Illuminating Mindfulness
May first marks Beltane, in the Celtic Wheel of the Year, the midway point between Spring equinox and Summer solstice.
The day is marked with celebrations of warmth, fertility, the blooming of flowers (like on the Hawthorne tree). The equinox marks the shifts from the darkness of winter to the longer days of sunshine. This midway point marks the shift towards the solstice, the longest day of sunlight of the year.
NASA eloquently summarizes how the sun produces light: “An elegant interaction powers the sun, producing the light and energy that makes life possible. That interaction is called fusion, and it naturally occurs when two atoms are heated and compressed so intensely that their nuclei merge into a new element. This process often leads to the creation of a photon, the particles of light that are released from the sun."
There is a dissolving of a binary, a compression in fire of two atoms, to create a new element that eventually becomes light. From destruction comes beauty by illumination. To illuminate is synonymous with to enlighten. To enlighten can be defined as bringing awareness where there was once none.
Can you apply mindfulness in your daily life?
In addition to May marking Beltane, it is also “mental health month.” I find with most concepts regarding health and well-being, we over complicate them. We want things to be complicated because then it justifies the lack of change or follow through, right? Mindfulness is a concept that we tend to brush off, ‘oh yea sure I get what that means and I am mindful when I have the time, but here let me tell you just how busy I am…’
The thing with mindfulness is that it is not our natural state, simply put we are beings of scarcity and survival. There is a lot of us that lives in the darkness. In fact, neuroscientists claim that around 95% of our cognitive activity is subconscious. What does that mean? We are only consciously aware of 5% of our decisions, actions, awareness, and behaviors. This is a direct and simple truth. We live majority sub (un) conscious. However, just because that is an uncomplicated truth does not make applying it ‘easy.’
How to be mindful is something very few know how to do, day in and day out. It may not be complicated to understand that mindfulness—to illuminate (bring awareness) what was once darkness (unconscious)—but it is not easy to know how to apply this to ourselves.
“Mindfulness takes patience, awareness, and consistency. Just as light, mindful lifestyle takes fusion of these different elements. ”
An example is the uncomplicated truth that emotions are temporary states of experience. We all know this to be true. Just look at how we soothe an upset child (shh, it is ok, everything is going to be ok).
However, it is rather complicated to put that mindful awareness to action when we feel the rush of anger. How likely are we really to pause, breathe, and nurture our anger instead of spewing it mindlessly on someone else? To illuminate more mindful practices in regards to our emotional states, that takes the fusion patience, practice, and cultivating awareness.
In the poem “The Guest House”, Rumi claims that with the illumination of sunrise, every morning brings the awareness of a new emotion and experience to our life. The wisdom of the poem urges readers that we should learn to mindfully welcome all temporal experiences with radical acceptance:
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
May Challenge: Mindful Moments
This month I am challenging all of us to do one mindful thing a day. Let’s begin by illuminating our emotional experiences. Using the inspired fusion of Beltane, Mental Health awareness, sunshine, and Rumi, let’s spend times throughout the coming days to mindfully observe and accept our temporary house guests.
“If they are a guide on your journey towards a more mindful life, what are they trying to guide you towards? ”
I’ll discussing more about mindfulness, via IG and blog posts, and during my events in May (a tea meditation in person, as well as virtual meditation and writing workshops). Living a more mindful life, radically accepting it as it presents itself to you while working to illuminate the darkness, may not be that complicated to understand, but it isn’t easy to put to practice either. That’s why we will challenge ourselves and practice daily, in small ways often, together this May.
Happy Beltane, be good,
Amanda
