A Mindfulness Training
By Meryl Bovard
I wrote this mindfulness training during my process of aspirancy to ordain in the Order of Interbeing. One of my mentors, Lyn Fine, suggested I write a mindfulness training for an area of my life in need of transformation. It really helped. Five years later, my work life is much healthier,
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A Mindfulness Training
By Meryl Bovard
I wrote this mindfulness training during my process of aspirancy to ordain in the Order of Interbeing. One of my mentors, Lyn Fine, suggested I write a mindfulness training for an area of my life in need of transformation. It really helped. Five years later, my work life is much healthier, and I take time to rest and practice deep relaxation each day.
Aware of the suffering caused by overworking, I am committed to cultivating compassion for myself and learning ways to protect my life. I am determined not to overwork, and not to support my compulsion to create additional work projects. I am committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for the benefit of myself, my family, my Sangha, and society, by balancing a healthy diet, work, and rest. I will seek and accept only work which preserves well-being and joy in my body and in my consciousness, as well as the collective body and consciousness of my family, my Sangha, my clients, and society. I am determined not to ingest certain conversations, which water my seeds of overwork. I am aware that to damage my body or consciousness with extreme fatigue and burnout is to betray my ancestors, my family, my Sangha, and society.
I will work to transform the seeds of fear of scarcity, people-pleasing, and status-seeking in myself by practicing a diet of meditation, rest, and mindful awareness of the abundance of the kingdom of God within me and within each moment. I will work to transform the seeds of greed and overwork in myself and my society by practicing circulation and sharing of my resources, generosity, ecological conservation, and mindful stopping and resting in order to protect myself. I understand that to water seeds of good health, rest, generosity, simple living, and awareness of the abundance of the present moment is crucial for my self-transformation, as well as for the transformation of my society.
Meryl Bovard, True Heavenly Peace, co-founded Quiet Mountain Sangha, and also practices with Blue Cliff Monastery Sangha. Meryl practices photography meditation and is studying to become a yoga teacher.
