Mindfulness: Paying attention to the present moment
There is an old story about a traveller who met a meditation guru at a remote mountaintop temple. The traveller asked the guru what he did there that was so special and commented to the guru that from what he could see that the guru did nothing all day but work, eat and walk around which is just what the traveller himself did all day at home. The guru paused for a moment and thought before responding and said “But when we work, we know we are working; when we eat, we know we are eating and when we walk, we know we are walking.”
Being mindful is about being fully aware of what you are doing. You might like to think of it in terms of When I am studying, I know I’m studying; when I’m running, I know I am running; when I am doing yoga, I know I am doing yoga; when I’m at work/school, I know that I’m at work/school.
Everybody’s mind wanders and as we start to become aware of being in the moment or of not being in the moment, we should be gentle and kind to ourselves. It is a skill that will develop over time.
There is an old story about a traveller who met a meditation guru at a remote mountaintop temple. The traveller asked the guru what he did there that was so special and commented to the guru that from what he could see that the guru did nothing all day but work, eat and walk around which is just what the traveller himself did all day at home. The guru paused for a moment and thought before responding and said “But when we work, we know we are working; when we eat, we know we are eating and when we walk, we know we are walking.”
Being mindful is about being fully aware of what you are doing. You might like to think of it in terms of When I am studying, I know I’m studying; when I’m running, I know I am running; when I am doing yoga, I know I am doing yoga; when I’m at work/school, I know that I’m at work/school.
Everybody’s mind wanders and as we start to become aware of being in the moment or of not being in the moment, we should be gentle and kind to ourselves. It is a skill that will develop over time.