This year I am choosing to focus on only one practice: to really get to know that space in me after a stimulus and before a response. I want to discover what that place is like and what thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations visit there. I want to sit with these thoughts, feelings, and body sensations and get to know them in their own right. Once I sense that they have said all they have to say, I will thank them and continue to wait until a clearing comes. And then? And then, I’ll see.
Even as I write this, the thoughts come: “You can’t do this after every single stimulus.” “You’ll never get anything done.” “This is going to slow everything way down.” The feelings are excitement edging toward anxiety. And the body sensations? My lower body is at rest, but I feel alot of agitation in the area of my heart and throat. I will sit with these and other visitors until a clearing comes or until I choose to say goodbye for a while with a promise to return if not to that particular stimulus to another one. My commitment is to the practice itself not to an outcome.
This year I choose.
aholdingplace 
It’s taken me a few days to digest the fullness and power of this notion. I’m guessing it will be powerful medicine, and I am speculating it could provide one of the best tools for Consciousness I have been introduced to in a while. Or maybe it was the way you stated the practice. At any rate, I hold space for this in your life and honestly would like to think that I will integrate it into my daily (moment by moment, really) practice. For all my life I have spoken of and sought after a practice that is seamless, that is no space between my spiritual practice and my ‘daily life’, per se. I do believe you have captured that. I say ‘Go.’ And it is my intent to follow, in the best sense of the word. Thank You. -Shell
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Amen sister! I will join in the practice, and practice, and practice and practice…….:)
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Joan, I look forward to your postings as they always give me food for thought. Here is another resolution I am going to try.
Ellen
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What a wonderful resolution….may try that myself although it will be one of the hardest ones ever to keep!!
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