We are “it’s not what, it’s how,” “it’s not the content, it’s the process,” people. Once we’ve moved past the annoyance factor of “what the heck does that mean?” we start having fun breaking down our daily experience along those lines. “Oh, I see. What I’m currently worrying about is the content; worrying itself is the process.” Or, “emotional” is her process; this current breakup is the content. Or, “righteous indignation” is his process; not being able to recycle #4 plastic is the content.
During the most recent email class, “Being Lit Up Together,” lots of participants reported how focusing on gratitude changed their orientation to life. They were making gratitude lists, making gratitude recordings, listening to their gratitude recordings first thing in the morning, making and listening to a new recording before bed, even making gratitude lists throughout their daily activities.
This is a sure-fire freedom practice for “process not content people” and here’s why:
Focusing attention on all we’re grateful for and expanding awareness to include how gratitude feels in the body, brings content and process together. The content is gratitude and the process is gratitude. And, that’s not all! Attention is now focused where we want it to be, on an expanded awareness of how we want to live—in the joy (another word for gratitude) of thisherenow.
Or, as we also like to phrase it: we’re having an experience that the process is the outcome.
In gasshō,
Cheri