Sue James started a mindfulness quest in 2014. She invited me along by sending me the book “How to Train a Wild Elephant” by Jan Chozen Bays, MD. Bays has written a book about simple daily mindfulness practices for living life more fully and joyfully.
I’m in!
In the introduction, Bays defines herself as a pediatrician, wife, mother and grandmother. She lives in a Zen monastery in Oregon. Her definition of her daily practice that she uses is:
“Mindfulness is deliberately paying full attention to what is happening around you and within you — in your body, heart, and mind. Mindfulness is awareness without criticism or judgment.”
She breaks out the importance of mindfulness. When we aren’t focused on the now, we live in the past, the future and a fantasy realm. Our mind continually conjures up scenarios we should have done or plan to do someday. We waste a lot of energy reliving the past or focusing totally on the future. The third place we go as we cruise through our day on auto-pilot is fantasy-ville. We completely imagine what ifs scenario based on a super better version of ourself. We imagine what life would be like 50 pounds lighter, winning the lottery, becoming a celebrity, writing a bestseller, etc.
This is our life.
“Much of our dissatisfaction with life will disappear, and many simple joys will emerge, if we learn to be present with things just as they are.”
This book outlines weekly activities to begin to focus on being mindful. Each Wednesday, I’m going to try the new one. Today, I start using my non-dominant hand more. I’ll brush my teeth, eat my food, empty the dishwasher, etc with my left hand. I only type with one hand – my right- but i’m quick. i just typed this last paragraph slowly and deliberately. i’m already waking up and it’s hard.
Thanks Sue for the challenge! Go left hand go!