Dedication Practice Flashcards
What questions do I ask myself during the intention setting practice?
Once you feel settled, contemplate the following questions: “What is it that I value deeply? What, in the depth of my heart, do I wish for myself, for my loved ones, and for the world?
What happens if I don’t have answers to the intention setting questions?
If no specific answers surface, don’t worry; simply stay with the open questions. Trust that the questions themselves are working, even – or especially – when we don’t have ready answers. If and when answers do come up, acknowledge them as they arise, and stay with whatever thoughts and feelings they may bring.
What’s the last step of the intention-setting practice?
Develop a specific set of thoughts as your conscious intention for this day. You could think, “Today, may I be more mindful of my body, mind, and speech in my interaction with others. May I, as far as I can, avoid deliberately hurting others. May I relate to myself, to others, and to the events around me with kindness, understanding, and less judgment. May I use my day in a way that is in tune with my deeper values.”
How do I do the dedication practice?
Briefly review the events of the day (including significant conversations, moods, and other mental activity) and touch back on the spirit of the morning intention-setting exercise. See how much alignment there is between the two. The idea is not to keep exhaustive scores, but to broadly survey to see the synergy between your intentions and your life that day.
What’s the second step of the dedication practice?
Whatever thoughts and feelings this reviewing might bring, just stay with them. There’s no need to push them away if they have a negative quality, or grasp at them if they seem positive. Simply stay with it for a while in silence.
What’s the final and third step of the dedication practice?
Think of something from the day that you feel good about – a helping hand you gave your neighbor, an empathetic ear you lent a colleague in distress, not losing your cool in the pharmacy when someone barged in front of you. Then take joy in the thought of this deed. If nothing else, take joy in the fact that you began your day by setting a conscious intention.
What should we do when we see a gap between our intentions and our behavior during dedication?
We will see the gaps between our intentions and our behavior, between our aspirations and our actual life. When this happens, it’s important not to beat ourselves with negative judgment and self-criticism. We simply acknowledge the difference and resolve to try again the next day.
