Week One • The Power of Intention: Set a Foundation for Your Challenge
December 1, 2020
Challenge Update • Day 11
December 11, 2020
Dear fellow traveler in the Challenge,
Welcome to the second week of the Challenge! This week we are building on our intentions, and looking at the power of attention and its role in shaping our lives.
Attention is the practice of diligent and participatory observation. Why participatory? Because it is a part of ourselves we give to our relationships, our surroundings, and our internal experience. Diligent, because it involves making a moment-to-moment choice to turn towards experience. It goes against the grain of mental habits, where we typically notice what is most stimulating (e.g. the ping of a new message on your phone), or pursue a trail of thinking spurned on by an observation (three pages later, what was I reading again?), or even misinterpret what we notice because of personal bias (what I thought you said is….).
We can strengthen the power of attention through regular practice. Well-tuned attentional tone is both an unconscious and conscious process. Unconsciously, our mind can quieten distractions before they arise in consciousness. And consciously, we can let go of experiences outside the scope of attention, and put greater energy towards our intentions.
Attention has the power to reify our intentions. Without our attention, our intentions are just dreams.
Neuroscientist and mindfulness teacher Sam Harris says
“There is now little question that how one uses one’s attention, moment to moment, largely determines what kind of person one becomes. Our minds—and lives—are largely shaped by how we use them.“
We look forward to sharing a week of practice with you.
With warmth and gratitude,
Karen and Chris
Intro to Week 2: Challenge Vlog
This week we investigate the power of attention. What do you give yourself to? How do you sustain your focus? (2:30 mins)
5-Minutes-or-Less Practice for Week 2
This week the daily practice is a little different. We’d like you to choose an activity you do every day (that’s part of your routine), that takes 5 minutes or less. While you are doing this activity, try to pay attention to the sensations, the sounds, the feelings in your body, the thoughts that arise in your mind, your mood, even the emotions the activity provokes. What is it like to devote yourself fully to this activity?
Meditation Video #3 • Guided Focus
Attention can be wide or narrow, scattered or focused, far-reaching or turned inwards. In this meditation, we explore the movement of attention on a gradual path from the outer to inner realm of experience. (18 mins)
The next meditation comes your way on Friday December 11th.
Upcoming Challenge Events
Partner Yoga
Tuesday December 8th, 2020 • 6pm – 7pm
with Chris and Karen
You and your partner will be guided through safe partner-assisted stretches and yoga postures, working with each other for support. This is a relaxed, instructional and playful class, perfect you those who are new to yoga, or those who are experienced in the practice.
Can I do this with my partner who’s never done yoga? Yes.
Can I do this with my child? Probably, depending on their attention span.
Can I do this with my Labradoodle? Probably not, but we’re not going to stop you.
Movement, Mantra and Meditation
Thursday December 10th, 2020 • 6pm – 7pm
with Chris and Karen
In addition to a warming and mobilizing series of yoga postures, this class will incorporate the some of the subtler practices of yoga including pranayama, meditation and mantra. Energize your body, build self-awareness, settle your mind and fill your heart through a blended practice of traditional and contemporary yoga exercises.
Join the Facebook Challenge Group
Here we can talk about the Challenge, and share inspiration and insights.
Check out the Challenge Dashboard
The Challenge Dashboard is your challenge tracker, to see your progress and that of your co-challengers, and register for classes and special events. Your name appears by a chosen “nickname”, which you can customize. You can also opt-out of the challenge board.
