Rob describes the unsettled mind, and describes how we go about settling it through focused attention on the breath and how this activates the parasympathetic (soothing) nervous system.

Thoughts will come and go but we practice letting them go past without engaging with them.

(13 mins)

COMPASSION RETREAT DAY 2 PART 2

When we realise we are all in the same big neurotic mess as each other, not only can we let ourselves off the hook and forgive ourselves... this naturally leads to us being more understanding of others...we can forgive them too.. and compassion flows naturally from our heart towards ourselves and others. When we are able to let go of resentment and guilt this can free up an enormous amount of energy in us.

COMPASSION RETREAT DAY 6 PART 3

When we understand cause and effect it empowers us - we realise that it is just a flow of life - anything we are experiencing in this moment is the result of causes and effects leading up to that moment as a result of our activity in the past. Anything we experience in the future is a product of what we are saying and doing now. You are a master of your own destiny. 

Compassion arises spontaneously when we realise completeness. Our egocentric preference system blocks us from realising our full potential and becoming one with unity, completeness. We cant see completeness because our ego gets in the way and blocks it like a dam.

When we move beyond the rational world we become unsure and move into not-knowing and if we become confused at this stage then this is good as the rational cognitive structure is beginning to lose its grip. Non-conceptual awareness cannot be described in words.

COMPASSION RETREAT DAY 6 PART 4

Reflection on perspectives.
When we can let go of our egocentric grasping it opens up a whole world of joy, where compassion drives us rather than striving to be right, from a self-centred perspective. When we give up egocentric perspective we connect with others, we see that everything is interconnected. We find joy and freedom.

COMPASSION RETREAT DAY 7 PART 1

Reflections: (before you listen...)
Reflect on an occasion when you were rejected
Reflect on when you rejected someone else...
When you did something bad... how did that feel?
And if there was one person who accepted you when you did something bad without blame or criticism... how did that feel?

Reflections and some insights regarding the dynamic energy that lies beneath the conceptual labels we apply to our feelings - there is so much more to explore beneath the labels.

COMPASSION RETREAT DAY 9 PART 1

"Neurosis is a substitute for legitimate pain".

The standard reaction of mind is to suppress, deny, pull away, and of course alienate – this is how we get out of touch with feelings. With 'legitimate' pain there is a feeling of oh, I did something wrong – there’s pain – but we cover it up with a substitute which is much worse and this is where we become trapped in all these substitutes because mind has a notion that it can avoid feeling original pain – somehow it thinks it can can negotiate its way out of it – rationalize it.
 
Denial blocks us from compassion - it blocks giving out - it blocks receiving it, it blocks us from acceptance.

COMPASSION RETREAT DAY 2 PART 2

Mindfulness Association

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