My journey into mindfulness

Having worked for Global Generation for over a year now, I’ve got to know the organisation in more depth and have gradually bought into its ways of working. As I begin to take on more responsibilities at the Paper Garden I felt it was time to start my journey into mindfulness. My thinking behind this is not only to use it as a tool in my day to day life but also so I am able to share my knowledge and learnings with the children I work with.

With there being a seemingly infinite amount of content online, making it hard to know where to begin and what to trust, I began by discussing the practice with a colleague.

The conversation opened my mind up to what mindfulness was and how it could benefit myself and my work. During this discussion, I was pointed in the direction of a book called The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Nanh. This book brings into focus the purpose of the practice and offers a clear framework of different methods to help you on your journey.

Wash the dishes to wash the dishes

This was a particular line that stood out from the book and seemed to perfectly capture its purpose in a concise way- give the task at hand your complete focus and appreciate it. Don’t do it to get it out the way and try not to look at tasks that need to be completed before you have ‘time to yourself’.

I’ve been aiming to sit and practice mindfulness 4 or 5 times a week for 15 minutes. Throughout this process I’ve been experimenting with what works best for myself.

I began by focussing solely on my breathing, switching my attention between my nose, chest and diaphragm to see what worked best. I found that without trying my breathing became deeper and more purposeful, leaving me feeling calm and relaxed.

Having had a busy or hectic day I sometimes don’t feel in the right headspace but listening to certain music helps alter my mindset (Brian Eno – Ambient Music For Airports has been a particular favourite) and allows me to relax into it.

To start with I was thinking about it as something I needed to do and get done, almost clock watching, but having enjoyed, and felt the benefits of it, this is now mainly not the case.

The main issue I’ve wrestled with is my thoughts. The more I tried to force them out my mind the harder it became. Through practice it’s become easier to let go of them as they enter my consciousness.

Putting mindfulness into practice

I was recently working on a project on my own on a Saturday afternoon… the arduous task of filling a large planting bed with compost and manure. It was raining, and I couldn’t wait to get home, get showered and eat. I decided this was an ideal time to put in to practice what I’d learnt. ‘Wash the dishes to wash the dishes’. I focussed completely on the task at hand and found it an increasingly more positive experience.

I have since tried incorporating it into the start of my after-school club sessions with the year 5’s and 6’s at Redriff Primary School. I’ve only done it a couple of times but the response I’ve had has has been largely positive and I will continue to use it in my sessions as a tool to allow them to relax and focus on the session.

Going forward

In such a short space of time I’ve really started to feel the benefits in my day to day life. My journey has only just started but now I’m beginning to get a grasp of the fundamentals I’m looking forward to exploring and experimenting and seeing where it takes me.

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Notes from the Garden