Mindfulness | The Silence Within
Many of our clients ask what is Mindfulness ? In a brief way I guess you could describe Mindfulness as being aware of each individual moment as the stream of your life rolls by…
It’s really about being in the now, rather than caught up in mind with thinking… way out there on the curve of tomorrow or rehashing the past.
And it’s just so easy to get caught up in the gravity spin of day to day life without really being present in each moment… it sometimes seems that you blink and the day is gone, and you say “what the… ?” “How come this keeps happening ?”
The reason could be that you are living your life in the mantra of HAVE_DO_BE which is an activity based paradigm or way of seeing the world. It’s based on the concept that once I have a certain thing… such as a physical world items like a car, house, relationship, family or maybe that special job or perhaps a beautiful body then I will be able to do what I want and then something wonderful will happen I will be happy, joyous or at the very least be able to live in peace… this desired outcome is usually a future positive emotional state.
The unfortunate fact is that a “desire to have” way of living lands you in the top percentage of those people most likely to be consistently unhappy. It just doesn’t work !
So what’s the alternative ? Well the answer is simple… isn’t it always ? You just reverse the model into BE_DO_HAVE
By doing this you set a new creative process in play (and that’s what this is…the process of creation) so the idea is to look at what it is you want to “have,” ask yourself what you think you would “be” if you “had” that, then go right straight to being. In this way you reverse the way you’ve been using the Be-Do-Have paradigm — in actuality, you’ve now set it right — so you’re now working with, rather than against, the creative power of the universe.
Look here’s a short way of stating this principle: “In life, you do not have to do anything. It’s really all a question of what you are Being… you know Human Being !”
The world of BEING is one of consciousness, values, beliefs, feelings and mindfulness and it starts with setting Intention and then Focus… and this is where mindfulness practice comes in as it assists with intention, focus and remaining in the moment, staying present. To begin with mindfulness practice can be a challenge as the mind is strong and it likes to wander in all directions, just try to stop all your thinking and thought in this very moment… and watch how your mind resists this simple intention… it’s not easy, many say impossible but with practice it can be done.
The knowledge well of mindfulness practice is deep and there are many ways to approach… I’ve written this for blog for those that are just beginning to taste the opportunity of entering the “Silence Within”. There’s much more to say on the topic but to start you off I’ve listed below some simple exercises that you might like to try over the coming weeks…
These exercises incorporate skills to develop a base for your mindfulness practice… as I was saying it can just be as simple a setting Intention and Focus and to remember a peaceful still observer state but here are two other conscious things you can try… anyway see what works best for you.
When doing the following practices the secret is totally focus on what you are doing: the body movements, the taste, the touch, the smell, the sight, the sound… and set an strong intention to remain completely present.
1) Mindfulness in Your Morning Routine
Pick an activity that constitutes part of your daily morning routine, such as brushing your teeth, shaving, having a shower or washing your hair.
For example, when you’re in the shower, notice the sounds of the water as it sprays out of the nozzle, and as it hits your body as it gurgles down the hole. Notice the temperature of the water, and the feel of it in your hair, and on your shoulders, and running down our legs. Notice the smell of the soap and shampoo, and the feel of them against your skin. Notice the sight of the water droplets on the walls or shower screen, the water dripping down your body and the steam rising upwards.
Notice the movements of your arms as you wash or scrub or shampoo. When thoughts arise, acknowledge them, let them be, and bring your attention back to the shower. Again and again, your attention will wander. As soon as you realize this has happened, gently acknowledge it, note what distracted you, and bring your attention back to the shower.
2) Mindfulness of Work and Domestic Activities
Pick a work or household activity that you normally try to rush through, or distract yourself from; or one for which you just ‘grit your teeth’ and try to ‘get through it’.
Aim to do this activity as a mindfulness practice. E.g., when ironing clothes notice the colour and shape of the clothing, and the pattern made by the creases, and the new pattern as the creases disappear. Notice the hiss of the steam, the creak of the ironing board, the faint sound of the iron moving over the material. Notice the grip of your hand on the iron, and the movement of your arm and your shoulder.
Anyway you get the message, and maybe ironing is not the best example for you… it’s all about the technique of being present… in the moment… and so it can be applied to anything, whatever you are doing. Now if boredom or frustration arises, simply acknowledge it, and bring your attention back to the task at hand.
When thoughts arise, acknowledge them, let them be, and bring your attention back to what you are doing. Again and again, your attention will wander. As soon as you realize this has happened, gently acknowledge it, note what distracted you, and bring your attention back to your current activity.
If you like… write down some informal mindfulness exercises for yourself:
– During my morning routine, I will practice mindfulness of ………………………………….….
– During my evening routine, I will practice mindfulness of ………………………………………
– During the week, I will practice mindfulness of the following activities …………………….
Now write down any other quick ’n’ easy informal mindfulness exercises you can think of – e.g. while waiting in queues or at traffic lights you could practice mindfulness of your impatience; or when eating dinner or exercising.
At the end of each week, sometimes it’s a good idea to pull this sheet out and see how well you have followed it.
This area of self-awareness is all about intention, focus and practice… practice… and more practice… but the rewards are great… eventually you will see that it will become just automatic for you… this is when true peace will be restored to your life… as you have full access then to home base in any moment… it’s about reclaiming your True Self.
The Silence Within !
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