‘The Art of Tree Planting is Soil Preparation’

Landscape Gardener c2009

Making It Easy!

If you are reading this page, some difficulties have arisen. When things seem strenuously difficult, our first task is to find a viable starting point.

The first step is to note how our way of seeing/thinking can produce the strain that we experience. How so?

If we believe that what we seek is impossible, no amount of strain is going to lead to the success that we seek. It is better to let it go and do something else.

If we believe that what we seek is possible, then strain is not necessary and is likely to get in the way of attaining it.

From this perspective, we can approach any question - not from its point of difficulty but - from the starting-point of the resources we have available to us for clarifying what we are seeking and allowing creative solutions to enter our awareness.

And, what are our most fundamental resources?

Our mind, our body and our awareness, of course!

Our mind and body are complex faculties with phenomenal capabilities, most of which are at our service without our being aware of them. The more we appreciate them, the more they can do the work while we enjoy the benefits! Our question then becomes one of, ‘How best to prepare our mind and body for satisfying solutions?

Our awareness needs no preparation or work. It is always there, our quietly available home base when we are uncertain; a sanctuary from confusion, and conflicting opinions and ideas. We just have to begin accessing it. We can do so in simple ways that involve pausing to allow stillness; even in brief moments, taking an extended moment of awareness to breathe, to take one’s time to respond from awareness, rather than to be reacting. The more we allow its point of balance to inform our everyday thinking, the more life surprises us with inspirations and creative developments.

Preparing for Ease in Study/Work/Life

Without inspiration, our intellect and body – however well-read or exercised - operate with the strain of disorientation and counter-force friction. The satisfaction that we seek eludes us, even in moments of success are tinged with ‘buts’.

As we decide to accomplish with inspiration, there are simple ways that we can cultivate the conditions for allowing it. The pointers that follow begin working immediately in subtle ways whenever we are putting them into practice; effects become more distinct as we become more consistent in doing so.

Put in the most basic terms: For your MIND to be able to offer you clarity and dexterity, it needs reference points in stillness and structure.

Most of the links below are to free resources, offering ways to calm the mind and care for the body. They offer starting points; as you explore, you will find your own viable pathways and inspiring sources for building further.

All the resources listed here imply some form of STRUCTURE, whether in terms of rhythm, frequency, good posture or in the physical structures that we commonly understand. This is because in order for your ideas to work in practice, your mind and body need to work with basic structures to organise and coordinate them. Thus, some basic attention to structure is one of the easiest and most profitable elements to invest in, repaying with infinite rewards.

For the BODY to be eager to sustain work, it needs basic care, including movement and REST. Our movement finds its precision against a background of stillness.

STILLNESS

  • Quiet and Breathing: Taking 15-20 minutes each day, preferably before you start your day, you may sit or lie down in a comfortable position- rest your thoughts and focus on your breathing. This is transformative in itself and it’s easy and it’s free! With this, things become easier and easier, with new and inspiring ideas occurring to you naturally.
  • Guided Meditations:
    • Consistently raising mood with a few minutes at the beginning of your day and/or before you sleep allows you the security of calm and clarity on which to build.
    • If you are a beginner, guided meditations that refer to the body as a frame of reference is a sound approach.There are many teachers offering books, podcasts, apps and videos now available with guidance to wisdom practices. Trusting your own intuitions about what you feel ready for at any given time is a valuable in the learning process.

APPRECIATION

  • Appreciation for our body is a vital starting point. The source of obstacles in our lives are evident in our attitude towards our body;
  • Sleep – sufficient for you to feel fresh and rested;
  • Movement – even a few minutes of movement stimulates and coordinates your mind and your body;
  • Posture – even basic awareness of good posture has subtle effects;
  • Fluids – preferably water, not stimulants;
  • Food – nutrition relative to your bodily needs;

Ergonomics

Raising awareness of posture when working at a computer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riD8Xt8r1MQ&t=10s

Mind Training

Some short videos with some basic ideas and exercises for developing your natural abilities.

Your Focus – The cardinal principle of focus is: Focus on something OTHER than what you DO NOT want);
Your moment-to-moment attention is one of your most powerful assets. When you observe something unwanted, this is an opportunity to use your ability to think to define more clearly what you DO want, dropping any ‘ifs, buts and maybes’. Relaxing and re-focusing your attention AWAY from brooding on obstacles or injustices, allows your mind to reorient its action in creative ways.

Your Mood - You have more influence than you think. You can set your mood for raising capability – Short, Funny and informative – Ted Talk

ted.com/talks/shawn_achor_the_happy_secret_to_better_work

Your Imagination - Imagination is our ability to see beyond what our strictly physical senses tell us. It is vital for the resourceful thinking that we need for learning, working or responding to new situations. It is sometimes discouraged as we are growing up, and this leaves us less able to accomplish what we want.

5 exercises + 1 youtube.com/watch?v=wWBoxUkTEXY

Your Attention Span - Extend your ability to hold your attention. (see 1st exercise for contemplating any object for 5 minutes)

Your Action - Develop your ability to put your (best) ideas into action. (see the exercise of giving yourself an instruction to carry out.

6 basic Exercises - youtube.com/watch?v=rvDqKRqqLJE

ROMBi

ROMBi puzzle is an exceptional aid for study-work-life. Custom-designed to address issues with concentration, clarity, reading, writing, comprehension, coordination, organisation of ideas, communication, confusion/anxiety, putting ideas into practice, overwork. Daily puzzle play brings structure, stability and consistency to all forms of work, working with ease and effectiveness.

Easy to use for learners and professionals, it works by enhancing perceptual organisation/integration. Correlating the blocks to the puzzle patterns, following the process through perceptual obstacles enables their dissipation; aiding concentration, bringing calm, clarity and structure and ease in tasks involving study, work, parenting, domestic chores, and even relationships. Integrating the subtle operations of mind and body enhances your ability to put your ideas into practice. ROMBi can be used within the context of specialist tutorials/coaching/mentoring/therapy, as well as for  independent work/study for extending capabilities.

For further information: www.rombipuzzle.com

Jigzone

Jigsaw puzzles aid concentration, focus attention, bring calm and clarity for ease of study. Although the physical/tactile version achieves more, these will get you started and students find them very useful and accessible.

www.jigzone.com

Basics of Juggling:

If you want to take bodily coordination further, learning to juggle can assist with raising mood, focusing attention, coordination of mind and body, living in time, holding your intention while handling multiple perspectives.

youtube.com/watch?v=rDZLR_1ut6E