Mindfulness Challenge: Acceptance

Acceptance is one of the 7 attitudinal pillars and foundations of mindfulness practice.  Acceptance means seeing things as they actually are in the present.  Sometimes we have to come to terms with things as they are and accept them, whether it is a diagnosis of cancer or learning of someone's death.   

Jon Kabat-Zinn says that often acceptance is reached only after we have gone through very emotion-filled periods of denial and then anger.  He refers to these stages as a natural progression in the process of coming to terms with what is.  They are all part of the healing process.  According to Gabor Mate, healing is not an end point or destination.  Healing is a journey.  Yoga and mindfulness practice are both tools in the healing journey.  

It's important to remember that acceptance does not mean that we like, approve, or even have to settle for what is in the present.   Acceptance simply means that we are willing to see things as they are.   Otherwise, we spend our energy and time denying and resisting things as they are.  When we do this, we are trying to force a situation to be the way we would like it to be, which only creates more stress and tension.  This keeps us stuck and prevents positive change from occurring.  

According to Jon Kabat-Zinn, there is wisdom in cultivating acceptance.  Cultivate acceptance by taking each moment as it comes and being with it fully — as it is.  Try not to judge what we should be seeing, thinking, or feeling.   Instead, remind yourself to be receptive and open to whatever you are feeling, thinking, or seeing and to accept it.  If you keep your attention focused on what is in the present, you can be sure of one thing — whatever you are attending to in this moment will change.  Change is the only constant and one thing that we can count on.  

If you want to learn more about Acceptance, Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn is a great read.