Mindfulness Then & Now: Seeing Beyond What’s Wrong

How does one learn to be present?

I have a slightly differently take on this after developing a more fine-tuned understanding of the nervous system from the science of Organic Intelligence®.

Many in the mindfulness space have been taught 🙋🏼‍♀️ that the primary way to be present is to be aware of what’s happening internally, with the body, breath, thoughts etc. To be fair, this aim didn’t come out of nowhere! Centuries-old Buddhist text, which I learned a bit about on retreats over the years, emphasizes the importance of noticing what’s happening inside, for a variety of cool, and potentially liberating, reasons.

While I have tremendous respect for this teaching, and all who’ve committed to making it accessible in the west, I also believe the world we live in today is different, and much more demanding on our biology. As well, our understanding of the brain & body has grown since then — or, is, at the very least, more validated by science.

In the end, an important question to consider about mindfulness, or any self-improvement/therapeutic technique, is “When is it helpful, and when is it not?” Likewise, “How can you adapt an expert’s suggestion to make it easier for your brain and body to learn and benefit from?”

If we were to look specifically at mindfulness, you might consider, for example, “When is it helpful to focus on internal experience, and when is it not?” Furthermore, is focusing on what’s happening inside the only way you can learn to be more present? (Noooooo ;)

An example I see often is that folks, with their good intentions and due diligence to the practice, think they should keep focusing on the body even when sensations or feelings are too intense or overwhelming to be with.

It’s good to remember, however, you don’t learn best by overwhelming yourself!

Additionally, when your internal experience is less welcoming/too much to be with, a considerate thing to try is to invite your attention OUTSIDE the body. (Like everything, the more you’ve practiced this when life is okay, the easier it is, but sometimes the best you can do is trial by fire!)

Instead of focusing on the body, you might notice:

• A part of nature that catches your eye

• Something on the wall that pings your interest

• A being you enjoy the company of—pet, child, elder, even tree. (imagining their presence works, too.)

In then end, you’re still being present with your present moment experience. And, doing so in a way that strategically aligns with the intelligence and capacity of your nervous system in that moment. 

Eventually, with the right steps and support, it’ll be no thang to ride the wave of a highly-charged moment up and back down (without getting highjacked by intensity).

In order to learn that, however — and this goes back to the question, “When can it be helpful to focus on internal experience,” — I suggest paying attention to the body for a brief amount of time when you’re relatively relaxed or experiencing something you enjoy.

Maybe as you look outside and see a raven dancing in the wind, a slight smile occurs. Or, you look down and notice your cat curled sweetly in a ball, and can’t help but feel more grounded or at ease in your own body. What might happen if you simply notice the body when it feels okay or good?

There will inevitably be times when the brain and body connect with things in the present moment that you find supportive, and that would be a wonderful time to learn to be more present — with the body, and all of life, frankly.

Because many psychology and self-help approaches tend to focus on problems and traumas, there can be a tendency to think that the only way to grow in the skill of mindfulness is to be present with challenging things (which sometimes include the breath and body).

My vote based on my own healing journey & experience with Organic Intelligence would be to check out what happens in your body/brain/life as you start to pay attention to things that are okay or good. Remembering that things in your environment are also part of your present moment experience. Maybe it will feel alright (kind of a relief?) to look beyond the body, and into the whole picture of your life. where there’s less of a tendency to see what’s wrong.

Feel free to share how it goes!

May easy presence find you, guide you, and nurture you.

Breon