Everyday Mindfulness
Take a few moments to think about what it was like doing a routine activity mindfully every day:
- How well were you able to focus on what you were doing and stay present, paying attention to your sensory experience and any thoughts related to the activity? If your mind kept wandering, that's perfectly normal, especially when you first start to practice mindfulness. Whenever that happens, use your breath and an awareness of whatever you're sensing to reconnect you to the present and to what you're doing.
- Did you notice any difference between how you experienced the activity doing it mindfully versus how you usually do it?
- If you chose an activity you find unpleasant (perhaps a chore), did it seem any less unpleasant when you did it mindfully? If it was a neutral or pleasant activity, was it more pleasant, richer or more vivid?
- Did you feel more relaxed while doing the activity mindfully, slowing down a bit and paying attention to your experience rather than doing it on automatic pilot with your mind off on something else? How did you feel afterwards?
Being mindful while doing routine activities enhances how we experience them, making them richer and potentially more enjoyable. It also helps us stay mindful throughout the day and connected to the present moment, which reduces stress and makes us less likely to get swept away by a wave of emotions, or get stuck in our heads dwelling, ruminating or worrying about something.
Bells of Mindfulness
Another way we can stay more mindful throughout the day is to use bells of mindfulness. Zen Master and mindfulness teacher Thich Nhat Hanh explains that in a Zen monastery, the monastery bell will sound, and:
When we hear one of these mindfulness bells ring, we stop whatever we are doing and bring our awareness to our breathing. By stopping to breathe and restore our calm and our peace, we become free, our work becomes more enjoyable and the friend in front of us becomes more real. With just three conscious breaths we can release the tensions in our body and mind and return to a cool and clear state of being.
We can use every day sounds such as a car horn honking, a door closing, a dog barking, the furnace or air conditioner turning on, etc., as "bells" of mindfulness—cues to stop whatever we're doing, reconnect to the present, smile, and take a few mindful breaths.
We can also use every day experiences as "bells," Things such as opening or closing a door, stopping at a red light, washing our hands, pouring a glass of water, turning a light on or off, etc., as cues to take a moment to take a few mindful breaths and reconnect to the present.
As part of the home practice this week, you'll be choosing a few sounds and experiences to use as bells of mindfulness.
Take a break, then continue to the next section.