By Leslie Rawls in December 1998
Editing this issue of The Mindfulness Bell, I have been able to focus on my breath as a reality, not as a habit. The habit is when the bell rings, I stop and breathe, counting my breaths. If I’m not with my breathing, stopping and counting is empty recitation-like children saying the Lord’s Prayer without understanding the meaning. On occasion, I have been aware that I want to count my breath and get back to work.
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By Leslie Rawls in December 1998
Editing this issue of The Mindfulness Bell, I have been able to focus on my breath as a reality, not as a habit. The habit is when the bell rings, I stop and breathe, counting my breaths. If I'm not with my breathing, stopping and counting is empty recitation-like children saying the Lord's Prayer without understanding the meaning. On occasion, I have been aware that I want to count my breath and get back to work. That's just counting; it's not breathing. I become aware of the urge to get it over, and that helps me come back to real awareness.
Working with these articles has helped me remember what a gift it is for the phone to ring or the computer bell to chime. Not because it takes me away from work, but because it reminds me to breathe mindfully. When I am truly present, my conscious breathing extends beyond the sound of the bell. I am able to carry it steadily. I am grateful for my breathing because when I practice conscious breathing deeply, it brings me into this moment. And, a half-smile really does bloom on my face effortlessly.
