Mindfulness – Meditation
This topic came easily in the practice of it, but not in the writing. I decided to try a new mindfulness practice. Mindfulness feels more in line with my action state of mind right now. I can put active intent to the practice of it. I chose a practice different than traditional mindfulness or meditation. I chose a practice from “The Untethered Soul.” It speaks to being untied from our thoughts, separate from the part of us that is the thinker, but aware of them, not running from them or taking any action to ignore or numb them.
I chose a Saturday afternoon when I was weeding. I set my intent to be aware of but not caught up in the thoughts that were sure to cross my mind over the next two hours. I began weeding and stayed attuned to pulling weeds, laying down the weed barrier, then adding the mulch. I heard the birds, cars, and people passing by. When I felt myself slipping into a state where I started to block out the cars and other sounds or found myself slipping into the unending thoughts crossing my mind, I stopped, looked up and refocused on what was going on around me. I paid attention to what thought was in my mind at the moment and considered it and let it go. I noticed many of the thoughts were not actually true but stemmed from fear or worry. The more aware of these thoughts I became, the more I was able to see them and let them go harmlessly away. As I did this over the next couple of hours, I noticed the negative thoughts got quieter and more infrequent. It was one of the most peaceful and productive two hours in the recent past.
I like this practice and look at it as mindfulness with a twist. The twist being the awareness of thoughts. Mindfulness practice generally involves physical awareness. Where you are. What you’re doing. Noticing the color or sound of something near you. Bringing in awareness of thought showed me how needless some are, and how once I was aware of them, I could decide to believe them or not and replace them. It’s really powerful and freeing.
It was also different from the meditations I’ve practiced. In meditation I become completely unaware of everything around me and in me. In this mindfulness practice I became more aware of everything, including thoughts, and was able to face them. I felt lighter, happier and more sure of what I believe. I wasn’t clouded by the negativity that comes from that unending stream of torturous thoughts. In the time that has passed since I did this practice, I have had slips back, falling into the negative thoughts, but as I build this practice into my life, I find letting these thoughts go is getting easier.
Book recommendation-The Untethered Soul
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