I have been staring at a blank page for a while now. Sometimes, I look outside through the window to change my scene, but I still struggle to concentrate. I was about to give up, but then I asked myself, how could I apply mindfulness to this situation?
There can be many reasons for being unable to focus, such as lack of sleep, tiredness, noise, or other environmental factors. In that case, it is better to take a break, rest, or change your surroundings.
Sometimes, the reason is not physical, but a mental condition.
It can be challenging to focus if the mind is busy, anxious, or preoccupied with past events.
My condition was not physical but mental. My mind was restless, and my thoughts were scattered.
My practice:
I accepted that I couldn’t focus on the task due to my mind’s condition.
Instead, I would focus on my breathing.
I could bring my attention back to my breathing
again and again to settle the wandering mind
This is my practice.
When practising mindful breathing, we repeatedly bring our attention to the breath. The breath acts as an anchor to the present moment. As Thich Nhat Hanh describes it in his book called Miracle of Mindfulness,
“Breath is the bridge that connects life to consciousness and unites your body with your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again.”
After practising for a while, I noticed sensations in my body.
My body felt relaxed, my heart felt lighter, and my facial muscles relaxed.
My mind was calm, and I felt whole.
Then, I naturally started journaling about my experience.
It felt like I had opened the lid of a bottle, and words began to pour out with ease.
I was at ease and smiling.
Love
Nalan