Introduction to Mindfulness - Dean Amory

The day in Wicklow was hard, but hey, I didn’t run away from it. I
was able to remain in the day.
What was the most challenging part of the course for you?
The discipline aspect around the homework, it still is very
challenging. There are days I’d rather watch grass grow than listen to
my own breathing. Basically, the practice was the main challenge, not
thinking about it, talking etc. The people in the course were lovely.
No one put in or out on me. … I found I noticed my own insecurity,
that I was worrying about nothing.
What impact has the course had on:
(1) Your addiction and cravings?
A profound impact noticing the thought and leaving it be. Before, I’d
need a strategy to make a cup of tea… I’d judge my own thoughts
etc.
I was so sick last week, I had a huge desire to get sleeping pills, it
would have been no problem but I said no, I’d sit with the
discomfort.
It’s intercepted the disease in some way. I sat with it. It was horrible,
awful, about as far away from the sereneness of yoga as you can get
but I was ok.
I’m so much more appreciative of my body sensations. I was so
happy to be well after… I encompassed gratitude versus just huge
relief and giving a one hour long hour lecture to anyone who would
listen on how bad it was.
It intercepted my recovery from a point of view of gratitude and
allowing every cell in my body to feel well versus just relieved and
retrospective about how lucky I was to survive and all the feelings
that go with it.
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