Mantra for Monday no. 15

Having taken time out this last week on holiday, I spent many a quiet moment staring out of the cottage windows at the waves breaking on the rocks. Simply looking and quietening my mind.

So many of us spend so much or our time ‘doing. But not just simply doing, we flood ourselves with challenges, responsibilities, projects, questions, lists, activities, appointments…the list goes on.

Our lives are so filled with stimuli, that it is almost impossible for us to sit still and do nothing, even for a few moments. Even when we do our minds don’t stop, we immediately feel the inner struggle that stems from our overactive minds that constantly need a source of entertainment. As soon as we do ‘nothing’ we feel the guilt that we should be doing ‘something’, that we are being lazy and a list of responsibilities or tasks spring forward. If it’s not tasks bombarding our thoughts then we immediately think of ‘what next’ …if we are at work- what is for dinner? During dinner- what is for dessert? During dessert- what shall I do afterwards, tomorrow, the weekend? 

A never ending constant stream of thoughts, of planning or organisation. Anything that keeps our minds busy. The moment we sit down our hands reach for the TV remote, a magazine, a book, we put on the radio and make a cup of tea or grab a snack. It is subconscious and chances are we don’t even realise what we are doing when we idly skip through the channels. Anything to keep us occupied and fill the gaps and the silence.

We are frightened at the thought of not having something to do….even for a few moments.

We fill our lives to bursting point then burn out, spending thousands of pounds on holidays to recuperate and bring our minds and bodies back on track. It is easy to slow down when on holiday and the demands of daily living can easily be put to one side and the guilt that we should be doing something subsides. This is our justification that ‘for one week only we can be lazy and enjoy it’. But that’s not the way it should be and it’s not about being lazy. We should not work ourselves into the ground in order to ‘deserve’ a holiday. We need to practice allowing our minds space to breathe on a more regular basis every day.

Practice being human. Stop doing and start simply being…just for a few minutes a day. Allow your mind to relax and appreciate the concept of ‘not knowing’ for a few brief moments. Re-focus your mind to the here and now and when it wanders, bring it back to the moment. It takes practice and I know that I am one of the worst culprits in life by needing to feel constantly busy. We all have an ingrained anxiety that we should fill every moment of our lives. 

Take a few moments to sit still, take the pressure off and just be. Tune into your thoughts and feelings, your breath and the rhythms of your body. For just five minutes a day, try simply being human.

What is a Mantra for Monday?

Silent Sunday no. 15: Celebrating Easter through the ages with a selection of homemade cards made by myself, my brother and sister when we were small. My mum keeps everything and I couldn’t resist digging these out!