Topic Tuesday//How can I be mindful when I have a mindFULL//Tues. 20 March. 7pm - 9pm AEDT

[Former-Member]

that's really interesting @Queenie I shall try it with some instrumental music, I cannot cope with words and music at the moment for some reason. 

[soul]

I did a meditation workshop and the instructor told us that the practice wasn't about sitting cross legged for hours trying to empty our minds. She said that we could enjoy micromeditation which could be something as easy and quick as notiing and appreciating an interesting cloud formation.

So mindfulness can come in all shapes and sizes too. Savouring the taste of a food. Inhaling a preferred scent. Really noticing the effect it has on you.

[Marie7]

Sorry about spelling errors pain in fingers make phone typing difficult

[Phoenix_Rising]

@Former-Member That meme super made me giggle. 

I'm not sure that I understand what you mean about feeling you need to "do" mindfulness all the time. My understanding is that mindfulness isn't something we "do" but rather, it is a way of being. I think this is a point that is often lost - we talk about mindful activities a lot (e.g. focusing on our breathing, listening to the sounds around us etc) and thus it can come across as though mindfulness is something that we "do" rather than a way of being in the world. 

[Queenie]

I think time and doubt are the biggest factors against me utilising mindfulness techniques @Former-Member. Time because often I'm in a rushed world and simple things like breathing are often taken for granted. The second factor, doubt, is because when I am hit with the big overwhelming feelings, I doubt something as simple as noticing my breath will help me. I want a quick fix, I don't want to sit with these feelings at all. I want to run as far away from them as I can...so therefore avoid.

[Former-Member]

@Marie7, like we said to @Shaz51 earlier, sometimes just having an interest in mindfulness can be a big first step. By being here and reading, getting involved and learning you are helping yourself which is a great win. 

[Marie7]

Yes I enjoy this

[soul]

To me mindfullness does take more effort but it is worth it. I could gobble down a piece of cake and enjoy it or I could savour each bite in which case, I would derive a more enriched sensation.

[Phoenix_Rising]

@Queenie I super love playing my violin mindfully. The super cool thing about my violin is that it sounds bad if I have any tension in my body (i.e. the bow bounces). Thus it's like a form of biofeedback - the way it sounds immediately tells me if I have tension anywhere and then I super focus on relaxing my body. 

[Former-Member]

Thats a great perspective @Phoenix_Rising - like @soul said as well, for a lot of people 'doing' mindfulness can sometimes bring up thoughts of people sitting cross legged and being able to breath and focus for extended amounts of time.

I think as people learn about mindfulness (myself included), start to understand and try mindful activities, they can start to see that it is a way of being and not a 'chore' or thing to try to 'do'. Maybe it is down to the process of how we get to mindfulness - the between of 'doing it' and 'being it'? I've said do a few times there didn't I!