‘Mindfulness’ - A Refreshed Perspective

By David Boddy

If you’ve made a step into mindful living, you may have noticed that your success rather matches your emotion. It flits. You can be mindful as long as you can bear-it-in-mind.

You could simply ‘remain focused on your breath…’ I’d be very impressed if you could ‘empty your mind…’ Because despite the use of meditative activities and the serenity they may offer, we all want our best intentions to remain at the forefront of our functioning mind.

This is where the term ‘mindfulness’, to me, becomes somewhat of a paradox.

If we’re ‘mindful’ of a person's conflicting opinion, we might issue caution with our approach towards them. We can anticipate angst and skirt around it, avoiding blurting out wrong speech or slipping up with any other inconsiderate acts. See how being ‘mindful’ of something, in this case, has us bear-in-mind one or many things?
We are filling the mind.  

Sure, you can probably conjure up imagery or vision of a scene, typically associated with mindfulness. Maybe personality type and traits you’d commonly associate with the mindful.

We each have our presumptions, we all join the patterns and are aware of trends. Our minds are full.

It’s safe to say we should all care. Care for ourselves and the individual needs of others. But we’re all different. Perfectly unique. How much must we come to bear in mind? How much ‘mind’ must we bring to any given situation? 

Presence is typically thought of alongside mindfulness - to be in the present moment. Or to be aware... To have ‘present moment awareness.’ These are all more things to coincidently ‘bear in mind’ as we attempt to sink deeper into what is happening around us. Preconceived ideas, images, responsibilities, burdens and the strain of concentration itself - the list goes on… Thus it’s safe to say that our minds are so easily, commonly and effortlessly full! In truth, the image of what’s around us can be seen clearly if we wipe the lens clean.

Not with the next command: “clear your mind” or “silence your thinking” - Not by putting any more in-mind. 

We can first start by noticing how the mind already is. Review its content. We have our attention, effortlessly there, ready to be guided, misguided or lost. But even when ‘lost’, it's still really there. A lost child does not disappear from existence.

Witness the mind as it simply fills itself. Don’t worry about how mindfulness does imply presence, that is neither past nor future. Can you see how anything that we hold in mind can only be of past or future? If not, then we could let go of a thought and it would remain there - in mind. This is why we need not hold on to the idea of presence - presence will remain.

Our compassion-thirsty world would benefit infinitely by the hand of mindfulness. We see outcry all around us for equal rights, fair opportunity and a level perspective. I’d recommend mindfulness. But I’m too afraid that that’ll get lost in translation. So I’ll propose a more simple approach, one that has worked for me, to simplify the power of mindfulness. 

When were you last ‘lost in the moment?’ Standing in awe of a captivating view? Dancing in full sway at the concert of a lifetime? Perhaps in being reunited at long last with a loved one? In a moment of such potency and richness, there is little room for thought, sensation and desire. They appear to subside as we become overwhelmed by an experience. Despite their lack of presence, the experience itself is still real and deeply significant.

Your mind was full - just as full as ever. But not with the usual stuff. Simply all the present moment occurrences and emotions that were there to be felt. Right to the depth of their presence. Perhaps this is why we ‘lose’ ourselves... All of the baggage that arrives with our thoughts, attention and desires are, for a moment, lost. We are present without them. Free from our impressions. And free for any impression to be made. Only, our baggage is so often with us that we feel as though a part of ourselves were not there.

It’s this ‘baggage’ that keeps the mind full. And with that, our attention, vacant. To clear the mind so that it may fill itself with the present, we need to gradually, consciously, offload the baggage. 

There’s a known method to many mindful practitioners called ‘catch and release’. The concept is simple and very forgiving: When you notice, in one way or another, that you have ‘slipped off the mark’ - say you’re trying to think less negatively for example, yet you noticed that more negative thinking has arisen. In noticing that - you’ve made a ‘catch’. Well done!

Now, the release: Just like catching and releasing a ball, it’s simple. And simply misunderstood.
See, we are all ‘do-ers’ and we feel the need to aim for something: “I want to be less negative so I’ll smile at everyone” or “I want to be more mindful so I’ll focus upon every occurring change”. We want to throw the ball. We want direction. 

Aim and direction are both necessary. Our ‘pitch’ is what puts us on the playing field - it’s what sells our story too. 

When a space is made, a space will fill. Be it simple, subtle or obscene. Life so, is enriched, as life rushes to the scene.  

But when the ball is put down, the game falls still and what remains will rush to fill the space. Attention is naturally brought in. Picture a still games field. The noise and commotion that could persist and have persisted will now have faded. Every spectator becomes glaringly obvious as they wait. Even down to each blade of grass as the pitch becomes greater known than ever. This is your mind. Not empty - always full. No matter how much or how little it is given.

If we eliminate our ‘baggage’ from a given circumstance, along with our need to aim, then we’re in the best place to react. Our awareness of the situation will not fade - we are still present. Only, we make an attempt to put down what we each brought to the table. Now able to see the table and everyone around it for what and who they are. Their ideas, their conditions, their mannerisms, dreams, qualities and constraints.
Our minds will fill given the space to do so.

Need a start? Keep it simple. As you notice (make a catch) in any given moment, that you are indeed in there. In that head of yours, up on top of your shoulders. Notice what is in your mind. Not just your thoughts, though they’ll be there too, but emotionally, physically, sensually and so on…
You don’t need to feel happy, peaceful or even at ease. Just know that whatever is there, you’re present - you mind is full.

As you’re aware of what is in there, of what is here. The space that you clear for yourself is room enough for change. A little more will seep in and a little more out. Eventually, your head is occupied with a different game altogether and you’ll realize again, how full your mind has become. Continue to offer yourself this space. Wherever and whenever you can make a ‘catch’, and you will notice how mind-full you have become.

You can find more about meditation, travel and wellness from David over at his website: nomadboddy.com or on instagram @nomadboddy.