Understanding mindfulness vs presence is my focus this week.
Examples of Mindfulness
I remember when a friend helped me work on being in the moment during a road trip to Aspen, Colorado. On the other hand, more recently I worked toward practicing mindfulness through meditation.
For me, meditation is a daily habit and developing presence is becoming one.
Understanding Mindfulness vs Presence by Example
Mindfulness includes noticing the world around you.
Cultivating presence includes focusing on a physical aspect within your own body.
Food Example:
I made yummy gluten-free almond oatmeal cookies yesterday. It was shortly before dinner when they came out of the oven. I confess I ate four cookies before I realized it.
Mindfulness practice would have me slow down, take one cookie, place it on a plate, sit down, and savor every aspect of it as I slowly took one bite at a time. In fact, I would have closed my eyes to increase my enjoyment and ability to be mindful.
On the other hand, cultivating presence, might result in a slightly different outcome.
My intention for the day included one technique for developing presence – tuning in on breathing. Rather than reach for the first cookie, I might have closed my eyes, and directed my attention toward the rise and fall of my belly. Perhaps then I could have considered ways to combat my familiar habit of eating without mindfulness.
Some alternative behaviors include:
- Moving the cooling rack out of the kitchen
- Drinking a glass of water, insuring hydration
- Concentrating on heating up the dinner of leftover soup
- Moving up dinner time
- Fully enjoying one after dinner cookie
How Today is Different
This morning during my meditation to set my intention for the day, I realized patience would have helped me yesterday. Why not set patience as my intention today. I even have a scenario all set.
When the call of the cookie strikes, I will consider the list above after I close my eyes and focus on the breath.