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

[Former-Member]

I agree @Phoenix_Rising however for those who have not 'done' mindfulness, there has to be a starting point to understand what the 'mindfulness' actually is, and how to do it. I think that is what is meant when we talk about 'doing mindfulness'. 

To me, it is indeed a way of life, but I've been 'doing it' for over 50 years now, so it's sort of second nature, except when it isn't. It's those times that we need to come back to the 'how do I do this again?' question. 

Like when the waves of despair are washing over me, I'm being mindful of those waves and of the despair, but I can't, don't want to, stay in that for very long, nor do I want it to negatively affect others who might be witnessing it. I like to keep my waves of despair to myself, for the most part so as not to overwhelm or inadvertently hurt others. 

This is why I'd like some strategies on how to come back to the 'how do I get my mindfulness back when I'm in despair mode'? 

[soul]

Not to mention that bad violin playing is painful for the ears @Phoenix_Rising. 

[Former-Member]

YEs, this so much this @soul

[Marie7]

I guess with dreams its the time, just so tired, with sadness etc I don't know, I wish I did, I will work on it but it is really hard to explain why. I seem to just get overwhelmed

[Former-Member]

@Queenie - completely understand these obstacles. Time is one that I think we can all confess to being caught up in the pace of it all. The doubt you mention is a very valid obstacle to. Something as simple as breathing or listening deeply to a song, when you are overwhelmed with thought just seems possibly a bit too easy of a fix? I think that sometimes when we can't even breath mindfully - doing activities like you said with listening to a song intently, can help. Then you can feel that the task of mindfulness is actually a part of an activity that you enjoy?

[Phoenix_Rising]

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@soulwrote:

Not to mention that bad violin playing is painful for the ears @Phoenix_Rising. 

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@soul Given I am still very much at the early stages of mastering the violin, I'm pretty sure my neighbours would say ALL my playing is painful for the ears! 

[Marie7]

Yes thank you true

[Former-Member]

may I humbly suggest @Marie7 that it's not necessary to focus on the dream or the content of it, but when you get up,perhaps when you shower, you are mindful of the experience of having shower.

Feel the water on your skin as it moves over it, feel the soap/ wash cloth (I'm big on wash cloth crochet making over in the Craft Corner ) as you move it across your skin. Savour the water down your back. The same when you dry, savour the feeling of the scruchy or soft towel and so on. 

It's a place to start. Washing up is another one, @Shaz has been learning to wash up mindfully I believe. 

[soul]

I'm literally laughing out loud @Phoenix_Rising

[Phoenix_Rising]

@Former-Member yep, I super agree that we need to start off learning mindfulness through doing specific mindful activities. I think one of the reasons some people get turned off the idea of mindfulness is because it is poorly taught and people are left with the idea that it is only about doing those specific types of activities. I think as it has become such an in-vogue thing, there are a whole lot of MH professionals out there that are teaching it really poorly. I'm super glad that like you, I was introduced to the concept a long time ago, before it became so trendy.