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Dear students of The Mindful Path, In our fourth session, Weathering the Inevitable Storms, we talked about how resistance shows up in our lives and how practicing mindfulness invites us to see things as they really are, through embracing the attitude of acceptance. As the storms naturally show up in our lives, some of us like to say, “It is what it is,” while others might say, “It is what you make of it.” Either way, by allowing our present moment experience to be exactly as it is, we free ourselves from continuously trying to force things into the way they are not, which in turn is the cause for a lot of tension, stress, and often suffering. Here are a few key highlights from the session: Sometimes…life just stinks, and that’s ok What we resist, persists. It’s the resistance to what is that leads to greater suffering Acceptance does not require that we like what we’re accepting, but it asks for the honesty to say, “Yes, I don’t like it and this is the way it is right now.”
Actions for the week: Continue your commitment to a daily formal practice—either meditation or by intentionally finding activities that naturally bring you into the present moment Recognize where resistance is showing up in your life? Can you start to see how much resistance against the challenges you come to face adds to your suffering. With this elevated awareness, are you more willing to test acceptance?
You can download a PDF of the session slides as well as rewatch a recording of the session here. We look forward to seeing you again next week for Session 5: Moving Mindfully. Good luck this week! With so much love and gratitude, Ryan & Jason Benz P.S. Please don’t forget to use our resources page to your advantage as you embark on this journey, and email us if you have any questions as you continue along.
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