Being Mindful of Mindfulness....Ummmm

I'm not really sure why I chose a photo of the Parthenon as the "header" for today's post considering the title. I guess it's because my trip to the Parthenon (what seems like a million years ago, but only a little over a year and a half ago) was, by far, the most amazing trip I've ever been on.  It was also a trip (only three days in Greece total) that I was fully aware of all five of my senses at all times.  Seriously, I wanted to cry I was filled with that much sensory and emotional overload.  Up until that moment when I was standing at the base of the Acropolis, I had only ever dreamed of being there.  The trip, and subsequent Fairy Tale engagement described in my first post, were the epiphany moments for me....I have truly found my balance.  Oh, and my Universe was listening.

Prior to going to Greece, I had reached that place in my life where I felt like everything was going straight ahead.  I had gotten my mind and body in pretty decent shape, I met the man of my dreams, and my personal/financial life was finally in the black.  I think that's why when I took this trip, it was the first time I felt like I could consume every waking minute of it, and I did just that!  It's hard to explain really, mindfulness.  Have you ever tried meditating?  It's the hardest thing to do.  When I first started, I did guided meditation to help me keep my thought process to a minimum.  I actually facilitated meditations too.  When I first started by myself, I could only get about a minute of "quiet" in my head, then WHAM!, the thoughts were spinning and bouncing like a kid in one of those bouncy houses.  It took me a looooong time to be able to sit with myself for any length of time and just stop thinking.  Unfortunately, I fell off the wagon of meditating and it's taking me an eternity to get back to that quiet place.  At least I have the lapping of the waves in my backyard to help.

This brings me to the topic of discussion - mindfulness.  What the heck is it anyway?  Essentially all it means is living in the present.  Okay, okay, you all live in the present, but do you live in the present moment?  I know there isn't a soul reading this that can tell me they are not holding on to some torment of their past, or praying for that particular moment in the future to hurry up and get here.  This is not living in the moment.  I have to admit, living in the moment is sometimes more difficult than meditating for ten minutes.  Think about it.  Are you living with your senses right now?  I bet not.  I am.  I can hear the loud cars passing outside my window.  I can smell that stupid dead fish that is hiding in the mangroves in my backyard.  I can feel the stickiness of the afternoon heat which comes when the sun moves to my side of the island.  I can feel the warm swoosh of air coming from the ceiling fan in my office.  I can also taste the dryness of my mouth as a result of that heat....and maybe a little from that stinking dead fish.  I'm not thinking about anything but what I'm writing at this very moment. Oh, and that damn hangnail on my spacer thumb....okay, I'm off that thought now.

See what I mean?  It's really hard to live in the present moment.  We, as a society, are so consumed with fast thinking that we barely have a chance to enjoy what we are doing.  We're a society of worriers, planners, past dwellers and mopers.  I'm longing to get back to that point in my life when nothing else mattered except what I was doing in the moment.  I can tell you that mindful living opens your eyes and hearts to things you are missing out on each and every day.  You meet people who you otherwise would walk right by.  You notice little jewels where nothing seemed to be yesterday.  You bond with the people in your life because you actually hear what they have to say....and really care.  It's an amazing feeling.

There are not many things in this world that I swear by, but meditation, affirmations and mindfulness are three I will lay my savings on.  With a little practice and a lot of determination, mindful living can be effortless.  It's all under the Universal Law of Attraction.  If you put out positive energy, you will get positive energy in return.  If you live in the moment, each moment will count and you will therefore, want to keep being aware of the senses you feel from them.  The whole thing really is just a big ol' circle of energy.  Now, keep in mind the practice and determination part.  Really, seriously, put your mind to this and see what kind of amazing things come your way.  The next person to come into your presence, give them your undivided attention.  Look them straight in the eye and hear what they say.  Their response to you will be your gift.  Next time you go outside, really concentrate on the senses that you feel.  See if you can feel with all of them.  Since it's summer and many of you live on the shore, smell and taste the salt air, hear the foghorns or the waves crashing, see the sun glisten off the surface of the ocean, feel the cold water (unless you happen to live where I am and it's warm).  I bet your heart gets just a little lighter with the recognition of these things.
There's so many violent, negative things going on in the world today.  None of us knows when our time is up.  Take a moment to contact an angel in your life...someone who sits in your heart always, but is far away or has been out of touch.  Tell them what they mean to you.  Make an effort to keep in touch, even if periodically.  For those that are in your life daily, family and friends, tell them you love them.  Look into their eyes when you say it and notice the senses that pop up when you say those three words.  Mindfulness, it's the most powerful gift you can give yourself and others.  Start a journal if you can.  It's one way to capture the realizations you've come to each day when you notice something new or forgotten.  It's also a great way to bring you back to center if you get off kilter.

As I've said before, this blog is just a simple journal of my thoughts.  It's a way for me to share, with anyone interested, what great things have happened in my life and my understanding of why.  It's my motivation to keep my crystally head in the clouds and keep me from losing that karma, or whatever it is, that keeps me happy and surrounded by happy people.  It gives me the courage to admit my faults and do what I can to improve on them.  I'm not preaching and I don't have a religion, per se.  I'm constantly reading and researching to improve my understanding of my Universe.  I don't discriminate from what I read, Buddhist, Taoist, hokus-pokus, it's all the same if it helps to enlighten me.  I feel blessed with my life and the people in it and I want to share it with the world.  There was a time when negativity was the primary way for me, no more.  It was a hard path to find, so I figure, why not share some of the directions?

Life's a beach, and then you live on one...