Hi, I am new to mindfulness having done a course and practice everyday with a meditation in the morning and evening.. so far so good!
I am also trying to be mindfull every day such as walking, brushing teeth etc. However I was told the way to do this is to notice things.
But it is the constant chattering to my self noticing things is annoying me!
So when I wash up I think, isnt this water warm, doesn't the soap look nice with the colours, what colours can I see etc etc...
Am I doing this mindfulness all wrong?
Mind chattering during mindfulness annoying!
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Sallysmith
- Posts: 5
- Practice Mindfulness Since: 01 Jun 2018
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GoToMindfulness
- Posts: 4
- Practice Mindfulness Since: 01 Sep 2016
Hi, I think that when you're quite new to mindfulness this noticing can feel as if it gets in the way as it does tend to show up as a chatter. So when this chatter starts you could try to just focus on your breathing, so you are noticing things without actually verbalising. Good luck!
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justinemery
- Posts: 3
- Practice Mindfulness Since: 27 Dec 2014
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I agree, just practice mindfulness (with the breathe as an anchor) and your perspective will naturally change. You'll notice things you don't usually notice. I find it a bit like when I've been under the influence of alcohol: reality is a bit different and you notice different things. But mindfulness has none of the negative effects!
When you are noticing by labelling things with words in your head, I don't think it's really helpful. We do that all the time even without mindfulness. We see a tree and think "tree" - it's just a category of object. But when practising mindfulness the word takes on less significance and we can see the beauty, uniqueness, and even the interconnectedness of the tree. It can be hard to do this in the middle of a busy modern life, but it becomes easier on a mindfulness retreat or while relaxed on holiday!
When you are noticing by labelling things with words in your head, I don't think it's really helpful. We do that all the time even without mindfulness. We see a tree and think "tree" - it's just a category of object. But when practising mindfulness the word takes on less significance and we can see the beauty, uniqueness, and even the interconnectedness of the tree. It can be hard to do this in the middle of a busy modern life, but it becomes easier on a mindfulness retreat or while relaxed on holiday!
I blog about mindfulness & technology, meditation apps, combating distracting and addicting tech at https://mindful.technology
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Sallysmith
- Posts: 5
- Practice Mindfulness Since: 01 Jun 2018
But even if I see/think about the beautifulness of something, I am still thinking about it and annoying myself!
Thank you for your replies!
Thank you for your replies!
Hi,
what makes these thoughts so annoying is that they are there, but they "should" not be there. It is like when you are sitting in an airplane and someone brought a child and naturally it eventually starts screaming. It is annoying because "the parents should not let the child bother the other passengers", but when you put that notion aside for a moment and just listen, there is beauty in that sound. Like a human bell, it starts loud, fades away, then repeats.
In the same way you can try to listen to the chatter as if it were mere sound, with no meaning attached - a kind of background melody, adding to whatever you are observing, not taking something away.
what makes these thoughts so annoying is that they are there, but they "should" not be there. It is like when you are sitting in an airplane and someone brought a child and naturally it eventually starts screaming. It is annoying because "the parents should not let the child bother the other passengers", but when you put that notion aside for a moment and just listen, there is beauty in that sound. Like a human bell, it starts loud, fades away, then repeats.
In the same way you can try to listen to the chatter as if it were mere sound, with no meaning attached - a kind of background melody, adding to whatever you are observing, not taking something away.
To be important, existence does not need to go on any longer than a moment. Quantitative continuity is of no value. - Alan Watts
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Sallysmith
- Posts: 5
- Practice Mindfulness Since: 01 Jun 2018
Yes, bit its the chattering of being observant which annoys me.. the mind is being in the moment, noticing everything from smell to noise.. but its all the noticing which just gets to me.. how can you notice stuff without thinking about it?
Don't be too hard on yourself. The more you try to will the thoughts out of the way, the more they will insist on narrating everything that goes on in detail. And if that annoys you it's all the more fun to annoy you with it 
I think that is the real issue here, so let me put you at ease. You are not doing it wrong, because mindfulness isn't about not thinking. Sure, that is something that happens naturally eventually, but it's not the point. The point of mindfulness is just mindfulness. So you can say it's pointless, and therefore you cannot be bad at it. Isn't that comforting?
Sallysmith wrote:Am I doing this mindfulness all wrong?
I think that is the real issue here, so let me put you at ease. You are not doing it wrong, because mindfulness isn't about not thinking. Sure, that is something that happens naturally eventually, but it's not the point. The point of mindfulness is just mindfulness. So you can say it's pointless, and therefore you cannot be bad at it. Isn't that comforting?
To be important, existence does not need to go on any longer than a moment. Quantitative continuity is of no value. - Alan Watts
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Sallysmith
- Posts: 5
- Practice Mindfulness Since: 01 Jun 2018
Thank your kind replies! I will read and digest.
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