The Art of Mini-transitions

I just received an email from Jennifer Louden on the art of mini-transitions. I wrote the following to her:

In 1971 I had the pleasure of meeting and hanging out with Swami Rama of the Himalayas and his successor Dr. Arya, who became Swami Veda Bharati. The first discourse Dr. Arya taught was about celebrating transitions, just as in your video. Please take a look at The Most Beautiful Spiritual Poem and other posts about Swami Rama and Swami Veda Bharati.

They helped lay the foundation for my later work with Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh and my new book, launching on September 15: Healing with the Seven Principles of Mindfulness: How to Thrive and Succeed within a Complex Cancer System. You can read more about the book at http://igg.me/at/7.

I’d like to invite you to became a member of my launch team, if it appeals to you.

By the way, I also love Pema Chodron!

May you be safe from eating your mini-transitions!

I don’t know what she will say or how she will respond, but I’m fascinated by what she said in this three minute video:

In the Plum Village of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, we are taught the art of mini-transitions every time we hear the sound of the bell. The sound of the bell is an indication to us to take a moment to come back to our true home within ourselves and dwell happily in the present moment. Also, the monks and nuns, lay dharma teachers, and advanced practitioners repeat little gathas (verses) whenever they engage in a new activity. There are gathas for just about everything. They help to bring our awareness into the present moment no matter what we are doing.

What tools do you have to celebrate your mini-transitions each day? Please share.