Mindfulness, which is essential to our well-being and process of transformation, is about paying attention to our moment to moment experience, with curiosity, and without judgment.
But human beings are also future oriented. We like to make plans, and when we can’t, it can be disorienting.
This has definitely been a challenging time to try to make plans! The situation with the pandemic seems to change every hour, and we have to keep rethinking what might be possible in the future. However, we can still make aspirations.
An aspiration is a wish, a desire, and it can be personal or altruistic—showing an interest in the well-being of others—or both.But any personal aspiration will also have to be altruistic to be truly strengthening.
Making and keeping in mind aspirations is what gives us courage to continue. Making aspirations is the opposite of worrying about the future, which does no good and only makes it harder to get up in the morning.
What are your aspirations? While it’s good to keep a long view in mind, I think it’s also good to remember that things can change for the better any day. Keeping hopeful about possibilities helps us stay more grounded and stable.
If you write your aspirations, you will make them more real to yourself, and find it easier to place them in the forefront of your thoughts.Whenever you begin to feel fearful or discouraged, maybe after reading the latest news story, return to your written aspirations and gain strength and self-compassion.
Today, on the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, know that starting tomorrow, the days will get longer, and more light will be r
evealed.
“Just look within to the virtuous thoughts you have had, and you will always find a reason to love yourself. Take joy in your sincere intentions. Everything starts with an intention. If you have been able to have beautiful aspirations, these aspirations will always be part of you, a beautiful part.”—The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorjefrom the book The Heart Is Noble: Changing the World from the Inside Out