I have been on a mindfulness journey for the last year, attempting to be calmer, more centred, more present. It has had its share of ups and downs but I feel I have made a lot of progress. Last week, I deleted the Facebook and LinkedIn apps from my phone in a bid to keep the social media distractions to a minimum. It is much harder to check on social media when you have to get to your laptop every time to do so!
In the last year, I realized a few things (laughably obvious, am afraid). Mindfulness does not just mean sitting still for a few minutes every day, without electronic and other distractions.
Mindfulness is:
- Going for a walk without music or earphones. Relying on birdsong, traffic sounds and one's own thoughts for company.
- Sitting down to watch the rain
- Folding clean laundry with intention and unhurriedness
- Switching off wifi on all devices an hour before bedtime and getting them out of your sight
- Sitting inside the metro and looking out the window during the entire ride. Or people-watching (in a non-creepy way, of course!)
And yes, this was the way we lived, for many many years, before we got wedded to our phones :) Back in those days, they didn't need to give it a name.
It was really a way of life earlier! How true! I loved the last two lines :)
ReplyDeleteI try to practice mindfulness too. Especially trying hard when I am with my child. Not only to be off the phone but to be present with him physically and mentally in his games :)
I have lost count of the number of times when he calls out to me and then complains to his dad ' Enna kekamatengara' :(
That's so great Aarthy....it's not easy but we have to model it, especially for our kids.
Delete