Just One Thing - change your brain by the way you use it

[Vicky67]

I've just ordered the book. I read Buddha's Brain earlier this year and it was excellent.

[Cori]

Hi
I am new to this site, I've found my way here via twitter #mindfulness. I've recently finished reading Ruby Waxs Sane New World and have found it helpful. I need some help putting some of the concepts into daily practice. Have just downloaded Just One Thing and hope to join you guys here throughout the year.

[JonW]

Hi Cori,
Welcome to Everyday Mindfulness.
Please make yourself at home here and feel free to ask any questions. I think you'll find us to be a friendly bunch and we're always happy to help out in whatever way we can.
All good things,
Jon, Hove

[Steve]

Just to remind everyone, we'll start tomorrow 29th but spend 2 weeks on chapter one so others can start on5th as well.

It may be
Interesting to monitor progress (over longish periods to avoid striving) . I think some p eople have used moodscope, any other suggestions?

Steve (via mobile phone)

[Shum]

Brothers and Sisters:

I received my JOT and reviewed ... beginning from the 'in praise of JOT and its author', introduction, and the activity one: Be for Yourself. I am rarely there for myself in the positive nurturing sense. By training I am drive to be a man for others and by imperfection I land to the opposite end: Being for myself in self-defense. I am amazed at the simplicity of the JOT and our team. I too found you through the twitter messages you sent. You can reach me @shumconnect

During this week after I made the decision to join this journey of the one thing needed ... training the mind for the moment to moment living ... I received an interesting e-mail from my other similar teams which served as confirming my inner voice.

I thought of sharing it with you: Rewiring the Brain ... http://conta.cc/19p9Wv8

I look forward to the daily practice and sharing of Activity One: Being for Myself

Forward and upward ...

Regards,

Shum

[Magpie]

I found this forum following a Twitter post that came up in my feed. I've read a couple of Rick Hanson's earlier books and I'm interested in joining this book effort. There was discussion about starting Dec. 29. Did that happen? I'm in the Midwest in the US, thus a few hours behind you.

[LA_light]

Hi,

I am in and just ordered a copy. Thank you for such a fantastic website. Mindfulness is life saving........

[betty.etal]

Hi everyone

Being new here I hope it's OK I jump in with some reflections on the first chapter. I'm very inspired and excited to be sharing this with you all. :0)

So I read the first chapter this morning and sat with it and it seems to fit so well with what I'm working with right now. With my mindfulness practice over the last little while I've become very very aware of how down on myself I am, and how I was conditioned to be that way. I decided as part of "Be for myself" I would write a declaration of independence from my parents' perceptions of me. I have commited to seeing myself with truth rather than conditioning and it feels good. :0)

I am very inspired by the idea of learning to be a good friend to myself. I've been there for others all my life, 2014 is going to be the year of learning to be there for me. I can see that my new practice of lovingkindness is going to support this - with my mindfulness developing I realised that it has to be coupled with lovingkindness for me, otherwise I fall back into my conditioned patterns of self-blame. I found a beautiful presentation of lovingkindness that is really helping me to open my heart to myself, which I'm working with daily (if anyone is curious, it's on Jack Kornfield's "Guided Meditations for Self-Healing" which is available as a download from Sounds True.com - and is currently available half price with their sale til the end of the year - see their home page for details on how to get the discount). I've tried to couple lovingkindness practice with mindfuness in the past and just didn't get it. Jack has got through to me!

I've decided that instead of trying to work with all the ideas in the chapter, I'm going to keep this really simple for myself. I'm going to have two practices throughout the next two weeks (that will hopefully continue well beyond that timeframe):

1. Daily lovingkindness meditation

2. Really emphasise watching out for the inner critic with my mindfulness practice, because I think it's those conditioned thoughts that most pull be away from "Be for myself".

I really look forward to sharing the journey through this book with you folk over the coming year.

Betty

[Steve]

Maggie. Yes, some of us arereading chapter one this week, others will join us next week (we'll spend 2 weeks on chapter one).

LA light. welcome, glad you are joining us

Betty. What a great start!. Thanks for the loving kindness link. For me 2 things have stood out so far - truly relaxing (letting go of the worries etc) and standing up for myself when criticized by others.

Steve

[Steve]

Hi all

Lack of internet access at home has made it tricky for me to post for the last 2 weeks but I'm in the office today so, whoopee, can catch up on some online stuff

For the benefit of newcomers (at the last count we had approx 14 people who have expressed interest in participating in this topic), the idea is to read one chapter a week (although we're spending 2 weeks on chpater one while everyone gets on board). Everyone is welcome to post comments, queries and share their experiences on that week's topic at any time during the week. Some like to do this mid week and/or end of the week, some just at the end of the week and others whenever they feel the urge to do so. You don't have to post anything if you don't to want although as much of the benefit comes from hearing about and sharing other people's experiences/problems/viewpoints, we hope that a good number of people will so we have a lively forum. A pattern may develop over the first few weeks and everyone's ideas and feedback is welcome. I am happy for it to develop however best suits the needs of the participants.

Enjoy being kind to yourself this week (I think one of my new year resolutions might be to treat myself to a massage once a month).

Steve

PS Don't forget to explore the other topics on this forum - there's lots of good stuff, intertesting discussions, moving stories, and a wide range of resources (thanks Gareth et al). There's also an introduction section if anyone wants to introdcue themseves and/or their interest in mindfulness.

PPS There are also further resources on JOT (Just One Thing) on Rick Hanson's website for anyone who wants to enrich their participation further.