Mindful Minutes – Part 2 – Unplug and Recharge
Now I know how my mobile phone battery feels when the HotSpot is turned on, Youtubes have been running on Autoplay and all the apps are updating at once – drained, pushing itself to perform, just before it gives out and shuts-down – and will not deliver another thing until it’s had the time to sufficiently recharge, and start again!
How is it possible to get into this state? Really easily in fact. Mostly we run on auto-pilot with the demands of everyday life determining what, how and when we do things, on a strict schedule. All well and good, but the cumulative effect soon takes it’s toll, and WHAM we are surprised by a sudden shut down to demand a reset and restore.
Ok What am I talking about? The more you have going on in your life, the more you adapt – it’s a slow process, and then it becomes the new norm, so when something else comes along, it’s added to your living, so from busy, you become busier – and busier – and busier, to the point where you are constantly on the move, but also becoming less productive, and begin to feel that you should just push harder to get more done, and admonish yourself for not keeping up, or at worst, allow your actions, reactions and emotions to reflect your state of overload and impinge on the wellbeing of others.
Been there? Oh no – I don’t get stressed or overloaded and that has nothing to do with how I brush off my colleagues when they ask me for 5 minutes of my time>\?, or how I always never have time to eat my lunch and do it on the run while checking emails?, or why some ask if everything is OK with me?, or why I feel so tired even when I’ve slept?, or why my kids say I’m too grouchy when I’m home and my relationship tricky?. I’m just busy – that’s life, and I have to do better because I feel I’m slipping – my performance review wasn’t up to scratch, so I’ll have to step up! Maybe I need some more time at the gym or need to change my diet?
Identify with any of it? Even just a teensy little bit?
All normal living stuff, but way too much doing – or rather OVER-doing, and no time for BEING – that state of stillness, where everything happens around you without your active participation, except for observing, which technically, does make you part of it, but in a receptive manner.
There’s a growing movement called the Slow Movement, advocating for a slower pace of life, but as idyllic as it seems and what many would aspire to, it may not work or even be remotely attractive to all. This is where the practice of mindfulness has a huge role to play, in changing consciousness from an active output to receptive input.
In my experience I’ve adopted my own version of SLOW, Mindfulness practice which is doable at any time and any place without any dramatic changes to your life. It’s more an intervention, a momentary shift of consciousness, that breaks the cycle of continuous mental engagement on one activity, to another, allowing another part of your consciousness to awaken and emerge to reconnect mind and body.
My S-L-O-W is as follows:
S Stop and pause what you are doing at that moment
L Listen to your breath
– Is it rapid?
– Is it shallow?
– Where in your body can you feel it – in your upper chest? Lower?
– Are you breathing in through your nose or mouth?
– Is it forced in any way?
O Observe
– Are your shoulders raised? Tight?
– Are you tapping a foot, or fingers impatiently?
– Where else is there discomfort? Stomach? Head? Back?
– Shift your focus around your body to reacquaint and register the sensations.
W Wait – for just a momen, t to feel yourself as a whole then:
- Take a deep cleansing and healing breath in – as deep as you can, drawing it in through the nose, down the throat into the top of the lungs and down further to the bottom of the lungs, then deeper past your navel and into the bowl of your pelvis, and imagine it touching every part of your where there was any discomfort. Sit with it there for a moment if you can, then breathe out through your mouth, slightly pursing your lips, and imagine all the discomfort found anywhere in your body, leaving your body on the out breath, as a grey cloud or smoke.
- You can do this as many times as you wish.
- You can visit each part of discomfort separately to cleanse and heal.
- When more familiar, you may feel you’d like to breathe in a colour on the inbreath – allow your imagination to decide which is best for you. The outbreath (for me) always works well as grey, to release any stagnation or negativity from the body. If you’ve been intensely angry, you may want to breathe out red!
With practice this procedure takes well under 2 minutes, and once it becomes familiar, can become part of a “mindful minute” practice to scatter throughout your day.
There is no set way to do this – be led by your own individuality, and what you’re felt led to do – there is no right or wrong.
I highly recommend moving your body before commencing this practice, to signal a change or shift, which will make the exercise so much more beneficial. Moving afterwards, like a short walk, even if to the bathroom or break-out area to grab a glass of water, will enhance the refreshing benefits.
Remember, hydration is always very important and is integral to the success of being mindful.
There are many more ‘Mindful Minute” exercises, and I’ll share these in coming posts.
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Thank you for reading and have a great day!