GROUNDING ON THE EARTH: A NARRATIVE OF MY LIFE IN TRANSITIONS THROUGH THE PRACTICES OF CONTEMPLATIVE EDUCATION

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to study and to understand the researcher’s life in a time of transitions. The researcher used the narrative inquiry method to explore, review, and contemplate experiences in the time of transitions, together with self-training with contemplative practices involving mindfulness of breathing, deep listening, mandala arts, and reflective writing. The researcher separated experience inspection into three transition periods as follows: 1) the dream of the ground: when the researcher carried the expectations of family and himself to improve quality of life by having a stable career with good income; 2) soaring to the sky:  when the researcher was a flight attendant, became a pride of the family and himself, at the same time, carried more expectations. The researcher suffered as the reality did not match the expectations. As he sought the way of his suffering, it led him to study at Contemplative Education Center at Mahidol University; and 3) from the sky back to the ground: when the researcher changed his career from a flight attendant to an officer. At this time, the researcher experienced significant difficulties and major life changes, Also, it was a time that the researcher went through intense self-training with contemplative practices.

The changes in transition consisted of three periods: period 1: run away from the original ground; period 2: practicing amidst the transitions; and period 3: grounding on the Earth. The results of the study revealed that each transition period affected the researcher physically and mentally. Self-training with contemplative practices enabled the researcher to observe and contemplate suffering as it was, be mindful of thoughts and feelings, was able to understand and accepted himself, and was compassionate to himself and others. As a result, the researcher’s response to the transitional period has changed. The researcher was able to face transition with more understanding and stability.