You Meditate Everyday, you just don’t know it yet!

This post was written by Ashley Berges

Perspectives with Ashley BergesToday, I ran across an article on lifehacker.com.  If you read Gawker, you know Lifehacker.  The article by Melanie Pinola, titled: Meditate Without Sitting Still:  Turn Everyday Actions into a Practice.  Pinola states that most of us think of meditation as sitting cross-legged and silent for a long period of time.  She goes further to say that you gain benefits of meditation through your everyday activities in both stillness or in movement.

 

Perspectives with Ashley BergesIn Day 3 of The 10-Day Challenge to Live Your True Life, the unique discussion on the mindful-mind vs. the thinking mind begins.  For example, take a moment and observe what you are doing this very minute.  You are reading this blog and what else?  As you are reading, are you thinking about getting your car repaired, picking up the kiddos from daycare, today’s office meeting that put more responsibilities on you, paying your bills this month, etc.?  Or are you updating your status on Facebook?

 

Perspectives with Ashley BergesIt’s very easy to slip out of the mindful-mind and back into the thinking mind.  Being mindful involves bringing one’s awareness back from the past or future, and into the present moment.  The thinking mind is preoccupied with thoughts from the past or thoughts about the future.  The thinking mind takes us out of the present moment, takes us out of reality, and puts us in a holding pattern.  In order for you to live your true life, you must work on getting out of the thinking mind and moving into the mindful-mind.

 

*Being mindful makes you:  Perspectives with Ashley Berges

 

Aware of your surroundings

 

Experience life with clarity

 

A participant in life, not a spectator

 

Go beyond your preconceived thoughts and ideas

(More amazing reasons are in The Challenge!)

 

*How do we exit the thinking mind and enter into mindfulness?

 

WASH THE DISHES

Perspectives with Ashley BergesIn Day 3 of The Challenge, instead of viewing the dishes as a mere chore, view it as a positive event. Eliminate the preconceived thoughts about doing the dishes and allow the experience to not be judged. As you wash the dishes, focus on washing the dishes and nothing more. When you are applying the soap to the dishes, feel the soapsuds, feel the water temperature, and feel your fingers in the water. Get completely involved in the activity and in the moment. While you are washing the dishes, remember to keep your mind as clear as possible. When you begin to think of outsides thoughts, bring yourself back to the present moment and back to the dishes you are cleaning.

There are several other unique and key ways to “meditate” while not in the cross-legged pose.  Find them in Day 3 of The Challenge.  In the Lifehacker article, they go on to mention Patrick Groneman who writes:

Begin washing the dishes — one at a time. Choose less oily dishes first, so the water stays cleaner longer. As you rinse each dish, give it a brief inspection to make sure oils and food residues have been thoroughly removed, and then place gently into the drain board.  Repeat, and adjust dish placement in the drain board along the way as needed. If you notice you are lost in thought, just gently notice that, and come back to the dishwashing.  This article can be found at: http://lifehacker.com/meditate-without-sitting-still-turn-everyday-actions-i-908843257.

The Huffington Post takes it a step further and states:  The 10 Day Challenge to Live Your True Life

Many successful people (like Oprah, Rupert Murdoch and even Arianna Huffington, to name a few) credit meditation for their razor-sharp focus, enviable level of productivity and bountiful amounts of creative juice. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/23/ways-to-meditate-mindfulness-tips_n_3605845.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003

 

**Last words:  When we practice being mindful, we allow ourselves to experience life with a renewed and more positive outlook. Being mindful frees us to be truer, happier, healthier, and more at peace with our surroundings and ourselves. When we are present in the moment, we begin to live our true life through active participation.

Listen to Perspectives with Ashley Berges every Sunday evening live @8PM CST on KLIF & iHeart Radio.  Listen on iHeart at:  http://www.iheart.com/live/570AM-KLIF-5527/

For past, Best of Perspectives:  https://www.ashleyberges.com/radio-show/

ashley berges you rock

 

 

 

 

 

 



Comment through Facebook