I agree with the idea by Chade-Meng Tan that I can put myself into an up mood when I want to. See his "Joy on Demand" if you want. Personally, I am not sure that life, at least my life, is meant to be too joyful. Take a look at my Scottish or English ancestors and you can get hints that joy, merriment, being upbeat is meant to be a somewhat limited mood, not for everyday use. That may be too limited or narrow but for now, it seems about right.
If I do want to up my mood, first I smile. It doesn't matter which way I am facing, just put a smile on my face to indicate to my brain, my reflexes and all of my equipment that I want to be in a rising mood. That indication to all of me can often be the first step in actually raising my mood.
I read that the woman named Byron Katie said that she was having a good time observing her body falling apart. A major focus for older people is how to live this life enjoyably. None of us have lived this life before so for each of us, it is a new venture. The advice is to enjoy one's declining days but how? Between Katie's remark and Larry Rosenberg's anecdote, one good answer is looking carefully. To fully appreciate what is actually going on, inside and outside, is to pay careful attention.
Reading Rosenberg, I learned about his trip to Korea to practice with Korean Buddhists. The group was to practice meditation from 3 AM to 11PM for 90 days straight. That seems too rigorous to me. So, when I read that that group was going to spend a solid week without sleeping, I thought the idea was REALLY over the top!
The problem was that, in addition to my fatigue, I was carrying around an extra burden: the concept of seven days without sleep. I would be able to get through the week, he said, if I would put that burden down, if I took every activity moment by moment, breath by breath, giving full attention to whatever it was. Every sitting period, every walking period, every break, every meal. Just stay in the moment, and I would be fine.
He was right. The week was still difficult—I actually got to a point where I was hallucinating—but I was able to get through it. My concentration increased dramatically, as did my confidence in sitting. As our presence in meditation deepens, we actually need less sleep. I myself don't use such practices in my teaching; they are brutal on the body,
Rosenberg, Larry. Breath by Breath (Shambhala Classics) (pp. 27-28). Shambhala. Kindle Edition.
This business reminds me of Eckhart Tolle and his emphasis on the NOW. I guess a person can concentrate on Now, just Now and get through a great deal.
Even pain can be the subject of careful and interested examination. In fact, looking, feeling, watching carefully can lessen pain while at the same time, increasing my awareness of little details and fascinating quirks in my experiences.
