Sunday 11 July 2010

Exercising with Mindfulness

This morning, after practising some meditation in my little garden outside, I decided to go on a bike ride. I live near Bushey Park and enjoy spending time there. So, I hopped on my bike and began making my way through the park in a mindful way. Here's what I discovered on my journey:

1. If you look just in front of your front tire, you become unstable and loose track of where you're going. You need to look far into the distance and then you are far more stable and reach wherever you need to go. In the same way, look at the long term in life and that'll point you in the right direction. If you concentrate too much on what you need to get done by next week, you may end up wobbling!

2. It's easy to end up with a frowning face and crunched up shoulders if you are not aware of your own bodily sensations. Be mindful of your physical body as you exercise.

3. Thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations can easily be forgotten in the moment. Through being mindful, you begin to notice just how much is going on and so can begin learning to take control rather than allowing your mind to drift into negative thoughts and then unhelpful emotions.

2 comments:

  1. LOL...I do not ride a bike...used to as a child..was such a pro..no hands..no feet..lol..backwards...now at my age..I am told..no more bike riding..your back does not bend that way....so I am mindful of my back..not a bad thing to be mindful of...keeps you understanding a few things.. :o) Your ability as a human being comes into play..you are not a super hero...no matter how much you want to be..you have to learn to ask for help...tough for me..but it makes me become aware of myself and it is good.
    I am a floater ...I float along on the current that I used to rage against...interesting where it carries me these days..every so often as I go along..I see something of interest and leap for the shore..each day brings yet another surprise. Wobbling goes right along with floating..falling out and flailing around does too...the important thing is the leap for the shore...that can be a mess at times..but I try to choose a spot that is not terribly muddy... :o)

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  2. Hi CJ!
    I like the way you write! It's kind of got a flow about it, and it's exactly how you describe your life too. The way you write also gives me the impression that you accept yourself as you are. I like how you say 'wobbling goes right along with floating...the important thing is the leap for the shore'....I think that's beautiful. Good on you Cj, and thank you sooo much for your comment.
    all the very best to you,
    Shamash

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