Hi! In my last post I talked about using my phone as a centering practice.

Noticing when I'm reaching for it unnecessarily, I take a moment to center myself and decide if I really need to look at my phone in that moment. This practice created other new centering moments for me during the day.

So recently I was having fun playing the card game bridge when I was dealt a 30-point hand (a lot of points in bridge). I was amazed. Never had I seen four aces and four kings in the same hand, plus nice distribution. It was a beautiful hand. And I blew it!

I've played bridge off and on since my early 20's, but not for a long time. So I'm relearning how to bid and play. I usually do okay, but I was so taken aback by this hand that I didn't understand how best to play my part.

I ended up making a small slam, which means you and your partner take 12 tricks. Great, you say. But... you have to bid the slam to get the points. I'm still beating myself up about it.

Ah, Shenpa, I Take Delight.

So....

Pema Chodron, American Tibetan Buddhist nun, author, and teacher, has this beautiful phrase: 

Ah, shenpa, I take delight.

Shenpa is the Buddhist word for stickiness, perseveration, or the inability to let go of a pervasive and bothersome thought-- aka the inner critic that keeps coming back no matter what you do. 

I can be hard on myself, and the (blown) bridge hand gave me a great way to beat myself up. How could I let that slip away? What is wrong with me.

Ah, shenpa!

So...

I'm creating another new centering practice. When I reach for the critical thought, I center... and take delight. Delight that I caught myself and can transform this sticky, critical thought into a deep breath, an exhale, a smile, and a letting go. For that moment.

Oh, it will come back. And I get to do it all over again. Breath, exhale, smile at myself, and let the thought fly away like the beautiful redwing blackbirds outside my window this morning.

I'm lucky to have such tiny, teeny problems.

What sticky thought are you reaching for today? Ah shenpa! Take delight!

Good ki!