We all have times when, if we're honest, our minds are somewhat dangerous, toxic, unhelpful, confusing. Our own 'Bad neighborhood' consciousness often arises in response to something in life that threatens us. Often when we're threatened our minds go on a kind of automatic pilot, doing what they do whether it's helpful or not.
During stressful times we usually experience our 'selves' as knocked around a little. Mugged even, in Anne Lamott's metaphor, because we are in a bad neighborhood--which is why it's so very helpful not to go there alone.
This, to say the least, is a good time to remember, "Even when we walk through the valley of the shadow of death we will fear no evil, because You are with us." You. "Presence." Some One to guide us, to protect, to advise, to shield us.
I believe 'Presence' is both a God thing and a mindfulness thing. Us 'God people' will forever be conferring, one way and another, with God and experiencing joy and purpose and profound gratitude. AND 'Mindfulness people' will forever be cultivating wise, compassionate attention--or Presence--and also be experiencing joy and purpose and gratitude.
The wonderful thing is that in scary times or ordinary times, whenever we remember to do our best to embody kindness wisely--in ourselves and in the world--we are engaging the very Presence that heals, restores, and feeds the world just as it does us.
