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Here here! Discipline is so important and we don’t serve people well if we communicate that it’s about finding what’s enjoyable. I think there are also some teachable moments there around release from a results-orientation and staying with process.
And: skillfulness is the key. for some people their suffering is all about doggedly following the rules and being good little boys/little girls and pleasing the teacher. To receive permission to feel their way forward in the practice can be really liberating and supportive of their taking responsibility for their own wellness.
For others, yes, “I hear you that there’s resistance to the body scan, I’d suggest: keep going with it and see what happens.”
My two cents. Appreciate what you wrote!
Tim
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I was wondering what the other two shenanigans were?
I believe like you that uncomfortable feelings brought forth meditating need more work not less.
When students tell me they don’t like the bodyscan, I am always glad of JK-Z’s wise words, ‘You don’t have to like it, you just have to do it!’. I often use the toothbrushing analogy - it’s not very exciting, we may hate the taste of the toothpaste and we may not feel at the time it is doing us any good, but we all know how important it is, that there are no shortcuts if we want healthy teeth and sweet smelling breath, so we just DO it, for a whole two minutes.
Hi
Yes - the word limit didn’t let me post the whole thing.
The whole three shenanigans are outlined here: http://www.openground.com.au/blog/three-kinds-of-shenanigans-going-on-in-the-world-of-mindfulness
Best
Tim
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This post is very good, and something I have been stuggling with. I greatly admire Jon Kabat Zinn, and daily use his guided meditations. I am a graduate of the online 8 week program. I always have the question about branching out into that world of meditations that tout MBSR. How do you know which meditators are truly following the MBSR philosophy?
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Excellent post, Tim. Isn’t being present with the "full catastrophe " of life at the heart of practice? The good stuff and the unpleasant stuff? Trying to seek the easier softer way is what led me to suffering for many years whereas this practice offered me the option to sit right in the midst of it, explore it, and realize I am not my experience. It’s a bit disconcerting to see the marketing around mindfulness, the weekend programs to get the quick fix etc. I agree with Saki that this is a sacred practice. And still, there is that critical component that I’m just learning about called self- compassion while practicing. Oh this is so very interesting! I will be at the MBSR silent retreat next week at the Shambala Mtn Center in Colorado. Hope to see some of you there . Judy