Pocket Mindfulness
Mindfulness…where to begin? The practice of mindfulness is nothing new and the understanding of the benefits have been well-researched. While our awareness of mindfulness and its power are very apparent, many remain unsure, intimidated, confused or just plain skeptical about if it will truly be worth the investment. Mindfulness often conjures up the idea of meditation. Sitting on a mat for 5, 10, 30 minutes or more trying to bring your thoughts back to the breath and away from thoughts of grocery lists, social media feeds and/or what cryptocurrency is. So, this post seeks to provide a stepping-stone to mindfulness, supporting you in daily activities that are easy, quick (or longer depending on your desire), and portable. Pocket mindfulness can go with you, get pulled out in a pinch, and fits in many, if not most, situations.
Mindfulness: the ability to be fully present in the moment, experiencing ourselves without judgement and overreaction, deeply engaged in our immediate awareness. Outside of taking residency inside a Buddhist temple or retreating to the South American mountains for a month-long retreat, how can we cultivate these skills to grow and move towards the fully-present person we hope to become? Let’s start with food. Can you take yourself back to a time when you quickly grabbed a handful of Cheez-Its and shoved them down your mouth with a swig of water/soda/seltzer without much thought? Perhaps that doesn’t resonate with you, but what about quickly devouring your breakfast/lunch/dinner, mashing all the components together, to quickly finish, clean up and move about your day? Pocket mindfulness would only ask you to slow down, seek to understand the various flavors bursting in your mouth, the smells that are creeping in, and the textures you can feel. Put your phone down, be at the meal with the company partaking in the meal, and absorb all the situation has to offer.
Now, apply this same rubric to many of your daily activities: showering, shaving, tooth brushing, making coffee or tea, stepping outside or back inside, laying in bed or just getting out of bed. Smells, textures, and sights can all be captured, honored, and appreciated in each of these moments. The beauty is, you get to decide when to implement and what to take in. The components that are being noticed aren’t important, the value lies in simply bringing awareness to what you are doing, the gift of being able to do it, and offering gratitude for the opportunity to be participating in life. Have you run your hands over the pages of a book or magazine recently and simply felt the textures and imperfections? What about the way the carpet feels against your feet as you leave the bed in the morning? Can you recall running your hands over a glass of water and feeling the cool condensation of the texture of the curves in the glass? It doesn’t take five minutes to carve out mindfulness opportunities, it simply takes awareness. Moreover, much like lifting weights or building cardiovascular strength, the more you work this muscle the stronger and more automatic it becomes. As you give yourself the small gift of pocket mindfulness, it returns the favor, compounding and building new patterns that instill presence, gratitude and awareness. We can all access pocket mindfulness by strolling through the world with our eyes, ears, nose and palms open.
