My reflection for today is ‘mindfulness’ and/or ‘meditation’.

I have been on this planet for quite a while – well, time enough to drag out my mini-skirts at least 6 times! And what occurred to me recently was that, along with my mini-skirts, there are many other tried and true things, which will be ‘new’ to the younger generations!

What joy!! A whole new fresh audience to share stuff that has stood the test of time.

So when I ask groups of people, ‘Do you have some mindful or meditative moments?’ Only about 2 in 30 people say they do. ‘Why not?’ I ask; ‘Takes too long’; ‘Don’t know how’; ‘Costs too much’; ‘Don’t want to wear orange!’; ‘I am not very flexible’; ‘Against my religion’; ‘Who needs to say a made up word?’ ‘It’s for hippies!’; ‘It is just plain weird!’.

What if I were to say that you do both of them already! That it is a natural part of our neurological function, in fact you MUST do it to stay sane! Further, it is a fast track to building your resilience; managing your emotions; improving your concentration and memory. In other words – necessary!

You are at work, looking through a less than exciting report – ops! What was on those past 10 pages… where was your mind?! You are in front of a crackling fire, sitting very comfortably, you suddenly ‘return’ from the reverie you were enjoying. You are ‘lost’ in a task that you really relish, someone calls your name, you are not aware.

These are all natural forms of mindfulness / meditation.

A Harvard study found that people spend 46.9 percent of their waking hours thinking about something other than what they are doing. Try checking in with your thoughts and see where you are! Growing your mindfulness greatly increases the richness and joy in nearly whatever you are doing.

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Is there a difference with mindfulness and meditation?

Is there a difference? In my experience over the past 50 years, there is definitely a lot of overlap.

Mindfulness is multi-sensorially attending to the task at hand.

And then mindfulness can grow into meditation, you may start with a focus on your breath, or on walking, or a piece of music, but then it ‘grows’ into a beautiful expanse of nothing/everythingness.

For example, I begin by performing my 8-minute/step Mind Chi routine, and after my final moment of gratitude, I just float; loose track of time; (so I previously set a timer) and the best way I can describe it is as though I am having a top up of whatever I need to be my best me.

In this fast paced, constant stimulation, multi-tasking world, we really need some ‘nothingness’! May I invite you to try it?

Both can enhance a deeply enriching way of life – live with your present awareness on what you are doing and expanding it to all there is.

More Chi marvelousness may be found here!