The Buddha Express: A Definition of Mindfulness You Can Grab and Go
Mindfulness is a vast topic. There is so much to learn. Perfecting mindfulness can take a lifetime to achieve. Sometimes we want a little cheat sheet, I think I have that cheat sheet.
You can brush your teeth mindfully or…mindlessly. You can eat breakfast mindfully or mindlessly. You can drive your car mindfully or mindlessly. Mindfulness isn’t a physical act. It’s a way of thinking, regardless of what you are doing.
So, what should we think about?
The definition I use in my classes is pretty concise:
Only think about one thing at a time - whatever you are doing at that moment
Only think about what is right here
Only think about what is right now
It’s rare that we’re actually thinking about walking our dog when we’re walking our dog. We could be walking our dog while thinking about what to have for dinner, what to buy someone for their birthday or who will win the World Series. This is because when we walk our dog, we are not doing it mindfully. The first part of the definition is simple: think only about what you are doing while you are doing it.
The second part of the definition tips its hat to Ram Dass’ famous book “Be Here Now.” You are not being mindful if you are thinking about your sister in Montauk while you are brushing your teeth in the Bronx. To be mindful in the Bronx, you must think about what’s right in front of you, in the Bronx. To be mindful you must think about what is happening right where you are.
But, that’s not all. You should not only be in the Bronx, but you should be in the Bronx in the present moment. While brushing your teeth, you’re not being mindful if you’re thinking about the time you lost an earring down that same sink’s drain. To be mindful you must think about what is happening in that exact moment.
Let’s bring our cheat sheet with us for a mindful dinner with a loved one.
Only think about one thing at a time:
A mindful dinner conversation receives our full attention, which makes for a better conversation. This goes for the mundane as well. Folding a napkin mindfully is a very different experience than folding a napkin with our minds elsewhere. Life experiences can be magnified when under single-minded focus.
Only think about what is right here:
If you take a step further and only think about what’s “right here,” what’s right here is your loved one. When mindfully eating dinner, your attention is on the fork, the table, or the room in which you are dining. Mindfulness helps us live the reality in front of us.
Only think about what is right now:
What’s happening “right now” would be a single second of that dinner. Moment by moment, you would be thinking about a certain bite of food, something your dinner date is saying or how the fork feels in your hand. A mindful person appreciates each moment. Mindfulness does not rush ahead.
Mindfulness creates quality time.
Try it out in your daily life and make it a part of your mindfulness practice. When in need of some clarity, regardless of what you are doing at that moment, decide to:
Only think about one thing at a time - whatever you are doing at that moment
Only think about what is right here
Only think about what is right now
Having simple tools like this one on hand is a great way to introduce a mindfulness practice into your life. There’s much to gain from a deeper study of the topic, but with the ability to apply a quick formula to any moment, you can receive the benefits of mindfulness right now.
Burak Uzun is an award-winning writer and instructor. He has received thousands of hours of training and hands-on experience in guiding individuals with social and emotional challenges. He also co-wrote a feature film called Team Marco, which was featured in over fifty film festivals around the globe and was distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
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