One of the things that I habitually struggle with, (along with much of the rest of the world I imagine) is simply the sheer quantity of information that we have to process each day. It is not really a matter of the information being good or bad in quality, it is just that sometimes the sheer volume just seems to get unmanageable.
I think that this challenge is one of the areas where a meditation practice has the MOST to offer. If you have some familiarity with meditation, then you know that relief from the stress of information overload is never far away, as you havedeveloped the skill of being able to empty your mind at will.
Once developed this skill can be used anytime anywhere. For example my mind was feeling very “full” yesterday evening. After dinner I had a 20-30 minute walking and bus journey to the local tennis court for an evening game. I used that time just to focus… on absolutely nothing (beyond the absolutely logistically necessary). By the time I reached the tennis court my mind felt empty, spacious and refreshed, my appetite for life returned.
Consciously focusing on nothing much is not the same as just “checking-out” mentally, rather it is learning to enjoy the inner space of our mind that is always there but that we are not often aware of.
© Toby Ouvry 2011, you are welcome to use or share this article, but please cite Toby as the source and include reference to his website www.tobyouvry.com
Enjoyed this post? Why not sign up for Toby’s free Creative Meditations E-Newsletter?
Check out Toby’s Meditation Classes.