Practice Corner

Recording and Listening is an amazing way to support myself and stay tuned in to Life. It offers the gift of attention, caring and love in a most compassionate way. I am often surprised and inspired by what I hear when recording. And it is in those moments that I’m reminded how important R/L is to my Awareness Practice. It also explains why there is such tremendous resistance to R/L from egocentric karmic conditioning/self-hate. 
 
Interview recordings have become a favorite since introduced last year.  The interview process provides me with clarity, insights, and intimacy as I explore whatever is going on. It is especially helpful when I’ve been triggered by a person or circumstance. Taking the time to interview about an issue demonstrates caring and concern for the one experiencing distress. It offers undivided attention to that part, and that sometimes feels like enough. But the response to the reflecting, drawing out and clarifying often reveals the cause of a trigger, providing important insights. The intimacy I experience through the interview process isn’t a surprise given that the gift of total presence is offered. The process feels like the love of giving and receiving are merged into one. 
 
Two-handed recordings offer me the compassionate witness of the Mentor who provides wisdom and comfort in difficult or happy times. No matter what I share or how I share it, everything is accepted in compassion. Through recordings with the Mentor, I am offered guidance, support and unconditional love. It’s like having a best friend who is always there, always accessible.
 
Setting the timer several times a day to stop and record continues to be a powerful way to interrupt mental stories and any conditioned thinking. When the timer goes off I may record about what I’m seeing in the moment or what I’m grateful for, or I may fulfill an assignment from the Yearlong Retreat. The content doesn’t seem to matter. It’s the act of stopping, resting in the moment, and recording that supports the heart and puts me in touch with the wonder of Presence.
 
Recording and Listening is an amazing tool of Awareness Practice and there’s heartfelt gratitude for how it opens the door to unconditional love. No matter which R/L approach I use, it is a sure-fire means of dropping the conversation, getting here and experiencing the love that Life has on offer. 
 
gasshō,
jan