LECTIO DIVINA Archives - Mindful Happiness

July 20, 2018 By Admin

Using Lectio Divina to Improve Your Self Esteem

Using Lectio Divina to Improve Your Self-Esteem

LectioDivina is an ancient form of Christian (Benedictine) meditation. This meditative prayer is sometimes called “Sacred Seeing.” Lectio Divina follows specific steps as a process: lectio or reading a passage; Meditatio or meditating on the passage or image; Oratio or praying (I add – in your own way); Contemplatio or contemplation on it; and, Actio or action based on your new insights. Modified below.

For a few minutes sit in calm, self-abiding meditation and just rest.
Now ask yourself this question: “What strengths do I have?”
Write a short paragraph noting the kinds of strengths you know you have.
Now take five long, deep, slow breaths and close your eyes if you are ok with that. Think carefully about the strengths you listed. Contemplate them as you meditate again.
Now in full conscious awareness, read that paragraph over and over slowly. Read it five or six times, and go deeper into your awareness each time you read it. Really concentrate.
Answer the following questions about improving your self-esteem by using your strengths. Best to use a form of free association here; simply see what comes into awareness without great effort.
What is the pattern of your strengths? If you come up with something, add it to your paragraph.
Who are you when you have lived experience using your strengths. If something new comes up in your consciousness, add this information to your paragraph.
When are you most likely to use your strengths? Follow the same procedure as above.
Where are you most likely to live by your strengths? Follow the same procedure again.
How does you using your strengths look? Make an image of it, or recall the last time you used your strengths. Notice anything significant, and add it to your paragraph.
Now relax again, and read your longer paragraph over five more times. Read slowly, and add deeper concentration each time you read it. Go into it deeply!
End with a short story about your future use of your signature strengths.
Go back into light meditation with long, slow, deep breaths and just relax. Notice how you feel right now. Remember your strengths are always with you, but you need to use them.

Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont and the Home of The Monkton Sangha

Author of Mindful Happiness

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

July 15, 2018 By Admin

Using Lectio Divina to Enhance Your Happiness

Lectio Divina is an ancient Christian (Benedictine) meditation; it is a form of meditative prayer called “sacred seeing.” We will use a modified version of the process here.

Follow the steps noted below.

Sit quietly in meditative form, calmly abiding yourself here now. After a few minutes ask this question: Do I want to be a happier person? Listen to what arises from your true self.
Remain in meditative relaxation. Now after a few minutes come to fully awake state, and write a brief paragraph on how you can become a happier person. Happiness it relative, so even if you are somewhat satisfied now, you could be happier in the future. So please write that brief paragraph.
Now relax your mind and body; take a few long, deep slow breaths. Relax your jaw, neck, and shoulders. Now simply slowly read your statement five times. See if more becomes clear to you.
Now relax yourself a bit deeper, and use free association to establish more details about how you could become a happier person. Add any significant new information to your earlier statement.
Now with full conscious awareness and keen cognitive clarity, answer each of the following questions. Write a response for each question below. Read it after you write it.
What is the WHAT of your happier state?
WHO is the what of your happier state?
What is the WHERE of your happier state?
What is the HOW of your happier state?
WHEN will you take initial steps to become happier?
WHAT is your first step?
Now relax again, yes once again. Slowly read everything you have written up to this point. Read it five times, and go a little deeper in your concentration each time.
Finally, write a brief story in a brief paragraph on how you will become a happier person. Read it.

Anthony R. Quintiliani, PhD., LADC

From the Eleanor R. Liebman Center for Secular Meditation in Monkton, Vermont and the Home of The Monkton Sangha

Author of Mindful Happiness

New Edition of Mindful Happiness in Production…Coming soon!

Tonglen Meditation or Giving and Taking I have added various posts about many compassion practice. Earlier posts have covered a range of practices – from super-easy to more demanding. Here, I will add a more advanced practice. This Tibetan compassion meditation practice has been taught often in the Vajrayana school of Buddhism. In my opinion […]

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Meditation Process in Chan Buddhism Chan Master Changlu’s The Deportmant for Sitting Meditation (12th century China) is a clear and helpful set of instruction. 1) It begins with the making of a personal vow for great compassion, personal liberation, and samadhi – all for the purpose of delivering sentient beings from their suffering and to their […]

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Mindfulness: A More Technical View of A more technical understanding of mindfulness, an understanding necessary for effective educational and clinical applications of such skills and practices, has been presented by S. A. Alper (2016). This view uses a pyramid as a symbolic metaphor for mindfulness applications. The details of this pyramid (the foundation, four sides, […]

Mindfulness – Self-Kindness Practice Befriending the self is one of the most difficult things for Americans to do. It is probably true that self-kindness is difficult for most people; however, the current rampant criticism (I am right! You are wrong!) and extreme greed manifesting in the United States tends to produce two opposite extremes: […]

The True Nature of Phenomena Here I will present common steps in the process of vipassana meditation. My presentation will end with a brief discussion of nirvana (enlightenment). 1) It will be helpful not to have strong conceptual intention about your goal of attaining insight. You will know when you have entered it via your […]

Retreats and Therapy: The Power of Silence E. Kubler-Ross once noted that people need to more often revisit silence within themselves and realize all of life’s purposes include learning from our despairing experiences. Suffering may be a hidden source of being blessed with new inner knowledge. Personal suffering if not too, too great may also […]

Review: Deepak Chopra’s Idea’s on ” The Future of God” Part 2 of 3 In part 2 of this 3-part series, I will discuss the role played by consciousness in various levels of spirituality. In the beginning, there was the word. The word is sometimes associated with pure consciousness, since without consciousness there cannot be […]

Interoception and Your Inner Self-Helper Interoception (sometimes called neuroception) is a sensory experience, in which you feel sensations in your body (viscera, heart, throat, etc.) that may be warning signs of limbic surveillance or inner continuity of your inner self-helper – that part of you and your brain that hopes to help you in whatever […]

Self-Medication: Is Your Hand-Held Device a Dopamine Device? Mindfulness Activities: Here is a simple activity that may inform you about your personal level of addiction to your digital/electronic devices. Simply click the link below to download the PDF Worksheet; answer each question according to your personal opinions. Dr-Anthony-Quintiliani_HandHeldDeviceActivity Be sure to complete the meditation activity […]

Mindfulness, Movement, and Meditation Practices Meditation Master Thich Nhat Hanh offers some of the most helpful mindfulness, movement, and meditation instructions available today. His themes here are about reducing your suffering, increasing your satisfactions, and expanding your happiness as a result. Please do not note that “I do not have time to do these things!” […]

Practicing Interoceptive Meditations Anthony R. Quintiliani, Ph.D., LADC The mindfulness-based process and intervention of interoception (also called neuroception) has slowly moved from meditation practice into clinical practice, now being part of the recommended MBSR, ACT, and more current CBT-based therapies. The three brief meditations below are presented to expand the use of interoceptive processes in […]

Polyvagal Interventions for Anxiety S. Porges and his Polyvagal Theory may provide innovative interventions for both anxiety and depression. Many people become trapped in ruminating about the past or worrying about the future; they cannot seem to keep their mind and body in the present moment. Some strong, fear-based, bodily defenses may not respond well to […]