Informal Practice
It is one thing to take some time to be mindful in our own meditation practice. However, if we only do this formal practice, we can forget to use the tools we have learned whilst practicing when we need them the most, during challenging times. One way to remember these tools is to expand our awareness by bringing mindfulness into our everyday lives and activities.
In this informal practice, we bring a ‘beginners mind’ or rather exploring with a curious and nonjudgmental mind, to one of our hands.
Looking at my hands, I decided on the left one because I am left-handed and thus, use it more often. With a beginners mind, I followed William’s guidance, performing the various hand exercises. Looking at the lines on the palm of my hand, I was reminded of the veins that branch out on a leaf. Looking at my tendons move on the top of my hand as I gently moved my fingers, I was reminded of keys on a piano. As I looked at my fingertips and saw the spirals, I was reminded of the middle of a sunflower. Doing this simple exercise made me realize that there are patterns everywhere!
Some great day-to-day activities where we can incorporate mindfulness include, brushing our teeth and hair, showering, getting dressed, washing dishes, eating, drinking, amongst other things. Quite literally, I could go on, but you get the point. When you really think about it, the list is endless!
The great thing about incorporating mindfulness into our everyday lives is that it doesn’t take up more of our time. Because of this, it isn’t so much of a matter of time management as it is a matter of ‘attention’ management. By bringing mindfulness into our everyday lives and the activities we do, we will be better friends and partners, better workers and overall better people! Begin today!
Namaste, my friends! 🙏🏻❤️☮️