Reflection 622

Welcome!

Practice

I just read your Reflection no 7, on practice…  I had read and met Douglas long time ago. I enjoyed the workshops, but forgot this very important element: practice. So after a while, the teaching of Douglas became one of the many teachings that interested me, but that ended up in the bookshelf. Until recently, I rediscovered the experiments, and I now realize how important practice is.
 
So I now do the experiments at certain fixed moments, but there are also moments in daily life, esp. during work, that are suited for practice. And, strangely enough, these moments are when I’m getting bored… For example, when I walk from the railway station to the place where I work, I have to follow a long, rather dull street, without shops or trees or much else to see but houses. This is, however, an excellent opportunity to do the ‘(non-)movement experiment’ (who or what is moving?). Another opportunity is during our coffee break. I’m an administrative employee at a university, and I work at a centre where all members, except me, have had the same training; they’re all specialized in theories that have to do with adult education etc…. A branch of science which, to put it mildly, doesn’t interest me at all. So, unavoidably, during the coffee breaks my colleagues often (or even most of the time) discuss these topics. This used to irritate and bore me (of course, I never told them), but now I use it as an opportunity to practise (look for the One without a head…). So in this way, the coffee break becomes a very effective meditation break! And I do the same at other ‘boring’ moments (sitting in the doctor’s waiting room, queuing up in the supermarket etc… Kind regards, Marc.