“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”
~~~Thich Nhat Hanh
I came across this the other day and thought it might be interesting to put it in the blog and see what sort of reactions there will be. I can tell you I did not do well at all. It’s obvious I’m way too absent-minded. Out of the 15 questions, I only answered 3 of them the way a truly mindful person should have.
This questionnaire, the “Mindful Attention Awareness Scale,” appears in an interesting paper by Kirk Warren Brown and Richard M. Ryan, The Benefits of Being Present: Mindfulness and its Role in Psychological Well-Being.
The more often you answer “ no,” the more mindfully you live. How do you score?
1. I could be experiencing some emotion and not be conscious of it until some time later.
2. I break or spill things because of carelessness, not paying attention, or thinking of something else.
3. I find it difficult to stay focused on what’s happening in the present.
4. I tend to walk quickly to get where I’m going without paying attention to what I experience along the way.
5. I tend not to notice feelings of physical tension or discomfort until they really grab my attention.
6. I forget a person’s name almost as soon as I’ve been told it for the first time.
7. It seems I am “running on automatic” without much awareness of what I’m doing.
8. I rush through activities without being really attentive to them.
9. I get so focused on the goal I want to achieve that I lose touch with what I am doing right now to get there.
10. I do jobs or tasks automatically, without being aware of what I’m doing.
11. I find myself listening to someone with one ear, doing something else at the same time.
12. I drive places on “automatic pilot” and then wonder why I went there.
13. I find myself preoccupied with the future or the past.
14. I find myself doing things without paying attention.
15. I snack without being aware that I’m eating.
Mindfulnss can bring many benefits. It brings clarity and vividness to present experience. It may help people end unhealthy habits and patterns. It can enhance a sense of well-being and calm troubled spirits.
This questionnaire is also useful because its questions suggest specific areas for improvement. I’m going to try to do more of the things I keep saying I’ll do — things like walk more mindfully; eat more mindfully; really listen to the folks I’m sharing time with, and learn to slow down more.
Be well — be in peace,
Ron Rink
====================================================================================================================
Always remember this wonderful quote from Buddha ….
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
~~~ Buddha
========================================================
“Those who really seek the path to Enlightenment dictate terms to their mind. Then they proceed with strong determination.”
~~~ Buddha
Namaste!
You are special — and you are loved. You are the greatest gift you can be.
Shanti … (A sanscrit word meaning, “Let there be Peace. Peace, beautiful Peace. Peace within, Peace without. Peace in this world. Peace for all beings.”)
“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”
~~~ Buddha
http://www.buddhistbelief.com
http://www.theleaderinside.com
http://www.wecould2.com
P.S. Remember, that if you have one of the “readers” — like My Yahoo, My MSN, or the Google Reader, or any of the others, you can get our blog sent to you automatically whenever I post to it. Just click one of the buttons over on the left side to add it to your reader.
I do have a FaceBook page — if any of you partake of this social activity. Mine is:
Ron’s FaceBook Page
Ron Rink
================================================================
Give the Gift of Entertainment that Enlightens and Inspires…
Spiritual Cinema Circle is one of America’s most unique DVD clubs, featuring movies that warm the heart and stir the soul.
Our inspirational movies have played to enthusiastic audiences at film festivals all over the world, and many have won major awards. But in most cases, The Spiritual Cinema Circle is the only place to find these amazing films.
Take a look at more details about how this wonderful way to enjoy good entertainment.
Click on the link below. If you want to see what’s in the current month’s DVD, just open the link that says, “Our Films”.
Spiritual Cinema Circle
================================================================
In my meditation I often use what I believe is a powerful aide to deep meditation. It’s the The Holosync Solution. I knew that meditation was a vital element to nurturing my soul — to opening myself to the universe — and this tool has allowed me to achieve and receive the benefits of deep, long-term meditation — and to achieve it much more quickly. If you’re having trouble “getting meditation to work for you” – then the The Holosync Solution is what you’re looking for.
Regular, daily meditation can give you …
(1) Increased intelligence and creativity.
(2) Lower stress levels — and with that — increased ability to handle whatever the world tosses your way.
(3) New levels of self-awareness and inner peace.
(4) The healing of emotional issues at the deepest levels.
(5) It is the proven path to finding the peace, love and compassion within all of us –
— it’s definitely worth taking the time for this powerful practice every day.
With a One-Year 100% Iron-Clad Guarantee, you can now do so with no risk whatsoever — just click any of the links that say … The Holosync Solution
— The Holosync Solution
====================================================================
[tags]peace, inner self, inner peace, Buddhist Belief, spiritual energy, hope, action, value, inner balance, enlightenment, destiny, manifestation, meditation, patience, gratitude, tolerance, acceptance, body balance, life cycle, beginnings, endings, positive thinking, ego, silence, consciousness, staying grounded, cycle of life, sustainability, compassion[/tags]