Very Happy Phil

The more we increase mindfulness, the more we increase happiness. Mindfulness can begin the moment we wake up till the moment we fall asleep, and every minute in between. I will give you an example; I recently had lunch at the monastery of Abbot monk Ajahn Brahmavamso. He eats his lunch in silence! He finds it interesting that people go to expensive restaurants and talk while eating the food!

“Some people’s minds are three bites ahead! One in their mouth, one on their fork and their mind on the next one they will fork.”
- Ajahn Brahmavamso, ‘Opening the door to your heart’
(UK and USA book title is ‘Who ordered this truckload of dung?’)

“‘Opening the door to your heart’ is a brilliant and hilarious book. Abbot Monk Ajahn Brahmavamso is a great, funny and memorable teacher and one of my favourite happiness gurus. His book is full of simple stories that I found helpful and inspiring and I can see why the book has helped many happy and many unhappy people. I highly recommend it. Buy it at his website here;
http://www.bswa.org/

Listen to one of his free talks ‘Decisions, decisions, decisions’ here;
http://www.bswa.org/modules/mydownloads/singlefile.php?cid=4&lid=767

“Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judge mentally.”
Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., Mindfulness expert and author of bestsellers “Full Catastrophe Living” and “Wherever You Go, There You Are”

I am increasing the mindfulness in my daily life and I sometimes remember to eat mindfully and slow my Olympic speed eating! The western world is fast now. Quick meals, flights, weddings, messages, workouts, hugs, sex. Mindfulness is easy to embrace however it can be a challenge to practice. I will tell you a little story; A keen trainee monk has spent 5 years soaking up all the knowledge he could on Buddhism preparing himself for his final interview with the head monk. The day finally comes and his head is packed with Buddhism knowledge and he walks keenly into the interview with the senior monk and sits down. The monk says to him, “I have one question for you. Was the umbrella to the left or right of the stick in the stand beside the door as you walked in?” The trainee monk stands up and walks out for another 1 year training.

If it is sometimes challenging for trainee monks, it can be even more challenging for western born citizens. A thirsty western student of mindfulness hears about an old wise monk in the East that is a great Buddhist teacher. He travels all the way from his country to get to his temple in the hills. He gets an opportunity to talk to the monk. “I have come to learn about Buddhism from you”. The wise monk takes a cane and writes in the earth as if for the first time “ATTENTION”. “Yes. And what else?” The wise monk takes the cane and writes in the earth as if for the first time “ATTENTION”. “Yes. I see. And what else?” The wise monk takes the cane and writes in the earth as if for the first time “ATTENTION”.

I have began to incorporate mindfulness into my life last year. I will give you an example; mindfulness walks and bike rides. See post on happy walks

I also use mindfulness while meditating. See my message on meditation for techniques and tips;
http://www.veryhappyphil.com/content/meditiation-great-happiness-and-hea...

Here are a few of my favourite quotes which inspire me;

“Mindfulness is a Way of being, a Way of living, a Way of listening, a Way of walking along the path of life and being in harmony with things as they are. Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judge mentally.”
Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ph.D., Mindfulness expert and author of bestsellers “Full Catastrophe Living” and “Wherever You Go, There You Are”

“People can meditate while sitting quietly, chanting or reciting, or moving mindfully, as in walking meditation, tai chi, aikido, or yoga.”
-University of Massachusetts

“Mindfulness meditation can have long-term beneficial effects in the treatment of people diagnosed with anxiety disorders.”
-University of Massachusetts

“Learning to meditate was one of the smartest decisions I ever made. Meditation is power.”- Professor Dean Ornish MD, University of California

“Some people say to me ‘I don’t have time to practice meditation’. Your life is your practice.”
- Buddhist Venerable Tenzin Palmo

Buddhist are some of the happiest people on the planet! I think I heard that Buddhism can be summed up in 8 words; Pay attention. Everything changes. We are all connected.

Have a happy BEING PRESENT week!

Wishing you a joyful and meaningful life,

Phil McNally
:)

Remember,
“More mindfulness = more happiness.”
– Phil McNally

PS My book includes exclusive research into link between mental stress and physical stress and injury and 9 ways to decrease stress and 9 ways stress is increased.

“Phil,
I thought you'd be interested to know that I have started the new year by reading your book again, and have picked up a few new insights and reminders to organise things better Regards"
-Colin J Armstrong, Colin Armstrong Associates

Get my book here (click on the picture of the book on the left)

© Very Happy Phil McNally 2008
Creative Commons
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/