29/02/2020

The archive contains older posts which may no longer reflect my current views.

# Happy leap day!

This appears to be the first time I have posted something on a February 29th - it's only the third one in this particular blog's history, the fifth since I originally started blogging.

It puts a different spin on viewing the passage of time.

# Time seems to be a bit of a theme in my morning sessions, its use, its passing. I know that I do not make the most of it.

I can't quite believe that it will be March tomorrow, would have been today if not for the leap year; time passes so quickly and I know it's because I do not fill it adequately, do not appreciate each day, each moment, as I should. As zen teachings advise, we should: mindfulness.

As soon as you mention mindfulness many immediately think meditation in a "sitting in the lotus position saying om" sense; but mindfulness is really just being aware, being present, something I allow myself not to be far too often.

Still, mindfulness itself is a form of meditation.

I don't meditate as often as I should/would like.

I was reading recently (and am annoyed I can't remember where) that, I think it was Thich Nhat Hahn said, any experience can be made special, can be made mindful, by adding "meditation" to the end of it: eating meditation, walking meditation, standing in line meditation. Rather than going on autopilot or allowing ourselves to become overtaken by boredom we should embrace the situation or activity, no matter what it is or how simple or banal, and examine it, look for the beauty in the moment, as each moment is unique, special.

I realised that my morning sessions were becoming writing meditation, trying to exist in that moment and take better notice of what is happening inside me, around me, whatever triggers the word to flow.

I may start them feeling tired and groggy but by the time a session is done I feel more awake, alert, alive. This may just be because I naturally wake up properly within that half an hour, come fully to my senses, and the writing is being subconsciously linked to it like a placebo.

So what?

As Seth Godin always says: there is power in the placebo, and if it works (or gives the impression of working) then who are we to dismiss it.

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