I ended yesterday’s post on a rather downbeat note, with the warning that social media and technology is accelerating negative mimetic trends. I do believe, though, that there are ways we can reverse this trend, and that as people wake up to some of the more pernicious and negative ideologies doing the rounds at the moment, things will get better. As Adam Curtis said last week, we have to focus on the good things.
At the risk of sounding like a new age quack, I also think that mindfulness, done properly, is also a good antidote. The problem here is that I’ve spent a fair few years now looking around at the various apps and books around this subject, and a lot of them are somewhat lacking in depth.
Daniel J. Siegel has, as I’ve said before, one of the best takes on mindfulness I’ve come across in his audiobook, ‘The Neurobiology of We’. Even his simple acronym for the core tenets of what he perceives mindfulness to be, COAL, works better than any app or guided mediation I’ve done. COAL stands for Curiosity, Openness, Acceptance, Love.
One of the few good things to come out of the COVID-19 lockdowns for me was getting into the habit of walking every day. Earlier this year, I discovered one of the better mindfulness apps out there, called Moments of Space. This little app provides helpful guided meditations for mindful walking. I tried it for a while, but I enjoy listening to my audiobooks too much, although I do try to do mindful walking when I remember to.
As I was out walking yesterday, listening to Siegel expound his COAL acronym, I found that, by thinking about those four words, my body automatically adjusted itself into the perfect mindset for mindful walking. It was quite strange. Just by relaxing, and opening myself up to attitudes of curiosity, openness, acceptance and love, my shoulders naturally opened up, and I stood a little taller (I tend to hunch a little when I’m on a walk). I instinctively took a deep breath and a smile came to rest on my face.
I particularly liked the attitude of curiosity, as I find a lot, if not all guided meditations naturally force you inwards into yourself and away from the outside world, which isn’t much use for mindful walking. By looking about with curiosity, I found myself open to the world and other people I passed in a new way.
I think, if I can work on adopting these attitudes as I go through life, they will do powerful things. Admittedly, it’s hard to change and to keep focussing relentlessly on these things, but if we do it enough, we can rewire our brains, and it becomes second nature. I would encourage you to try it too. Next time you’re walking down the road, just focus on those four words, and see if it has a similar effect on you. Look about with curiosity, be open to what you see, and accept what happens with an attitude of love.