The Magic Of Mindfulness
Do you ever feel like your life is spinning out of control? Do you feel exasperated, at the end of your rope? There is a path out of that place. In today’s episode, well light that path, give you precise steps forward, and hopefully inspire you to a place of more peace and joy.
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The Magic Of Mindfulness
As regular readers know, the show is all about the ways we better understand the true nature and extent of our personal power. The clearer we see the goings-on inside our heads, the more we're able to make and stick with high-quality decisions. Building skills that increase this clarity improves nearly all aspects of our lives, health, relationships, peace of mind, experiences, and the value we bring to other people. The Eye Of Power is a model or a map that provides a path to see this inner territory. It's useful for anyone who wishes to follow that path.
In this episode, we'll focus on one of the most foundational skills. Like many skills, we can also consider it a habit. This one operates like a valve. When open, it allows our power to flow fully. When shut, we're more like automatons. We run whatever routines happen to be programmed into our brains. With this valve shut, our thoughts, feelings, and thus our behavior and fate are limited by the consequences of those behaviors. We feel those limits when we feel victimized, excluded, or unworthy. To break those barriers and open ourselves to the full extent of our power, we must develop the skill and habit of mindfulness.
What do we mean by mindfulness? Evident from the word, it involves being full of mind, meaning that we're aware. In the extreme, we're mindful when we notice all we can about our thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment. To sustain this state, we must also avoid getting caught up in distraction. These usually come in the form of some urge to render a judgment we label something as good or bad or we can move to some action that takes us out of the present moment.
Mindfulness involves being full of mind, meaning that we're aware. We're mindful when we notice all we can about our thoughts, emotions, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment.
Our mindfulness lessens as we turn our attention to what might happen in the future or what could have been different in the past. Humans have a relationship with time that differs from all other earthly creatures. Our recollection of the past is a storehouse for our wisdom and acumen. Other creatures do that too. It's our ability to imagine a future and formulate plans that expands our universe of possibility and distinguishes humans. This is one of the features of an emergent consciousness. It's a wonderful thing.
We can get caught up in that place. We can daydream about what might be. We can worry about something that might happen. That's largely wasted energy because the problem is our ability to act in ways that produce desired results that are confined to the present moment. Mindfulness allows us to direct a greater amount of our consciousness to that place, the place of our power.
That's worth repeating our power lives in the present. It's there where we can remain open and curious. These are good words to describe the attitude where we're most able to learn. We often think of learning as a function of effort and capacity. Yet the thing that fundamentally limits our learning is the illusion that we already know the answer. We don't, at least not in its entirety. For this reason, mindfulness goes hand in hand with humbleness. The first step towards greater mindfulness is our attitude.
Mindfulness: Mindfulness is nutritious for our perceptive powers.
We need to think of our understanding, whatever the topic, whether it's something going on with our physical bodies the perceptions of another person, the soundness of a policy, or the nature of a complex process as models or subject to continual revision and expansion. This creates a positive feedback loop of sorts. Mindfulness is nutritious for our perceptive powers. As we continue to stay in the question, we stay in the moment. This not only improves the models we use to navigate life. This also builds relationships because people like to be seen and heard. You know the experience. How great is it when someone is fully present with us focused 100% on understanding our perspective?
I encountered a person who is a true master of this skill and habit. He was world-renowned and loved in this ability was no small contributor to his success. I didn't know him well but he made me feel like I did. I've become friends with his daughter, but this was mainly after his death. More to the point, when we met at two separate business functions, he was interested in knowing me, at least the things about me that distinguished me from others. He didn't do this just for me. When he met someone and he met plenty of people, he stopped, even when he was busy or there were many people waiting for their turn for his attention. He smiled. He looked the person up and down in careful consideration.
He wasn't going to just blow smoke. That would be 180 degrees out of phase with what he was about. He would find whatever he could in the short span of an introduction. He would express appreciation to the person for bringing back quality, be it a smile and attitude or energy, an accomplishment, a sense of fashion, or whatever could be discerned quickly. He was a hugger because he loved all people. In that short span, he made people feel like they were the only person in the world who mattered to him.
We're not all Charlie Tremendous Jones, but we're all ourselves. If Charlie were still with us, he would say that's a wonderful thing. Even more of that unique wonderfulness shines out when we're mindful. How do we make that happen? What was Charlie's secret? There's no shortcut. It's like any other skill. It begins with awareness. That's what I'm trying to help you build with this show. Once we're aware, it comes down to a decision. Will I be more mindful or won't I? That's it. That's where our power is.
If we have our full power, we can make decisions like that. If we don't, we deceive ourselves. We tell ourselves we will do something then we don't do it. That's another of the chief ways we bleed our power. It's also a good measure of how much personal power we have built. When we decide and we have the integrity to stick with it, building skill in anything simply comes down to doing the work. The work of mindfulness is a practice. The practice of mindfulness goes way back Eastern Traditions like Buddhism led the way. The practice of mindfulness is as relevant now as ever. It is spread throughout the world because its benefits are proven.
The work of mindfulness is a practice. The practice of mindfulness is as relevant now as ever and has spread throughout the world because its benefits have been proven.
Study after study indicates that regular mindfulness practice reduces stress, enhances emotional well-being, improves our focus and attention, increases resilience, and fosters a greater sense of overall well-being. Many people practice mindfulness by meditating. There are many ways to meditate. It could be a topic of its own. I have some experience with meditation. I've practiced it through martial arts, a Kundalini practice, prayer, and numerous deep-dive meditative retreats. Some of these experiences produce profound results.
These days, I get my mindfulness training via a daily yoga practice. It's a half hour or so per day. I began because it was recommended to help me with my chronic back pain, which it did, but if I'd understood the physical and mental benefits, I would begun this amazing habit long ago if you're familiar with what I'm talking about. If you're not, don't be reluctant to give it a try. You don't need the flexibility of a gymnast. You start wherever you are and go from there. My wife Kathleen and I follow Yoga With Adriene on YouTube. I recommend her but there are numerous options.
If yoga isn’t your thing, mindfulness can also be applied to everyday activities. We can bring a heightened sense of awareness to ordinary tasks like eating, walking, or actively listening to someone. In addition to yoga, Kathleen and I walked together nearly every day. Sometimes, we talk about the business of our lives. Sometimes we just walk and enjoy the moment and the experience. This can be profound too.
The key is, as we saw earlier, begin with a clear intention and a definite decision. Start small. Pick one thing to be mindful about. My clients tend to do better when they chronicle their practice with a log. Start with something bite-size and sustainable. I mentioned humility as related to mindfulness, and so is gratitude. When we're grateful, it's easier to see and appreciate beauty in all things. It's easier to suspend judgment and build a sense of acceptance of what is real and lasting in the world around us.
Mindfulness: Humility is related to mindfulness, and so is gratitude. When we're grateful, it's easier to see and appreciate beauty in all things.
Another key is patience. Be process-oriented rather than results-oriented. Consistent practice will yield results, but as soon as we turn our attention to expected results, we're in the future and out of the powerful present moment. If you want more help and support, there is plenty available. Support is what the Eye Of Power Community is all about. A membership will certainly help you with this. There are also numerous courses and groups dedicated to building mindfulness, such options include mindfulness-based stress reduction, cognitive therapy, and the UCLA Mindful Awareness Research Center among many others. These are available online as well as in person at facilities around the world.
If you are new to mindfulness practice, I would say start small. What do you regularly do that could serve as a focus for increased mindfulness? It might be a regular meal, either cooking it or eating it. It could be exercise. It could be anything that is routine. We practice mindfulness when we decide to do so. Be in the moment. Notice everything. Suspend judgment. Be open to experience. Ask one more penetrating question. Listen to your body. Leave space. These are the actions that will build mindfulness. Let more of your power flow into your life. Let's go.
Important Link
Yoga With Adriene – YouTube