Mindfulness – Did You Really Eat Your Breakfast?
By Goodpal, 1st Aug 2011 | Follow this author
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Posted in WikinutHealthMind & SpiritMental Health
In the practice of mindfulness there are no failures, you merely catch yourself lost in thoughts. Find out how mindfulness can brighten up your day right from eating your breakfast!
- Are You Really Alive?
- Mere Observation, Bare Observation
- Clear Comprehension
- Mindful Living is Healthy Living
- Final Words on Living Mindfully
- Read More on Mindfulness
Are You Really Alive?
At any time you can be only in one of the two situations: either you know what you are doing or you don’t. When you know what you are doing, you actually “live”. When you don’t know what you are doing, you are “not living”. There is no other situation life. Period. Life is no more complicated than that, unless of course you want to make it.
Consciously knowing what you are doing is a part of “being mindful” or “mindfulness”. The English word “mindfulness” may not be older than a century or two. But the concept and practice of “mindfulness” is at least 2500 years old. In fact, the Buddha’s original technique of meditation (called Vipassana meditation) is founded on the base of mindfulness. Applied in the original sense of its meaning – two and a half millennium ago – it means clear comprehension of the reality unfolding moment by moment. Come to think of it, no form of meditation is possible without mindfulness – alertness or conscious presence of mind.
Mindfulness means paying purposeful and nonjudgmental attention in the present moment. This kind of attention nurtures greater awareness, clarity, and acceptance of present-moment reality. It keeps us awake to the reality that is unfolding moment-by-moment. It also constantly reminds us that the only place to live is the “present moment” – where else can you live? Of course, many people think that they are too smart to live in the “present”! Check if you are also among them?
Mere Observation, Bare Observation
Applied to meditation practices, mindfulness stands for the nonjudgmental observation and acknowledgment of actions, thoughts, feelings and emotions. You notice that you are eating breakfast –acknowledge it and enjoy! That’s all. It is simple! The thought of your boss comes in mind, you notice it, and you also notice the restlessness. After a while the thought goes away and the discomfort vanishes too. You stop from value judgment or analysis.
If your boss is a jerk, accept it as a fact – there is nothing to like or dislike about it. It is not your problem! Just acknowledge that your boss is a jerk, and of course be happy!
This is mindfulness in real life. It tells you how to deal with a nasty character, wrongly labeled as a boss!!
Clear Comprehension
The central theme of mindfulness practice is that when you eat your breakfast, you are really eating breakfast. You actually tasted everything going into your mouth, with complete presence of mental alertness. Why spoil the taste of breakfast by worrying about how the day will unfold, or mentally rehearsing the office activities of the day. While eating breakfast, you are ONLY eating breakfast and nothing else. Period.
While driving, you are just driving with complete attention to the act of driving. In the office greet colleagues with complete attention and sincerity; when listening, be fully attentive (no value judgment or colored thinking) and respond when needed, again knowing what you are saying and how you are saying it.
It might appear silly at the first glance – why put so much stress on each and every simple thing? But that’s precisely the point. Eating, driving, talking, listening, responding are merely ordinary and trivial activities. However, they help you firmly establish in the present moment – conscious of your presence, your thoughts, and actions. With practice, these trivial activities will train you to remain anchored in the “here and now” – then nothing can sway your mental focus. And you very well know the importance of a focused mind.
An ordinary mind is fragile; it gets tossed around aimlessly like a log here and there on the waves.
Mindful Living is Healthy Living
In practical terms, mindfulness is an attitude – a way of being. You do not necessarily have to sit in some particular posture or close your eyes to practice it. You can adopt this attitude anytime and anywhere – in fact, all the time at all the places. You can even practice it walking on a busy street or shopping in a busy supermarket! Yes, just be aware (mindful) of the people and noise around you – without liking or disliking anything, because you owe nothing and own nothing.
Even if you train in this limited way, you will have done wonders to your sense of mental balance or equanimity. This is a brilliant training to keep your inner poise in the midst of noise and turbulence of daily life. In reality, this is the only practice that gives proper rest to your mind. The moment you put on the attitude that you are just a detached witness of your thoughts and feelings; you protect yourself from emotional commotion that may be unfolding in the mind.
It is now a well-researched fact that mindfulness meditation practices improve your health and your sense of well-being. Learn about the Holistic Benefits of Mindfulness Meditation.
Final Words on Living Mindfully
Mindfulness is a very practical tool that can and must be applied in real life. Practicing these four steps will not only help improve the quality of your conscious awareness, but it will also show you a new way of living:
- Observe your mind closely. Observe your thoughts, excuses, complaints, feelings, refusal to accept responsibility; they are all there in your mind.
- Stay detached from the thoughts you are thinking. This means that you observe each thought with a certain philosophical distance. It detaches you from the emotions and pain attached to your thoughts. Then you can tolerate any ugly thought long enough to deal with it productively.
- Evaluate your thoughts. Without being prejudiced try acting like a wise judge. When you find a procrastinating thinking do not berate yourself; rather, guess its possible implications, and decide on the best action. Act on the decision arrived above without allowing your preferences or likes and dislikes to intervene. That is, act with total dispassion and detachment. There is a saying: what must be done must be done. Period.
In the practice of mindfulness there are no failures – you merely catch yourself making a mistake, and move on. Let every day begin with a resolution that you will be mindful of every activity through out the day.
There will be initial resistance but with practice you will acquire a new way of living – and a new way of being. You will find that the controlling strength of your thoughts and the accompanying emotions is gradually decreasing over time. And you are opening to an ever-deepening mental silence that is pregnant with far bigger possibilities.
Now you have really learnt how to eat the breakfast – here and now!
Have a Wonderful Day!
Read More on Mindfulness
If you liked this page, you may also be interested in
How to Learn Mindfulness Effectively
Mindfulness - Let There be LIFE in Your Life
How to Relieve Stress: The Mindfulness Way
Comments
1st Aug 2011 (#)
Well done! Bascially, we should stop and smell the roses a bit more. I love this concept and I am going to try and apply it to my life. Just a wonderful article on mindfulness. Congrats on the star page, it was truely deserved. as always, thank you for sharing.:)
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1st Aug 2011 (#)
Thanks Denise. It is always a pleasure to read your words.
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