There's been a lot of talk about navels in our house lately. You see, my youngest daughter is asking to get hers pierced, and we are saying no--for now. So, naturally, I have been noticing navels more than usual.
The term "navel-gazing" mea indulgent contemplation, and that's an interesting concept. Is it po ible to be indulgent when it comes to contemplation? Can we get TOO caught up in it?
I'm not too worried about over-contemplation. As long as we are mindful, we aren't likely to overdo anything. What we CAN overdo is our i istence upon a certain contemplative practice as our only hope for greater mindfulne , our tenacious gra ing of a particular style, or our adamant belief that mindfulne can or should be limited in any way.
Frankly, I think we could do with a whole lot more contemplation, and if contemplating a navel (pierced or otherwise) i ires mindfulne , it seems we should celebrate that.
The traditional contemplative practices include a variety of activities, such as meditation, mindful walking, mindful eating, yoga, creating art, and writing a journal. But contemplation comes in all shapes and sizes, and if surfing or raking leaves or shooting baskets or giving yourself a pedicure hel you tap into that Wow of Wonder, then focus on THAT.
The good news is that there is no need to add a new activity to your to-do list. You are already doing many activities that, with intention, can become perfect twigs on that Tree of Contemplative Practices.
Nothing woo-woo is required here. Think about everyday o ortunities for greater awarene . What are your own little moments of fascination or centering? Seemingly mundane tasks--scru ing the tub, washing the car, setting the table--are full of po ibilities for contemplation.
Be creative with this use-what-you-have a roach to mindfulne ! Don't feel pre ure to adopt a traditional contemplative practice if cleaning your horse's stall or pulling weeds hel you tap into that i er wisdom.
In fact, I'd say that those who use everyday activities as o ortunities for greater mindfulne are far more likely to find moments of quiet awarene on a daily basis than those who view contemplative practices as a unique category of experiences.
It's not the activity, it's the intention. Zero in on that. Choose to pay attention, and you've got yourself some mobile mindfulne that you can take with you wherever you go.
Sort of like your navel.
Maya Talisman Frost has taught thousands of people how to pay attention. Her playful, eyes-wide-open a roach to mindfulne has been featured in over 150 publicatio worldwide. To read her free ti and tricks for practical awarene , visit http://www.Real-WorldMindfulne .com
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