When our editor June saw the reminder come through that it was time to write my newsletter article, she asked if she could write it about her experience with R/L. I said sure. Here 'tis.
I've heard Cheri say, repeatedly, that Recording and Listening is the most effective tool she has found for ending suffering. Even so, I have had a hard time staying with a consistent R/L practice. Perhaps a list of some of the LIES and BAMBOOZLES that go through my head will help some who have struggled along with me.
-- I don’t want to, I don’t feel like it—always the first line of resistance.
-- I don’t have anything to say.
-- I don’t have anything to say that would be worth listening back to.
-- I’m not clear enough about what’s going on.
-- Litany of excuses: don’t have time…too tired…too much to do…no privacy…won’t work…won’t stay with it…waste of time…not for me…bad Zen student….
-- Add your own. Really look to see what messages blip through, beneath conscious awareness, that result in “Nope, not doing that.” (Are you hearing one of those blips right now?!)
Now, here are some encouragements and simple ways to undercut those lies and bamboozles and get started.
-- Don’t worry about ANYTHING!
-- Say out loud into your recorder everything you hear go through your head. No editing! No judging!
-- Say into your recorder absolutely anything at all. It doesn’t have to be wise, clear, relevant, worth listening to, “true,” logical, intelligent or coherent.
-- Turn on your recorder and jabber away. Don’t worry about silences. If resistance arises, reread this article.
-- If R/L brings up fear/inertia/resistance/inadequacy/(addyourown), record everything fear/inertia/resistance/inadequacy/(addyourown) says about it.
-- If writing down what you want to say before R/L helps you, do that.
-- If “I just don’t want to” stops you, and you can’t get yourself to record about that, just know that that’s good information.
This is awareness practice, pure and simple. It doesn’t matter what you say! The point is to start.
Gassho
June