Week 1 of Healthy Body, Healthy Life!
Mindful Consumption
Mindfulness must come without judgement or ego.
Story Time - There once was a farmer. This farmer had lots of land, prize winning horses, and a son as his right hand. So many people from his town would say “oh, what wonderful fortune you have.”
His response was simply “Well, maybe.”
Scoffing the people would think well of course that is great fortune!
One day his number one horse was missing. The whole town felt the need to comment and say “I am so sorry, what terrible fortune.”
His response to their surprise was “Well, maybe.”
The next day the horse cam back home… and brought five other wild horses with her. The town reached out and said, “Oh what wonderful fortune you have!”
His response was simply “Well, maybe.”
The next day this son began to try to ride on of the wild horses when he was bucked off and stomped on. Once again, the town commented “I am so sorry, what terrible fortune.”
His response to their surprise was “Well, maybe.”
The next day the army was coming around knocking on doors, recruiting young and able-bodied men. His son was no longer able bodied and was passed over. The whole town said “wow, what wonderful fortune you have!”
I am sure you can guess his response… he said “Well, maybe.”
The measure of good versus bad is always based on relativity and is often referred to in yoga as a “story” versus fact. For example:
Fact: I see my dog sleeping on the couch.
Story: My dog is sleeping on the couch so peacefully, he is so cute when he sleeps, he must be having a good well-deserved rest.
Or
Story: My dog is sleeping on the couch, something must be wrong, is he sick? Must be sick to be sleeping like that during the day.
See the difference? All we need truly is the fact, stories twist us into emotions that may or more commonly may not be helpful or useful such as anxiety, worry, fear, or stress. Fact is bringing awareness, with awareness you can make a choice.
I had a great reminder of how awareness brings the opportunity for choice during my first trip to Iceland in June. I was very excited about experiencing nearly constant daylight. Technically the sun “sets” and “rises” the light is still very present because the sun sets and rises so close in time to each other that dusk, and dawn kiss each other hello. What I did not expect was that my mind no longer knew when to sleep or eat. It was the strangest experience. I couldn’t base my needs off of a routine, because I was on a working holiday… I had no routine. I didn’t realize how mindless fulfilling my basic needs had become. I also took for granted that I felt sleepy when then sun went down and felt the need to wake when the sun was up. I had to genuinely ask my self, am I hungry? Am I tired? I got to know my body much better than I ever have before during that trip. I began to actually sleep 8 ½ hrs a night, I also ate small meals constantly. To my surprise I made healthier food choices. All by just being present and asking my self what do I need? This week we are focusing on mindful consumption. Lets dive into what that looks like below.
Mindful eating and sleeping
When hearing the word consumption most of us associate it with eating. So lets talk about food. First, ask you self if you’re actually hungry, then ask you self why? Sometimes my answer is yes, I am hungry, but I am also tired, which is why mindlessly I am reaching for sweets to boost energy. Once the awareness is there, I think about an alternative that could give me lasting energy, perhaps protein? Fruit? Or maybe I actually need a power nap? When you take the time to ask your self what you need or why you are doing something, the answers may surprise you. Then you can choose to consume food that will actually fulfill that need. More often than not that choice is a healthier choice then the mindless one you were going to take. The same can be applied to sleeping. When you are tired ask yourself, how tired? Why am I tired? Think of all the options for solving that need and then make a mindful and aware choice. When judgement is out of the picture there is no longer guilt or shame for your choices, there is just fact and you are just experience the moment as it is occurring. Let this feel liberating, enjoy it!
Mindful consumption through the senses
This week tune into you senses and being to label things factually. For example, right now I can feel my feet against the floor, the cushy of the chair and the desk under my forearms, my breath is constricted slightly and I hear cars driving by on the street. Do you want to breathe deeper? Yes? Okay, take a long slow breath, slowly let the air out. Begin to tune into what is happening in the present moment, exploring this through the senses, what do you see, smell, taste, hear, or feel? Then make a choice about that fact with out judging it as good or bad or positive or negative.No stories just experience and respond. We will explore this and put It into practice during our yoga classes this week. Be sure to check out the technique for the week below the video!
Technique of the Week - Scan through the senses
Hearing: What can you hear in this moment? Start with the most distant sound… perhaps from outside the building, then notice sounds more near to you.
Scent: Notice your sense of smell, any lingering fragrances around you? What is the most distant fragrance you can observe, what is the most potent?
Taste: What flavors are still hanging out? Can you notice different flavors in different areas of your mouth?
Sight: What do you see right now? Just label and move on to the next, how do you feel seeing all of this?
Feel: Notice all that you can feel that is from outside your body? The texture of your clothing? Some areas may feel compressed, others loose, the sensation on your hair and the air on your skin? What else can you feel? Then scan your body from the toes to the crown of the head. Notice how you feel inside? Tension? Aches or pains? Nothing in some areas? Feeling of relaxation and softness?
The more detailed you are with this activity the longer it will take. The more often you do it in lots of details the greater your skill at labeling without “story” or judgement will be. Take time to check in with yourself through out your day. Are you being present in the moment and mindful?
Use this technique when you wake up, around meal times, and before you go to sleep. By the end of the week you will have built the unconditional skill of a mindful life!