Exploring mindfulness through human connection
I am back in Montreal and have had some time to reflect on my experience in Mexico over the past few months. The thing that keeps coming back to me is how the lack of automation I observed led to more moments of human connection.
No self-checkout lines at grocery stores or pharmacies, no self-service gas stations (there is an attendant at every pump!), baggers at every checkout line at the grocery store. There was even a person dedicated to wiping down the ATM machines of most banks after each use, even if that meant they just stood there waiting for people to come in and use the machines.
While I initially overlooked these roles—or sometimes even was guilty of feeling inconvenienced by a long checkout line when I only had a handful of items—I began to pay attention to the conversations I got to have with each person.
In hindsight, I realize that I appreciated the daily opportunities to slow down and connect. It felt like real community building.
So the question I’m asking myself now that I’m back home is: how can I inconvenience myself in order to foster more connection and a sense of community here in Montreal?
Reflections to follow! Follow along here or on Mighty Networks to learn more about what I discover. In the meantime, now that I’m back home, I’m teaching a bunch and would love to see you there. Scroll down for the usual goods: offering details, resources, prompts, and the like.
Resources
Read.
Can we automate slow living? Written by Emily Torres Via the Good Trade
I shared this one In January, but it bears repeating, and seems especially relevant in the context of this month’s newsletter. Can tech help us slow down? Read along and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, or over on Mighty Networks!
Try.
How to be mindful if you hate meditating. By Angela Haupt via Time.
I once heard someone refer to their body as a “brain taxi” and that really resonated. This article in Time magazine offers ways to practice mindfulness on a daily basis that don’t necessarily involve sitting and meditating in a traditional sense.
Explore.
40 mind-expanding concepts to help you make sense of the world
My favourite one: The Principle of Humanity which states “Every single person is exactly what you would be if you were them. This includes your political opponents. So instead of dismissing them as evil or stupid, maybe seek to understand the circumstances that led them to their conclusions.”
Take in.
“Life is as fleeting as a rainbow, a flash of lightning, a star at dawn. Knowing this, how can you quarrel?”
― Jack Kornfield, in his Buddha’s Little Instruction Book (page 19), paraphrasing the Buddha (more info here)
Reflect.
Spend a day paying attention to the interactions you have with other humans that leave you feeling connected. Write them down, or draw them out, or document them in some way.
Meditate.
Walking is something most of us do on a daily basis, whether we're walking to our car, from one place to another, or simply from our bedroom to the bathroom in the morning. During these times, we are often lost in planning the next thing we have to do, rehashing what just happened, fantasizing about something, or jumping into the information stream. In this 10-minute walking meditation, you’ll get to practice presence of mind even while on the move. See how this serves you in your journey to awareness of your daily interactions.
Link appreciation: The Good Trade, Jules Acree, and Recomendo
