I enjoy exploring the apparently little things. It may be a minor annoyance, a small physical pain, slight tiredness, or a quietly nagging sense of discomfort.
What are some of the benefits of exploring the little things?
When I explore an apparently small thing, I get to….
Explore the label minor and major. Is it true it’s minor? Is it true this other situation is major?
Explore it in relative peace, free from the drama and turmoil that’s sometimes here around situations I see as major.
Identify and investigate thoughts I put on this minor situation, and see that I may put the same thoughts on other situations as well, including the ones I see as major. When I take a thought as true, I put it on any situation, whether thoughts label it minor or major, and the dynamics are similar or the same.
Invite in a shift in how I relate to it, which may shift how I relate to other people, states or situations in my life.
Become more familiar with the process, deepen the groove of relating to it in a different way. This may make it easier when minor and major things come up in the future.
Explore what’s here now, no matter what it is, free from thinking I need to wait for something major to appear.
And what are some of the ways I can explore these little things?
I can….
Inquire into my stressful thoughts about it, and find what’s more true for me than the initial thought.
Explore it through the sense fields. What’s there in sensation, in sight, in taste, in smell, in sound? What’s there in the mental field, in the form of images, thoughts? How is it when these images and thoughts are taken as “real” and solid, representing reality? How is it to differentiate the mental sense field from the others, and see images and thoughts as mental field activities?
Pray for my “enemies” – whether it’s a person, a state or a situation, which includes shifting into well wishing for it, as it is, and recognizing it as already God, Spirit, awareness, love.
Do tonglen or ho’o on the person, state or situation, including myself.
Confess to myself, and perhaps another, about what’s happening for me around this.
Shake (neurogenic tremors, TRE) with the situation in mind.
And in each of these cases, I can be open to whatever images or memories come up. For instance, what are some of the early situations where I remember having the same stressful thought?
……….
……….
……….
– explore the little things
— question the thought of minor/major
— explore in relative peace, free from the distractions of what I think of as major (reactivity, wounds etc.)
— put the same thoughts on minor/major situations
— may shift how I relate to minor/major things
— get familiar with the process, easier when major things come up
……….
– explore the little things
— may be a lot there
— may be the same thoughts about minor/major things, and less censoring about the small things
— get familiar with it (the process etc.) when “bigger” things come along
— get to question thoughts about little/big things
……….
Whether I use The Work, sense field explorations or another approach, I find I enjoy exploring the little things.
The thoughts I put on what I think of as “small” are the thoughts I put on what I think of as “big”. I think of a sore thumb as a problem or annoyance, and do the same with “larger” health problems when they occur. I think a minor ache is painful, shouldn’t be there etc. and have similar or the same thoughts about strong pain.
……….
draft…..
I enjoy exploring the little things. It may be a minor annoyance, or slight tiredness or physical pain, or a slight sense of discomfort.
I get to question my thoughts about minor or major things. Is it true that this ache or annoyance is minor, while this other situation is major?
I get to explore it in relative peace, free from the distractions (reactivity, beliefs, wounds) that may be there for me around situations I think of as major.
I put the same thoughts on what I see as minor and major, so I get to explore these thoughts whether I do it from a minor or major situation.
I may see something, there may be a shift, and this may bring a shift in how I relate to minor and major things as they come along.
I get familiar with the process, which may make it a little easier when apparently bigger things come along. The groove has deepened.
……….
And just by exploring it this way, I get to see that minor and major is a thought, a label. And that exploring apparently minor situations is as helpful as exploring major ones.
……….
I enjoy exploring the apparently little things. It may be a minor annoyance, a small physical pain, a bit of tiredness, or a slight sense of discomfort.
Through it I get to…..
Explore the label minor and major. Is it true it’s minor? Is it true this other situation is major?
Explore it in relative peace, free from the drama and turmoil that’s sometimes here in how I relate to situations I see as major.
Identify and investigate thoughts I put on this minor situation, and see that I may put the same thoughts on other situations as well, including the ones I see as major.
Shift in how I relate to this situation, which may shift how I relate to other situations, whether a thought would label it minor or major.
Become more familiar with the process, deepen the groove of relating to it in a different way, and this may make it easier when minor and major things come up in the future.
Explore what’s here now, no matter what it is, free from thinking I need to wait for something major to appear.
And just by exploring it this way, I get to see that minor and major is a thought, a label. And that exploring apparently minor situations is as helpful as exploring major ones.