A few years ago, I was at a birthday party and noticed that one of the entertainers was blowing up balloons. He would let the children burst the balloon, then instantly he would blow up another. Again they would burst the balloon, and again he would blow up another. The children enjoyed bursting the man’s balloons. Each time they did this he would pretend to be disappointed and surprised. But even though he had lots of experience and it was his job to entertain the children, I am sure it was tiring forever blowing up balloons. 

 

There is much more understanding and greater publicity than ever before of the real human cost behind the mental health issues that so many of us deal with everyday. 

 

Our young student's powerful blog of her mindfulness classes last year, gives us another dimension to the power of friendship, the need for perseverence and her courage. 

 

When my best friend asked me if I wanted to go on a mindfulness course, I was immediately doubtful. 

 

I'm the type of person who can't ever mentally switch off. Add to that a lot of external factors - an intense relationship breakdown, debt, stresses at work, an upcoming house move and a masters dissertation and you're left with extreme insomnia and severe depression. I was at a point in my life where I did not want to live my life, my thoughts were a constant stream of self criticism and on several occasions I tried to end this. 

 

One of my most profound lessons from Suryacitta’s teachings is: understanding the true value of direct experience…. 

 

As a traditional acupuncturist, steeped in Daoist theory (Yin/Yang, the Law of the Five Elements, the Eight Principles etc.), my critical thinking often prompts me to challenge new teachings to see how they fit into the law models that are familiar to me. 

 

Around 10 years ago I spent a month in Nepal with Gaynor my wife trekking the Himalayas, it was a good trip. Whilst there I must have contracted some sort of virus which my body didn’t like. 

 

One evening whilst having a meal together I felt awful, I was sick and needed to go to the bathroom. 

 

I actually passed out and my wife got me back safely to our hotel. The next day there was so no sign of anything amiss. 

 

I listen to Surya’s Monday morning meditation on Facebook as he guides us to, “Drop into the body”. And it feels like a drop. I’m off to Krakow this summer and a friend recommended I go to some underground caves, which involves a dabble in pot-holing to get there. So now I don’t meditate as often, coming into the body feels like delving into the depths of a cave, with a hint of trepidation at what might be lurking around the next corner. After the initial drop, I’m fine – which I imagine is similar to the actual cave experience – but I’m definitely more tentative when it’s time to ‘come home to the body’ compared to when I was regularly practising throughout my course. 

 

All plants and trees are healthier and stronger when they have healthy roots, they have more stability if those roots reach deep into the earth. 

 

If we take a plant out of the earth and lay it on the ground it doesn’t take long before it withers and dies. 

 

Mindfulness is like a tree, it too has roots, and its roots go very deep into the Buddhist tradition. Roots which go back 2500 years. 

 

What does the word mindfulness mean to you? 

Is it something you are or something you do.