It’s Here. Are You?2020.


A New Year & A New Vision 2020. M


y fi rst thought when I hear that number is of 20/20 vi- sion, as in eye test charts and clear or blurry letters. If I’m the only one whose mind works that way, welcome


to my world! (Now try not to think of an eye chart when you write 2020!) Moving forward with the concept of sight, what if, instead of measuring visual acuity, 2020 represents the year that your inner vision, your intentions, your resolutions, and your attention become stronger . . . so crystal clear that your life will be for- ever transformed? If that sounds like a huge ask, please allow me to explain.


As I consider 2020 and the association it has (for me) with vision, my mind conjures a riot of thoughts, words and concepts that remind me of Mindfulness - a popular and effective means of fulfi lling our most heartfelt goals, enriching our experience of life, and relieving physical pain as well as mental/emotional stress. A tall order, perhaps, but Mindfulness practice offers all that


and more. Just as when we sit before an eye test chart, Mindful- ness practice invites us to bring our full attention to what is in front of us; to truly see what we see; to, in other words, experi- ence our experience—whether it’s a thought, a sound, a touch, a taste, a sight or any other encounter. But what does it mean to truly experience an experience? If you can remember your fi rst kiss, the sweet juiciness of a per-


fectly ripe mango, or how it felt to witness the birth or the pass- ing of a loved one, you have ‘experienced the experience’. You were, without any effort, completely present, engaged and in touch with what was happening. Because you were totally present, it might be fairly easy to


remember the experience and feel the feelings you felt then . . . as if the event was happening right now. You can do this because you—with all of your attention—were there for it. You experi- enced the experience.


A Natural Curiosity In every moment of every day, we have that same ability. We can bring that kind of intention and attention to each moment, inviting a ‘heightened awareness’ into our lives simply by notic- ing where we are, what we are doing, and how we are feeling. When we are able to do that, when we are able to be that pres- ent, life becomes richer and fuller. Transformed. We become again like little children, greeting the world and


each new experience with a sense of curiosity and openness. Anais Nin, a 20th Century writer and poet said, “We see the world not as it is, but as we are.” Rather than meet the world with the openness and curiosity of young children, as adults we live in a world based on our conditioning and expectations, on how we were taught to think and feel, with attitudes and opinions that we learned from our parents, our schools, friends and so- called enemies. But what might life be like if we could see the world with fresh eyes; with that childlike openness and curiosity? Can you


January 2020 15


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