Meditating In Each Moment

[JosephM]

Here is an article I found at..

 

http://tcpc.blogs.com/openpath/2009/06/meditating-in-each-moment.html

 

that I felt might be of value to progressives and can be practiced daily doing whatever you are doing.

 

Love in Christ,

Joseph

 

 

Meditating in each moment

By: Deshna

When I was training to become a yoga instructor, I read a book by Thich Nhat Hahn- The Miracle of Mindfulness. It is a short, simple book on the wisdom of being mindful in each moment. It is one of those books that has lingered in the back of my mind for years, presenting and re-presenting opportunities to grow and learn from the most mundane acts.

 

For example, when you are doing the dishes, instead of rushing through them, barely noticing what you are doing as your mind goes through its rarely ceasing ramble of to-do's and what if's and what's next, one can slow down, feel the warm water, notice the sounds and quiet the mind, breathing deep full breaths and thinking "I know that I am washing the dishes...I am washing the dishes..." It seems so simple, yet its really not!

 

Try it for just one day. Try just simply doing only what you are doing in that moment- without thinking about the past (why did I say that?) or the future (don't forget to get the milk at the store and to pick up Johns dry cleaning...) So, when you are walking- breathe, notice and think only about each step. Same goes for eating, cleaning or having a conversation. Have you ever noticed how so few people really listen? Most people are already thinking of their response or their judgement of what you are saying- before you have even finished your sentence.

 

Try having a conversation with someone, in which you give them your full attention. Where you maintain eye contact, really listen, and really hear them. Breathe slowly and deeply while they speak. Keep your mind open rather than analyzing what they are saying- just listen. These are all forms of meditation and the beauty is that you don't need to carve out 30 minutes out of your busy day to do it. You can meditate for hours this way. As a mother, I find it very challenging to just sit with my daughter and play for hours. There is always so much I could be doing- dishes, laundry, my work, writing, bills, phone calls, yoga. It takes constant gentle reminding to draw my attention back to just being with her. But the experience is so rewarding. Nothing else matters, really, than being present in each moment.

[Realspiritik]

Yup.