Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a popular topic these days.  So I picked up a book lying around the house just to see what the deal was.

Mindfulness has to do with being aware of the present situation in the present moment.  It can be helpful when dealing with anxiety, stress, and depression, and can be good for mental health issues.


After reading about half the book, I was still confused in what practicing mindfulness actually meant.  So I skipped ahead to the exercises.

Exercise #1 is The Raisin, and the book includes a recording to follow.  For 15 minutes I listened to the voice; I stared at a raisin, smelled a raisin, listened to a raisin, and even tasted a raisin.  Midway through it, I laughed, "This is ridiculous!"

But I didn't give up and moved on to the next two exercises.

These beginning exercises focus on the fact that our minds wander all over the place, all the time.  We think about relationships, chores, work, health concerns, problems, upcoming events, and on and on.

For most of each exercise, the recording is silent.  But periodically the "voice" says something like, "Notice how your mind is wandering.  Now gently bring it back."  The idea is to become aware that the mind is wandering and to not let those wandering thoughts and worries become a focus.

Ok - now we're onto something - "to not let my wandering thoughts and worries become a focus."  

As I completed the exercises, as my mind wandered and I brought it back, my tendency was not to do what "the voice" instructed me to do.  My tendency, when I noticed myself wandering, was to pray, to remember who I am, or rather, Whose I am.

That's the Christian's dilemma of living in this world - how to deal with all life's problems and struggles and still remember - remember that we're baptized Christians.  

During the day, during regular situations, I forget who I am.  I get stressed and anxious.  And then my emotions, my thoughts and worries consume my time, my energy, and my peace.

...do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  Philippians 4:6

I find this especially hard because I notice everything and everybody around me, including the stain on the wall and the hum of the air conditioner.  

That's a lot for my brain to process and a lot to worry about.

The passage in Philippians continues:

...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  Philippians 4:8

The verse isn't easy in practice.  My sinful nature likes to dwell on what's wrong and on what hurts.  It resists God's Word and His truth.  

This idea of mindfulness has made me more aware of my thought life and of the things that worry me.  It's made me aware that I can recognize what I'm doing; I can stop myself from wasting time and energy on my worries.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.  Isaiah 26:3

I can pray, quote scripture, and sing hymns.  I can focus on the situation at hand, and on loving and serving.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14