Turn the Mind
TURN THE MIND
Choose to take the new resourceful and helpful way. Use a skill! If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you always got.
DO ONE THING AT A TIME. When you are eating, eat. When you are walking, walk. When you are bathing, bathe. When you are working, work. When you are in a group or a conversation, focus your attention on the very moment you are in with another person. When you are thinking, think. When you are worrying, worry. When you are planning, plan. When you are remembering, remember. Do each thing with all of your attention.
If other actions, or other thoughts, or strong feelings distract you, LET GO OF DISTRACTIONS and go back to what you are doing – again, and again, and again.
CONCENTRATE YOUR MIND. If you are doing two things at once, stop and go back to one thing at a time
Mindfully make and drink tea. Just MAKE the tea or coffee and nothing else. Notice all of the sensations and every movement involved in each moment to prepare the tea, wait for the tea, pour the tea into the mug. Steep the tea. Hold the warm mug. Feel the steam on your face. Sip the tea. Now focus on just DRINKING the tea. Be sure that you’ve already read this so you can put it aside and truly be in the moment while you practice.
Mindfully take a shower. I like to joke that the shower is where I solve the world’s problems – or at least go through my entire day or what I anticipate my night will be like. But try JUST SHOWERING. From the process of disrobing, to adjusting the water, to stepping in, feeling the water on your skin. Every step of washing your hair, using the soap, and just standing under the water flow. Notice how it feels to turn off the water…to reach for the towel, to dry off. To get dressed again. Allow the bathroom to be your sanctuary for this mindfulness exercise.
