The many distractions from being present.

How often are we truly where we are, fully, completely with body and mind?

My suspicion is that most of us, if being honest would have to say rarely if ever.

We have invented so many ways of being elsewhere it's not surprising we have problems, smart phones, not smart phones, books, TV, iPods, free newspapers, computers, iPads, listening to music/pod-casts when driving, walking, cycling, commuting, the list goes on and on and gets longer each day. We seem to be endlessly inventive in this area

We have probably bumped into one of the results of this; on the pavement where the head down texting person goes straight into you, or if you are less lucky where the phone using motorist smashes into you.

But with the obvious exception of above why would this lack of being where we are be a problem? What benefits could there be to being present?

I'm not suggesting that we give up any of the above (with the exception of pavement texting and calling whilst driving). What I am suggesting is that we make precise,conscious decisions to engage with these media; that we don't mindlessly 'pug in and tune out'.

So what benefits could there be?; well I think there are benefits and there are potentially some really big challenges, that could also end up being benefits. One of the reasons that we use the distractions is to get away from where we are. We are often in places that are not satisfying, not stimulating in a positive way, not where we really want to be. If this runs through your day; from the person you wake up with (or don't) the commute to work, your work, the journey home and the usual sit in front of the TV, then not being present may be the only way of making this situation bearable.

So it could be a huge challenge to be present; it may result in a change of partner, job, location or just thinking and speaking; but for me it's the only way to live a truly meaningful life. If where we are is rubbish then in the long term, if possible, the thing to do is to change it (or in some cases change your attitude to it). This can be distressing, painful, difficult but leads to freedom, and a much more meaningful life.

I don't mean this to sound like hippy whimsy. Can you imagine the social and economic reactions to a significant percentage of the population feeling what it is like to live our lives and then making decisions based on that. Not being able to dull our senses enough to do the commute or that meaningless job, to stay in the same unfulfilling relationship etc

The process can take years if not decades, but with every step one becomes more alive more fully here. Staying with difficult emotions, being present for boredom, frustration, pain, worry, anxiety and all the others is a challenge. But one also becomes more present for love, beauty, empathy and joy to name but a few. The two are in direct balance the more one feels, well the more one feels.
Marx said that religion is the opiate of the people, he had no idea of Facebook, Sky+, mass free newspapers and the many iwhatevers. I think he would have been amazed at the many forms of opiates we have invented for ourselves.

I have been talking about external distractions but we carry round one of the main forms of distraction not in our pockets or bag but in our body/mind.
Our unobserved thinking (or thought-ing), but that's a subject for another time.

But I must repeat its not the variouse media to blame, I'm not advocating living in a hut with no distractions (well not long term). It's our mindless use of the distractions which I feel we really need to question and start to modify.

So what can we do for now?
The process of being present will be gone into in more detail in a future post but you may wish to start with concentration on the breath supported with bodywork, yoga, Kum Nye, Shiatsu etc.

From a more practical approach can we; walk when walking, sit when sitting, drive when driving, be in the train carriage when in the train carriage. It does not have to be for the whole thing, maybe for a few moments to begin with.

Think of it as a little holiday to the present moment.

MindbodyBodymindMindbodyBodymind

I have been very focused on the body for the last 10 years or so. Firstly through Kempo, then Shiatsu. I have come to develop a good understanding of experiencing the world with and through my body. The process has not always been easy, actually it's never been easy and has often been way ugly. My relationship with my body had been rocky for decades. Experiencing eating disorders and very poor self image, the journey to a better relationship has never been boring.

Whilst doing the Shiatsu course I have, I think, been feeling more and more that the body was all. I think that my perspective has maybe become a little too body based. I may have become a little off balance.

My reflection on this has been as a result of my recent study of the Anapanasati Sutra. A very important early Buddhist text from the Pali cannon. Great weight is given to the body, the breath, sense experience but also the mind and emotions. The link between the body and the mind is very clear within the sutra.

I will continue to have the body and the breath as my primary focus, both in my own meditation practice and with clients through Shiatsu. But I feel that it's time to integrate more mind also.

My feeling is that body based practice is still the most appropriate for 99% of western people, we have such a head based culture. It remains the most effective way of tackling so many issues but I'm just allowing a little more space for the mind but through the body.

This experience of mind through the breath/body is so different to our normal way of being in the mind, as ruled by the monkey mind.

If you have not experienced the quite, sharpness, focus and peace of experiencing ones self and the world through the body, then I can't recommend it enough, the Buddha saw it as the road to liberation. I experience it as a road to better understanding, of myself, the world, others and of course my old friend, my body.

A good place to start is with meditation, there are lots of great places to study (see the links below)
Of course I also think that Shiatsu is a fantastic way to connect with the body in a really positive, powerful and different way.


The Buddhist society is a good safe place to search for meditation spaces and classes http://www.thebuddhistsociety.org/

I have attended Yamyang off and on for the last 15 years http://www.jamyang.co.uk/

Amaravati are very lovely http://www.amaravati.org/