It is supposed to be good for you, this sitting and staring at something for 5 minutes.  Looking, studying, touching an object.  Focusing only on the object.  Training your mind to be present.

And so I use the remote control, that neutral, boring object.  You’re not supposed to let your mind wander, but I can’t help wondering who actually built this.  Who put the rubbery buttons in place; which underpaid Chinese worker installed the bracings for the battery.  Who chose the colors for the buttons.

How did I never notice the buttons were colored?

All this time I’ve been using it, using only the black buttons, and I never even saw the colored ones.  What do I miss when my eyes skim the surface of the world I inhabit?  Why does it seem so hard, such a waste, to take 5 minutes of concentration?

Mindfulness: Getting Started

Study the room you are in.  Look at the way the shadows fall on the walls, the floor, amongst the furniture.  Listen to the sounds it makes.  What does it smell like?  What is on the walls?  The floor?  The furniture?  What colors and textures do you see and feel?

Sit, with no distractions, and simply take in your surroundings.  Let go of any judgment or negativity that might come up.  Just sit and see it for what it is.

“Mindfulness is the ability to be aware of your thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and actions – in the present moment – without judging or criticizing yourself or your experience.” – The Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Workbook

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