Mindfulness In Your Day, In Your Work

I learned the long hard way, that in seeing, I mean REALLY seeing my surroundings or others, (especially our loved ones) takes our full consciousness, not just our eyes or ears. There is nothing we can change about the past and the future is elusive. By dwelling more often in the present moment, we become free to observe life without getting caught up in all the noise of our mind or surroundings.

Wikipedia states that “ Mindfulness is a technique in which a person becomes intentionally aware of his or her thoughts and actions in the present moment, non-judgmentally.

As one more closely observes inner reality, one finds that happiness is not exclusively a quality brought about by a change in outer circumstances, but rather by realizing happiness often starts with loosening and releasing attachment to thoughts, predispositions and scripts; thereby releasing automatic reactions toward pleasant and unpleasant situations or feelings”

It wasn’t until I myself faced a serious illness that my hearts eyes truly opened. Learning to slow down enough to see the details, listen with my heart to hear, truly understand a child’s reaction or to ask why someone feels a certain way or likes something. I feel privileged to be given the chance to be mindful and give my full attention to conversations, to activities, even eating! Any activity done mindfully is possible and it does take practice. We are all too often distracted by all the internal and external “chatter” or by trying to multi-task while on the phone, visiting or proceeding with daily tasks.

Eckhart Tolle emphasizes “the importance of being present in the moment as a way of not being lost in thought. In his view the present is the gateway to a heightened sense of peace and aliveness. “Being in the now” also brings an awareness that is beyond the mind.

Tolles’core teachings that appear to arise from his works are:

You are not your thoughts. You are the awareness behind the thoughts. Thoughts are often negative and painful, yearning for or fearing something in the future, complaint about something in the present or fearing a matter from the past. However, the thoughts are not you; they are a construct of the ego. Awareness of your thought without being caught up in them is the first step to freedom.

Only the present moment exists. That is where life is (indeed it is the only place life can truly be found). Becoming aware of the now has the added benefit that it will draw your attention away from your negative thoughts. Use mindfulness techniques to fully appreciate your surroundings and everything you are experiencing. Look and listen intently. Give full attention to the smallest details.

Accept the present moment. It is resistance to the present moment that creates most of the difficulties in your life. However, acceptance does not mean that you cannot take action to rectify the situation you are in. What is important is to drop resistance so that you let the moment be, and that any action arises from deeper awareness rather than from resistance. The vast majority of pain in a person’s life comes from resistance to what is.”

Take time to notice that the mind is continually making comments, whether or not these thoughts have worth. By practicing mindfulness, you can quietly assess these thoughts for truth, sometimes a thought is just a thought, not reality.

Peace and harmony is often lacking in our lives often because of this inner conversation. When we are restless, irritated or anxious, we pass this on to those we come into contact with. Gaining awareness of why we are feeling that way is the first step to dealing with it. Often it stems from some negative thought in the mind, undesired action by someone else or a trigger from childhood “tapes”. Peace then, arises out of acknowledging what is true rather than just reacting.

Quiet your mind and heart before you continue on to your next call or your next activity. See in your minds eye what or whom you will be connecting with. Concentrate on your natural breath and if undesired comments come forth in your mind, just acknowledge them and continue on. Imagine yourself in that place, with that person and THEN, continue in peace, with your hearts eye wide open and ready to pick up the subtleties too often missed as an integral part of communication.

Go now, into the day with mindfulness so that you can experience ALL that is good.

You will be blessed.