Arriving with Every Step
Walking and Healthy Striving in the Art of Living Beautifully [Newsletter #51]
Hello wonderful people,
Welcome to issue #51 of this Wisdom-Workshop-themed collection of quotes, links, and questions for writing the good life, living beautifully, and facilitating emergence.
This week, we’re exploring presence through walking mindfulness and healthy striving.
💎 Gems, East and West
“The command to ‘be present’ does not sound like a particularly dramatic strategy for self-improvement. And yet, considering how hard we find it to do so, how many of our thoughts tend to revolve around either our past, our future, or faraway people and events, and how willingly we allow ourselves to be distracted, learning to be present is one of the most difficult and radical techniques for self-transformation imaginable.”
― Anna Katharina Schaffner, writer and cultural historian
“Every hour of the day, give vigorous attention … to the performance of the task in hand with precise analysis, with unaffected dignity, with human sympathy, with dispassionate justice.”
― Marcus Aurelius, Stoic Roman Emperor
“Mindfulness of walking is when you arrive with every step.”
― Thich Nhat Hanh
🚶♂️ Learning Links
“A Wandering Mind is an Unhappy Mind.” The conclusion : “The ability to think about what is not happening is a cognitive achievement that comes at an emotional cost.” From Science.
But wait! Psychology of creativity suggests that there may be a “Silver Lining of a Mind in the Clouds: Interesting Musings Are Associated with Positive Mood While Mind-Wandering.” So: the quality, content, and intention of our mind-wandering matters. From Frontiers in Psychology.
“Mindfulness Can Reduce Anxiety as Well as a Drug.” Using the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program created by Jon Kabat-Zinn…from this JAMA paper that shows that an 8-week mindfulness program worked as well as pharmacological first-line treatment (escitalopram) for anxiety.
“How Mindfulness Can Transform The Way You Write.” TEDx talk from Alexandra Peary, who also wrote “Mindfulness, Buddhism and Rogerian Argument” that I teach in my Writing Arguments class at CSU. I’m a huge fan of writing-as-practicing-presence: It’s the foundation of our Natalie Goldberg-inspired cohorts of Writing the Good Life that we’re starting again in May.
This Mindful Walking Guide from Berkeley’s Greater Good Science Center. Further guidance they missed : experiment with relaxing your gaze as well : de-focus on individual objects like trees or leaves, and attend to the spaces between objects. This, surprisingly, has an immediate cognitive effect I’d like to explore in future episodes, connecting to the Buddhist philosophy of “interdependent origination” (pratītyasamutpāda) and “emptiness-as-fullness” (Śūnyatā.)
at my learning edge:
🤓 Healthy Striving, Flow States, and Sadhana
The following conversation has been edited for clarity and concision.
4.28.2023
Dear ChatGPT:
Can you talk to me about the difference between healthy and unhealthy striving, specifically with regard to artistry and life-as-artistry?
Certainly! The concept of healthy and unhealthy striving can apply to various aspects of life, including artistry and life-as-artistry. It is important to understand the difference between the two to maintain a balanced and fulfilling life.
Healthy striving:
Intrinsic motivation: Healthy striving is driven by intrinsic motivation, where individuals pursue their passions and interests for personal fulfillment and satisfaction. They are genuinely inspired to grow, learn, and express themselves through their art or life-as-artistry.
Balanced approach: Healthy striving involves maintaining a balanced approach to one's goals, acknowledging that there will be ups and downs, successes and failures. This allows individuals to stay focused on the process, rather than solely on the outcome.
Self-compassion: A healthy striver practices self-compassion and acknowledges their limitations. They recognize the importance of self-care and rest to avoid burnout and maintain overall well-being.
Realistic goals: Healthy striving involves setting realistic and achievable goals that align with one's abilities and values. This promotes a sense of accomplishment and encourages continuous growth and development.
Collaboration and support: Healthy strivers often seek to collaborate with others and learn from their peers, fostering a supportive community that values each individual's contributions.
Unhealthy striving:
Extrinsic motivation: Unhealthy striving is often driven by extrinsic motivations, such as the pursuit of fame, fortune, or external validation. This can lead to a constant feeling of inadequacy and dissatisfaction, as the focus is on external factors rather than personal growth.
Perfectionism: Unhealthy striving can manifest as perfectionism, where individuals set unrealistically high standards for themselves and are never satisfied with their achievements. This can lead to self-criticism, anxiety, and depression.
Overworking and burnout: Unhealthy strivers may push themselves to the point of exhaustion, neglecting their physical, emotional, and mental well-being. This can result in burnout, which hinders creativity and overall quality of life.
Comparison and competition: Unhealthy striving may involve constant comparison to others, leading to feelings of envy, jealousy, or inferiority. This can create a competitive atmosphere that undermines collaboration and support.
Neglecting relationships: In the pursuit of success, unhealthy strivers may neglect their personal relationships, leading to isolation and loneliness.
In summary, healthy striving involves a balanced approach to personal growth, focusing on intrinsic motivation, self-compassion, and collaboration, while unhealthy striving is characterized by extrinsic motivation, perfectionism, and neglecting self-care and relationships.
Can you link this distinction to the conditions needed to enter into a flow state?
Yes, the distinction between healthy and unhealthy striving can be linked to the conditions needed to enter into a flow state. A flow state, also known as being "in the zone," is a mental state where an individual is fully immersed in an activity, experiencing complete focus, enjoyment, and a sense of being at one with the task at hand. Achieving flow can lead to optimal performance, creativity, and satisfaction.
Conditions that promote a flow state are more closely aligned with healthy striving, as they encourage intrinsic motivation, balance, and self-compassion. Some of these conditions include:
Clear goals: Having a clear understanding of the task or goal at hand allows for focus and a sense of purpose. This is similar to setting realistic goals in healthy striving, which provides direction and encourages continuous growth.
Immediate feedback: Receiving feedback on performance, either from oneself or others, can help an individual adjust their actions and improve. In healthy striving, this may involve seeking constructive criticism from peers or mentors and using it to grow.
Balance between challenge and skill: A flow state is often achieved when there is a balance between the level of challenge and the individual's skill. This balance promotes engagement and motivation. In healthy striving, this aligns with setting realistic goals that match one's abilities.
Concentration and focus: Flow requires deep concentration and focus on the task at hand. Healthy striving fosters a balanced approach to work, which allows individuals to maintain focus without becoming overwhelmed or burned out.
Control and autonomy: A sense of control and autonomy over one's actions can contribute to achieving flow. Healthy striving emphasizes intrinsic motivation, which supports a sense of autonomy and personal satisfaction in one's work.
Loss of self-consciousness: In a flow state, individuals often lose their sense of self-consciousness, allowing them to fully immerse themselves in the activity. This aligns with the self-compassion aspect of healthy striving, where individuals accept their limitations and focus on the process rather than their self-worth.
Timelessness: During flow, time may seem to pass more quickly, as individuals become fully absorbed in their task. This can occur when healthy striving leads to deep engagement and enjoyment in one's work or artistic pursuits.
Unhealthy striving, on the other hand, may hinder the achievement of a flow state, as it often involves extrinsic motivation, perfectionism, and overworking. These factors can increase stress, anxiety, and self-consciousness, which detract from the conditions necessary for flow.
Can you define "sadhana" for me?
Sadhana is a Sanskrit term that refers to a spiritual practice or discipline aimed at achieving spiritual growth, self-realization, or enlightenment. It is often used in the context of Hinduism, Buddhism, and other spiritual traditions originating in India. The term "sadhana" can be broken down into two parts: "sad" meaning to reach or accomplish, and "hana" meaning means or method. Thus, sadhana refers to the means or methods one employs to attain a spiritual goal.
Sadhana can involve various practices and techniques, such as meditation, yoga, devotional practices, prayer, mantra recitation, rituals, or studying sacred texts. The specific sadhana undertaken by an individual may depend on their spiritual tradition, personal beliefs, and goals. The ultimate purpose of sadhana is to purify the mind, develop self-awareness, and deepen one's connection to the divine or their innermost self.
In the context of artistry or life-as-artistry, sadhana can be understood as a disciplined and intentional practice that cultivates self-awareness, mindfulness, and spiritual growth. This approach to art and life may involve integrating spiritual practices into daily routines, using creative expression as a means of self-discovery, or engaging with one's work as a form of devotion or service to a higher power.
✌ Thank You
I hope this email encourages us all to practice,
Sean
📅 Workshop News / Upcoming Live Events
🎵 Friday, April 28 : Sean Waters and Friends at Wolverine Farm as a part of FoCoMX 15! : Fort Collins, Colorado | All Ages | 9:30-10:30 pm MST / Tickets!.
🔔 Friday, May 19 : Sean Waters and the Sunrise Genius release “Play The Bells”. Follow along on Spotify or Apple Music.
🖼️ Tuesday, May 23 : Tentative start of the next cohort of The Art of Living Beautifully. Still curating our group and revising materials. Join the wait-list.
✍ Wednesday, May 24 : Tentative start of the next cohort of Writing the Good Life. Still curating our group and updating materials. Join the wait-list
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