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The post above is a plagia from the first comment in the video

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The post above is a plagia from the first comment in the video

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It is an interesting video about the concept of meditation. We learn that the general idea saying that meditating consists in sweeping away your thoughts is false, as it is impossible. There is an interesting metaphor with a bubble, if your thought is a bubble you want to embrace it (touch it) to make it free and accept it in your conscience (make it pop) rather than just contemplate it (watch it from afar).

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The video attempts to explain the inner workings of our mind through 2 metaphors.
Thoughts are inherently uncontrollable, you can't decide to stop thinking and focusing on a thought doesn't last. You don't decide to think, it comes to you like the weather every day but you decide to step out and take it in. You can't foresee the arrival of a thought.
They can also be looked at like a field of floating bubbles, going around in your mind. They float up and naturally pop. Awareness is like a finger with which you decide which one to focus on and pop a bubble with before it naturally bubbles up and bursts. You can train your awareness and even though it takes a bit of getting used to but can be achieved by mostly anyone.

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.We are always bombarded by thoughts. Like the weather, thoughts can be different from day to day.
We need to learn to live with these thoughts, but it is important to realize that your thoughts do not define who you are. You can observe your thoughts like a scientist, and if you do nothing with them, they will disappear naturally; like bubbles. Thoughts are like mirages, but sometimes you can have thoughts that can change your life or change the world.

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30th April

Essay

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Mindfulness Dissolves Thoughts — Attention Is What’s Left Over, with Jon Kabat-Zinn | Big Think

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Susan Gillis Chapman helps us appreciate the music of everyday life.

The most common instruction for mindfulness meditation is to pay attention to your breath. But the breath is not the only thing you can notice when you sit down to meditate. Whether you use a small gong or an app on your phone, ringing a bell is a good way to start and end a meditation session. The sound is not just a timer. It reminds us that mindfulness is about creating space for silence and for listening. By letting go of our usual distractions, we make room to appreciate the sounds around us.

Here are three types of sounds to appreciate as you sit in "silence."

1. Background sounds

One of the first things you will notice once the sound of the opening bell fades away is background sounds: traffic noise, the whirring of a ceiling fan, murmuring voices in the hallway. As you notice each one, let go of the habit of naming and judging it and dive into the pure sensation of hearing. In this way, everything you hear is treated as equal-beyond being pleasant or unpleasant.

2. Melodic sounds

Sounds that form a melody tend to arouse emotions, which is what we love about music. When we sit quietly, we will inevitably notice melodic sounds. A chorus of birds greets the dawn. A siren wails in the distance. A pitter-patter of rain softly taps the windowpane. Listening to the rise and fall of these sounds can arouse feelings that don't need to be named or clung to. Melodies can make us feel sadness, joy, or both. Try to find the dividing line between the sound and your emotional response. It's challenging, but listen loosely. If something melodious moves you, stay with it and notice how it affects your body.

3. Abrupt sounds

Sudden, shocking sounds that interrupt us can also bring us back to awareness. Someone sneezes-achoo!-and we're back to the now. The sudden arising of a sound can wake you up to the present moment when you've been lulled into habitual thought patterns. When sitting quietly, we're not trying to fall into a trance. Relaxed awareness is the thing, like a deer on the alert for something new.

When the closing bell rings at the end of your session, let the sound relax you. Rest in it for a moment. As the reverberation fades away, let it help you transition into everyday activity. Every moment there are sounds inviting us to listen. Being open to them is just another way to appreciate the world around us and appreciate one another. All the conversations in our life begin here.

Read an excerpt from Susan Gillis Chapman's book, The Five Keys to Mindful Communication.

This article also appeared in the August 2013 issue of Mindful magazine.

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Practice Mindfulness With Everyday Sounds

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Susan Gillis Chapman helps us appreciate the music of everyday life. The most common instruction for mindfulness meditation is to pay attention to your breath. But the breath is not the only thing you can notice when you sit down to meditate.