Mindfulness: A Zombie way of life.

Mindfulness is a practice that can help you find an inner space so that you are able to deal with situations in a more calm and relaxed way. It is when you become aware of what is going on: 1; around you 2; within you, with the sole aim of ignoring everything!

So we have five senses! Well, unless you are able to sense that your next door neighbour is an axe murderer by claiming you have a 6th sense, let’s assume we all operate using the basic five senses.  We connect to the 3D world around us through touch, hearing, seeing, smelling and tasting. When you touch a hot surface, when the bus you’ve been waiting for doesn’t stop by hearing and seeing  it drive by, when a child does a poo in their nappy, our senses will all interpret these events and give us automatic reactions. Most of these reactions are processed in our minds through mental chatter (thoughts) and as a result an emotion could follow the thought process. That right there is the issue. I don’t want to use the word ‘problem’ because people are sensitive. So the problem (..oops) is these automatic responses that cause unwanted emotions.

For example, missing the bus could start a dialogue in your head. It might go something like this.."Shit! Shit! Shit! the effen bus driver didn't stop. What’s wrong with him? I am going to complain to the bus company...Oh em gee, I am going to be late again! What the eff. I hate my life! I hate everyone.. I effen need to drive. I hate public transport. It’s my mother's fault. That bitch wouldn't pay for my driving lessons! ....In the meantime, a hormone called 'panic hormone' is being released in your blood stream, your blood pressure is at some 156 over 48 rate(I don't know much about pressure, but let’s assume this number is a very bad reading), and you've worked yourself into a frenzy of some sorts. You are kicking the poor tree next to the bus stop! 

One single event such as a bus driving past you has triggered anxiety of being late, a reminder that you hate your mother, fear of what your boss is going to say, hate for your job and life and friends and neighbours. Let’s not even discuss the trauma you are putting the poor tree through! In the meantime the effect on your mental well being is on a downward spiral and you have set the tone of your mood for the rest of the day all because what could have been a faulty bus could not pick you up.

When you are mindful, or practice mindfulness, you are aware of an event but you don't associate the event to any interpretation. Back to your senses: Imagine your eyes were closed. Would you have seen the bus going by? No! Would anxiety have been triggered? No! Imagine you had those expensive noise canceling headphones by Bose and were listening to Chandalier by Sia. Would you have heard the bus go past? No! Would the dialogue in your head have happened? No! Why? Because your eyes have not seen nor your ears heard the bus for your mind to start the chatter. So the problem is not really the bus driving past, is it? The problem is the dialogue in your head. It's the association of what you see, hear, smell, touch and taste with a negative outcome. Its the interpretations of these 3d happenings. 

Here is how to have a normal blood pressure reading and not curse your mother when a bus drives past you.
You are wearing a floral shirt, listening and grooving to 'I bust the window out ya car' and are in generally a happy mood. You see the bus approaching, you take a deep breath ready to elbow the lady in the pink skirt so she doesn't get the only space left by the window. As the bus approaches the stop, you take another deep breath, reach out for your wallet, a few coins fall out, you bend to pick them and you see the bus drive past. You take another deep breath, pick up your cooper coins, you look in amazement at why the lady in the pink skirt is kicking the tree, you have a thought or two at why the effen bus didn't stop, but you understand its a pointless mental conversation, you are still bopping to the busting window song, you take another deep breath, you look at the time, you become aware that you are going to be late, you have a few thoughts about those driving lessons that your mother kept promising to pay for, you become aware that it's another pointless mental conversation that will trigger so many pointless emotions, you look up, take yet another deep breath, smile at the grey skies, you stop the song and call grumpy bald head(your boss) and tell them, guess what, I am running late, you go online, write a twit about the blady bus, you take a sneak 10 sec video of the raging pink skirted lady and post it on your insta stories with the caption "She's lost it because the bus didn't stop! Laughing emoji! Laughing emoji! Laughing emoji" , you take another deep breath, and you just stand there in total bliss as you listen to Faith by George Michael. You, my friend, not only have a banging playlist, but are a next level bad-ass at dismissing mental chatter.

Mindfulness is creating a gap between you and an event. It's seeing an event and not interpreting or judging what you are seeing. Its hearing and not judging, its tasting and not judging, its touching and not judging. Because, if none of these senses where not working, you would not have the reactions or judgments in your mind anyway! You would be a zombie! Just eating people and being okay with it....
This is the beginning of awareness of one’s' self. The acceptance of life!