“De-Cluttering Your Mind” with Jean This Sunday at Minneapolis Insight

Dear Community,

During a recent retreat with the Tibetan teacher Anam Thubten, he reported that he had just learned about a book called The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.  Perhaps you’ve read it. The cover describes it as “a charming and practical approach to putting a home in order while reflecting on the tiny joys that make up a long life.”

Anam Thubten mentioned this book in the midst of a teaching on letting go of attachment to stories.  Just as we can de-clutter our homes, we can also de-clutter our minds of the habits of mind that we have accumulated over a lifetime –  perhaps many lifetimes.

Like the physical objects that distract us from living a simpler, less complicated life, these mental objects obscure our ability to clearly see what is going on in the moment and respond in ways that decrease our own and others' suffering.  They distract us from “the tiny joys that make up a long life.”

One of the ways Anam Thubten suggested we might do this is to think of our stories as having expiration dates. Like a smelly old carton of milk in the fridge that no longer contributes to our health, our old stories about who we are and what we did (or who they are and what they did) need to be tossed. This humorous suggestion helped me let go of some of the smelly stuff I’ve been holding on to.  

So in the next day or two, you might reflect on the following questions:

• What are your stories?
• Which ones really hook you and which can you leave alone?  
• Are there stories that you've needed in the past  –  stories that gave you a sense of safety perhaps or protected you in some way  –  that you're ready to toss? 
• What’s helped you to do so?

Please join us this Sunday for practice, reflection, and community.  All are welcome! Registration and Zoom information available here.

With mettā,
Minneapolis Insight