Mindfulness, For Starters…

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“In the contemplation of what you desire you create what it is that you want to have for yourself.” – Wayne Dyer

Are we the string of thoughts we think?

Observe for a moment as you read this. Sit there for a moment and feel. What do you feel? Is it satisfaction? Is it happiness? Or opposite of that? Is it a sense of foreboding. Fear perhaps? Discontent?

Step back now, after you answer the question.

 

Mindfulness is awareness. It is the ability to distinguish our experience. Are we our thoughts? If so, what thoughts are we choosing to become every moment?

“Your beliefs become your thoughts,
Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny.”

Mahatma Gandhi

I started my exploration into mindfulness by being a fly on the wall of my own thoughts. The most amazing thing about being a human and possibly our biggest edge over the animal kingdom, is our ability to become an observer of our own mind.

With observation we notice there is a space between each thought, it’s in those spaces that we have the ability to choose.

This was written in my old notes:

“I first noticed my words. Words are thoughts in costume. I realized I was manifesting many costumes in  me. I  dressed in glittering lights like a ghost wanting to be seen, sometimes a blood-sucking vampire wanting to be needed, other times a ferocious werewolf ready to  tear someone limb-from-limb . I noticed all of these things in me. I realized that I can choose to wear these costumes or let things be. That I can  surround myself with happy or not.”

 

The thing about mindfulness is that it starts with slowness.

When I slowed my thinking down  I began to notice things. I began to experience my existence in the now. I began to fully see the moment as it is happening right before me.

Mindfulness is the slowing down of mind. When my mind has slowed enough, I am better able to observe it. To learn to see thoughts in time. Then, when I could observed it more, I realized I had no control of it. I can only audit it.

The biggest thing about thoughts is that you can choose them, let go of them, but you cannot control them. Isn’t that interesting?

I think mindfulness is being in the moment and having the ability to observer and curate  your own thoughts. And to think better thoughts often means choosing the thoughts that feel better and letting go of ones that you know won’t make you better.