Mindfulness with Dog and Tea

Mindfulness — What does It mean “To Pay Attention”

I’m Lynne Towner a member of the teaching team at MyAwesomeSoul.com. The first thing that you should know about me is that I am “crazy” about having soul alive in my life. Not just when I am meditating or specifically focusing away from the outer world but in every breath. Whether I am in the garden, sorting out my business direction or having a laugh with friends I want to stay “awake” to the energies around me.

Along-side this, is my love of being conscious in relationship with other people and all the wonderful examples of nature. Of course this is all very easy — well it should be — when things are smooth, but life ain’t always smooth sailing. I am writing this blog in the hope that you may be inspired to get on board the soul boat and be a fellow sailor with me. So put on your life belt and jump in.

I awoke early — far toooo early, all fired up about the idea of ATTENTION. Yes, I understand the words: to pay attention. But is it possible to have my attention, gently aware in the moment? No jumping to the future, no slopping off into the past, no drifting off into some creative idea or plan. No it is not, not yet.

Experiment one: Sitting up in bed. Oops first distraction. Yes of course, I need my dog to cuddle. Ooops second distraction. Need a cuppa T and a hottie. I don’t want you to think I am soft, but I am writing from deep in the New Zealand forest, and it’s winter here.

Method: Bring the focus into just behind the forehead, soften the head, soften the brain, keep focus softly behind the brow.

Results: After some time.. I get a sense of what paying attention is.

Now a few sips of T and try again. Yes I can still find the experience. It is an experience rather than controlling the mind, as in many meditations teachings. Stoked.

So let’s see how I go when the world wakes up and I have to meet it head on without the protection of night wrapped around me.

I’ll keep you in touch with the experiment…

I welcome questions email me: http://www.myawesomesoul.com/contact-us

I am fascinated by the link between metaphysics (the unseen) and science (see article below).

Let’s meet again on my next blog…stay soul-filled!!

ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Forever Young(er): potential age-defying effects of long-term meditation on gray matter atrophy

Front. Psychol., 21 January 2015