Welcome to Day 1 of your Mindfulness and Meditation Journey

Day 1 - Creating an Awareness & a Safe, Grounded Space to return to within the Body, Mind and Spirit

"You can't go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending” - CS Lewis

Day 1 - (1) Mindfulness: Awakening Awareness

This mindfulness journey, begins with insight and awareness into the practice of multi tasking in our everyday life.

On the face of it, Mindfulness doesn't sound like a difficult concept. All you have to do is pay attention to what you are doing while you are doing it! Sounds pretty easy doesn't it? However, in reality it is actually quite hard to achieve.  Reflect for a moment on a time when you arrived at a destination but you couldn't remember the journey.  An example might be a car trip, or perhaps your everyday life.  Now reflect on a time when you became distracted from the task you set out to achieve.  For example, on your way to check the mail, as you walked past the kitchen, you decided to stop and make a quick snack and forgot all about the mail. Multitasking!

Frequently, multitasking is our normal pattern, especially with tasks that are very familiar.  This is due to rehearsed modes of behaviour, thought processes, movement patterns.  

So, a few general questions to ponder ... 

• Does this style of multitasking really hinder us?

• Is it possible to develop adaptive skills resulting in proficient layering of tasks?  

• Are some tasks ok to perform together as they are so basic, and therefore combining them makes better use of our time?

Now, consider multitasking in your everyday life ...

• Do I multitask?

• What are examples of tasks that I may commonly combine?

• How many tasks do I combine?

• Does this result in greater productivity in my life?

• Do I know when I am multi tasking?  

• Is it a conscious choice to multi task?

• Why do I choose to multi task?

• Does multi tasking ever become problematic in achieving the initial desired task? 

• Do I have a signal that alerts me when I'm distracted or have deviated from my path?

Mindfulness living is bringing focus into our everyday lived experience.  At times specific techniques may open our awareness.  

Our first step is to recognize when we are multi tasking.  By recognizing when we are multitasking, we now have the ability to choose if this is what we want.  By asking yourself consciously- "Is this my desire, to move forward in this manner?"  We may then move forward empowered with the ability to choose what is your best action.   I invite you to sharpen your discerning quality of recognition.  When you RECOGNIZE multi tasking, STOP, BREATHE, CONSIDER. 

Remember, throughout this 7 day journey, to honour yourself with:

• Gratitude for creating the space to carry out the activity.

• Kindness and consideration for those moments that you lose track of how and what you are "meant" to be doing.  

• Kindness for the times when you find obstacles, or experience a sense of conflict whilst proceeding.

• Compassion for other’s perspectives.  Each person’s experience is uniquely their own.

• Equanimity or establishing a sense of flow and non judgement.

Day 1 - (2) Mindfulness Activity: Awareness of Multitasking

Allow yourself to be comfortable in a seated position.  If you need to move during the session, do so, slowly and with as little distraction as possible. Alternatively, you may prefer another position that works for you to actively observe and connect more deeply with the mindfulness activity.  

If at any time you feel unsafe, uncomfortable or compromised please seek support from myself &/or your Health Care provider.

Again, remember, throughout this 7 day journey, to honour yourself with:

• Gratitude for creating the space to carry out the activity.

• Kindness and consideration for those moments that you lose track of how and what you are "meant" to be doing.  Kindness for the times when you find obstacles, or experience a sense of conflict whilst proceeding.

• Compassion for other’s perspectives.  Each person’s experience is uniquely their own.

• Equanimity or establishing a sense of flow and non judgement.

Day 1 - (3) Intention: Awakening Awareness

If you haven't yet completed Day 1 - (2) Mindfulness Activity: Awareness of Multitasking and listened to the audio Day 1_multitasking, do so now before proceeding.  This will set the Intention for the day.

• How easy was your experience purely counting or purely reciting the alphabet?

• How easy was combining counting and reciting the alphabet?

• Did you have success easily, or did you stop, slow down or not even begin?

• How far did you proceed before giving up?

If you would like, record your responses in the optional reflective journal. Reflections provide an opportunity to consolidate what we have gained from doing the activity.

Today's intention is to RECOGNIZE when we are multitasking.  As you notice that you are multitasking, offer congratulations for your awareness and recognition of the moment.  

If you find yourself multitasking - STOP, BREATHE, CONSIDER - and consciously ask yourself  - "Is this my desire to move forward in this manner?" CHOOSE - move forward empowered with acknowledgement of your choice that this is your best action.   

Day 1 - (4) Optional Reflection Journal: Mindfulness Observations

If you would like, record your observations.  Reflections, as discussed before, provide an opportunity to consolidate what we have gained from doing the activity. You may choose to record any information, observations, thoughts or considerations that feel appropriate for you. However, you may find that the following questions help direct you so that you gain more from this process, even if you choose not to keep a journal:

• How easy was your experience purely counting or purely reciting the alphabet?

• How easy was combining counting and reciting the alphabet?

• Did you have success easily, or did you stop, slow down or not even begin?

• How far did you proceed before giving up?

• How different was your experience purely counting or purely reciting the alphabet?

Reflecting on these additional questions may also help to support your journey:

• Do I multitask?

• What are examples of tasks that I may commonly combine?

• How many tasks do I combine?

• Does this result in greater productivity in my life?

• Do I know when I am multi tasking?  

• Is it a conscious choice to multi task?

• Why do I choose to multi task?

• Does multi tasking ever become problematic in achieving the initial desired task? 

• Do I have a signal that alerts me that I'm distracted or deviated from my path?

Day 1 - (5) Meditation: Short Body Scan

The Body Scan Meditation extends upon our notion of Mindfulness through what is referred to as "bare attention".

"Bare Attention consists in merely registering what is happening without judgement, preference or personal prejudice ... Bare attention brings self awareness and thereby self-control over thoughtless words, hasty deeds and habitual patterns of thought and behaviour that make us prisoners." 

- N. Humphrey, p.75; 1987

As you listen to the meditation recording, draw your mind-attention to your sensations surrounding the areas of the body I refer to.  Some of these areas will be easily accessible, some are known to exist however, they may require a leap of imagination to locate and other areas are included to enhance a state within the body-mind experience.

The Body Scan is a grounding or centering practise.  These concepts may be adapted to suit your needs once you become familiar with the scripting.

For those who feel confident that they can sustain a longer period of concentrated focus, or maybe you’re ready for a bigger challenge having mastered the “short Body Scan”, you may prefer this longer version which goes for about 28 mins.

Note - Due to the size of this file you will need to click on the following link and use your web browser player to listen to it, or you may download it if you choose to do so.

Day 1_ Long Body Scan_27.28

CONGRATULATIONS - You have now completed Day 1 of the Ezense Mindfulness & Meditation Course!

To continue on to Day 2, simply click on the “NEXT” button below. But please note: Day 2 won’t be accessible until it is time to be released as outlined in the Daily Schedule. Also remember, you can always come back to this page to go over any material in Day 1 at any time during your 7 day access to this course.