A Reminder in Mindfulness

Lately, I have become the queen of multi-tasking. OK that is not exactly true, since being a queen, usually implies mastering something. I have far from mastered the art of multitasking. So lets say that I have been practicing it a whole lot of it lately. And its not exactly been working for me. I am very behind on many many projects. I am about 4 days behind at work, I am desperately trying to catch up on this blog, my house is a mess, I am trying to incorporate new methods of teaching (but am not yet able to practice them yet), and well the whole studying guitar thing has gone out the window.

Then there is the stuff that I try to do for me, the trail walking (have really missed this), spending time with friends (my goal is to see at least one friend once a month – i know pathetic), and I am trying to join a book club – and actually do some enjoyable reading-while meeting some interesting new people. Not to mention the Alexander lessons I am going to start this week, and my ongoing sessions with acupuncture, and the tests that need to get done this week. OK so its very clear that I have taken on way too much. No wonder I have been feeling like I have had a slight attack of CFS.

Today, I am going to spend the day cleaning up, and rearranging furniture. I was given a little book about feng shui, so I am going to try to incorporate that into my living room. But before I started cleaning, I read a few pages of Jon Kabat-Zinn’s book Wherever You Go There You Are. I should be doing a whole lot of reading this book, right now….but there has been a slight lack of time. So instead, whenever I think I need some reminding on how to be mindful (no multitasking) I pick up his book and read a few pages.

Today, I read a section called, Cleaning the Stove While Listening to Bobby McFerrin. Now, you are never going to find me cleaning along to Bobby McFerrin….perhaps some Dave Matthews Band, Weezer, or Neil Diamond. But really it doesn’t matter who you listen to. Its your action that is important. Here is what he says about his stove cleaning:

One Saturday morning, a tape by Bobby McFerrin was playing in the casette player when the occasion arose to clean the stove. So cleaning became dancing, the incantations, sounds, and rhythms and the movements of my body merging, blending together, sounds unfolding with motion, sensations in my arm aplenty, modulations in finger pressire on the scrubber as required, caked remains of former cookings slowly changing form and disappearing, all rising and falling in awareness with the music. One big dance of presence, a celebration of now. And at the end, a clean stove. The voice inside that ordinarily claims credit for such things (see how clean I got the stove?) and seeks approval for it (didn’t I do a good job?) stirs, but is quickly held in a larger understanding of what had transpired.

Mindfully speaking, I can’t get away with claiming that “I” cleaned the stove. It’s more like the stove cleaned itself, with the help of Bobby McFerrin, the scrubber, the baking soda, and the sponge, with guest appearnces by hot water and a string of present moments.

I love his example of mindfulness. Lately I have been less and less present. A lot of “poor me” has creeped up lately. And I don’t like it much. There is a lot of stuff going on in my life right now, and I haven’t been coping well. Part of that reason is because I haven’t been present. I am always thinking of what else needs to get done, and not focusing on what I am doing right this moment. By doing this I will be able to concentrate on what I need. And that is one thing at a time….and I am going to start this with vacuuming my living room.