[blockquote source=”Pema Chödrön”]“When you feel bad, let it be your link to others’ suffering. When you feel good, let it be your link with others’ joy.”[/blockquote]

As a child, did you ever spend hours sitting beneath your favorite tree, contemplating the beauty of a single patch of moss?

Incredible, wasn’t it? To be so effortlessly lost in our interaction with this world. No urgent phone calls to make, no ‘make it or break it’ meetings to attend.

Life was much simpler, and yet…far more expansive.

As a child, we didn’t allow our imaginations to be thwarted by the science of physics and the probability of the ‘good guy’ winning after all. In those days, what we thought – we believed, and we believed with all of our heart.

And, it didn’t matter so much who was right or wrong – so long as, at the end of the day, the ball got played.

Oh, and fairy tales? They always had a happy ending.

In those days, we were fascinated with every aspect of this earth – drawn in deeply for a much closer look. We wanted to know things, to understand…to experience.

We wanted to come home with a good bit of much on our jeans (even if they were our very best school clothes). And, there were simply no limits to our explorations.

But then, something happened, didn’t it? As we grew older, our attentions shifted. In time, even our play days became schedule driven.

And sadly, we seem to have replaced the joy of discovering with an overly regimented learning process.

Is it any wonder why we’ve become so separated from our own awareness?

Sure, it would be easy to blame such matters on the rigors of ‘growing up.’ But, if I might be so blunt to ask…what does age have to do with mindfulness?

Not ironically, the sales for those books, audio tapes and workshops intending to alleviate our distractions are through the roof. I have actually attended these such workshops – and, I am always baffled by the number of people racing to their mobile phones during breaks.

It seems, there is always something to pull us back into those same desperate, old patterns. Of course, when we were much younger those patterns included tree climbing and cookie ‘dunking.’

Beloved American Buddhist teacher Pema Chödrön provides thoughtful introspection on this topic, by asking us to “walk the walk” and engage with our most authentic self.

[blockquote source=”Pema Chödrön, 4Keys to Waking Up via Andrea Miller, Shambala Sun“]“You got any idea what I mean by that?” she asks the retreatants. “One attribute that can be true of fake spiritual people is that they wear fake spiritual clothing,” she says, taking a light crack at her own tidy burgundy robes. But what being a fake spiritual person really means, she explains, “is that you’re suffering a lot and you want to mask your suffering with some kind of spiritual glow. You’re trying to transcend the messiness of life by being beatific and radiant.” In contrast, Ani Pema continues, “Walking the walk means you’re very genuine and down to earth. You take the teachings as good medicine for the things that are confusing to you and for the suffering of your life.”[/blockquote]

So, how do we get there? How do we return to these moments of simple, and yet very profound, awareness?

1) Unplug.

When I was younger, I remember my mother yelling, “Turn off that dreadful television.” She never had to ask us more than once, either – as, we knew there was a whole world out there just waiting for us ‘wee explorers.’ Some of you may be too young to remember, but in those days the television was referred to as the ‘idiot box.’ I always took this to mean, “You’re an idiot if you’re sitting here all day, instead of playing out doors.”

And, *gasp*….we didn’t have answering machines, either. Because in those days, if it was important, people would simply call back.

My daughter and I have found Sundays to be a good day for turning off all of our electronics, for sitting comfortably on the couch with the windows open…discussing life, love…Buddhism.

In our disconnecting, we become connected. And, isn’t that the way it should be?

2) Communicate.

Quick – tell me two things about your neighbors that aren’t available on the internet. What are their values? What are their beliefs? What has shaped them to be the humans that they are today?

It’s so easy to become distracted. Phones ring, buzzers buzz…all demanding an immediate call to action. We text, we call, we message, we chat…we tweet…and yet, in all of this automation we seem to be communicating the least. Sadly, I think this to be the cause of our perceived ‘distance’ from one human heart to another. Maybe, that’s why it’s become so easy to walk past a dear soul in need?

Pema Chödrön offer the following practice,

“The next time you go out in the world, you might try this practice: directing your attention to people—in their cars, on the sidewalk, talking on their cell phones—just wish for them all to be happy and well. Without knowing anything about them, they can become very real, by regarding each of them personally and rejoicing in the comforts and pleasures that come their way. Each of us has this soft spot: a capacity for love and tenderness. But if we don’t encourage it, we can get pretty stubborn about remaining sour.”

Perhaps, in our mindful regard of others we can begin the true process of communication.

3) Explore.

Explore….everything. Kick over rocks, take the ‘road less traveled’…talk to strangers, buy a new book…find something that makes your heart smile big. And then, do it again and again and again…

Sometimes, I wonder if we’ve not become too ‘schedule driven’ – so much so, that…if it isn’t scheduled, we simply don’t enjoy it. It’s a sad testimony to our goal vs. wish driven lives…when we forsake the heart of our ‘wee explorer’ to receive a little recognition in our day.

Let me save you the trouble, my loves…life isn’t a game, there isn’t anything to win…and the only thing that matters is how very much you’ve loved living it.

Pretty simple, I suppose. To recognize that the truest treasure in life is a little step-two into the ‘deep unknown’ and unexpected.

4) Engage.

And, by this, I mean…whatever it is that you’ll do in this world, do it…with all of your heart. Immerse yourself in the joy of doing. Lose yourself in the love of water lilies. Let the fascination of this life be your truest reward.

I promise you, you won’t ever regret – take it from me, someone who’ll lose an hour watching cardinals outside her bedroom window.

As, sometimes a return to self requires a little leap of faith.

Much love, and namaste….