I originally posted this on my private Facebook page and have been asked to share it publicly. So here it is:
We all know the benefits of a meditative state – creativity, better decision making, stress-free, relaxation, improved immunity, focus etc. Generally, being our amazing best.
But what is little known is that Mindfulness isn’t necessary to achieve a meditative state – that state where little or no-thing is going on. Here are some of the things myself, and my friends find ourselves doing that are a meditative state – you’re probably surprised by most of them!!!:
- ice and rock climbing
- giving presentations to large audiences
- playing games with their children
- high speed driving
- sky-diving
- writing
- skiing and snowboarding and yoonering
- cooking
- photography
- playing computer games
- playing in a band in public
- running and walking
- teaching
- cycling
- flying planes
- sailing oceans
- watching TV
So, no need to sit cross legged and focus on your breathing, or get annoyed (sic) because you haven’t done your mindfulness practice. A meditative state is always at hand, when your over-thinking falls away.
And by the way, doing these things doesn’t lead to a meditative state – that would be back to front and contrary to how we work naturally (and confirmed by this piece major piece of research on well-being sponsored by the UK Government – page 3, paragraph). When we feel good we find ourselves doing these things as a consequence, and hence in a meditative state.
And no need to take my word for it. It seems the Daily Mail has picked up on (or perhaps confounded by) the benefits of Mindlessness in maintaining a healthy weight.
What do you do to ‘achieve’ Mindlessness?
A few typos Anthony