WEEK 8: HANDOUT 1                                                          

Ending, Letting Go and the Rest of Your Life:

Where do you go from here?

The journey you have taken together over these past weeks has no doubt generated some momentum and you have been supported by one another in your practice. However, at this stage, it may feel that your practice is still fairly new and you may not all feel confident or ready to “go it alone”. This is entirely normal and understandable but it is also an opportunity to truly make these practices your own and to integrate them more fully into your lives.

One thing that will help is to keep in mind your commitment, and to why you have been cultivating this habit of mindfulness. Hopefully you have caught some rich glimpses during your practice over these weeks of why this is worthwhile, and why in essence it is essential for you to live your life in a mindful way. For many people, it is like the planting of a seed of mindfulness, or a seed of intention to live our lives in a more meaningful way. It is never easy to know how this seed will germinate, and when, and how the plant will be nourished and grow. It may feel at times that the seed is lying dormant, but for most people, it is not forgotten, and it is only a matter of waiting for the right time for it to be reawakened.

Jon Kabat-Zinn says that the eighth week “is the rest of your life”. He reminds us to weave our parachute every day and not to leave our practice to those days when we are struggling or in real difficulty. The practices we have been learning are life-long practices, and we continue to be beginners and to learn something new about our lives and the human condition. If we can keep the practices going, we will be rewarded with a growing momentum and deepening of experience, which can deeply enrich our lives.

If you do decide after this eight week experiment that you wish to continue with these practices, it is worth reflecting upon what you will need to maintain your commitment, your enthusiasm and your aspiration and what you need to set in place to support you with this.

If at all possible, we would recommend a continuation of the formal practices of mindfulness, in whatever form suits you the best, alongside the informal practices integrated into your everyday life. These are like two wings of a bird: they support and strengthen one another. In addition, it may be helpful to see if there is a local practice group, meditation class or teacher who can support you with your practice, sustain inspiration and help you to overcome any difficulties if and when they arise. If there is nothing available locally, perhaps you could see if there were a few friends or colleagues who would like to meet and practice together, perhaps listening to guided CDs and sharing experience.

We hope that you can use this handouts and recommended reading as a resource to assist you. In addition, we are including here some tips for keeping your practice going in all of the areas of your life.