Practicing Mindful Spirituality
written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. ”
When many think of mindfulness, their first thought is meditation. Instead, I would like to focus on the mindfulness of ordinary life. We often go through the motions of life, rarely stopping long enough to appreciate the moment with intentionality. Running on autopilot is our go-to response. We must practice if we intend to break the habit of running on autopilot.
Begin practicing mindfulness in a simple way. Too often, we inhale our food without mindfully appreciating its smell, texture, or taste. Use your meals to practice mindfulness. Begin paying attention to the many aspects of the meal. Are you eating alone or with others? Are you eating at a table, on a tray, or some other way? Does the food have a distinctive smell? Does the smell remind you of anything? What utensils are around you? Did you need each of them? How many types of food are on your plate or bowl? Is there a distinct temperature? What are the food’s textures? Which textures do you like? Do any of the tastes remind you of your past? Reflecting on some or all these mindful questions will help you focus and appreciate your meal.
Once your practice of meal mindfulness becomes second nature, it is time to focus on other areas of your life. When you are with people at home, work, or other activities, practice focusing on them. When first attempting mindfulness with others, we recognize how little attention we often pay to others. Begin by listening without thinking about your next word or idea. Next, listen not only to their words but also to their body language and the level of their emotional output. The more we focus with intention, the more meaningful our actions and relationships will become.
Mindfulness also has powerful spiritual implications. Bring intentionality to your faith life. Practice meditation by blocking out thoughts by focusing on your breathing. As you breathe in, allow your mind to think “Father,” as you breathe out, think “Son,” and when you breathe back in, say “Spirit.” Alternate your breathing while saying each of the three persons of the Trinity. It trains the mind to focus. Then, when you pray, your focus will remain strong, and God will feel close. In worship, don’t go through the motions, but focus on each aspect of the service and cut out all the noise. Through practice, your worship will become more mindful. With a mindful spirit, God will speak to and mold your soul.
