. Let your senses be open, aware of the sounds around you, the feelings and sensations in your body alert and relaxed.
And now, listening to these words, a poem by Roger Keyes that reflects on the wisdom teachings of a 19th-century Japanese artist. “Hokusai says look carefully. He says pay attention, notice. He says keep looking, stay curious. He says there is no end to seeing.
He says look forward to getting old. He says keep changing, you just get more of who you really are. He says get stuck, accept it, repeat yourself as long as it is interesting. He says keep doing what you love. He says keep praying. He says every one of us is a child, every one of us is ancient, every one of us has a body. He says every one of us is frightened. He says every one of us has to find a way to live with fear. He says everything is alive - shells, buildings, people, fish, mountains, trees. Wood is alive. Water is alive. Everything has its own life. Everything lives inside us. He says live with the world inside you. It matters that you care. It matters that you feel. It matters that you notice. It matters that life lives through you. Contentment is life living through you. Joy is life living through you. Satisfaction and strength is life living through you. Peace is life living through you. He says don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. Look, feel, let life take you by the hand. Let life live through you.”
As you meditate, feel your anchor in the foreground, a light soft attention on the breath or body, and let your senses be wide open, including the background movement of sounds, sensations, feelings. Let this river of aliveness live through you.
Continuing with your core practice, if any part of life becomes strong, calls your attention, let your intention be to say yes, letting it be fully, noticing what's arising, yes to unpleasant sensations. Yes to fear. Yes to excitement. Yes to longing. And if not the word, yes let your energetic response be one of trusting awareness and allowing, including, feeling fully, letting this life live through you. Relaxed, open, alert. Trusting the awareness that includes all of life. It matters that you care. It matters that you feel. It matters that you notice. It matters that life lives through you. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. Look, feel, let life take you by the hand, let life live through you.
© Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield
Reprinted by permission
Tara: In these last sessions of Mindfulness Daily, we'll be exploring how mindfulness and kindness can become a spontaneous part of the way we live, how these qualities of naturally give rise to generosity towards others and gratitude for life. As we integrate mindfulness into the different domains of our life, it's natural that old habits such as obsessive thinking and defensiveness, and worry will still sometimes take over. So, a key element in mindful living is remembering to relax when these patterns arise, to forgive ourselves, and start again fresh in the new moment. Being at ease with the appearance of old habits requires trust. It requires trust in your own awakening heart and consciousness and, ultimately, trust in life itself.
There's a good metaphor for how that trust grows. Indigo cloth has that unique, deep, rich blue, but it takes some time for the cloth to get to that color. When a white cloth is first dipped into the vat of indigo dye, it comes out blue but then quickly fades to just a bit There's a good metaphor for how that trust grows. Indigo cloth has that unique, deep, rich blue, but it takes some time for the cloth to get to that color. When a white cloth is first dipped into the vat of indigo dye, it comes out blue but then quickly fades to just a bit off-white. It's rinsed then dipped again. Once again, it fades quickly but holds a bit more color this time. Only after many rounds of dipping does the color of the cloth finally deepen to have that characteristic-rich indigo hue.
In the same way, every moment you dip into mindful presence, you grow more familiar with and at home and the awareness and kindness that's intrinsic to who you are. You can trust that the process of experiencing mindful moments itself is strengthening your ability to move through the world of joys and sorrows, of dangers and successes with a steady and compassionate heart. Becoming more deeply immersed in mindful living doesn't mean it's all happy times ahead. You're bound to come against challenges, but you might find that the difficult experiences, a lost job, a struggle with health, a coworker you can't get along with, actually teach you. They can grow your compassion, reveal new strengths, and deepen your wisdom. Eventually, you come to trust that whatever's happening can, in some deep way, serve your understanding and awaken your spirit.
To trust in this way is precious. It lets you stumble and get up as you become increasingly resilient, confident, and kind. As your path unfolds, this trust in your own goodness and awareness in life continues to deepen. The poet Pablo Neruda writes, "You can pick all the flowers, but you can't stop the spring." Life wants to renew and express itself. Consciousness wants to awaken and it's bound to do so no matter. The deepening trust in life allows us to let go of our tendency to control everything, to incessantly prepare for the future, and tense against what's around the corner. Instead, we can let life be just as it is. Only in letting be do we gain insight into the nature of reality and feel our full aliveness and joy.
Now, let's spend a few minutes dipping into mindful presence, letting ourselves, like that indigo cloth, grow deeper and richer on what it means to trust and let be. Please take a few moments to settle into a comfortable posture and collect your attention with your breath. Let your senses be open, aware of the sounds around you, the feelings and sensations in your body alert and relaxed.
And now, listening to these words, a poem by Roger Keyes that reflects on the wisdom teachings of a 19th-century Japanese artist. “Hokusai says look carefully. He says pay attention, notice. He says keep looking, stay curious. He says there is no end to seeing.
He says look forward to getting old. He says keep changing, you just get more of who you really are. He says get stuck, accept it, repeat yourself as long as it is interesting. He says keep doing what you love. He says keep praying. He says every one of us is a child, every one of us is ancient, every one of us has a body. He says every one of us is frightened. He says every one of us has to find a way to live with fear. He says everything is alive - shells, buildings, people, fish, mountains, trees. Wood is alive. Water is alive. Everything has its own life. Everything lives inside us. He says live with the world inside you. It matters that you care. It matters that you feel. It matters that you notice. It matters that life lives through you. Contentment is life living through you. Joy is life living through you. Satisfaction and strength is life living through you. Peace is life living through you. He says don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. Look, feel, let life take you by the hand. Let life live through you.”
As you meditate, feel your anchor in the foreground, a light soft attention on the breath or body, and let your senses be wide open, including the background movement of sounds, sensations, feelings. Let this river of aliveness live through you.
Continuing with your core practice, if any part of life becomes strong, calls your attention, let your intention be to say yes, letting it be fully, noticing what's arising, yes to unpleasant sensations. Yes to fear. Yes to excitement. Yes to longing. And if not the word, yes let your energetic response be one of trusting awareness and allowing, including, feeling fully, letting this life live through you. Relaxed, open, alert. Trusting the awareness that includes all of life. It matters that you care. It matters that you feel. It matters that you notice. It matters that life lives through you. Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid. Look, feel, let life take you by the hand, let life live through you.
© Tara Brach and Jack Kornfield
Reprinted by permission