Mindfulness as a 'work around' ...

I've been thinking a lot about the role of mindfulness and resilience these last few months. For the first time in my, comparatively long life, I've been dealing with recurring illness that has altered some lifestyle choices. I have NOTHING to complain about--I realize this! I'm still able to live in my favorite place in all the world with my favorite person and our critter-kids, and still love to put words and stories together, and still continue my life-long love of learning. I do practice gratitude--even when hauling water buckets to the horses is not the easy job it once was ... and when I must now rely on others to haul and stack hay bales in the barn. Puck, my bay gelding has grown too tall for me to mount (I think my lanky and lazy horse is secretly quite pleased about that, by the way) and I seriously gauge the level of tinnitus in my left ear before taking on any extra stress.

Yes, life has demanded some modifications--'work arounds' is my vocabulary for figuring out new ways to do old tasks that required more youthful strength and stamina.

Seriously. I have benches and mounting blocks spaced strategically all over our farm.

Mindfulness has become a friend to me and my journey of resilience.

There is nothing more resilient than watching tiny rose clippings root and begin to grow their own lives. Or a chopped-down tree sending up shoots from a sawed off stump.

And, I think the definition of resilience when you look it up in the dictionary should simply be a photo of a dandelion breaking through cement and thriving in a concrete jungle.

photo credit: https://abolg.wordpress.com/2016/01/09/dandelion/

To me, mindfulness practice is as simple and as frequent as stopping, breathing, feeling the ground under my feet, the wind on my face, and hearing through my ears and my hands, the dog at my side, the horse beside me, or the chicken scratching the soil in front of me. Mindfulness is stopping to grin at the goats peering out of their window at me. Mindfulness is admiring the vigor of a growing tomato plant. Mindfulness is anything that centers me into the present moment. From there, resilience becomes a choice, and work arounds become an intriguing puzzle rather than a relentless scramble, juggling losses.

Mindfulness may be different for you, and I've captured some thoughts of others more in the know about the practice of mindfulness below. But for me ...

Mindfulness and resilience are two bookends holding space for a joyful life.

The Practice of Mindfulness

(the following is adapted from www.mindful.org)

Mindfulness helps us put some space between ourselves and our reactions, breaking down our ‘go to’ gut response—you know, that one that too often leaves our bodies in a tight, guarded grip and our minds in an emotional fog!

Mindfulness is the simple practice of becoming more aware of your being in space and time.

Doesn’t sound so simple when said that way, does it! But it is a simple concept.

Mindfulness is becoming more aware and in touch of the ground under our feet, the air around us, and ourselves as separate from the strife that may be going on around us, but still aware of and attuned to the storm. Mindfulness does not mean hiding from the fray, but rather grounding to allow mind and body to connect and make helpful decisions and actions.

Although there are no ‘rules,’ here are some suggestions about practicing mindfulness:

Set aside some time for practicing mindfulness. You don’t need a meditation cushion or bench, or any sort of special equipment to access your mindfulness skills—but you do need to set aside some time and space.
Observe the present moment as it is. The aim of mindfulness is not retreating into a different dimension, trying to find the silver lining in a tough situation, or even of quieting down the mind to achieve a state of meditative calm. The goal is simpler than that: mindfulness means we are mindful! Our aim is to pay attention to the present moment. The more difficult part of that, is to pay attention without attaching judgment to what’s happening!
Let your critical thoughts roll by. When we notice negative thoughts, fears, anger, judgments arise during our practice, we can make a mental note of them, and let them pass on by. Recognize the ‘clutch in the gut’ that may occur, and recognize when it leaves your body.
Return to observing the present moment as it is. Keep bringing it back! Our minds will get carried away in thought and emotions will surface. That’s what a healthy brain does! Call it back by consciously breathing slower, deeper. Think of your breath as your lifeline in an ocean. Mindfulness is the practice of returning, again and again, to the present moment.
Be kind to your wandering mind. That is what health minds do! Be aware—recognize when it has wandered and bring it back to the present moment. Don’t judge yourself for whatever thoughts crop up, just practice recognizing when your mind has wandered off, and gently bring it back.