Sense of Place Tour

Next week, we're going on tour. Exploring the N.W. Highlands of Scotland on foot and by kayak. Talking to the people we meet and discussing how we connect with, make, have a sense of place. Is it the scenery, the people, the wildlife, the space? We'll be reporting back with regular updates to this blog as well as producing  a visual record of our experiences.

naturallymindful: Reflection

naturallymindful: Reflection: Someone suggested the other day "that it's OK for you, you live in a nice place and are able to do what you enjoy". Thinking about this, th...

Reflection

Someone suggested the other day "that it's OK for you, you live in a nice place and are able to do what you enjoy". Thinking about this, they were right. It is OK for me. But that doesn't mean I don't have things to sort out, to be concerned about or any of the other things that happen to us all. It does mean that I have to make choices, just as we all have to. But by practicing mindfulness these choices can be different,  to be where I am, work as I do, live within a lower income, whatever. How many of us think I'll eventually get round to it, what's stopping you?

If being mindful is simple a practice that is about coping with problems then how will you notice when things go well? If you are constantly watching the bank balance, the shopping, the children, when do you notice you? I thought about some of the events I've worked at and you get to the end and collapse, tired, glad it's all over. Then someone says that was a great event and you didn't see any of it, simply focused on the task not what was happening around you. I'm sure it will be the same for many involved with Olympic events, they'll be so busy helping visitors they'll miss the excitement of a sprint finish, the smiles on faces, the grand occasion. Wouldn't it be a pity if this was our lives, so busy living, coping, dealing with whatever happens, to actually notice life.

So yes, I'm lucky, but there is an old saying that the more you try the luckier you get. Think about what is important, look at what is happening around you. What would you have, do, want, if suddenly everything changed? It might. So with mindfulness move on, notice the good things not just the difficulties, reflect on what is most important and act accordingly.

Get Out!

This video from Outdoor Nation summarises many of the benefits of being outdoors

Being mindful

Reading 'Findings' by Kathleen Jamie, I'm struck by a passage in which she refers to learning to identify birds and which to me clearly illustrates practicing mindfulness. The passage is:


"This is what I want to learn: to notice but not to analyse. To still the part of the brain that's yammering. 'My god, what's that? A stork, a crane, an ibis? - don't be silly, it's just a weird heron'. Sometimes we have to hush the frantic inner voice that says 'Don't be stupid', and learn again to look, to listen. You can do the organising and redrafting, the diagnosing and identifying later, but right now be open to it, see how it's tilting nervously in the wind, try to see the colour, the unchancy shape - hold it in your head, bring it home intact".

Not heron but oystercatchers

While we may not all be birdwatchers we can all use what we notice in nature to help us deepen our mindfulness practice, helping it extend to all areas of our lives, learning to notice and not over analyse.

NHS Video

For some years we've been working with the Ford Park Community Group delivering a range of activities ranging from mindfulness programmes including pain management and mindful movement, through to first aid training for volunteers. They've now been selected as an exemplar project for the NHS.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YdjDXT37RU

multi-tasking and mindfulness

The start / finish line

An adventure race may seem on odd place to bring to mind when discussing mindfulness but it provides a great venue to watch the practice of mindfulness in all its aspects. On Sunday we were fortunate to have great weather, dry and sunny with a cooling breeze, beautiful blue skies and  countryside full of vivid greens, bright yellows, and all shared with good companions. 

It was possible to see  how some people approached the day with a 'task' focus - this must be done, then that, then the next thing. For others it was a question of looking around and seeing what could be done. For racers some seemed to be oblivious to everything except the map, the route and the time, while others did have awareness of these core elements (after all it is a race) but at the same time noticed the scenery, the level of water in the streams, the wildlife.

While some say mindfulness means present moment, non judgemental awareness, personally this isn't deep enough - aware of what? One thing (the task focus) or everything? Can we be aware in the moment if we are thinking of the time, of what comes next? And how can we be non-judgemental when every thought can be governed by our experience to date and expectations of what comes next? Just watching the racers brings this out, how one person reacts to something untoward whether injury or mistake and immediately judges the future (that great word 'catastrophising') - that's it, might as well give up and go home. While another's injury is accepted as a prompt to at least enjoy the day even if racing stops. But even these statements involve judgement. How can one person know if another is being overly dramatic or whether in their minds the situation is dire, they won't be able to do that important work tomorrow, they have travelled a long way and given up a lot to be here today.

This translates to our daily lives, how much of our travel is a means to an end - I need to be at work for 8.00am whether the sun is shiny or not is irrelevant, I'm not looking out of the train window anyway. How often do we respond to those we work with without consideration for their view, their ability to cope right now. It's great to see racers setting off prepared to help each other, to work as a team, their bikes already kitted to tow their team mate, an appreciation of common goals but different different abilities in the moment. How often do we think of the same things in the workplace, in the family? At least with mindfulness we 'buy' ourselves time to respond to what arises rather than just react habitually.

So practice, be aware of what we see and feel and how we judge ourselves, our thoughts and others.