Day #4 | Avoiding Distraction during Practice
11 Days of Mindfulness | Micro Retreat (DIY Email Series)
Section 1: KNOWING
Distractions while Practicing Mindfulness
Distraction is something that takes your attention away from what you were doing or thinking about.
By distraction, we mean shifting attention from the original task or object of attention onto a different focal object.
Mindfulness, on the other hand, implies regulating or consciously bringing the focus and the focus of one's attention on chosen point.
Many people feel frustrated with mindfulness, though initially, because they are still focusing on expectations, rather than simply seeing how things really are. The main reason is they have misunderstood what mindfulness is and are instead mistaking their default values, the deep-rooted beliefs ( the mind’s lens ) as clear seeing. But actually the mind plays the tricks here and in a subtle way, controlling the process and distracting them away from mindfulness.
Consistent Mindfulness practice yields abundant benefits but practitioners expects instant outcomes, just after few days of practice. We’ve also initiating 11 Days of Mindfulness Retreat, this doesn’t mean that your problems immediately disappear. Mindfulness is not a magic, nor does it produce the same results for everyone. Some practitioners may notice an enormous sense of boost in energy levels when they are mindful; others may find that they face constant distraction or their mind churn out new ways, new episodes of old stories without break.
The Good News: Even if you are struggling, and mind plays the tricks, it’s not a big problem. You can be mindful even in the midst of doubt and frustration, even use distractions to practice mindfulness. :)
YES YOU CAN MAKE CHALLENGES AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW
First Thing First : IGNORING GENERAL DISTRACTION
No Phone Calls
No Messages
No Conversation
No extra physical Movement
No Thinking – No Judgement
No Comparison with previous day or previous session
No Frequent Checking of remaining time / Glancing at Stop Watch
Simply Follow the instructions while keeping your ATTENTION and AWARENESS on the Process Step.
Some Important Points
How to See Distractions as an opportunity to Practice Mindfulness
When you feel yourself becoming distracted by thoughts or feelings, don't resist or don’t ignore them. Simply PAUSE to acknowledge them, notice how they make you feel, how they are trying to remote - control you, then purposefully guide your attention back to the present moment, or your Focal Point or the central focus of your task/activity.
What if I get distracted during practice?
If the distraction continues, rather than fighting with it and struggling to come back to the task, give the distraction your full attention, whether it's a sound, smell, sensations, physical pain or whatever. By making it your new point of focus, you make use of it and it ceases to become a distraction.
Section 2: LEARNING (by Doing)
Mindfulness Practice#4 | MINDFUL SEEING
Today we will LEARN about the SEEING EXERCISE. During this practice step we'll FOCUS on visual process, use it as a medium to ground ourselves in the PRESENT MOMENT.
SEEING EXERCISE
Mindful Seeing is the practice of consciously noticing everything within your visual field. We are consciously using that experience as a medium to help us Practice Mindfulness. It is used as a tool to help bring our FOCUS on Present Object.
Practitioners may benefit from mindful seeing because this practice asks them to focus on one thing and notice all of its facets and details — a skill that may ultimately improve their executive function (e.g., attention, self-control, memory) and professional achievement.
TASK#4: Start by settling into a comfortable position or standing in front of a window and allow your self to relax.
Now Pick one of the object and spend some time to closely notice how it is - Visualize it completely
Just see as you are seeing it for the first time. No prior image or knowledge to be applied here. Just like a child, be curious to find a new object in front of you.
Feel all its unique properties/details. Adore it.
Now Select the second object and repeat all the above steps. Notice its texture, facets, shape, size, colours, contextual fit etc. Notice all what you can do to know its details.
Don’t compare it with previous object. Just Focus on the present object. If mind wanders, bring it back to present moment.
REPEAT the step with many different objects. One at a time
Do not try to Control the Observations. Be with the object as sincerely, as completely, as possible. Nothing else exists at that moment, only the object in your hand and you. Just observe (feel) the object, one at a time.
Now we are being in conscious awareness of its presence, and its existence during the whole process. If you feel distracted, just take it as a passing thought and bring back your attention to the task. Continue the Process till your practice time ends or until you are ready to go to next step.
Let’s DO IT NOW | Take a PAUSE from reading and Practice it now.
BE MINDFUL | Keep your Attention & Awareness on Seeing Process
Section 3: UNDERSTANDING
Mindful seeing is the practice of consciously noticing everything within your visual field, while focusing completely on [one thing] as much as you are able. It takes your mind from a place of thinking and doing to a place of noticing.
Be curiously creative in your observations. Real creativity is seeing what other see while thinking what no one else have ever thought. ~Albert Einstein
Use this understanding with non-living being too. Try to bring your conscious attention and awareness at the point of object. You’ll experience a unique difference. Just Do It and Grow your relationship with that object. Life becomes amazingly awesome. Give it a try. This is a subtle way to Achieve 100xPotential in Life/Work
Quote of the Day:
Seeing is a gift that comes with practice. Looking at the beauty in the world, is the first step for purifying the mind.
Practice seeing Possibilities in Life & Workplace. When you focus on what you already know, you keep creating the same reality.
BE CURIOUS | BE CREATIVE | BE CALM | BE YOU
Important Point:
Reading is not enough. Plan and Practice it regularly.
It is normal that we'll lose the focus when our mind will wander. Simply bring your attention back into the moment by refocusing on your task, again and again.
For beginners – Start this Practice for 1 minute and slowly add 30 seconds when you are able to maintain your focus for complete 1 minute, without any break or distraction.
Keep seeing new objects on every successful completion till you reach a level of undivided attention for 10 minutes/object
Write down your Reflections / your Observations for clarity.
If you can achieve this Fourth Step successfully, you can do anything in life. If you decide to practice that task into simple, smaller steps in your day today life (seeing everything that appears during your commute, workplace, market, neighborhood etc.
Celebrate the Success of Being Mindful. Share it with others.
Thanks for your time and energy.
Be Happy & Abundant Always | Enjoy your day
Gopi Krishan Bali :)