The Basics - Awareness: January 12 - 18

As we get ready for another year of mindfulness together, let's review the basics.

Here's the classic definition of Mindfulness according to Jon Kabat- Zinn, the founder of mindfulness-based stress reduction.

Mindfulness

paying attention

on purpose

in the present moment

non-judgmentally

Over the next weeks, I'll tackle each of these themes, line by line.

Awareness = paying attention

Intention = on purpose

Here and Now = in the present moment

Compassion = Non-judgmentally

We are wired for awareness. We interpret the world around us by paying attention with our eyes, ears, nose, tongue, and skin. Our brain continually processes this stream of incoming information, helping us understand and find meaning in each moment. It is rather amazing when you stop to think about it. We are so quick at it, our responses follow automatically, often below the radar of consciousness.

Mindfulness is turning this superpower on itself. Awareness becomes the subject of our awareness. Instead of simply reacting to people and situations, we pause long enough to direct our attention and watch the inner workings of the mind. Mindfulness is waking up, moment by moment, to life as it merges all around us. From my experience, exploring the mind is like travelling to another country full of adventure and surprises. So buckle up as we journey together through another year.

Image generated by Adobe Express.

Practice

Find a comfortable seat and get ready to switch off the automatic pilot. It takes practice to shift gears from letting our thoughts mindlessly hijack our awareness to deliberately sitting in the pilot seat. Let's begin by becoming familiar with basic navigation. For many, the ears and eyes are our main instruments although we have at least 5 channels to receive information.

I tend to close my eyes when I meditate to reduce visual overload. Others find it helpful to maintain a gentle gaze downward. You decide what works best for you. For today's meditation, I'll rest my attention on the sense of sound but you might wish to rest your awareness on the sensations in the hands or feet. You're always in charge of how you channel your awareness.

I generally tune into the sound of the breath. Awareness is like a flashlight. We can't really look at or listen to several different things at the same time no matter how good we think we are at multitasking. The sound of my breath is simply a tool to maintain focus and concentration. Inevitably thoughts will surface and try to capture my attention. That's just what the brain does, especially when I'm in a quiet place. Mindfulness is the practice of coming back to the sound of my breath as soon as I realize I've become distracted. It's aiming the flashlight of awareness back to the senses.

Let's spend a little more time together, learning to stay focused. Continue to listen to the breath. Maybe count each exhale from 1 to 10 as a way to concentrate. Once you get to 10, or when you realize you've lost track, just start over. Repeat until you get to the end of the meditation. This practice is simple to understand but difficult to master. That's why we practice again and again. See you next week.