Maintaining daily mindfulness

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
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Spiny O'Norman
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Maintaining daily mindfulness

Post by Spiny O'Norman »

I would appreciate any tips that people have for maintaining daily mindfulness - how to "remember" to be aware more of the time.
Thanks in anticipation.
Rick
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acinteyyo
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Re: Maintaining daily mindfulness

Post by acinteyyo »

Hi Rick,

I can only tell you about how I'm trying to maintain mindfullness. By practicing mindfulness of breathing (ānāpānasati) every day, sometimes with using the mantra "Buddho" sometimes without, depending on how mindful I am, thus helps me a lot to remember that I "want" to maintain mindfulness the whole day long. So when I remember that I start saying "Bud-" in my mind at the in-breath and "-dho" at the out-breath by whatever I'm doing at the moment. The more I do that, the more often I remember to maintain mindfulness throughout the day. I try doing it particularly when I'm doing sitting-meditation but also try to remember that while standing, walking or lying and whatever I'm doing. I would say it may be a sort of "self-conditioning" which leads to an automatism in maintaining mindfulness.
And in times when I notice that I'm not very mindful at all, I try to see it with wisdom. Everything is impermanent and I'm (still) a puthujjana so there are times when there is more mindfulness and there are times when there is less. No reason to be upset, but important to be at least simply aware of.
Maybe it's useful for you...

best wishes
Thag 1.20. Ajita - I do not fear death; nor do I long for life. I’ll lay down this body, aware and mindful.
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Rhino
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Re: Maintaining daily mindfulness

Post by Rhino »

I'm not sure who said it once, but sometimes it helps for me (not literally):
Look at your unawareness. If you do so you'll be at once mindful.
With best wishes

Only in a vertical view, straight down into the abyss of his own personal existence, is a man capable of apprehending the perilous insecurity of his situation; and only a man who does apprehend this is prepared to listen to the Buddha's Teaching.
Nanavira Thera - Notes on Dhamma
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kc2dpt
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Re: Maintaining daily mindfulness

Post by kc2dpt »

Rick O'Shez wrote:I would appreciate any tips that people have for maintaining daily mindfulness - how to "remember" to be aware more of the time.
I think it's really no different than cultivating any other habit. So you can look up tips for forming habits. The blog ZenHabits has some good tips.
- Peter

Be heedful and you will accomplish your goal.
Individual
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Re: Maintaining daily mindfulness

Post by Individual »

Rick O'Shez wrote:I would appreciate any tips that people have for maintaining daily mindfulness - how to "remember" to be aware more of the time.
Thanks in anticipation.
Rick
Pick certain moments to be particularly mindful. When you're walking the dog, when you're doing dishes, when you're doing laundry, etc..
The best things in life aren't things.

The Diamond Sutra
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retrofuturist
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Re: Maintaining daily mindfulness

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings RIck,

To complement the good advice above, I'd suggest occasionally ramping your practice up from 5 precepts to 8.

The reduction in 'entertainments' for example allows the mind to become more stilled off and on the cushion. Only when we're not caught up in the details or subject matter of our experiences can we be truly mindful of them.

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
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Ngawang Drolma.
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Re: Maintaining daily mindfulness

Post by Ngawang Drolma. »

retrofuturist wrote:Greetings RIck,

The reduction in 'entertainments' for example allows the mind to become more stilled off and on the cushion. Only when we're not caught up in the details or subject matter of our experiences can we be truly mindful of them.

Metta,
Retro. :)
:namaste:
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Spiny O'Norman
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Re: Maintaining daily mindfulness

Post by Spiny O'Norman »

acinteyya wrote:Hi Rick,
I would say it may be a sort of "self-conditioning" which leads to an automatism in maintaining mindfulness.
And in times when I notice that I'm not very mindful at all, I try to see it with wisdom.
Yes, that makes a lot of sense. I use the word "observe" as a self-reminder to be mindful in the present.

Rick
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Spiny O'Norman
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Re: Maintaining daily mindfulness

Post by Spiny O'Norman »

retrofuturist wrote:Greetings RIck,

To complement the good advice above, I'd suggest occasionally ramping your practice up from 5 precepts to 8.

The reduction in 'entertainments' for example allows the mind to become more stilled off and on the cushion.
Good suggestion - I'll give this some thought. I watch too much TV, which is really quite mind-numbing. :zzz:
I get quite mentally tired because of work which I think makes it more difficult to remember to be mindful.

Rick
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Spiny O'Norman
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Re: Maintaining daily mindfulness

Post by Spiny O'Norman »

Individual wrote:
Rick O'Shez wrote:I would appreciate any tips that people have for maintaining daily mindfulness - how to "remember" to be aware more of the time.
Thanks in anticipation.
Rick
Pick certain moments to be particularly mindful. When you're walking the dog, when you're doing dishes, when you're doing laundry, etc..
Another good suggestion. I used to do breathing meditation while walking to work, I will try to re-introduce this.

Rick
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Spiny O'Norman
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Re: Maintaining daily mindfulness

Post by Spiny O'Norman »

Peter wrote:
Rick O'Shez wrote:I would appreciate any tips that people have for maintaining daily mindfulness - how to "remember" to be aware more of the time.
I think it's really no different than cultivating any other habit. So you can look up tips for forming habits. The blog ZenHabits has some good tips.
Thanks, I will check out ZenHabits.

Rick
ckatgo
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Re: Maintaining daily mindfulness

Post by ckatgo »

I have a watch that beeps every hour, when the watch goes off it is time for a mindful breath. Regardless of where I am or what I am doing. Now if I am giving a speech (which my work sometimes calls for) I just stay mindful of the beep.

metta,
kat
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christopher:::
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Re: Maintaining daily mindfulness

Post by christopher::: »

Many excellent suggestions here. Thanks one and all..!

:namaste:
"As Buddhists, we should aim to develop relationships that are not predominated by grasping and clinging. Our relationships should be characterised by the brahmaviharas of metta (loving kindness), mudita (sympathetic joy), karuna (compassion), and upekkha (equanimity)."
~post by Ben, Jul 02, 2009
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