THE MALA PRACTICE
You will go through every bead of your Three Tenets Mala. Some things you will say out loud; some you will say silently. Over time you will find your way, but always hold the appropriate bead as you work your way around the mala. This is important to remind you of this process as a practice rather than as some mental construct. You may find yourself lingering over a bead and needing to spend more time with it. Follow your instincts and inner guidance.
TO BEGIN, rub the mala between the palms of your hands, affirming the oneness of life, that nothing is oppositional, and that all things co-exist in relationship to each other. This action reminds us not just of inclusion and relationship, but also of the
dynamic and impermanent nature of all things.
Next, hold the first large bead, the SITUATION bead, and state the situation: who is involved, what is involved, when it happened, where it happened, and how you are being affected. Be specific. The situation can range from the mundane to the very serious.
Hold the next large bead, the NOT KNOWING bead, and invoke the First Tenet: “I practice Not Knowing.”
Hold the following three small beads, as follows:
Bead 1: “I open my mind by letting go of my fixed ideas about the situation, myself, and any others involved.”
What beliefs, opinions, and judgments are you holding that you need to let go of?
Bead 2: “I open my heart by releasing my fears and resentments.”
What fears and resentments are you recognizing and releasing?
Bead 3: “I open my being to new ways of seeing.”
Not Knowing is the spaciousness of being that is always present but which you may not be conscious of. Open the mind by acknowledging and letting go of your beliefs, opinions, judgments, and preferences; your mental patterns and habitual stories about yourself or the situation; and finally your fears and resentments. Having done that, you are open to new possibilities. RELEASE ALL IDEAS OF FIXING OR RESOLVING THE SITUATION.
Hold the next large bead, the BEARING WITNESS bead: “I practice Bearing Witness.”
While you hold it, start describing each ingredient of the situation. What do you notice, see, hear, feel, sense, believe, observe, etc.? For example, it may be helpful to say, “I notice that … ” or “I feel that … .” It’s important to take as much time and cover as many elements of the situation as possible, as well as your reactions to them—mental, physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual. Give enough space and time for everything to arise. Commit to listening so deeply to the many facets of a situation that the gaps between you and the situation disappear. Open to the complexity involved. The ingredients may arise quickly or slowly. Follow your own rhythm; this is an intimate, visceral and feeling process. It can also be a sad and painful one, so take care of yourself as you do this.
When you feel ready, hold the next large bead, the LOVING ACTION bead, and name what action, grounded in Not Knowing and Bearing Witness, emerges.
The action will have a spontaneous quality, rather than something pre-conceived, what you think should be done, or what you think is the spiritual thing to do. It could be so simple that you could easily dismiss it or not recognize it. Be open to it; allow yourself to be surprised.
Hold the next two small beads and add the following:
Bead 1: “By this action, I serve _________.” (Name the person or people involved and describe how your action serves them.)
Bead 2: “By this action, I take care of myself by _________.” (Describe how your action takes care of your own needs.)
Hold the last large bead, the UNITY AND DEDICATION bead: “I affirm the interconnectedness of all beings. This is the great force of my life. I therefore dedicate the merit of this practice to __________.” (Name someone other than yourself.)
Affirming interconnectedness implies your intention to care for yourself and
others with an open and awake heart in all situations.
You will go through every bead of your Three Tenets Mala. Some things you will say out loud; some you will say silently. Over time you will find your way, but always hold the appropriate bead as you work your way around the mala. This is important to remind you of this process as a practice rather than as some mental construct. You may find yourself lingering over a bead and needing to spend more time with it. Follow your instincts and inner guidance.
TO BEGIN, rub the mala between the palms of your hands, affirming the oneness of life, that nothing is oppositional, and that all things co-exist in relationship to each other. This action reminds us not just of inclusion and relationship, but also of the
dynamic and impermanent nature of all things.
Next, hold the first large bead, the SITUATION bead, and state the situation: who is involved, what is involved, when it happened, where it happened, and how you are being affected. Be specific. The situation can range from the mundane to the very serious.
Hold the next large bead, the NOT KNOWING bead, and invoke the First Tenet: “I practice Not Knowing.”
Hold the following three small beads, as follows:
Bead 1: “I open my mind by letting go of my fixed ideas about the situation, myself, and any others involved.”
What beliefs, opinions, and judgments are you holding that you need to let go of?
Bead 2: “I open my heart by releasing my fears and resentments.”
What fears and resentments are you recognizing and releasing?
Bead 3: “I open my being to new ways of seeing.”
Not Knowing is the spaciousness of being that is always present but which you may not be conscious of. Open the mind by acknowledging and letting go of your beliefs, opinions, judgments, and preferences; your mental patterns and habitual stories about yourself or the situation; and finally your fears and resentments. Having done that, you are open to new possibilities. RELEASE ALL IDEAS OF FIXING OR RESOLVING THE SITUATION.
Hold the next large bead, the BEARING WITNESS bead: “I practice Bearing Witness.”
While you hold it, start describing each ingredient of the situation. What do you notice, see, hear, feel, sense, believe, observe, etc.? For example, it may be helpful to say, “I notice that … ” or “I feel that … .” It’s important to take as much time and cover as many elements of the situation as possible, as well as your reactions to them—mental, physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual. Give enough space and time for everything to arise. Commit to listening so deeply to the many facets of a situation that the gaps between you and the situation disappear. Open to the complexity involved. The ingredients may arise quickly or slowly. Follow your own rhythm; this is an intimate, visceral and feeling process. It can also be a sad and painful one, so take care of yourself as you do this.
When you feel ready, hold the next large bead, the LOVING ACTION bead, and name what action, grounded in Not Knowing and Bearing Witness, emerges.
The action will have a spontaneous quality, rather than something pre-conceived, what you think should be done, or what you think is the spiritual thing to do. It could be so simple that you could easily dismiss it or not recognize it. Be open to it; allow yourself to be surprised.
Hold the next two small beads and add the following:
Bead 1: “By this action, I serve _________.” (Name the person or people involved and describe how your action serves them.)
Bead 2: “By this action, I take care of myself by _________.” (Describe how your action takes care of your own needs.)
Hold the last large bead, the UNITY AND DEDICATION bead: “I affirm the interconnectedness of all beings. This is the great force of my life. I therefore dedicate the merit of this practice to __________.” (Name someone other than yourself.)
Affirming interconnectedness implies your intention to care for yourself and
others with an open and awake heart in all situations.