Another Katie Exercise : Tuning Out

Instead of interrupting,from then on, you may find that you simply tune out while someone is talking to you, and from then on, you just pretend to listen. Try to notice the moment when you begin to listen to your own thoughts instead of the words of the other person. Then say this silently to yourself: "
I've decided to attend to my thoughts instead of to what you are saying because . . . ."

For Example:

". . . I've heard all this before, and I can safely go back to a more important project: nursing my worries."

". . . I can't afford to listen to this. If I don't pay attention to my own troubles, I may not survive the week."

". . . "the people laughing over there are having more fun. I wonder if I can join them.

Find your favourite reasons for tuning out and bring them to inquiry. People say they " space out " whereas in reality they shift their attention to particular thoughts.
Where do you go when you space out ?

Here is another listening exercise from Katie's 'I need your love - is that true ?
A good way to become aware of thoughts that fly by during a conversation is to watch yourself interrupting people. You probably notice when someone interrupts you in midsentence, but if you're the one doing it, it may not be so obvious.
Step one.
Simply notice when you interrupt. Don't stop your interrupting just notice it. Try this during a phone call or while chatting with your mother or a colleague at the office.
Step Two.
As you interrupt , silently say this to yourself: " I'm not letting you finist your sentence because. . . . ," ( and fill in the blank).This will hardly slow you down at all. Just watch the blank fill itself in with what you usually hide from yourself in the blur of conversation.
Here are some examples of what various people have discovered :

" I'm not letting you finish your sentence because
. . .I already know where you're going, and I have something more clever to say."
. . .I might forget what i have to say and lose this great oppertunity to impress you."
. . .I already know where you are going, and I want to avoid that territory."
. . .you're not interesting enough to distract me from my scary thoughts."
.. . you're having such a hard time expressing yourself ,
I'm going to rescue you by saying it better."
. . .interrupting you is a natural expression of my enthusiasm."
When you have done this exercise enough times to recognize the top three thoughts that lead you to interrupt, check out Byron Katie's website here and put your thoughts to inquiry.

" I used to talk nonstop to entertain people so that they would admire me. When I went to China for the first time, I could only say a few words, very slowly, to allow the interpreters to keep up with me. I also had to work hard to make out what people were saying to me. To my amazement , everyone liked me, and I enjoyed the people I met just as much. I had always heard that China was a hard place to work, but I found the people extremely kind. It wasn't until I got back to the States and found myself talking less and getting more love that I realized that what had happened had nothing to do with China."
From Byron Katie's "I need your love -is that true ? "
I love this book and find her listening exercises wonderful I'll share some over the next few days.

        Soft practice in the silent snow lit dusk,

                 Effortless contentment.

When we have arrived at the question, the answer is already near.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

They who give have all things; they who withhold have nothing.
--Hindu Proverb

Conquering any difficulty always gives one a secret joy, for it means pushing back a boundary-line and adding to one's liberty.
--Henri Frederic Amiel

We usually feel happy when we fulfill a desire or get something we have wanted. And so we come to believe that our happiness lies in fulfilling our desires. Lester Levinson asks us to notice that what happens is, that on fulfilling our desires our mind stops, (even for a little while) and then we feel our true nature. This is our happiness. I have been watching my mind and my happiness for a some time now and in my experience Lester is correct. When my mind becomes quiet and I rest in my true nature a natural state of contentment and joy arises. My daily tasks become ever more interesting and enjoyable, walking the dog, cooking for my family , practice and teaching all fill my heart and life with love. Fulfillment is no longer a goal to be attained but a daily experience.

       "Love is misunderstood to be an emotion; 

      actually, it is a state of awareness, a way of 

  being in the world, a way of seeing oneself and others."

                          Dr. David Hawkins:

Here is Simon's Repulse the monkey for Aine sorry I took so long to post it.