h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I liked the article. 'Mindfulness' is very important for daily life, and it can really help you in a variety of ways. Through being mindful you are 'being with yourself' and seeing what comes up from that. As most of us would probably agree, our mind almost never stops, and is churning away 24/7 without any let up! This can make us very tired and unable to really make the best decisions or act appropriately.

I would say then that 'mindfulness' isn't so much about forcing yourself to stay with the present, as allowing your mind to stop moving and finding a little bit of peace within yourself and the world around you. If you are with your body and mind then you are alive, and that is where life really is, nowhere else.

We all need to make plans and make provision for the future, but even this can be done mindfully! Mindfulness is about being present no matter what the circumstance or situation.

Through meditation and the development of mindfulness, the anxiety and craving of the mind is subdued, and a more balanced and happy life is made possible.

Yes, skymind. Most spiritual traditions include regular meditation as a practice.

I read somewhere that we have around 80,000 thoughts a day, most of them we have over and over, so 'churning away' is a very good description. Most of the thoughts that we have aren't even ours either and are shaped by what our society tells us to think, although there are people who are able to make connections no-one else has done before. I gather that the mind is a very good investigating tool, but a poor decision-maker. I think the trick is to get some detachment and to leave space for getting clarity on your feelings and instincts.

You're right about not forcing yourself to stay with the present and rather allowing, noticing when your thoughts stray and gently guiding your mind back to the present.

I see you're in Japan, where there is a rich spiritual tradition.

Hi. Thanks for your reply. Yes, a little bit of clarity can help you go a long way! 80,000 thoughts a day does not seem excessive I think (there goes another one for my daily total).

Thoughts themselves have power. Thought has an energy of its own. Therefore if someone is constantly engaging in negative thought then it can actually have a direct effect on the body and mind. The person will 'take on' some of this negativity and it will be self-perpetuating i.e. thought breeds more thoughts of a similar nature and so on, in a kind of chain reaction.

So, bringing about some form of clarity to the mind is extremely beneficial on many levels. You are able to let go of the thought patterns, achieve some stillness, and from there find peace of mind.

For me meditation has brought more order into my life. It is like the energy of mindfulness has manifested itself in myself and the world. At times (many times!) difficult situations arise of course, but my practice helps me put it all into perspective.

'Thoughts themselves have power.' Yes! I can't remember how many of the 80,000 thoughts are supposed to be repeats.

Quick search: http://www.tmscotland.org/sagaarticle.html - hmm this says 60,000 and that 58,000 are the same as the ones we had yesterday. I wonder how many of the 'new' thoughts are just noticing things?

This article says between 50-70,000 thoughts.http://www.marketingsource.com/articles/view/1697 - it's also interesting.

Thanks for the reminder of the power of thought, skymind.

I've just found this truly inspirational story as I was doing a bit of research; http://www.inspirationline.com/EZINE/2AUG2004.htm - it's the first one - about Itzhak Perlman.

Hi. Thanks for your links. You are a busy (but mindful) bee! Mindfulness is one of the most basic and fundamental things on earth - to be aware of yourself and the world around you. Yet people find it difficult to simply 'be.' Quite amazing really. The power of thought is so forceful and gripping that it is hard to let go of. It constantly pulls us all over the place and brings about division - internal and external. That is why using the breath is so important I think, as it brings you back to yourself, as well as uniting the body and mind as one. The very simplicity of focusing on the breath makes it easier for us to gain some control over mental disturbances and endless thoughts. Then, when our consciousness settles, clarity of mind can arise like a budding flower from our steady 'one-pointedness.'

Yes. I think there's also evidence that being able to hold the breath for a reasonable time aids in concentration and in being able to follow a discussion/argument as well. It's only when we take in a new breath that there is the opportunity for us to wander off into distraction.