Be Here Now

 Mindfulness is ironically something that I have been trying to wrap my mind around lately.  One might assume that with my yoga teacher background and many of the woo-woo topics I tend to reflect upon I would be a very mindful person.  This is not always the case.  In fact there are times when I catch myself going through the motions of my yoga practice without really being a part of it.  And this tendency to be on autopilot can also carry over into many other areas of life if one is not careful.  

Watching a documentary on Plum Village, the Buddhist monastery that Thich Nhat Hanh founded, really brought the need for mindfulness into better focus for me.  Throughout the film I was struck by the pure joy and calm that the monks carried with them throughout their days, even while performing the mundane day-to-day tasks of life.  They seemed to move through the film, and through their days, with a type of physical flow and serenity that was intriguing and enticing.  The beauty and simplicity of their outlook and way of being moved me to wonder why it is that for so many of us, this seems simply unattainable.

As visitors to the centre were included in meditations and practices, there were no elaborate gimmicks or tricks employed to try and spread the word of enlightenment.  Instead, there was a simple invitation extended to be curious and open-minded and to "be here now".  Perhaps the difficulty many of us experience with this idea is that in order to be present we first need to allow ourselves to become more aware.  We need to slow down both physically and mentally and actually observe where were are and what we are doing.  So often we are tied up in activities intended to do the exact opposite.  We are looking to blur reality and to take off potentially rough edges from the moment that we are in, instead of allowing times of discomfort to spur growth and renewal.  It is not an easy idea to accept - the concept of growth coming from times of pain, but if you allow yourself to reflect back upon times when you have experienced some type of personal growth, you likely experienced difficulties on your way towards your achievement.

Mindfulness has also held a level of mystique for me - how does one exactly become more mindful?  What do I need to do to bring this into my days?  Fortunately, the answer that I have stumbled across is something that we all do every single day, and for the most part are likely not even thinking about.  You are actually doing it right this very minute - just breathe.  The easiest way to bring mindful moments into your each and every day is to simply stop and notice that your beautiful and loving body is breathing for you.  And as you slow down and notice those breaths, perhaps you close your eyes gently and allow the breaths to flow in and out and just keep noticing their flow.  There is no rule about how long and how often this needs to take place, because there is no mindfulness scorecard.  Think of it as a gift to yourself, a way to celebrate your very being and to reestablish a connection with the most basic and fundamental aspect of your each and every day.  And a way to be here now.