The objects were made of stone, heavy and substantial and seemingly immovable.
Yet when I closed my eyes, and breathed in deeply, I could immediately move them in my mind.
Was this some sort of Jedi trick that only a few select lucky individuals could master? Not at all – it was simple mindfulness. With some practice, and a proper shift of perspective, anyone can defy the laws of physics and the limits of this physical realm. I’ve only just begun my mindfulness journey, and at six years into the practice I feel like I might know even less than when I began. Some would say that means it’s working.
As an over-thinker, my mind was accustomed to burdening itself with over-analysis and runaway thoughts. When I began meditating, it became necessary to face those thoughts and acknowledge their presence in order to let them go. That was easier when I worked myself into a state of mindfulness – when the focus is on the present moment and what precisely is going on at a very basic level.
The cadence of my breathing – slow and deep or quick and shallow.
The sensations of my skin – cool with goosebumps or warm from the day’s sun.
The light of the room – filled with sunlight of morning and mid-day or dim with the descent of evening.
The scent of the air – a savory wafting of home-cooked dinner on the way or the sweet lingering tickle of a soapy shower.
The observations can change by the minute – they are but a few among a vast multitude, varying and infinite as the boundless world. The purpose is to notice them, to be aware of them, to let them occupy your mind and push the more bothersome and harmful thoughts away for a while. Only when my mind is calm and uncluttered can I make some bit sense of everything.
That’s the start of mindfulness – noticing and observing the here and now.
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