Tag: learn from the past

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Dream a little dream

Whenever we find ourselves experiencing transition in our life, it feels like a natural time to reflect. We reflect back upon the path that brought us here, we reflect inward and notice how we may have grown, changed, been affected by our path, and we look ahead with anticipation to what might lie on the horizon before us. The present moment may be the only moment we are truly guaranteed, but reflecting on our past brings our awareness to its teachings and enables us to apply those lessons as we embark upon the journey ahead.

Mindfulness practice teaches us to notice our attachments and judgments so we can then release them and observe what arises in an open and receptive way. Reflect upon the last 12 months with this sense of open curiosity; let it be an exploration that allows you to identify highs and lows, joys and sorrows, lessons learned that perhaps changed the way you do things, see things, respond to things. What challenged you this year? What caused you to feel pain or sorrow or anger or loss? Acknowledge the trials and the missteps and the frustrations with compassion. If they imparted some wisdom, opened a window to a new perspective or opportunity, you may wish to give thanks for their lessons. Now, what brought you joy this year? What made your heart sing? What lifted your spirits and made you come alive? Look back with a smile in your heart and be grateful for all of these shining lights that lit the way forward.

When you consider the highs of the past year, do you notice any themes or patterns? Are there certain actions, places, people that have woven a common thread of joy through your experience? There are no guarantees for our path ahead – there is only this moment and the way we respond to it. However, living with mindful presence does not preclude our dreaming and imagining and cultivating joy and light on the path ahead. The more joy we find in everyday occurrences, in simple acts, in our sensory experience of the world around us, the more inclined we are to joy. These actions and places and people that brought us joy this year are the starting point, the realisation that joy is possible even in the midst of our challenge and darkness and sorrow. When we look back and see our joys, they become familiar friends that we will recognise more easily the next time around – we will welcome them in each time they arrive and be grateful for whatever they have to teach us.

Soon we will celebrate the end of one year and usher in the next. Let this be an opportunity to reflect back on the year that was, to gaze inward and acknowledge what may have changed, and to cast your eyes and imagination forward to the year that lies ahead. While there may be sadness or pain in our future, there will always be opportunities to find joy – we need only open our hearts, our minds, our dreams and welcome it in.

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Lest we forget

Handmade ceramic poppies at the Tower of London, honouring the sacrifice of British soldiers in WWI

On November 11th each year, we remember the fallen, those who made the ultimate sacrifice, who gave their lives so that we might live in freedom.  Over the years, no matter where in the world I was living on November 11th, I always watched the Canadian Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa and honoured our many heroes with a moment of silence and reflection.  Hearing that lone bugle play The Last Post never fails to bring tears to my eyes, and I reflect with awe and deep respect on the young men and women who have left their families behind to defend against tyranny and protect our freedom.

2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the Armistice that signalled the end of World War I, as well as Canada’s Hundred Days, a three-month stretch of extraordinary Canadian Corps victories from August 8th to November 11th, 1918.  The last living veteran of WWI died in 2012 – Florence Green, a British woman who served in the Allied armed forces; the last living Canadian veteran of WWI was John Babcock, who died in 2010.  With no remaining voices to share firsthand stories of those harrowing years, it is left to us to honour their memory and remember their sacrifice.

When we speak of mindfulness practice, our focus is usually on connecting to the present moment.  We remind ourselves that the past is gone, the future is not yet here, and the present moment is the only moment we are guaranteed.  While dwelling on past events can cause us suffering, remembering loved ones who are no longer with us can also give us perspective, teaching us lessons that we can apply to our present moment experience.  Bringing mindful awareness to our collective past helps connect us to the wisdom of that history so that we might use that knowledge to guide us on the journey ahead. What better way to honour sacrifice than to learn from the circumstances that led to it and avoid such sacrifice in the future?

It has been 100 years since the ‘war to end all wars’ came to an end.  To look at the world around us now, it might seem that we have learned little at all from our collective history, as we continue to repeat the same mistakes and fight the same battles a century later.  We can see echoes of this in the microcosm of our meditation practice – the same thought patterns, the same judgements, the same self-criticisms coming up time and again.  We could throw up our hands in despair and give up any hope of achieving peace – within ourselves, and in the world around us – or we could continue our mindful practices in earnest, radiating lovingkindness, compassion, acceptance and equanimity.  As Mahatma Gandhi reminded us: “A thousand candles can be lighted from the flame of one candle and the life of the candle will not be shortened.”  Our candle is lit from within and the flame grows stronger and brighter as we continually cultivate peace and love and compassion in our hearts.  At first glance, our practice might seem to strengthen only our own flame, and we might think sharing it could diminish its brightness; in fact, that strength empowers us to light a thousand more candles.  By cultivating our practice, by nourishing our own inner flame, we can help spread lovingkindness around the world – and maybe someday we can achieve the peace for which so many have fought and sacrificed.