Post by Admin on Jul 4, 2016 13:03:59 GMT -5
Loved this one, which was in my mailbox today. As I'm particularly fond of the metaphor used in mindfulness and meditation circles about one's 'Monkey Mind" and this was a short but insightful article, thought I'd add it here.
Here are the opening paragraphs:
Below are the three takeaway tips:
Here are the opening paragraphs:
The untamed mind is sometimes likened to a drunken monkey that’s been bitten by a scorpion. In a chaotic bid to run from its pain, the monkey leaps from tree to tree, frantically seeking relief. It cannot be still, even for a moment.
There are advantages to this. Mind and body mechanisms have evolved to deal with threats to survival, so when we’re faced with approaching fire or an assailant with a weapon, the monkey mind reacts fast.
But there are drawbacks. Working at speed, the autopilot takes mental shortcuts and makes guesses, unconsciously based on what’s happened before, rather than a full appreciation of the here and now. We’re seeing situations with eyes of the past, simultaneously projecting into a possible future as we imagine likely dangers and rewards. We learn from, and are limited by, past experience....
Read whole article here (it's pretty short).
There are advantages to this. Mind and body mechanisms have evolved to deal with threats to survival, so when we’re faced with approaching fire or an assailant with a weapon, the monkey mind reacts fast.
But there are drawbacks. Working at speed, the autopilot takes mental shortcuts and makes guesses, unconsciously based on what’s happened before, rather than a full appreciation of the here and now. We’re seeing situations with eyes of the past, simultaneously projecting into a possible future as we imagine likely dangers and rewards. We learn from, and are limited by, past experience....
Read whole article here (it's pretty short).
Below are the three takeaway tips:
Excerpt from Ed Halliwell | July 1, 2015 (mindful.org)Read whole article here (it's pretty short).
Practice: Mindfulness of Breathing
1. Posture: Find a place where you can sit comfortably, perhaps on a chair with a firm seat, one that’s low enough for the feet to be flat on the floor. Place hands on the thighs. If possible, sit with the spine self-supporting, so you aren’t leaning on the backrest of the chair (unless you know you need extra support). You can close the eyes, or have them open, perhaps letting the gaze fall downwards, a few feet in front of the body.
2. Following the breath: Bring attention to breathing. Feel the breath moving in and out of the body – tuning in to its rhythm and flow. Feel the texture of the breath in the belly, and the movements of the abdominal wall with each inhalation and exhalation.
You don’t have to breathe deeply—just let the breath happen as it happens.
3. Working with wandering: You’ll probably notice the attention sometimes wanders to some other object. Or you might find yourself thinking about the breath, or analyzing the benefits of mindful breathing, or telling yourself you’re doing this well or badly, or wondering what’s going to happen next, or wanting to stop. Simply acknowledge that the wandering has happened, and gently bring attention back to breathing. You don’t need to berate yourself or see distraction as a problem or failure—each time you notice the mind has wandered, you’ve already come back to mindfulness. You might like to congratulate yourself when you notice the wandering, and choose to come back to the breath.
Practice: Mindfulness of Breathing
1. Posture: Find a place where you can sit comfortably, perhaps on a chair with a firm seat, one that’s low enough for the feet to be flat on the floor. Place hands on the thighs. If possible, sit with the spine self-supporting, so you aren’t leaning on the backrest of the chair (unless you know you need extra support). You can close the eyes, or have them open, perhaps letting the gaze fall downwards, a few feet in front of the body.
2. Following the breath: Bring attention to breathing. Feel the breath moving in and out of the body – tuning in to its rhythm and flow. Feel the texture of the breath in the belly, and the movements of the abdominal wall with each inhalation and exhalation.
You don’t have to breathe deeply—just let the breath happen as it happens.
3. Working with wandering: You’ll probably notice the attention sometimes wanders to some other object. Or you might find yourself thinking about the breath, or analyzing the benefits of mindful breathing, or telling yourself you’re doing this well or badly, or wondering what’s going to happen next, or wanting to stop. Simply acknowledge that the wandering has happened, and gently bring attention back to breathing. You don’t need to berate yourself or see distraction as a problem or failure—each time you notice the mind has wandered, you’ve already come back to mindfulness. You might like to congratulate yourself when you notice the wandering, and choose to come back to the breath.