Digging In

From the Tarot of the Abyss, the Nine of Cups; from the Nature Mandela Meditation Cards, Generosity:

Whatever positive facts you find, bring a mindful awareness to them—open up to them and let them affect you. It’s like sitting down to a banquet: don’t just look at it—dig in!

~Rick Hanson

If I asked you to recall something that was upsetting or made you angry last week, it would probably take less than a minute. But what if I asked you to remember something wonderful that gave you joy? Thanks to our biology, we have a built-in negativity bias that makes our brains focus on what's bad. This innate tendency is more stressful than helpful now. As Rick Hanson put it, "Staying with a negative experience past the point that’s useful is like running laps in Hell: You dig the track a little deeper in your brain each time you go around it." But like this lady taking the time to smell the flowers in each of her cups, we can choose to make it a point to deeply absorb moments of joy and contentment, and when we're having a bad day, we can relive them (and retrain our brain). The Generosity card reminds me of a tonglen meditation where we send out thoughts to others who may be struggling, wishing that they might enjoy the happiness we're currently experiencing. Not only does this practice stave off self-centeredness, it also helps us be mindful and grateful of the full cups we currently savor.