When We Put Down Ideas Of What

Our Kids Go To School And They Come Out Feeling Not Intelligent, Not Desirable, Not Attractive Or Appealing To Others.

When Someone Says To Us, As Thich Nhat Hanh Suggests, "darling, I Care About Your Suffering," A Deep Healing Begins.

The Trance Of Unworthiness Keeps The Sweetness Of Belonging Out Of Reach. The Path To "the Sweetness Of Belonging," Is Acceptance - Acceptance Of Ourselves And Acceptance Of Others Without Judgment.

In Bullfighting There Is An Interesting Parallel To The Pause As A Place Of Refuge And Renewal. It Is Believed That In The Midst Of A Fight, A Bull Can Find His Own Particular Area Of Safety In The Arena. There He Can Reclaim His Strength And Power. This Place And Inner State Are Called His Querencia. As Long As The Bull Remains Enraged And Reactive, The Matador Is In Charge. Yet When He Finds His Querencia, He Gathers His Strength And Loses His Fear. From The Matador's Perspective, At This Point The Bull Is Truly Dangerous, For He Has Tapped Into His Power.

Mindfulness Is A Pause - The Space Between Stimulus And Response: That's Where Choice Lies.