Fun & Creative Way to Practice Mindfulness?

[Tsui]

I've practised mindfulness since 2012, while I've enjoyed the bliss of happiness throughout my creative career.

I truly believe in the power of mindfulness and self-awareness could bring long-lasting happiness and love to ourselves, our community and the world ultimately!

In fact, I've been exploring ideas to inspire and encourage a more self-aware and mindful lifestyle since 2001, while I was studying my postgraduate in Central Saint Martins!

One direction is to integrate the idea of mindfulness into daily objects that help remind people to take care of their own mind and body in a fun and creative way.

To encourage people to spare moments to calm their mind and find balance within, I've designed a simple balancing game LaBird and launched on KickStarter.

I'm interested to get some advice from the everyday-mindfulness community.

What do you think about the idea of LaBird, and do you think it will work to help remind and encourage moments of mindfulness?

Feel free to check out LaBirdHK on KickStarter for more info!

Happy Mind, Happy Life!

[JonW]

It looks like a cool idea for small children but, to be honest, I can't see what connection it has to mindfulness. I feel much the same way about colouring books, jigsaws and all the other stuff that supposedly cultivates mindfulness.
What's wrong with simply sitting in a chair and meditating?
Jon

[Tsui]

Thank you JonW for the sharing.

I agree sitting meditation is still the best and effective way to meditate, especially for those experienced practitioners.

For some, they might need some form of stimulus or inspiration to the mindfulness experience. A simple reminder or activity that suggests some form of slow down, self-aware and adjustment the concentration.

Mindfulness is a state of mind, and we can practice them anyway and anytime, during any activity - no matter walking, drinking or playing

LaBird is an attempt to promote the benefit of mindfulness in a more creative and fun way.

In fact, I wish more people could contribute and more innovative ideas that could help inspire and encourage a mindful lifestyle!

[JonW]

I wish you well with the project, Tsui.
I understand the thinking behind introducing creative alternatives to meditation as a way of becoming more mindful in everyday life but I'm yet to be convinced they have any long-term benefits. As short-term exercises in 'chilling out', I guess they're OK for what they are. But mindfulness is not termed a meditation-based practice for no reason. And I've yet to meet a person who lives a truly mindful life who doesn't meditate on a regular basis for a decent length of time.
All best,
Jon

[Tasman]

Hey Tsui,

I think it is a pretty cool idea! I wouldn't mind some of my desk right now. I'm assuming you're posting just to get some honest feedback that you can incorporate into your concept, so here are some thoughts:

-My initial reaction when you posted was that you were referring to an app, which you obviously aren't after checking out the kickstarter, so best to make that very clear
-I don't think that it would appeal that strongly to meditators who, as Jon mentions, probably wouldn't see this as a genuine mindfulness practice (at least not any more than something like fidget spinners are a meditation practice)
-It feels a bit like a marketing attempt to jump onto the mindfulness movement. I'm not saying that in a negative sense - what you've created looks very beautiful and I'm sure some people will like its associations with mindfulness. That's just my impression
-The product itself really appeals to me - I can imagine myself enjoying playing with them. However, it would be more out of amusement than for the 'mindfulness benefits', and so it would have to be pretty cheap for me to go out of my way to purchase them for myself or as a gift
-There are a few minor grammatical errors in the video and on the page, but it is nothing major and the information is still conveyed clearly

Hope that is helpful in some way. It is clear you have put a lot of work into this. All the best with it and your own practice

[JonW]

Beautifully put, Tasman.
I concur.
Sometimes I wish we were naturally more like cats who are pretty good at simply being, experiencing themselves as whatever they are in the moment, without anything extra added.
But we're not. And it takes a lot of sitting practice to be able to simply be.
As Maurine Stuart puts it, 'We must make our base very strong, like the Daruma doll – no matter how many times he’s knocked down, he pops right up again.'
However well-intentioned the LaBird or the mindfulness fidget spinner might be, I can't help thinking that these items are a distraction from the plain truth that there's no substitute for practice, whether we are talking about learning to be mindful or learning to play the guitar. The main difference being that we practice guitar to become better at it, whereas we engage with meditation practice to simply be here, cultivating the habit of being true to what we really are, rather than what we think we are.

[piedwagtail91]

For me it would be a distraction. Life is the meditation. There is so much to be aware of, for me the simpler the better. Raindrops running down a window (lots of chances to mindfully observe that!) Grass moving with the breeze , colours, the play of sunlight and shadows.
I like to keep it simple and in the moment. Was it JKZ who said "this moment is all we have"? Make good used of it. Be mindful of life as it unfolds.

[JonW]

'Life is the meditation.'

Amen to that.

[Peter]

I agree with the others. I think concentration has its value, also in mindfulness, but mainly in the form of concentrating on 'what is' (senses, thoughts etc), rather than the task itself. The first promotes awareness, but the latter frustrates awareness.

[JonW]

Beautifully put, Peter.