Day 11 mindfulness of seeing.
I know I haven't started with an intro up to now but I think it might help if I mention what day we're on.
So this is the 11th day of this daily project.
Today do this for yourself.
Go into a garden,
A park or anywhere you can connect with nature.
If that isn't possible for you,
A single flower or a plant that's inside your home will do just fine.
And set a timer on your phone for five minutes.
And then just sit or stand and look closely at what you've chosen.
Really look.
Trying to see something you've never noticed before.
The fine veins running through a petal.
The way colour shifts.
Because red isn't just red or green just green.
There are many colours.
Shadows,
Soft edges and quiet variations.
You can do this live with me if you wish.
Or just listen.
Let your attention rest here.
See if you can sense the life inside of this plant.
Its presence,
Its quiet beauty.
Almost as if you're meeting it for the very first time.
You don't need to analyse anything.
You don't need to think about what you're seeing.
No labels.
Just absorb it.
See it as though you have never seen a flower or a leaf or this particular form of life before.
And when your mind wanders into thinking,
And it will,
Gently bring it back.
Back to seeing.
Only seeing.
Just like returning to the breath once we've wandered.
This time,
We return to seeing.
When the five minutes are up,
Silently thank the flower for its teaching.
And notice,
What did you learn?
Now,
As you move through the rest of your day,
Try to look at the world in the same way.
Even if you're walking through a busy city.
Even if life feels loud and fast.
If you can,
Stop.
Even for five seconds.
And see without old labels.
Without the commentary.
Without the story running in your head.
Let whatever your eyes land on,
Become your subject today.
Because we live in extraordinary beauty.
Heaven is not somewhere else.
It's here,
On earth.
But we miss it.
We move through life,
Seeing mostly what's inside our own heads.
Full of preconceived ideas,
Habits of thought,
Familiar interpretations.
That's why life can begin to feel dull.
Do you remember how bright and vivid the world felt when you were a small child?
Pause and think back.
It wasn't because the world was different.
It was because your mind wasn't conditioned to replay old memories,
Old experiences.
It was more open,
Less crowded.
Science is beginning to understand this.
We don't see reality.
The brain is lazy.
It doesn't want to waste energy processing brand new material that comes in through the eyes.
So it regurgitates old experiences and pastes them in the place of unfolding reality.
We don't see reality.
When you were a child,
You were much closer to the truth,
To seeing reality.
That's why everything was bright and vibrantly alive.
The things out there are the same.
We changed.
And through mindfulness,
We can change back.
We can see the world anew again.
So today,
See the glory of the world you live in,
With brand new eyes,
With an empty mind.
And try to do this throughout the day.
May you be happy.
And tomorrow,
We'll look how this mindfulness gives birth to gratitude.
Many people practice gratitude meditation,
And it's a noble and worthy practice.
But I've found,
I've discovered that if I meditate and I'm mindful,
Gratitude arises all by itself.
Have a wonderful day.
Thank you.
