Magic Moments
One of the most successful elements of the Mindful Ageing course has been the Magic Moment. This is an artefact, for example, a photo, a pebble, a poem, a book, that depicted one of the Four Immeasurables. Participants are invited to add a short written explanation of why they chose this. The objects and explanation answer the question “What does loving kindness (compassion etc) mean to you personally in the context of Mindful Ageing?” At the start of each session, participants are invited to display their Magic Moments, and this is followed by an open inquiry meditation and discussion. Examples of the responses are given below, and they illustrate the depth of thinking and feeling which the Magic Moments generated.
LOVING KINDNESS
“Feeling valued, connected, feeling of expansiveness, feeling closer to nature,
“feeling moved”
“Links to nature, relationships, intergenerational. Human contact, continuity”
“Be positive about ageing: beauty and wisdom”
“Qualities, patience, time, stillness, love. Moving towards with, joining. “
“Focus on each other and love”
“Beauty, wisdom, - in ageing, positive aspects”
COMPASSION
“Interconnectedness seems strong in compassion feeling giving to others without the expectation of outcome or result.”
“Fear creates divisions and compassion has a role to play. We are all fearful and we can all try to have compassion to alleviate these divisions – interconnectedness, we are all the same.”
“Humanity has the potential to be both compassionate and cruel”
EMPATHETIC JOY
“We noticed the positivity of the artefacts, the sense of being in the moment. How empathetic joy can alleviate sadness.”
“The sense of hope”
“We discussed awe – not only of big things but also small”
“We discussed the meaning of empathetic joy, not sympathy, the way there was some inter-relatedness between it and pride ….., the complexity of it all.”
“Connect to magic of living world, joyful relationships, life itself, seeing, connection to spirituality.”
“Most moving Magic Moment yet, need for empathetic joy for self, celebrating own success”
We invite you to do the same. Think about each Immeasurable, and identify something that embodies or represents this for you. Make some notes about why this is.