We live in a culture devoted to distraction, and many of us appear driven by a daily mantra of…. “go, go, go!” Today’s world has brought us 24/7, real-time connectivity, with more data and stimuli than we can possibly process and assimilate. The streaming flows of information appear endless- and advancing technology is only further exasperating the challenge we all face to skillfully discern what is relevant and what is important versus what is simply mental ‘noise’ and ‘chatter’. It’s no wonder why we cannot be closely attentive and focused. We are habitually multitasking and entertaining one distraction after another often at the expense of truly connecting, engaging, and understanding what we are doing, while we are doing it.

The ‘discursive mind’ leaves us little space and peace to simply be present and aware of our direct experiences as we are all too often routinely caught up in the waves of mental turbulence that obscure our ability to see things clearly. Without an abiding sense of inner calm, we are restless and reflexive in our reactionary tendencies. We are often forgetful and confused as there is too much ‘noise’ running through the neural circuitry of our brain. The ‘energy’ associated with this mental activity can also leave us feeling physically and psychologically exhausted. When chronic over time, this ‘noise’ can be ‘toxic’ for the body’s nervous and immune systems leaving us more susceptible to illness.

Given today’s inherent tendency for discursive & disruptive mind states, we genuinely need to take ‘PAUSE’… to step back… and ‘REBOOT’ with frequency and intent. It’s okay to let the mind wander, and to let thoughts arise within the field of our awareness. What’s most important is our ability to sustain observational distance from the events of mind- to simply witness what’s going on without indulging. With practice, we can refine this observational skill of mindfulness so that more ‘space’ within awareness opens up naturally and spontaneously… for our energy of mind to slow and settle… and for our brain’s circuitry to clear & reset.

Mindfulness is a quality of awareness that may serve as a mechanism for healthy interference in the mind. It can help to create the space and the higher-level energy we may need for a shift in our thinking and/or feeling to occur… and for transformation within to begin its evolution. It has the power to transmute our discursive patterns and to bring us back into center, with greater focus, clarity, and enduring stability. Over time, we may not only refine our inner capacity for awareness, but for better health & wellbeing.

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