Radical Acceptance
Today I am grateful for prayers and mantras that bring me peace and presence. I am also grateful for the smell of coffee brewing.
A few weeks ago I read a thought-provoking book titled Radical Acceptance by Dr. Tara Brach. My sister recommended it, and with a title like that I was happy to dive in. I meant to blog about it sooner, but other posts kept coming up and wanting to be written about. Luckily, it's never too late to write about a book that leaves us thinking. Dr. Brach is a clinical psychologist and a Buddhist lay priest. She teaches mindfulness meditation.
There was a time in my life where acceptance seemed like a radical idea and one I struggled with. If I simply accepted life, how would I grow and improve and save the world and myself in the process? How would I show my worthiness and value if I just took things as they came? I didn't have a clue as to what healthy acceptance even meant.
I at least have more of a clue today. I at least understand the difference between mindfulness and mind-fullness. I understand that meditation starts with a quiet heart and mind. And I understand that acceptance is vital to living a life that is more energizing than it is draining.
To me, acceptance means coming to terms with the parts of life that I have no control over--mainly other people, places, and things. That frees up much more energy for me to focus on what I do have control over--my own attitude and actions. It also means accepting things as the moments and hours of a day unfold. Little doses of acceptance ongoing, not one huge dose that would choke even the most accepting of people.
Dr. Brach defines radical acceptance, on p. 25 in her book, as " . . . accepting absolutely everything about ourselves and our lives, by embracing with wakefulness and care our moment to moment experience." She goes on to say "By accepting absolutely everything about ourselves and our lives, what I mean is that we are aware of what is happening within our body and mind in any given moment without trying to control or judge or pull away. I do not mean that we are putting up with harmful behavior-our own or another's."
Absolutely everything? No controlling or judging? I find it is possible to accept in that moment to moment way, by paying attention to my body, mind, and heart. Radical acceptance then doesn't seem so radical. Thanks Dr. Brach!
A few weeks ago I read a thought-provoking book titled Radical Acceptance by Dr. Tara Brach. My sister recommended it, and with a title like that I was happy to dive in. I meant to blog about it sooner, but other posts kept coming up and wanting to be written about. Luckily, it's never too late to write about a book that leaves us thinking. Dr. Brach is a clinical psychologist and a Buddhist lay priest. She teaches mindfulness meditation.
There was a time in my life where acceptance seemed like a radical idea and one I struggled with. If I simply accepted life, how would I grow and improve and save the world and myself in the process? How would I show my worthiness and value if I just took things as they came? I didn't have a clue as to what healthy acceptance even meant.
I at least have more of a clue today. I at least understand the difference between mindfulness and mind-fullness. I understand that meditation starts with a quiet heart and mind. And I understand that acceptance is vital to living a life that is more energizing than it is draining.
To me, acceptance means coming to terms with the parts of life that I have no control over--mainly other people, places, and things. That frees up much more energy for me to focus on what I do have control over--my own attitude and actions. It also means accepting things as the moments and hours of a day unfold. Little doses of acceptance ongoing, not one huge dose that would choke even the most accepting of people.
Dr. Brach defines radical acceptance, on p. 25 in her book, as " . . . accepting absolutely everything about ourselves and our lives, by embracing with wakefulness and care our moment to moment experience." She goes on to say "By accepting absolutely everything about ourselves and our lives, what I mean is that we are aware of what is happening within our body and mind in any given moment without trying to control or judge or pull away. I do not mean that we are putting up with harmful behavior-our own or another's."
Absolutely everything? No controlling or judging? I find it is possible to accept in that moment to moment way, by paying attention to my body, mind, and heart. Radical acceptance then doesn't seem so radical. Thanks Dr. Brach!
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