Comments for IMSB - Shaila's Blog http://blog.imsb.org News from Insight Meditation South Bay - Shaila's Blog and IMSB News Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:47:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Reacting to feelings by 12wanderer http://blog.imsb.org/?p=364#comment-30 12wanderer Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:47:22 +0000 http://blog.imsb.org/?p=364#comment-30 The solution seems to always avoid turning away and experience the emotion or feeling in this moment. My chronic pain from a car accident became bearable then more compressed by exercising, bringing it into consciousness. It may appear counterintuitive that by surrendering to a thought or emotion brings freedom but with pain it helps. The sentence about equanimity arises by opening to how we are right now, resonates a soothing secure feeling inside me. You have an eloquent and simple way of explaining emotions and feelings. The solution seems to always avoid turning away and experience the emotion or feeling in this moment. My chronic pain from a car accident became bearable then more compressed by exercising, bringing it into consciousness. It may appear counterintuitive that by surrendering to a thought or emotion brings freedom but with pain it helps.

The sentence about equanimity arises by opening to how we are right now, resonates a soothing secure feeling inside me. You have an eloquent and simple way of explaining emotions and feelings.

]]> Comment on Are Sense Pleasures Suffering? by 12wanderer http://blog.imsb.org/?p=406#comment-29 12wanderer Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:36:57 +0000 http://blog.imsb.org/?p=406#comment-29 From you book Focused and Fearless, I worked with uncomfortable feelings and emotions. Instead of judging them, observation found them to be impermanent and the feeling sense changed. Judging situations, things and people brings my ego out in full force. Vacating these judgments provided a space at first, then allowed me to observe the situation from a distance. I explored uncomfortable as you recommended and that emotion changed when it was observed in emptiness. What ever I was involved in was the best that could been done with the ingredients at that time. Sensory pleasure seems to have less of a pull when the ego was more dormant. It is difficult for me to say that sensual pleasure leads to sorrow at this juncture but many things with sensual pleasure have changed importance, if that makes sense. Avoiding life or the unpleasantness of some situation has curtailed. It seems to me being present and aware in this minute gives me the best opportunity to experience all of life that presents itself before me. This advice has worked well for me and my pursuit of sensual pleasure has changed drastically. I am a work in progress and thanks to your books and insight that work is headed in the right direction. Thanks for the lighting of the path. Marty From you book Focused and Fearless, I worked with uncomfortable feelings and emotions. Instead of judging them, observation found them to be impermanent and the feeling sense changed. Judging situations, things and people brings my ego out in full force. Vacating these judgments provided a space at first, then allowed me to observe the situation from a distance.

I explored uncomfortable as you recommended and that emotion changed when it was observed in emptiness. What ever I was involved in was the best that could been done with the ingredients at that time. Sensory pleasure seems to have less of a pull when the ego was more dormant.

It is difficult for me to say that sensual pleasure leads to sorrow at this juncture but many things with sensual pleasure have changed importance, if that makes sense.

Avoiding life or the unpleasantness of some situation has curtailed. It seems to me being present and aware in this minute gives me the best opportunity to experience all of life that presents itself before me.

This advice has worked well for me and my pursuit of sensual pleasure has changed drastically. I am a work in progress and thanks to your books and insight that work is headed in the right direction.

Thanks for the lighting of the path.
Marty

]]> Comment on Three Intentions by 12wanderer http://blog.imsb.org/?p=402#comment-27 12wanderer Thu, 05 Jan 2012 14:38:34 +0000 http://blog.imsb.org/?p=402#comment-27 Excellent suggestion on chronic judging. My blog supports those with PTSD and most judge so much it is habit. Judging happens before thought for many of us. Seems like we try to control our life and what we are exposed to. We search for pleasure and avoid the unpleasant which sets the table for Trauma to control us. In your book, Focused and Fearless, I learned that emotions are just a small part of me, an impermanent part at that. One day in Starbucks, my plate dropped and shattered. My first reaction was one of embarrassment but then I remembered a passage from the book. We all share all of our emotions and experience them in our life. In stead of feeling separate and embarrassed suddenly a calm and connection happened. Everyone looking at me suddenly became a friend because we all share this emotion and others. The situation connected me with everyone. My embarrassment was gone ad a secure calm and smile came over me. Thank you for your insight and drection. Marty Excellent suggestion on chronic judging. My blog supports those with PTSD and most judge so much it is habit. Judging happens before thought for many of us.

Seems like we try to control our life and what we are exposed to. We search for pleasure and avoid the unpleasant which sets the table for Trauma to control us.

In your book, Focused and Fearless, I learned that emotions are just a small part of me, an impermanent part at that. One day in Starbucks, my plate dropped and shattered.

My first reaction was one of embarrassment but then I remembered a passage from the book. We all share all of our emotions and experience them in our life.

In stead of feeling separate and embarrassed suddenly a calm and connection happened. Everyone looking at me suddenly became a friend because we all share this emotion and others. The situation connected me with everyone.

My embarrassment was gone ad a secure calm and smile came over me. Thank you for your insight and drection.
Marty

]]> Comment on Where do you look for fresh insight? by 12wanderer http://blog.imsb.org/?p=354#comment-26 12wanderer Sat, 31 Dec 2011 16:29:10 +0000 http://blog.imsb.org/?p=354#comment-26 I wanted to thank for you sharing the awesome practice and insight you have gained. My understanding of emotions, starting with pleasant/unpleasant and the impermance of all thoughtdeepened my owb healing and practice. My blog tries to give support to those suffering from Complex PTSD. Thoughts are demons for those with PTSD. Our fight or flight mechanism is disordered and thoughts trigger the dumping of cortisol and adrenaline to power the thought. It takes time to realize that the thought and the drugs are not linked. The thought is powerless without our attention. Your insight and wisdom are simple and precise like nature. We heal best with a relaxed mind at ease and in this moment. I use many passages of your two books and another by Rick Hanson called Buddhas Brain. Thank you again for all that you do. Marty I wanted to thank for you sharing the awesome practice and insight you have gained.
My understanding of emotions, starting with pleasant/unpleasant and the impermance of all thoughtdeepened my owb healing and practice. My blog tries to give support to those suffering from Complex PTSD.

Thoughts are demons for those with PTSD. Our fight or flight mechanism is disordered and thoughts trigger the dumping of cortisol and adrenaline to power the thought.

It takes time to realize that the thought and the drugs are not linked. The thought is powerless without our attention.

Your insight and wisdom are simple and precise like nature. We heal best with a relaxed mind at ease and in this moment.
I use many passages of your two books and another by Rick Hanson called Buddhas Brain. Thank you again for all that you do.

Marty

]]> Comment on The Paramis by Greg http://blog.imsb.org/?p=380#comment-12 Greg Wed, 22 Jun 2011 15:41:26 +0000 http://blog.imsb.org/?p=380#comment-12 Stephen has generously joined us to provide some teachings while Shaila is away on retreat. He is teaching a series on the Paramis. The schedule is posted on the <a href="http://www.imsb.org/calendar/index.php" rel="nofollow">IMSB calendar</a>. More Dharma talks by Stephen are available on his website, <a href="http://www.stephenfulder.com" rel="nofollow">www.stephenfulder.com</a> Stephen has generously joined us to provide some teachings while Shaila is away on retreat. He is teaching a series on the Paramis. The schedule is posted on the IMSB calendar. More Dharma talks by Stephen are available on his website, http://www.stephenfulder.com

]]> Comment on Self Criticism by Terry Farrah http://blog.imsb.org/?p=251#comment-11 Terry Farrah Tue, 14 Jun 2011 04:37:18 +0000 http://blog.imsb.org/?p=251#comment-11 Shaila asks, "why do we so often beat ourselves up at every failing?" It is to maintain the fantasy that perfection is possible. As painful as it is to criticize ourselves, this allows us to avoid the larger pain of recognizing that we can never be in complete control of our actions. Shaila asks, “why do we so often beat ourselves up at every failing?” It is to maintain the fantasy that perfection is possible. As painful as it is to criticize ourselves, this allows us to avoid the larger pain of recognizing that we can never be in complete control of our actions.

]]> Comment on Breaking Out from the Shell by 12wanderer http://blog.imsb.org/?p=255#comment-10 12wanderer Mon, 16 May 2011 14:21:46 +0000 http://blog.imsb.org/?p=255#comment-10 Thank you for the insight with your book and path. Your extensive retreat practices have given you an insight rarely seen with teachers. The exploration of pleasure, unpleasant things, and pain related to our desires is very interesting. My path tries to support others with PTSD using mindfulness daily. Your book and blog have given me excellent topic and ides. Thank you again for your wisdom and equanimity. Thank you for the insight with your book and path. Your extensive retreat practices have given you an insight rarely seen with teachers. The exploration of pleasure, unpleasant things, and pain related to our desires is very interesting.

My path tries to support others with PTSD using mindfulness daily. Your book and blog have given me excellent topic and ides. Thank you again for your wisdom and equanimity.

]]> Comment on Using situations of inconvenience to develop equanimity by Using situations of inconvenience to develop equanimity « PTSD – A Way Out http://blog.imsb.org/?p=247#comment-9 Using situations of inconvenience to develop equanimity « PTSD – A Way Out Mon, 09 May 2011 14:44:50 +0000 http://blog.imsb.org/?p=247#comment-9 [...] by Shalia Catherine Situations of inconvenience are terrific areas to discover, test, or develop your equanimity. How gracefully can you compromise in a negotiation? Does your mind remain balanced when you have to drive around the block three times to find a parking space? These inconveniences are opportunities to develop equanimity. Rather than shift the blame onto an institution, system, or person, one can develop the capacity to opt to rest within the experience of inconvenience. [...] [...] by Shalia Catherine Situations of inconvenience are terrific areas to discover, test, or develop your equanimity. How gracefully can you compromise in a negotiation? Does your mind remain balanced when you have to drive around the block three times to find a parking space? These inconveniences are opportunities to develop equanimity. Rather than shift the blame onto an institution, system, or person, one can develop the capacity to opt to rest within the experience of inconvenience. [...]

]]> Comment on Observing self constructions in speech by Observing self constructions in speech « PTSD – A Way Out http://blog.imsb.org/?p=20#comment-8 Observing self constructions in speech « PTSD – A Way Out Sat, 07 May 2011 14:14:32 +0000 http://shaila.imsb.org/?p=20#comment-8 [...] May 7, 2011 by Marty in ASSORTED. Leave a Comment Posted on October 16, 2010 By Shaila [...] [...] May 7, 2011 by Marty in ASSORTED. Leave a Comment Posted on October 16, 2010 By Shaila [...]

]]> Comment on Practicing Renunciation in Lay Life by Meghana http://blog.imsb.org/?p=156#comment-6 Meghana Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:16:02 +0000 http://blog.imsb.org/?p=156#comment-6 Thanks for wonderful tips Shaila. I always feel that I do not have enough time. When I slept less less it made me grumpy. I will take your advice on observing my tiredness/crankiness and reduce my sleep for extra meditation time. Meghana Thanks for wonderful tips Shaila. I always feel that I do not have enough time. When I slept less less it made me grumpy. I will take your advice on observing my tiredness/crankiness and reduce my sleep for extra meditation time.

Meghana

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