Unless they changed "Mindfulness" with the latest version of iWatch (I'm on a series 3), I can't figure out what exactly the mindfulness reminders mean. For example, it was saying things like:
"Be in the present" [ok, how can I *NOT* be in the present]
"Imagine sitting solidly on the earth. Bring that feeling of stability to something in your life that needs it" [what does that mean??]
Can someone translate these words into English?
Remember the last time you were totally engrossed in a good movie (or book or play or … )? Say,
Star Wars. Though a full and precise accounting would be lengthy, you can presumably appreciate how it is, within context, perfectly valid and very meaningful to say that you were in a galaxy far, far away. Again, not in the literal, physical sense! But, still, in a very meaningful and important and significant sense.
If you pay attention to your thoughts, you’ll discover that, in this “theatre of the mind” sense, you spend most of your time somewhere that’s not where you literally physically are.
“A penny for your thoughts.” That’s the “alpha and omega” of mindfulness. Be aware of what you’re thinking.
Especially at first, it’s nigh on impossible to maintain such awareness for more than a few brief moments at a time. Almost instantly you’ll switch from observing your thoughts to analyzing them and then just thinking without observing, and then you’re back in this “other somewhere that’s not here and now” place.
But with practice, you can maintain that observational mode for longer periods of time, and the time it will take to get back to it will shorten.
This skill can have profound benefits. Think of the last time you were in an argument, said something stupid, and later wondered why you didn’t realize how stupid it was. With sufficient skill at mindfulness, you have a less-worse chance of getting back into that “here-and-now” mode, which can let you see that stupid thought forming and shut it down before it escapes your mouth. Similarly, many people with depression get stuck in a loop where they tell themselves how miserable they are; mindfulness can help you recognize that such thoughts are mere thoughts that you can let go of — and, indeed, that you
will let go of, one way or another, given enough time, so why not let go of them now?
And it can help with focussing on a task, other forms of concentration … in general, it’s a type of strength and endurance training for your attention, for your observational skills.
It’s also a big deal in lots of religions, especially non-Western religions. But, just as you can practice Tai Chi for all its physical benefits without bothering with any of the religious elements, you can be mindful without praying to any gods. If you care about the fate of your eternal soul, sure, talk to a priest about that. But if you just want to ease some suffering in the here-and-now, there are lots of purely secular resources for mindfulness.
One not-bad place to start is the “Ten Percent Happier” franchise, which is well represented in the Apple store. But there’re lots of other not-bad choices, too.
b&
