Zen can be distilled to its essence in a single word: Mindfulness.
Being present in the moment.
Every day we process millions of bits of data. Being mindful is focusing on the moment at hand. Often we zoom about multi-tasking...fretting over past or future events...that we miss the here and now.
Mindfulness can be as simple as focusing on your first morning cup of coffee...the aroma...the taste...the warmth of the stoneware mug in your hands...or as complex as reading an instruction manual and assembling your first Graco baby-swing. It is completely focusing on the moment/task at hand.
At first it seems artificial...we are immersed/programmed in a world of "gotta do more-got to be more" thinkers. At the office we might eat lunch at our desk while putting the finishing touches on a project and catching up with an old friend on our phone...At home we may do the laundry while cooking supper and helping with homework and talking to our teenage daughter...all while listening to our favorite music and thinking about which outfit to wear to brunch tomorrow.
Try it anyway.
Pick a moment.
Relax.
Breathe.
Now use all 5 of your senses to explore that moment. That is focus. Mindfulness. Being present.
Centering:
Here in the real world, of course, we do not always have the luxury of time and multi-taking may be a necessity in your life. I know as a Nurse, it certainly was mine. But focus/mindfulness can bring order to chaos.
Remember Marie?
Mindfulness gives us a way to "Center". If not stop time, at least slow it down for a moment.
(...a mental stop-sign...)
Some people actually find it helpful to envision a large red stop-sign at this point.
"The Cleansing Breath"
Sure, we all know how to breath...but the "cleansing breath" is a bit different. You have just raised your mental stop-sign...now breathe.
Inhale through your nose filling your lungs to capacity.
Hold it for a count of three.
Now exhale slowly through your mouth.
Repeat.
You will feel your stress level and heart rate drop. This is a good thing.
Anytime you need to raise the stop-sign remember to take a cleansing breath. It will help develop a signal to your brain/body that it is time to re-center...focus.
Today...practice with your stop-sign and your breathing.
