What is the Wheel of Mindlessness like?

Speedy, dull, Netflix-y, pushy, hurried?

Familiar? Comfortable?

For most of us, the habit of mindlessness is stronger than the habit of mindfulness.
- Joel and Michelle Levey

What is your reaction to noticing that your mind has wandered?

The instruction here is to appreciate the noticing. Think of the noticing as a gift, a chance to return to balance.

Meditation is a process of training the subconscious to strengthen or cultivate certain ways of being and weaken or set aside others.

You can’t force your subconscious to do anything, but you can encourage it.

Like training a puppy!

Have you ever started looking into a purchase you’d like to make and suddenly you see that car, dress, coffee grinder everywhere?

Smile and appreciate each time you realize your mind has wandered. It will encourage your subconscious to do more of that. Being critical sends the opposite message: noticing is bad!

Vigilance The action or state of keeping careful watch.

In the context of our daily living, who would be watching? What would they be watching?

Whoa!

Landing in the centre of the wheel, bring mindfulness to each aspect of your being, one at a time.

This practice expands on the moment of noticing. It’s bigger than taking a deep breath, smaller than sitting down to meditate.

What am I noticing?

This is a non-judgemental taking in of the senses.

What do you hear, see, smell, touch, taste right now?

What am I feeling?

How does your experience make you feel emotionally?

Anxious or relaxeed? Happy or sad? Mad or glad? Energized or down?

What few words best describe your emotional tone at this moment?

What am I thinking?

What are your thoughts or inner monologue about your experience?

Are you thinking creatively or rehashing old thoughts?

What story are you telling yourself? What are the thoughts, fantasies, assumptions, guesses?

Can you see the gap between your direct experience and the story you are telling?

What am I wanting?

What is your motivation or intention right now?

What do you really want or need?

Clarity about these is key to skillful communication and action.

What am I willing to do?

What communications and actions are you willing to do?

Which are you unwilling to do?

What are you willing to stop doing?

Skillful Means

The most appropriate communication and action at a given moment.

The possibility of skillful means is increased by being clear about your direct experience, emotions, thoughts and stories, motiviations and desires.

Stepping through the wheel can bring this clarity.

Let’s say you have a phone call or videoconference to make.

Tune in mindfully to your experience, emotion, thought, intention and then bring that mindfulness to the call.

Carrying mindfulness across the threshold of awareness into the domain of action is key to transforming your life.