“The secret of health for both mind and body, is not to mourn for the past, nor to worry about the future, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly.”

 

Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai - The Teaching of Buddha (1934)




This is a picture of Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk who died this week, at the age of 95.

 

He was Vietnamese, but was exiled from that country in the 1960s, because of his opposition to the war.

 

Thereafter, he lived in France.


I think you will agree that this is something of a life-altering experience, which might have necessitated a degree of rebuilding (or building from scratch).

 

As you know, I have also experienced a life-changing event, and I am myself, trying to rebuild and build from scratch.

 

Thich Nhat Hanh though, made a much better job of it than I!

 

While in France, he went on to establish monasteries and meditation centres around the world. 

 

He wrote more than 100 books that were translated into more than 40 languages. 

 

And, if that isn’t enough ...

 

He, also travelled on regular speaking tours of Europe and the US, talking about the practice of mindfulness.

 

...Hence the opening quotation.

 

I’ve mentioned mindfulness a few times before, but by way of a brief reminder (largely to me!), the quotation sums it up well and (if you’ll forgive me!), I will try to pull together and re-iterate the points that I’ve previously made on this (and its personal importance)...

 

Mindfulness is about a re-balancing of our thoughts; through a reduction of those concerning the past and the future, and an enhanced focus on the present.

 

After all, the past is unchangeable, and the future, uncertain.

 

We can learn from past events, and they may be a source of happy memories. We can also take steps to mitigate, adverse issues.  But, mourning for the past on its own, is another thing altogether!  

 

I wish that I wasn’t brain injured, nor had I incurred its various consequences.  

 

I can take steps to mitigate some of its outcomes; but can’t rewrite history!

 

So far is the future is concerned, the ability to plan is of great importance.

 

Perhaps though, I ought to do rather less worrying about the future as my fears may not be realised.

 

Don’t worry; it might never happen! 

 

Clearing out these kinds of unhelpful thoughts, should cleanse my perception, and give me a lot more headspace, to concentrate on (or even notice!) things that matter, a great deal more...

 

The here and now (and the good things that it contains)!

 

Therapy and personal experience have led me to more than one way of achieving an enhanced state of mindfulness.

 

First (and I really must get into the habit of doing this more often), there is mindful meditation.  This (to me at least) is little more than relaxing and focusing my mind onto a current happening, that I would otherwise have missed, such as my breathing.

 

I believe that this serves at least two purposes:

 

·      It provides training in acquiring visibility of the present moment

 

·      An attempt to limit my concentration (and, often it is little more than an “attempt”!) to a solitary item, is conducive of a restful stillness. This something that my easily fatigued mind, could do with a lot more of.

 

Secondly, there is practical day-to-day mindfulness. 

 

I try to notice (and in many cases, appreciate) what I can see, hear and smell etc...

 

...like daybreak, the other morning:




A moment ago, I used the expression “restful stillness” (as an outcome of meditation).  As I alluded to then, I am very much in need of this. On many occasions my mid feels overfull of disjointed, whirling, and unhelpful thoughts and feelings.

 

At risk of stating the obvious...

 

It is not just meditation that assists in a sense of stillness.  There is more to mindfulness than a removal of unnecessary thoughts, to avoid a clouding of current positivity. By its nature, it involves a reduction of unnecessary and unhelpful thought, which is facilitative of mental rest.

 

I should spend less time with a full mind, and more in being mindful!

 

 


 

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