Tripping On Mindfulness
by Maya Frost
One of the ironies of mindfulness
is that it's still possible to be forgetful, klutzy,
or even distracted while doing our best to pay attention.
Why? We are choosing where
to focus and so there are, by necessity, bits of information
that aren't getting the full laser treatment. It's
simply not possible to be mindful of everything all
at once.
That's the beauty of it.
You can shine your mental
high beams on, say, fully connecting with every person
you talk to today. While being very aware of your
interactions with others, you might trip on the edge
of the carpet.
Clumsy and mindful
may seem like strange bedfellows, but they are intimate
nonetheless.
True story: I know a reference
librarian who was in the habit of reading while walking.
One day, she was walking the two blocks to her house
during her lunch break while reading a new book. She
was so completely focused on the words she was reading
that she tripped on the sidewalk, landing in a heap
right there on Ash Street.
Fortunately, this happened
in front of the fire station, and the paramedics came
to her aid immediately. Unfortunately, in addition
to her badly-bruised ego, she broke not one but both
arms.
The book she was reading?
Coping With Attention Deficit Disorder
You can't make up this stuff!
Mindfulness doesn't always lend itself
to multitasking-- especially when we need to watch
where we're going. One-track mindfulness is
ideal, but two tracks can work if one of them involves
repetitive physical activity.
Breathing, washing dishes,
eating, walking, sweeping, swimming? Perfect. Tack
on another—like reading—and you'll end
up stumbling, too.
Even if you've never done
a faceplant on concrete, chances are you've developed
your own quirky mental editing tricks. We
choose our targets based on what we decide at that
moment is most meaningful.
Your son might be totally
immersed in playing the guitar and forget all about
his math homework. Your friend might get caught up
in a woodworking project and forget to call you back.
You might get so absorbed in a conversation with someone
at the grocery store that you forget to buy the bread
that was the reason for your trip.
Mindfulness helps
us pay attention, but it doesn't make us perfect.
And that's perfect! It shows us our imperfections
while helping us become less judgmental about them.
A hefty sense of humor helps.
Use mindfulness to help you
"step back" before tripping--on the stories
in your head, the swirl of emotions you feel, and
the chaos of your life. Develop the mental agility
to step back, step into and step out of your chosen
focus.
You might remain klutzy.
You may forget to buy bread. But you won't end up
tripping over what matters most.
© Copyright 2004, Maya Frost
Maya Frost
has taught thousands of people how to pay attention. Through her
company, Real-World Mindfulness Training™, she offers
playful, powerful eyes-wide-open alternatives to meditation.
To read her free tips and tricks for everday awareness, visit
http://www.Real-WorldMindfulness.com
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