Since I last wrote a lot has occurred and in many ways nothing! I am referring to the daily practice of mindfulness. A colleague when I asked him whether he had considered mindfulness, said "well its better than sitting round doing nothing". What a wag! And yes he was being funny, but maybe for many people that's what they think mindfulness is, just nothing.
Well when it comes to physical effort of course that's right, but the real effort seems to come with the developing practice of bare attention or awareness.
So why bother? Well I can attest that there are real benefits to this practice and they seem at first small and subtle but accumulate over time. As the daily practice in the formal sense becomes more regular , it becomes almost a need as those periods of stillness and quiet seem so precious.
The calmness becomes a very welcome product of those episodes of awareness, remembering of course that it is a product of awareness and not its aim. As John Kabatz-Inn says this isn't a "dime store relaxation method". The awareness is the desired aim, but it doesn't always bring calm. I find it can be invaluable in unearthing issues of concern that can be on the edge of my awareness. Issues that seem to niggle and result in agitation or restlessness but never coming to full awareness. However, being with them and allowing to emerge can result in their becoming present and if dealt with by noticing rather than reacting with aversion they can be integrated into awareness.
Of course some discomforts are only to present and a visit to the dentist was perhaps the most trying place to be present in the moment. Yet again a curiosity about the experience and all the sensations , sights and smells was a fascinating time.
More of the daily practice on my next post.
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