Mindfulness

[PartTimeBrewer]

              I am starting a new thread here mainly for purposes of my own catharsis. It is my intention, at least at this point, to make regular contributions. Of course, if anyone else has anything to add, they are more than welcome. If you have any input, please contribute.

              Over a year ago I decided to deal head-on with my self-diagnosed adult attention disorder, (ADD). The inability to stay focused was becoming too stressful. I found myself sitting around watching the clock tick, yet I couldn’t keep “on task” with any project I started. Nothing was getting done and just starting something was becoming depressing.

              The smart thing to do was probably to get professional help, so instead I decided to try to heal myself, at least as a first try. Cognitive therapy and pharmaceuticals (UGH) might be the approved way to go but I decided to try meditation first.

              18 months and countless self-help books later, I still can’t bring myself to a regular, formal meditation program. But, along the way, I discovered informal mindfulness. Yes, I know it is the “Fad” right now. It is hard to navigate modern social trends without “tripping over” somebody extolling the benefits of mindfulness.

              Let me add my voice to the chorus.

[PartTimeBrewer]

[PartTimeBrewer]

Still struggling with meditation but mindfulness is a blessing at any time. 

[PartTimeBrewer]

My natural tendency is to notice everything that is wrong. I must learn how to balance that out by purposefully tending to those things that are right.

[PartTimeBrewer]

Strangely, accepting that we are powerless in many situations, is itself powerful.  -  #mindfulness

[PartTimeBrewer]

Today I will make it my intention not to try to 'fix everything' and apply full attention to only that which is in my reach. But where will I find the judgement to make the distinction? Hopefully from a calm mind set.

[Westerly_2]

I was wondering if, doing the brewing you do, that is a mindful, calming thing. I imagine you must follow a recipe in detail. there would be a bubbling sound, and the smell of yeast in the air.

[PartTimeBrewer]

Not so much as you might think. The aroma part is spot on though (although it's mostly from the malt and the hops.)  I always start with a detailed recipe but often end up improvising on the fly. The necessary ingredients are not always available from my local shop and I will end up substituting. This is usually of little consequence because it will still be beer, just different beer. I'm not picky. But a recipe is also a process. And the process can be tedious and fraught with pitfalls, especially with my improvised equipment. In short, there can be stress and tension. And I'm never sure what I have until it's been aged for at least a month. 

You bring up a good point about mindful opportunities though. I am learning to be grateful for every source of stress in my life because they are opportunities to apply the practice.

[PartTimeBrewer]

"Pain is not a punishment; pleasure is not a reward."  -  Pena Chodron

[PartTimeBrewer]

Anger is the punishment we give to ourselves for somebody else's mistake.

[PartTimeBrewer]

Anger can be perceived as painful. In the previous post I pointed out that pain is not a punishment. But that applies when pain is administered by blind fate. When i do it to myself, I can only blame myself and blame is not constructive.

[PartTimeBrewer]

My problem isn't the problem. My reaction is the problem.

[PartTimeBrewer]

Note to brain: "Shut Up"