Jain Spirit 2003 02 No 13

SR No.: 528993
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Jain Spirit UK
Publisher: UK Young Jains
Publication Year: 2003
Total Pages: 68
Language: English
Classification: Magazine, UK_Jain Spirit, & UK
File Size: 17 MB

Page 36

LIFESTYLE
"MINDFULNESS"
Gillian Dunne gives practical suggestions on how to replenish our souls regularly if we wish to avoid withering
Todor
bogo
top the world, I want to get off!" A saying we use ongue-in-cheek when life gets on top of us and the natural order of our day-to-day chores suddenly becomes the 'business' of living. It is one of those clichés that come when the demands of home, work and extra-curricular activities all mount to the extent that we can't seem to get up from under.
Engaging in a regular form of spiritual practice is a very real and practical way to hit the off-switch on the ever-accelerating merry-goround of life. Most of us want to find the time to be still, to meditate, to listen for the inner voice. For many, by the time the business of the day has been accomplished, finding the energy (for spiritual energy is what it takes) for a form of daily practice becomes just another chore instead of a celebratory occasion for divine communion. We truly want to find the time and inclination, but how do we go about creating the opportunity for a 'sacred space' to become a regular part of our lives?
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One reason for our inertia is that we do not appreciate the consequences of spiritual inaction. The damage of stress is rarely immediately noticeable, especially when we are young. Similarly, working long hours may be stimulating for a time, bringing very good monetary rewards, but the family consequences of breakdown or rebellious children will only be felt later. Often, when we realise what we have done to our lives and our bodies, it is too late. To get us to do something now, we need to understand the pain and suffering of inertia.
The concept which seems to crop up across the traditions and which sums up the very essence of all spiritual practices is 'mindfulness'. It is the giving of our full attention to a point in time, however brief, and allowing the gifts of that moment to manifest themselves. Those experiences may reveal themselves in
Jain Spirit December 2002 February 2003
Nature inspires
ell the form of insights received, a sense of spiritual union with our perception of the divine or simply the feeling of being at peace in the midst of a hectic world.
People who say they have no time to devote to any spiritual practice are surprisingly mistaken! The opportunities are myriad. All that is needed is a little imagination and a good commitment to regular practice whatever helps to ground and connect us to the sense of the divine can be as diverse and personal as the individuals themselves.
Mindfulness can be practised in almost any context: either by engaging in the formal prayer and meditation practices common to the traditional religions, or by way of a practice which is meaningful for the individual - walking, yoga or some other form of physical discipline. In fact, almost any situation can be transformed into an opportunity for mindfulness.
Recent conversations with friends and colleagues have highlighted a variety of practices. Some practitioners engage their families, some practise solo and some combine the two. But for each practitioner, how they connect to the divine as they see it, is a deeply personal experience. For instance:
⚫ A former colleague who worked long and hectic days rose early and visited the pool daily for a 6.30am swim. In a schedule of back-to-back appointments and meetings, and evenings spent catching up on the day's work, it was the only way she could create some personal time in her life. ⚫Another Hindu colleague tells me that he chants while driving alone to the office each day, but visits the temple with his family so that they may all participate together in the practice of their faith.