The Eightfold Noble Path: Wise Living
Written by Larissa Link
Last month we sat with the concept of Wise Perspective/View. Part of our Wise Perspective is the recognition that we each see the world a little differently, and what we look for is what we tend to find. As Rumi said, “what you seek is also seeking you”. It’s helpful for us to slow down and get to know what we are truly telling ourselves, because that is what our brains will look for. Something as simple as “I never get enough sleep,” tells our brain to look for evidence of this fact. Try this on for a moment:
✦ Close your eyes and say to yourself a few times, “I never get enough sleep. I’m really tired. Sleep is hard for me.”
✦ How do you feel? What do you notice in your body?
✦ Now try saying, “I have enough energy to take this breath right here. I allow myself to rest just for this little exhale. It’s okay to feel tired sometimes.”
✦ How do you feel? What do you notice in your body?
Even if you didn’t start off tired, you might have noticed the first phrases made you feela bit more tired. A small change in internal communication can make such a difference to how you feel, especially in little moments.
This is not only Wise Speech, which we’ll get into more this month, but it’s also really starting to pay attention to what influences your speech in the first place: how you see the world, how you talk to yourself, and what you set your intentions upon. All of this affects us at a level we might not even understand, until we slow down and start to notice where our brain is headed. Uncovering your unconscious intentions and making them conscious are part of taking your Wise Perspective and starting to put that into Wise Action.
I like to make the joke that someone ahead of me on the path may call out, “Watch out! There’s a snake pit ahead!” And I take that as, “Oooooh, exciting! I want to visit the snakes!” Whereas many other people will respond with a “Phew, glad to miss that, thanks for the heads up!” My Wise Action in this case is visiting the snakes! Your Wise Action may be to avoid that pit all together (I get it :). This is a reminder that there’s no one correct Path; your Wise Action is exactly that, YOURS. And your Perspective and Thinking will lead you into your Speech and Action.
The exercise above on thinking about being tired is a clear way to notice how our perspective and thinking affect the action that we take. If I believe I’m tired, I’ll act a certain way in response to this thought. If I believe I have enough energy to get through the next few breaths, this also affects the action I’ll take. None of this fixes the issue of being tired, but it does help you pause and take Wiser Action toward what is most beneficial for you in the moment. Maybe the gentle self-talk gives you a few moments of rest and a bit of a boost. Maybe the pause simply gives you permission to slow down.
This is NOT about gaslighting yourself into believing that you have gotten enough sleep if you are in fact tired. This is about being gentle with yourself, slowingdown, and choosing your Wisest Path in the moment, rather than letting all of your default mechanisms take over. Default mechanisms aren’t just actions,they usually begin with judgmental thoughts that take even more of your energy. The first step is noticing any reactivity before action occurs.
How do we do this? Slow down, take a few deep breaths, and observe yourself. This is where meditation is so helpful! It’s not about being perfectly still orhaving the perfect amount of time or the perfect distraction-free environment. It’s literally a simple as taking 3-5 deep breaths and really noticing them. Simple, though not always easy when it feels like you don’t have any room to slow down, which is why we offer virtual meditations. Its time set aside, guided and in community (support and gentle accountability :), so you can slow down for a bit. We don’t care if you fall asleep, take us with you while you’re driving to work, or listen while you’re getting ready. At some point in there, you’ll be able to witness yourself. And maybe there are a few days here and there whereyou can sit for a little longer. Little steps, one breath at a time, and you’ll get to know your Wisest Self, and the Wisest Steps for your own personal Path. I’m so happy to hold any space for us to just be in community, without needing to do, say, or be anything other than exactly yourself.
Hope to see you soon <3
Much love to you,
Larissa
