Day 22: Interconnectedness

Welcome to 40 Days of Mindfulness and Compassion Day 22!

 

Lecture

In these past 21 days, we have explored a variety of meditation practices. It may seem like a lot of practices and types of practices. A valid question is why? Isn’t meditation just meditation?

There are several reasons for engaging in a wide variety of practices. Firstly, different types of meditation practice have different effects and results. We are actually at the very early stages of scientific research into meditation, but there is emerging evidence of this. One recent study demonstrated the differing effects of three types of meditation. The researchers studied the effects of three distinct types of meditations:

“The researchers wagered that training in each of these methods would lead to volume increases in corresponding brain areas. And this was largely what they found, as they scanned the participants’ brains at the end of each module and compared groups against one another. Training in Presence was linked to enhanced thickness in the anterior prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), which are known to be strongly involved in attention. Affect training was linked to increased thickness in regions known to be involved in socially driven emotions like empathy; and Perspective training associated with changes in areas involved in understanding the mental states of others, and, interestingly, inhibiting the perspective of oneself.”

There are, to me, several exciting aspects of this study. Importantly, all three types of meditation had demonstrable and measurable effects on brain functioning, however the types of effects differed by meditation category. Secondly, these studies were done on novice meditators and demonstrate the changes that can take place in the brain from contemplative practices in a relatively short period of time. This is one of the first studies of this kind, and in upcoming years there will more studies emerging that investigate differing effects of various types of meditation practices.

First person observation and traditional wisdom also point toward the benefits of practicing multiple types of contemplative practice. Different practices feel different and produce varying results in daily life. And importantly, diverse practices may complement and reinforce one another. For instance, in my own practice, I have noticed that compassion practices and concentration practices strengthen one another. Developing compassion may allow us to dive further into mindfulness and vice versa.

I hope that you find the variety of practices helpful. If you have been doing them regularly, you might be able to attest to the different feels of the different practices. And, I hope that it is giving you beneficial tools to carry forward with you on your path. As you work more with various types of practices it gives you more choice and opportunities. Most people, over time, gravitate toward a particular type of practice as their main focus but I believe that it is important to have access to a wide variety of tools. There are some days or situations in which I know in my gut that I can benefit from self-compassion practice, and others that I know that I can benefit from working with my relationships to others. And, to me, foundational mindfulness practices are the core.

You might have not been practicing regularly, or maybe not at all. That too is fine. There are many responses and reactions to the material and each of them is authentic. At the very least, it is my hope that possibly some insights have been stirred for you or that these practices can be beneficial to you sometime in the future or can be a link to connect you with other paths and approaches. During these 40 days, you can dip in any day and at the conclusion you will be provided with downloadable files of all meditations for future use and reference.

Another reason for a variety of practices is that there are many ways in to states such as mindfulness and compassion. For instance, there are many methods of compassion cultivation, but some work “better” for some than for others. Contemplative development is very much a personal path and art, and each person must decide for him or herself what to pursue and what not to pursue. It is good to have exposure to a wide variety of practices, and then to focus on several that you resonate with. These 40 days will give you a well-rounded exposure to a variety of mindfulness and compassion-related practices and concepts.

As indicated, these practices are intended to complement and reinforce one another. Today, we focus on interconnectedness. In interconnectedness is a very important concept to reflect on. Understanding interconnectedness can help promote gratitude and appreciation, as well as pushing us toward more community involvement. Today’s practice focuses on a specific type of interconnectedness: The fact that beneficial aspects in our lives are the result of the kindness of others. So, we are cultivating a type of understanding of interconnectedness that may ameliorate some of our tendencies toward self-preoccupation, emphases on autonomy and lack of empathy for others.

To realize that my life is intricately interconnected to others means that anything good that occurs in my life can be traced back to the kindness of others. This is not to de-value effort and personal goals etc. But it is to take ultimate value from these and to acknowledge the enormous impact that others have had and continue to have on my life and my individual developmental trajectory.

Interconnectedness is a topic that can be reflected upon again and again with increasing levels of insight. As such, it is a very important practice and complements very strongly the practices and mindfulness and compassion.

 

Meditation Tip

Meditation Tip #22: Pursue practices that energize and refresh. Of course, it is important to do a practice for a bit before evaluating its effectiveness, but learn to be a scientist of your own experiences and to examine the effects and results of practices. We all have different learning styles, past experiences and emotional needs. Adapt practices to your unique situation. Choose practices over time that leave you energized and refreshed and lead to more moments of clarity and compassion in everyday life.

Day 22 Meditation: Appreciation and Interconnectedness

 

Self-Reflective Activity

Two versions of a journaling activity:

Sit down with a journal and reflect on the following question: Who is responsible for the room (or place) in which I am seated? Be creative, and let your mind imagine, and see what comes up. For instance, who was involved in the construction? Arrangement? Finances? How did you come to be there?

Sit down with a journal and reflect on the following question: Who are the people who have had the most positive impact on my life and why? Be creative, and let your mind imagine, and see what comes up. Let your recognitions flow spontaneously as you mindfully journal. You can choose to focus on a particular time period of life or on your life in general.

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