I went to Mindfulness Meditation yesterday at The Center in Palos, IL. Mindfulness Meditation is a group that meets on Sunday mornings to practice mindfulness. It is the practice of being present to what is in our lives with kindness and curiosity. The group provides support, guidance, and companionship as we open up to this practice.
Our teacher for that morning asked us to reflect on a recent moment in which we were present in our life, and she also invited us to explore what pulled us away from that moment.
I shared an experience earlier that morning when I was planting flowers in the garden with my 4-year- old daughter Iris. It was a warm, sunny, beautiful morning with a slight breeze. I felt proud I was planting in the garden so early in the year. I would be able to enjoy the beauty of the flowers and the satisfaction of a project completed, rather than a project lingering. I felt grateful Violet, my 1-year- old, was napping so Iris and I could have the time to connect and complete it. I watched my amazing daughter marveling at worms in the garden, watching the birds and squirrels eating the oats we had put out for them, and digging in the dirt. I felt proud of her, proud of myself for all of the sacrifices, teachings and patience that led up to that moment.. I felt joy, peace, and happiness. I felt connected to the divine and the abundance of nature around us. I know every time I look at those flowers and bulbs in the garden it will connect me back to that moment.
What pulled me out of that moment was a need she had. She wanted more water to drink so I went into the house to get that for her. When I returned, however, I was more aware of time, which pulled me even further out of that moment. I needed to finish, clean up the yard, and get ready to go to the Mindfulness group. My teacher talked about being curious about how to minimize those distractions or things that pull you out of these moments, and how to come back to savoring that original moment to reinforce it inside your brain.
So. what often pulls me out of the present moment is a demand or a need from my children, work or house responsibilities. Before my teacher discussed this, I realized I had been practicing having more of a flow of being present in my life for about six months, but I wasn’t thinking of it in the way she was teaching.
For me, this might look like a realization or insight coming to me through journaling, being present, meditating or praying, and then this gets interrupted by my kids’ needs, or because we need to leave the house. I used to be so irritated by these interruptions, but since September 2015, I have realized that those interruptions are good for me, that they have become like seat belts and opportunities. Things have been shifting for me. The opportunities come as moments for me to practice being present in my life without judgment, as well as to practice patience with the interruptions.
Those interruptions are seat belts for me because I can easily allow myself to shift into deep contemplation, deep inner guidance, deep inner journeying. The perceived interruption allows enough time for this before going deeper than my body can support. This is a BIG difference from where I was, and I am grateful every time I am able to do it. Now the interruption of “Mom, can you get me some water?” is answered by me (most of the time) with “Sure, sweetheart.” My heart is practicing compassionately transitioning from one moment to the next of each day.