Life is what happens when you are making other plans.
(He also said "I am the walrus", but we'll overlook that for now...) Anyhow, he was right. You see, today, already, there have been a number of moments in time that have passed. There goes another, and another. How many of them have you actually noticed?
THE FINE LINE
It is said that most humans are hypnotized so easily because, for many of us, our current (see ‘modern’ humans) natural state is so close to the thresh-hold of unconsciousness that all it takes is very mild suggestion to tip us 'over the edge' and into hypnosis. Before you dismiss this idea as absurd, just think for a second: when was the last time that you forgot where something was, knocked something over, spilt a mug of coffee (if only fractionally) or became confused about where or when you were supposed to be somewhere or meeting someone? The list goes on...but these low level lapses in concentration (minor lapses that can often have major implications!) happen to most of us on a relatively regular basis, and we do nothing about them; we tend to simply accept them as human deficiencies that are part and parcel of being human. However, and although this is true, there is something actually quite destructive about taking this viewpoint, as these deficiencies are indicative of ‘almost-unconsciousness’ -- a zombified state, if you will. This is a state that we allow ourselves to be in by failing to realize that we can quite easily pull ourselves out of it! This state of being can be the direct cause of ongoing 'minor' incidents or inconveniences which constantly hamper our progression towards better thinking and, in turn, better living. The way to rid ourselves of these annoying lapses in concentration completely is to practice concentrating, or practice mindfulness as it is better described.
MINDFULNESS
Here are a couple of things that I learned shortly after deciding to seek-out ways in which to improve the quality of my life; they underpin everything:
1. That most of us normally operate only semi-consciously;
2. That developing our consciousness (mindfulness) is the first step towards improving the quality of our lives. Without this sharpness of the mind, everything else is secondary.
NOTICING
In a moment I would like to ask you to stop reading and just be 'in the moment'. It may sound like a strange thing for a total stranger to ask you to do, but it is an extremely important step in helping you fulfil your potential in life and be truly happy. You may think that you are already ‘in the moment’, and, of course, in a sense you are – but you are not completely in the moment, and are not mindful or aware of everything that is going on around you. So, in a moment I'd like you to try and notice the stillness around you, notice the sounds, the smells, the passing of time; try and notice everything. You don’t need to stop for long, perhaps just for 30 seconds. If a TV is blaring from the next room, fine, if your dog is barking in the garden, great. The point is that we are not trying to enter into a state of tranquility, but are trying to notice everything that rises and falls in the moments that we are completely part of.
So, now it is time to stop and be in the moment. Please stop now...
Welcome back! How did that feel? Did you notice anything? Hopefully, you will have sensed that you were, if only fleetingly, operating on a slightly higher plain of consciousness than normal. If not, then try again. Taking a deep breath (or perhaps more – three chouldbe sufficient) in through the nose and out through the mouth beforehand may help to relax your body...
BREATHING
I'd like you to quickly do something else before you continue reading. Again, it seems ludicrously simple: I'd like you to take one deep breath in. Please do it now. Okay, that was easy! However, I'd like you to do it once more, but this time pay attention to how your diaphragm (your belly) works when you breathe. In a moment, I would like you to breathe in and see if your belly inflates visibly, or whether your are someone who breathes up in to their chest. Off you go...
So? What was the result? Are you one of the lucky breathers who breathes correctly? Or are you someone like the old me, who breathes up into their chest like a comic book superhero? Well, if you are the first type, congratulations, but if you are the second type, then you'll need - like I did - to correct this problem. Breathing correctly helps the body to work efficiently, helping to lower blood pressure and generally acting as an even keel for the body. Breath is the life force of the physical side of human existence; therefore, we need to ensure that we breath properly in order to maximize our body’s efficiency – healthy body, healthy mind!
Every experience, physical and mental starts and finishes with the mind. And we are in control of it, not the other way around! I'm not saying that after you read this post you'll be able to flip beer mates with your mind, levitate yourself to work, or set fire to your neighbour's hair by fixing them with your psychic gaze, but you'll be certainly on the road towards giving your mind a good MOT, and, as a result, be ready to begin making some massive improvements in the quality of your life and, in turn, the lives of those with whom you come into contact.
So, here's something you can practice: over the next few days, when you manage to remember (!), simply try to notice everything that you do, whether it be putting the key into the door, or pressing the buttons in the elevator shaft, even try and notice the rising and falling of your breathing (and pay attention to how you are breathing) - this is how you can begin training your mind to Yoda-like levels!
Just one last thought: isn’t it amazing that at school, at least in the West, we are taught all about an array of academic subjects, and the perceived workings of the universe and the world, but we are not really taught much of any substance about how to understand, control and develop the human mind and consciousness. This is very unfortunate, as the human mind is the gateway to all experiences in this world…
meditation, stress management, yoga, pilates, healthy, fitness, out of debt.
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