|
|
      |
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
|
|
|
| The Lounge | Champions | The Wire | Schedule | Audio | Arcade | The Top Ten | Historical | Email | Video |
 |
Playing With Mindfulness: Sneaking In The Back Door
I often meet people who say things like, "I've been working on mindfulness for over twenty years." My response is always this: "Oh, you poor thing! Have you tried *playing* with mindfulness? It's very effective, and much more fun!" They tend to look at me like I'm some kind of kook, and then ask the million-dollar question: "How can you play with mindfulness?" Glad you asked.... We tend to think of mindfulness as something that develops only after years of dedicated meditation. We must sit for hours, contemplate in silence for days, go on retreats for weeks, practice daily for years. Okay, that can work. The unfortunate thing is that it IS work, and consequently, it's about as appealing to most folks as lying on a bed of nails. Sure, they want to develop a clearer perspective on life. Yes, they want to become calm and contemplative. Of course they want to live more meaningfully and with greater joy. But does it have to be so hard? Absolutely not. You see, while most people knock politely on that front door of meditation in order to get inside the House of Mindfulness, I like to sneak people in the back door to steal a few cookies. Why can't we play with mindfulness, dance with it, treat it like our favorite goofy cousin who happens to be brilliant instead of our strict uncle who happens to have a Ph.D? Why can't we tiptoe toward mindfulness through eyes-wide-open exercises that are engaging, uplifting, informative, and--dare I say it--fun? Mindfulness should be like a big game of mental hide-and-seek: "Where am I now? Gotcha!" As a student of Buddhism for nearly 30 years, I have the greatest respect for the Buddha and the philosophy that developed around his teachings. I have tremendous admiration for those who have dedicated themselves to a regular meditation practice. But it's disturbing to me that mindfulness is seen as "belonging" to Buddhism and that meditation is seen as the only vehicle that will take us there. This sounds a bit like, oh, attachment? Clinging, perhaps? I just can't find it in my heart to believe that the Buddha would be ticked off about the idea of developing mindfulness in whatever way works best. Not everyone likes the idea of meditation, but here's the cool part: those who start off with easy, enjoyable exercises often find themselves seeing the value in sitting still. In fact, many clients say they'd never have started with meditation, but they so enjoyed "playing" with mindfulness that they have begun a regular sitting practice! Sneaky? Sure, but that's part of playing. Fun--in whatever form that takes--is what keeps us going back for more. If you're not grinning, you're not winning in this big ol' game of life. If "working" on mindfulness isn't working for you, try playing instead. Throw open the doors.Let your inner monk go out and play. It's recess! Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse offering specialized mindfulness training in Portland, Oregon. Her work has inspired thinkers in over 100 countries. To subscribe to her free weekly ezine, the Friday Mind Massage, please visit http://www.massageyourmind.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
3 Clever Ways To Stop Procrastinating Stopping procrastination can be challenging, especially since you can't put it off until tomorrow! Most people who procrastinate did not do so overnight. Like any other bad habit, procrastination starts small and builds itself up. How to Make Bite Size Resolutions for 2005 It never fails. Another new year approaches. What Do You Truly Value Most? Believe it or not, values are in the core of all of us. Theseunderrated rankings tell more about us than we could everimagine. Taking Responsibility Taking action about our current station in life involves taking responsibility for our current state of affairs. When we acknowledge that we are the main culprits with regards to where we are now, we will more likely take responsibility for creating the future we desire. What is Success? Everyone wants success. People talk about setting goals and positive thinking and getting to the top. Wealth Building: Let The Wealth Building Secrets Of J. Paul Getty Inspire You To Great Achievement One of the shortcuts to creating wealth is to learn from those who have achieved great wealth.The late John Paul Getty is known as one of the greatest wealthbuilders in American history. Are You A Visionary Dreams may seem unimportant in your quest for success. And it's true that ordinary dreams are often a mix of what happened during your day --plus some "wild" random associations. Motivation: The Power of Action, Part 1 I've heard it said that 85% of success is showing up. While that's true, in the words of radio commentator Paul Harvey, here's the rest of the story. Do you Live the Life you Desire? There comes a time in every person's life when you look at yourself and wonder what became of all your dreams and plans for the future. What happened to that future? Is it too late now? Can I create a meaningful lifestyle?I read in the paper about this man in a small town who had been working in the same office since he was young and now at 55 he discovered he never really wanted to work there. Raising The Bar One of the most popular events in the Olympics is the pole vault event. We all watch with amazement and anticipation as the competitor runs full speed down the track with a long pole in his hands. How to Use Discouragement to Motivate Yourself Ever feel like giving up? Do you ever feel so discouraged that even one more day of frustration will be too much too handle?Everyone gets discouraged at times only there are a number of key differences between people who keep on going and those who give up:1 Focus On Your Goal Not On Your ProblemsOne of my mentors is a highly successful property developer and he loves solving problems. All day long he can take on one problem after the next and just keep going. Motivation: Good Luck or Bad Luck, Too Soon to Tell As the story goes, there was once a farmer and his only son in the days just before the Civil War. Having only one horse, the farmer and son worked long hard days, sun up to sun down, just to get by, with nothing left to spare. Motivation: 7 More Musings on Motivation 1. "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you can say to that mountain, move from here to there, and it shall be done. Whatever Happened to You? Whatever happened to all the dreams? The wants, the desires, the hopes, the cravings, the appetite, the passion? The aspirations of youth? Where did you go? Whatever happened to you?Last night a footballer gained admittance to the football folklore of Spain. He burst onto the field in the dying minutes of the game and scored twice to rescue his team from a hopeless situation. A Surfing Lesson I've never surfed in my life. Sometimes people tell me I look like a surfer, but never once have I been on a board out in the water. What Motivates You? As a life-long student of personal development, I've attended dozens of motivational seminars, listened to hundreds of tapes, and read untold books on the subject of motivation . I've presented motivational seminars. 7 Steps to a New Life Overseas Research shows that at any one time more than half of us are dreaming of a new life overseas, but few actually succeed in making the transition from fantasy to reality.To completely turn everything on its head and start your life all over again in a foreign country is an incredible undertaking and one that many dream of but most ultimately shy away from. How Are You Feeling? Its More Of A Brain Question Than You Think How you respond to How are You reveals a great deal about you."Hi! How are you?""Not bad, you?"How many times have you started a conversation this way? I'll bet you do it nearly every time you say hello. Wisdom Comes to the Inquisitive Mind Throughout my life I have observed many things and I am often amazed (but shouldn't be) at how Wisdom is demonstrated in all ages. It is not reserved just for the elders. How To Beat Procrastination At Work Listen. If you don´t beat procrastination at work the long term consequences could be serious.
|
Section Site Map - Submit News - Feedback - Comments - Advertise with Us Copyright © 2006 Luminati Inc. All rights reserved. 
|
