Mindfulness in Motion
Course review
Let’s take a quick look at some key concepts we touched on over the last 8 weeks:
I. What is mindfulness meditation?
Mindfulness is “awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally”.
Mindfulness meditation describes the practice of cultivating this awareness. There are many ways to practice. At its core, it is about coming in touch with what is happening in the here and now, allowing whatever is happening, and nurturing that with care, understanding, and openness.
Instead of striving for peace, calm, and quiet, the idea is to simply focus on connecting with the present and allowing the dust to settle on its own when its ready to do so, without any striving whatsoever…
Practicing RAIN, metta (loving kindness), equanimity, or the grounded nature of a tree or mountain are simply strategies for welcoming the present moment and whatever that holds. There are many more strategies to be explored!
II. Mindfulness supports creativity in many ways!
Practicing mindfulness strengthens and connects the different networks in the brain linked to creativity. It activates the part of the brain that is responsible for spontaneous flow and the part that executes decisions, allowing for the flexibility and structure needed for creative activities. This is the relaxed and alert state of mind that is optimal for creativity.
Mindfulness, especially the metta practice, is a powerful antidote to the inner critic that is such a barrier to creative work.
Deep listening and developing greater awareness of our sense gates and thought processes, feeds and nourishes the creative mind with a wider range of ideas, connections, and a sense of wonder, mystery, curiosity, and play.
How to make mindfulness a habit?
Here are my top THREE tips:
START SMALL, HONOUR THE SMALL – 1% improvement leads to massive change over time! Stay humble and start small, with achievable goals. Choose a place for practice, make it beautiful and fall in love with it as your sanctuary. Be patient. It takes time for the practice to flower, but its growing all the time.
SEAMLESS INTEGRATION – deploy “habit stacking” by attaching mindfulness practice to an existing habit. For instance, it can be before or after a daily activity you already do effortlessly: ie. meditate 5 minutes before coffee, take 10 mindful breaths before writing emails, 5-10 min of RAIN in the morning or before bed, etc. You can also choose one daily activity to do mindfully. You can set a goal to be mindful while brushing your teeth, washing dishes, or sitting on the bus, etc. You can also set a time to make mindfulness a part of your creative habits – doodling, journaling, dancing, etc.
SHIFT PERSPECTIVE. Instead of focusing on objectives, focus on your state of being. Instead of thinking, “I want to run a marathon,” you adopt the mindset, “I am a runner.” Instead of thinking, “I’ll try to be a calmer more balanced person,” think “I am always connected to my true nature, which is aware, creative, and flowing. ” Let the breath remind you of that connection.
Tibetan teacher Geshe Tenzin Wangyal describes this shift in perspective clearly:
“According to the teachings of Vajrayana Buddhism, true creativity has to do with more than just ability or skill, or even actions or behaviors. While those play an important role, creativity ultimately has to do with our state of being…
In football, place-kickers are trained to focus not on the goal but on making solid contact with the ball. They remain conscious of the goal posts, but just before they kick they keep their head down and their eyes on the ball. Target shooters are given similar advice. They focus not on the target but on lining up the sights; the target itself remains a blur beyond the sights. Likewise, even as you are conscious of your creative goal, it makes sense to place your attention on lining up the sights—taking the steps that can cause your desired results to spontaneously manifest.”
Guided Meditation (Standing + Walking Meditation, 14 min)
Creative Exercise “Envisioning Integration”
Take a few minutes to free write on the following question:
What are some creative ways you can integrate mindfulness in your daily life?
What time of day? Where? For how long?
What daily or mundane activities can you do mindfully and joyfully?
Check out this inspiring talk from Atomic Habits by James Clear. It has helped me build a more consistent meditation practice:
The Universe in a Dewdrop 