Mindfulness Unites Us

Author

Retreat at Church Ranch, The

For more information about the author, click to view their website: The Retreat at Church Ranch

Posted on

May 17, 2023

Book/Edition

Colorado - Denver Metro

Rudyard Kipling’s “The Ballad of East and West” famously stated, “Oh, East is East and West is West, and never the twain shall meet.” East does meet West in old age, and specifically in Mindfulness. Mindfulness means non-judgmentally paying attention in the present moment.

In “The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying” by Sogyal Rinpoche, mindfulness meditation is described as “bringing the mind home”. This notion of bringing the mind home has profound implications for “finding your voice,” giving form and direction to one’s generativity, and discovering personal cogency and meaning in one’s life story. By bringing the mind home, the heart opens, and a reconnection to the spirit occurs.

Evidence of contemplating life and old age, and considering life stage development, is not exclusive to western academics. Consider this Chinese poem by Po Chu-i:

On Being Sixty:

Between thirty and forty, one is distracted by the Five Lusts.

Between seventy and eighty, one is prey to 100 diseases.

But from fifty to sixty-one is free from all ills; calm and still—the heart enjoys rest.

I have put behind me Love and Greed; I have done with Profit and Fame; I am still short of illness and decay and far from decrepit age.

Strength of limb I still possess to seek the rivers and hills; still my heart has spirit enough to listen to flutes and strings.

At leisure I open new wine and taste several cups; drunken, I recall old poems and sing a whole volume.

From the Upajjhatthana Sutta, a Buddhist text circa 500 BC:

I am sure to become old; I cannot avoid aging.

I am sure to become ill; I cannot avoid illness.

I am sure to die; I cannot avoid death.

I must be separated and parted from all that is dear and beloved to me.

            I am the owner of my actions, heir of my actions, actions are the womb (from which I have sprung), actions are my relations, actions are my protection. Whatever actions I do, good or bad, of these I shall become their heir.

Carl Jung used the term “provisional Life” to describe an attitude toward life that is imaginary and in denial of one’s true situation. This approach is not a mature coping mechanism. Mindfulness restores one’s true situation and grounds us.

Editor's Note: This article was submitted by Robin Avery. Robin is the owner of The Retreat at Church Ranch and can be reached at 303-847-2233 and emailed at retreatceorobin@gmail.com.

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Retreat at Church Ranch, The

Assisted Living 10190 Wadsworth Boulevard, Westminster, Colorado, 80021

The Retreat at Church Ranch is truly a lovely community, staffed and occupied by lovely people. Our mission is to provide care and service with excellence. Located in a very convenient area of the Denver Boulder Corridor, just off of Hwy. 36, we are a warm and welcoming community of fifty-five. Here you will enjoy activities rich with exercise, story telling, bingo, games, parties and art groups. We offer a variety of floor plans and flexible and inclusive pricing. Please call or drop in for a tour.