Adam's Mindfulness in Daily Life journal

Hi everyone, and to anyone who hasn't been thanked yet for contributing to this wonderful place of learning, thank you. Everyone here has contributed to the whole of helping people to awaken, especially those who have made progress and spoken of it and inspired others to try and do the same.

This is a bit different from a regular sitting journal. I may end up starting one of those if I feel the need to, but currently I'm noting aloud with a voice recorder during formal sits, so that's already kind of like a sitting journal.

This thread will be a record of the process of applying the "gentle pressure of mindfulness" throughout the day, outside of formal meditation. This is the area of my practice that needs a support in order for me to be accountable for it, because it's much more difficult to remember to stay mindful during daily life than during a sit.

I'm not entirely sure what I'll talk about here, so I'll let it develop organically.

The first report is very simple. One of the opportunities for mindfulness that I use is taking medicine or supplements. Today, I took piracetam powder in preparation for a formal sit. Piracetam is a cognition enhancing supplement that I take for ADHD, because it improves voluntary attention. It tastes ridiculously bitter. So I mindfully observed the process of taking it, and for the first time, I realized just how the disembedding process is the process of seeing anatta. As I noticed the bitterness, the motions of swallowing, the screwed up facial expression, the unpleasantness, and the anti-reinforcing aspect of taking it, I realized what Kenneth meant when he said that "if you disembed from something, it isn't you." Why? Because all of the sudden, the facial expression, and the processes that caused it to arise, were not me. Never before had I totally disembedded from the experience of making a face. So mindfulness can be easy.

Man, thanks, this is my favorite subject, I hope I dont end up hogging the thead
anyway a few thoughts to start:
1. "don't walk" signs. Stop. don't walk. really wait for the "walk" sign. while waiting for the walk- sign note feelings, note what you see, note thoughts.
2. waiting in line at bank, drug store, etc, especially if you are in a hurry. Note note note.
3. Showering/bathing, especially the transitions -- taking off clothes, reaching for and opening shower door, drying, dressing.
4. All meals - cooking, preparing, reaching, chewing, ordering out, etc.

Staying mindful and note on all this with a real light gentle touch. be very forgiving of yourself when your mind wanders. find an anchor -- I use the changing feelings in my chest.

Thanks for the encouragement telecaster!

So, it turns out that it's not easy to create a new habit. Nonetheless, I'll persist in trying, since I don't really have the option of a retreat. My life has to be mindful if I'm to get to stream entry.

So, the newest technique I'm trying is the old post-it-note-on-the-mirror trick. Simple reminder to be mindful when brushing teeth, washing face, showering, drying off, doing laundry, eating, and washing dishes. It's not a big list, but I'm sure I'll find more unused opportunities for mindfulness as time goes on.

"Thanks for the encouragement telecaster!

So, it turns out that it's not easy to create a new habit. Nonetheless, I'll persist in trying, since I don't really have the option of a retreat. My life has to be mindful if I'm to get to stream entry.

So, the newest technique I'm trying is the old post-it-note-on-the-mirror trick. Simple reminder to be mindful when brushing teeth, washing face, showering, drying off, doing laundry, eating, and washing dishes. It's not a big list, but I'm sure I'll find more unused opportunities for mindfulness as time goes on."

Other good reminders:
When you suffer
When you feel ill
When you don't get what you want
When you suffer
When you are reminded of your own death
When you suffer
When you do get what you want
When you suffer

All great opportunities! Though it's actually not difficult for me to remember to mindfully notice suffering. It's way harder for me to be mindful of neutral and pleasant things. Especially neutral. I can watch an itch or a headache or sadness with mindfulness, but I'm lucky to still be mindful one minute into brushing my teeth.

Of course, a year ago, I would have been lucky to do 10 seconds of mindfulness. Progress can be so slow, but at least it happens.

"Progress can be so slow, but at least it happens."

palabra!

"All great opportunities! Though it's actually not difficult for me to remember to mindfully notice suffering. It's way harder for me to be mindful of neutral and pleasant things. Especially neutral. I can watch an itch or a headache or sadness with mindfulness, but I'm lucky to still be mindful one minute into brushing my teeth.

Of course, a year ago, I would have been lucky to do 10 seconds of mindfulness. Progress can be so slow, but at least it happens."

Sorry, I didn't mean to notice the things in my list necessarily, but to use those things to remind you to be mindful of everything that is actually going on in your present experience. All objects.
Something is needed to create a sense of urgency because it takes a lot of energy to be the right amount of mindful to get insight.

No need to apologize; I see your point. If there were no suffering, then why be mindful anyway? A sense of urgency is quite skillful.