Day 3

Intentions and Values

 Welcome to 40 Days of Mindfulness and Compassion Day 3!

 

Lecture

Intentions are very important. Intentions are basically the “motivational tendencies” that underlie our behaviors.  There are various types of intentions, and often they compete.  They are often complex and not necessarily in harmony. And, in my experience there are many levels of intentions.  For instance, I may have intentions that are “primitive” and biologically based, others that result from reactive emotions, and others that are consciously articulated. Working with intentions is important in contemplative practices.

I sometimes think of my life as a sailing ship floating across the sea. It may be at the mercy of competing winds from different directions, as well as currents. Left to these forces alone, the path of the ship is uncertain. But, with training and skill the ship can be steered in the direction of choice. Intentions are somewhat like this. There are many and often competing intentions, but ideally, we can tap into our deepest intentions that accord with our true values. Then, the ship can sail to its chosen destination.

As indicated, our intentions can be complex and multilayered. Paul Gilbert, in his book Mindful Compassion, articulates three motivational systems that are biologically programmed into us. One is the fear/survival system. This system focuses on basic survival needs and motivates us to satisfy these. A second system is a “drive” system, which basically motivates us to seek and acquire resources. A third system is our mammalian system, which motivates us largely toward connection and community. When we are working with intentions, we are learning to access and cultivate our “best” intentions.

Some religious or psychological systems might tell us what these “best” intentions should be. But, from a secular perspective, it is incumbent on each person to discover and articulate these for her or himself, hence the importance of values.  Values are sort of the core forces that we live from when we are living authentically.  They are what we hold most dear when we cut to the chase. Identifying and articulating these values, feeling into them, can help us to intentionally live from a place that is accordance and harmony with them. These core values, then become the rudders and sails that steer our life.

 

Meditation Tips

Meditation Tip #5: The beginning and end of a meditation session (even a short one) are very important. At the beginning, it is good to transition into the main practice by articulating an intention and coming from that intentional space (eg. may I be with whatever arises and not evaluate my experiences during this practice).  This intention will then flavor the entire practice. At the end, it is important not to end abruptly but to gently transition from the main meditation and end with a closing dedication (eg. may this practice contribute to the well being of myself and others)

 

Meditation

 Self Appreciation and Core Values

 

Self-Reflective Activity

This is a short self-reflective writing activity. Find a quiet place and have a journal or piece of paper with you.  Follow your breath for a minute or two to calm your mind.  Now reflect for a moment on your personal values. 1) Write a paragraph or two about a value that is personally meaningful to you. What is it? What does it mean? What are its layers? 2) Write a paragraph or two about why it is important to you. 3) Write a paragraph or two about a time in your life that you were able to express this value.

For self-reflective writing activities, I like to use the following guidelines.

• As much as possible, try to stay mindfully engaged in the process of writing.
• Write slowly but deliberately, feeling the sensations of your hand holding a pen/pencil or of your fingers on a keyboard.
• Do as little self-evaluation as possible. Just mindfully write.
• When finished. Just sit for a minute or so and breathe and take it in.

 

Questions/Feedback

If you ever have a question, or would like to give any feedback about working with the material, please use this online form. Answers to such questions may be included (anonymously) in daily messages. It is my experience that the answer to one person’s question can often be helpful to many.

 

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Additional Resources

McGonigal: Neuroscience and Mindfulness

 

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