Begin Againners Mind

Session notes

Note to self: I’d like the focus of this session to be about “meditating off the cushion.” How can we be better people to the people around us?

Something I’ve found really powerful is the practice of “Begin again.”

My experience with this practice is that the bad feelings (like judgement or frustration or anger) sublimates: it goes from feeling solid to feeling like a gas. Which then dissipates as in a strong breeze.

The practice is: as soon as you notice, begin again. Let go of the past, of whatever has come before. Drop whatever story you’ve been telling yourself. Forgive yourself any mistakes and failures up until now. And you act like you would on your best day.

Something that maybe makes it stand out for me is that it’s clear that this is not just about meditation. It’s about life, about how we are with ourselves, with other people. (And one of the secrets is that they’re not separate things)

If you’re meditating and you notice you were lost in thought. Just begin again. If you’re talking to someone and you notice that you weren’t being as kind or patient as you would like. Just begin again. Just drop the past, the story. Treat this next moment as if it’s brand new, totally fresh. Another way of putting it: “Treat the next thing as the first thing.”

Something to note is that it’s very rarely a “one and done.” Begin again, in this moment. And then begin again again, a few moments from now. That’s the practice. Beginning again, again.

Refined notes

• “Just… begin again” can be powerful.

• We can get past every embarrassment, indignity, disappointment.

• We are always free to begin again, at any moment.
• In fact, we can’t help but do so.
• The present moment is our only opportunity to connect with life.
• Another way of putting it: “Treat the next thing as the first thing.”
• Anothernother way: Live the next moment as though it’s new, because it is.

• Beginning again lets us seize the (rest of the) day. It lets us stop mistakes snowballing.

• Begin again.
• Forgive yourself every failure, completely and immediately.
• Without judgement, without disappointment, without contraction.

• Don’t hold your happiness hostage, contingent on unmet demands.

• Freedom can only be found in the present moment.
• Clearly notice the present moment.

• Fully commit to the present.

• Relinquishing the past.
• Whatever’s been done or left undone

• Stop telling yourself a story about the past.

• If you feel frustrated, or you’re judging yourself, just notice that too.
• Those feelings are perfectly good as objects of meditation.
• Frustration, judgement, are just more thoughts.
• They’re the contents of consciousness, not the context.

Jiggled notes

• Just begin again.

• “Begin again” can be powerful.

• It’s always possible to recover this freedom.
• Break the spell at any point.
• We must always begin again. Nothing lasts.
• Tomorrow never comes. Begin again now.
• The present moment is our only opportunity to connect with life.

• You’re utterly free to begin again in this moment.

• Stops a mistake (or many mistakes!) snowballing into a failure.

• Seize the (rest of the) day.

• Treat the next thing as the first thing.
• Begin again, in each moment.

• Live the next moment as though it’s new, because it is.

• Without judgement, without disappointment, without contraction.
• Forgive yourself, completely and immediately.
• Completely surrender. Give up the war.
• Don’t hold yourself hostage, contingent on unmet demands.
• There’s no reason to hesitate to begin again.

• Forgive yourself every failure.

• Clear noticing of the present moment.
• The moment you notice, begin again, fully commit, by relinquishing the past.
• Stop telling yourself a story about the past. Fully commit to the present.
• Whatever’s been done or left undone, just begin again.
• Freedom is not elsewhere, or later. It’s here, now.
• Drop your reactivity entirely. Become weightless.

• Rest as consciousness, in this moment. And again, mere moments from now.

• Notice frustration, judgement, as appearances in consciousness.
• They’re just as good as objects of meditation.
• Everything is fit object of mindfulness. Including fidgeting.

• Judgement is just another thought.

• Ethical force too. The only way to truly forgive is to restart the clock in the present.

• We get hundreds of opportunities a day to practice it.
• Everyone is merely striving to be happy.

• Feel compassion for this whole catastrophe.

• It’s how we surmount every embarrassment, indignity, disappointment.
• Aspire towards living without regret.
• Use regret to strengthen your commitment to being free.
• Let regret energise you, get your priorities straight.

• Be grateful to see your missteps. To have a chance to start again.

• There’s no boundary between meditation and life.

• The practice is to recognise that experience is only consciousness and its contents.

• Commit to enjoying the process.

Raw notes

• “Begin again” can be powerful.
• Stops a mistake (or many mistakes!) snowballing into a failure.
• Treat the next thing as the first thing.
• Seize the (rest of the) day.
• Forgive yourself, completely and immediately.
• Begin again, in each moment.
• Clear noticing of the present moment.
• Without judgement, without disappointment, without contraction.
• It’s always possible to recover this freedom.
• Break the spell at any point.
• Notice frustration, judgement, as appearances in consciousness.
• They’re just as good as objects of meditation.
• Ethical force too. The only way to truly forgive is to restart the clock in the present.
• We get hundreds of opportunities a day to practice it.
• The moment you notice, begin again, fully commit, by relinquishing the past.
• Stop telling yourself a story about the past. Fully commit to the present.
• We must always begin again. Nothing lasts.
• The present moment is our only opportunity to connect with life.
• It’s how we surmount every embarrassment, indignity, disappointment.
• Live the next moment as though it’s new, because it is.
• Just begin again.
• There’s no reason to hesitate to begin again.
• Tomorrow never comes. Begin again now.
• Freedom is not elsewhere, or later. It’s here, now.
• Don’t hold yourself hostage, contingent on unmet demands.
• Whatever’s been done or left undone, just begin again.
• Everything is fit object of mindfulness. Including fidgeting.
• There’s no boundary between meditation and life.
• Aspire towards living without regret.
• Use regret to strengthen your commitment to being free.
• You’re utterly free to begin again in this moment.
• Drop your reactivity entirely. Become weightless.
• Rest as consciousness, in this moment. And again, mere moments from now.
• Completely surrender. Give up the war.
• The practice is to recognise that experience is only consciousness and its contents.
• Everyone is merely striving to be happy.
• Feel compassion for this whole catastrophe.
• Let regret energise you, get your priorities straight.
• Be grateful to see your missteps. To have a chance to start again.
• Commit to enjoying the process.
• Forgive yourself every failure.
• Judgement is just another thought.

Waking Up sessions

• Episode 21 - Work in Progress Show - Begin Again
• Fundamentals - Begin Again
• Mind & Emotion - Just Begin Again
• Member Questions: Shadi Hamid - Dealing With Fidgetiness
• Getting Started - Start Here
• Mind & Emotion - The Power of Regret

Added 2024-08-27, last updated 2024-08-29.