06 March 2012

Season of Nonviolence - Day 36

Welcome to Day 36 of the Season of Nonviolence – 64 Days of peaceful wisdom honoring the lives and nonviolent principles of Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Cesar Chavez.

Nonviolence begins with learning how to be less violent and more compassionate towards ourselves. We learn by building the courage to speak and act with respect, honor and reverence for our own being.

Eleanor Roosevelt has urged, "You must do the things that you think you cannot do." Practicing these 64 Ways will challenge you to do things that you think you cannot do.



Day 36: MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness is thinking about what you’re doing and knowing why you’re doing it.  If we just act in each moment with composure and mindfulness, each minute of our life is a work of art.  Be aware of the motivation behind your action, the intention behind your words and the needs and experiences of other people.  By doing so, you are making life more beautiful and you are more likely to make nonviolent choices. 

"The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Today:  Choose something simple to do, such as eating a piece of fruit.  Bringing my complete attention to it, I will not allow myself to talk to anyone or think of anything else except what I'm doing.  Notice what my hands do, the way the food feels in my mouth, the taste, the texture, the idea of nourishing my body.  Is this different from the way I normally eat?  I will practice being mindful in everything I do today.

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