| "Be mindful of every little pleasure in life, By living | | | | moving, take time to really feel what you are doing. |
| everyday like it's your last day." | | | | Take note of your breath. How do your muscles feel? |
| Master Jin Kwon (South Korean Martial Arts master, | | | | Do you need to change the way you are standing or |
| b.1957) | | | | sitting? Can you hear your heart pumping? |
| At a recent talk that I attended, the speaker referred | | | | Being mindful has to come from yourself; otherwise it |
| to something that has stuck in my brain ever since. | | | | will not be effective. It will also take practice and |
| She said that she tries to live her life in a state of | | | | thought, especially for those of you who live your lives |
| mindfulness, rather than being so rushed and stressed | | | | at 100 miles per hour! That doesn't mean that you |
| that she doesn't have time to take note of what she is | | | | necessarily have to reduce that pace (although I would |
| experiencing as she experiences it. For example, while | | | | recommend doing just that!), but that you don't let |
| making a cup of tea, the idea is that instead of going | | | | everything rush by in a blur. Take notice of what is |
| into automatic whilst making and then drinking it; try to | | | | actually going on. You may find that you identify areas |
| notice what is going on - the water as it boils in the | | | | of change which will help you slow down somewhat. |
| kettle, the heat of the cup as you hold it, the aroma of | | | | This mindfulness business will probably be new to |
| the tea, as well as its flavour. All these are details we | | | | almost all of you, but then again is it really? I am sure |
| often bypass, but can give tea drinking another | | | | that the concept is something you've all heard of, even |
| dimension. It is all about being present in the moment. I | | | | if under another name. What is new, today, is that you |
| have started to pay more attention to what I am doing | | | | are going to take it on board and start practicing it! |
| while doing it and challenge you to do the same. Being | | | | Noticing the detail of everything we do, everything |
| mindful could make all the difference, not only to the | | | | around us can heighten our creative skills. Read a |
| quality of your lives, but also the results that you are | | | | piece of poetry or prose by a writer you admire. It is |
| trying to achieve. | | | | usually the little details and the turn of phrase which |
| Are you rushing too much and not paying attention to | | | | conjure a picture in our heads. You are taken to that |
| what you are doing, when you are doing it? This can | | | | place in your mind - by the writer being mindful of the |
| result in backward steps as you find you are having to | | | | event or object. It is the same in most other creative |
| correct silly mistakes or do something that you missed | | | | pursuits. The little things matter and we could miss |
| in your haste. Take time to give everything that you do | | | | them if we aren't paying attention. |
| your full attention and do it mindfully. You are more | | | | How much will mindfulness cost? Nothing in the |
| likely to make progress this way. "I haven't time to be | | | | monetary sense, some thought and effort certainly. |
| mindful!" I can hear the muttering from here! Have you | | | | Turn it round and consider this. How much will it cost |
| time to go back and re-work? Have you time to | | | | you if you don't decide to live your life mindfully? How |
| repeat every experience that you live through? Do | | | | many experiences will you only vaguely remember, |
| you really want to? Isn't every moment precious and | | | | how many pieces of work will have to be corrected |
| to be enjoyed as it occurs? Don't put off living! And | | | | or re-done through a careless slip and how many of |
| what could be more beneficial to you than taking care | | | | life's precious moments - the sparkle of sunlight on |
| and living life to the full? I don't need to say any more! | | | | raindrops, the smell of new-mown grass, the laughter |
| When it comes to adding activity into your life, any | | | | passing by the window as the children come home |
| activity is good, not only for your body, but also for | | | | from school - will never be captured and enjoyed? It's |
| your mood. As you walk, climb the stairs, join a class | | | | worth keeping that in mind. |
| at the gym, go running, or anything that gets your body | | | | |