Last week I went for a walk in Warbler Woods for the first time since winter. It’s one of my favourite hikes, and when I entered, it felt like reuniting with an old friend. We picked up where we left off and didn’t miss a beat. I felt the comfort of familiarity.
As I started the hike, I set an intention to be present and take notice, just like I would pay attention if I were spending time with a dear friend. I wanted to be fully there.
I was welcomed by the gentle caress of the warm wind against my skin. I felt the soft earth beneath me as I walked, and the mud felt cushy like a soft carpet. The deciduous trees were bare, fully exposed, and so beautiful. I could hear the sounds of different birds singing, something rustling in the leaves and wondering what was there. Off in the distance, construction workers were hammering away. I let it all be part of my experience. It felt like home.
When I left the woods, I had a smile on my face. I felt alive. Grateful. Being present made this experience much richer and more fulfilling.
This is mindfulness.
We are living in a more embodied way. We are feeling our physicality and awakening our senses. We are present rather than on autopilot.
Our daily functioning becomes our spiritual path.
It’s not about getting something done but being present while we’re doing it.
People often share that while they would love to practice mindfulness, their life is already so busy, and the last thing they need is another task to check off their daily list.
I get it. I felt the same way once.
The truth is, practicing mindfulness doesn't take time out of our day.
We're doing the same regular day-to-day tasks but practicing being present as we go about things: same tasks, different mindset. A mindset that brings fulfillment as we connect to ourselves and our life.
It is a life practice. It is a way of being in the world.
Where do we start?
Wherever we are, we start there.
We try to keep it simple and set the intention to start paying attention.
We pause and notice.
We pause again and notice.
Even if it is for a split second, we pause, breathe and notice.
"It's important that meditation is not seen as something that only happens when you are seated in a quiet place. Otherwise spirituality and our daily life become two separate things. That's the primary illusion—that there is something called "my spiritual life," and something called "my daily life." When we wake up to reality, we find they are all one thing. It's all one seamless expression of spirit."
― Adyashanti
Our life becomes a meditation.
It's not about cleaning the dishes, it's our experience of cleaning the dishes. The temperature of the water, our hands moving, the colours and shapes of the dishes, the sounds.
This is mindfulness.
Try it for yourself this week.
Maybe you already have a flow to your day, bring more awareness to that.
Sight - What do you see? Sometimes we can walk or drive by the same location and never really see it. How often do we take in the tree, the house, that thing we see every day?
Sound – Listen to the wind, the running of the refrigerator, loud and faint sounds. The sound of typing, chopping vegetables, people talking, the birds chirping, our breath, the car driving by, etc.
Smell – What surrounds you? In your home, outside, your food, in a store.
Touch – How do your feet feel inside your socks? How does it feel as you walk across the carpet, a tile floor, the pavement outside? Notice that. Feel the texture of your clothes again, your skin. Stop and feel that right now.
Taste – Savour the flavour. If you drink a coffee or tea in the morning, taste it. Savour the flavour. Take time to taste the flavour of your foods rather than rushing through a meal.
Remember, begin by setting the intention to pay attention. Keep it simple by choosing 1 thing this week to explore being present with.
Being mindful is a skill, and like any skill, it takes practice. With consistency, we feel fulfillment, discovering who we are by being where we are with what we're doing.
It's like coming home. We are coming home to ourselves.
I hope you'll give this a try this week!
With love,
Diane