May 2, 2017
This week in my 8-week Mindfulness Tools for Health and Wellness
class, we are looking at the assignment to notice a “pleasant event”
each day. Participants are asked to complete a calendar each day, noting an
event – this does not have to be something big like a party – and jotting down the thoughts, feelings, and bodily experiences they recall having
at the time of the event. They are asked to notice how it feels while recording
the experience. The calendar boxes are small so there is no need to tell a big story
about the event. This activity is a way to encourage us to look at the pleasant
in our lives even in the face of difficult situations.
I lead a short meditation asking
people to recall one pleasant experience they can remember. Because mindfulness
is about being present, people often wonder, “Can you be present and think
about the past?” We do spend much of our time thinking about the past or
worrying about the future. This can be troublesome when we are lost in our
thoughts not noticing the present moment or worrying about the “what ifs”, all the things that could happen in our lives. We can
miss big parts of our lives this way. This does not mean we have to give
up reviewing what’s happened in the past or are not allowed to dream about the
future. We can do this mindfully, with intention, and that is what we are doing in class.
Then, we break up into smaller
groups where I ask people to share the thoughts, emotions or bodily sensations they
recall. People do not have to tell the “story” of the event but that is hard
not to do. It is okay if they do. The conversations in the groups are lively
and, I can see they are enjoying telling about the pleasant events they
recalled. Then, we come back as a bigger group. Because it is spring, which
unfolds slowly in Vermont, we are noticing sounds and sights of birds at the
feeders, green leaves sprouting on trees, and our lawns that will soon need
mowing. People are beginning to tend gardens, notice lovely sunsets and
sparkling night skies. We share about sweet time with children, walking dogs and the wildflowers
by the roadside.
What are the qualities of
“pleasant?” We may notice feelings of calmness or relaxation, or at times, we are energized
and ready to go. As we share, there are smiles on our faces. Sharing pleasant
seems infectious. But we also notice that we don’t want pleasant to go away.
This is common. We sometimes find ourselves holding on, hoping that these pleasant feelings or sensations won’t go away. We may say, "I wish this would always be true." All
of us know that pleasant “events” come and go in our lives. But it is also worthy to
note that pleasant can happen at the same time as difficulties. We can allow
the pleasant feelings to linger in our thoughts or, perhaps recall them when
things get tough.
With a laugh, I say, “And guess
what we are going to look at next week”? They know immediately, “Unpleasant”! Mindfulness
practice asks us to notice both pleasant and unpleasant. This can help us be
more resilient in our lives. Maybe you can spend some time each noticing something that's pleasant. Bring awareness to the moment and notice your experience. For the moment, I’m going to let the smiles we shared linger a little longer. I’ll leave “unpleasant” for the next reflection.