Here is another way that meditation and, more accurately, mindfulness will help in your life. I was reading another forum regarding travel to the Philippines that was geared mostly towards P4P (which I ignored), but it also had a good section on basic Phils travel issues and warnings.
There was a huge debate between two camps, one of which stated that you should keep nothing in your pockets while riding Jeepenys because of pickpockets and the other (mostly from one guy) who stated that all you need to do is keep your hands on your pockets at all times.
The main retort to that strategy was that was impossible because of the distractions offered by professional pickpockets, who operate in groups. By way of background as to how the scam operates:
Here was the retort from the "just keep your hands on your pockets" guy, which I thought was brilliant -- provided that you actually take the time to train your mind:
Am I advocating that you learn to meditate just so that you do not get pickpockted in a Jeepney in the Philippines? Of course not. That is simply one example of how mindfulness can help improve your life. But think of how many other areas of your life would improve if you could simply live in the moment, instead of being victimized by having constant monkey-mind.
I have tried meditation, with some success. But I need to get back to it. I have begun to experiment with mindfulness (living in the moment without allowing the mind to wander) during long walks. It is very difficult for me, because I have a hyper-active mind. Right now, I can only manage to do it for a few minutes during an hour's walk, which highlights the extent of the problem.
But it is amazing the things that you notice, if successful. One day, I was walking, while lost in my thoughts. I suddenly decided that I wanted to engage in mindfulness, cleared my thoughts, and looked around. I was walking on a road along a hillside. To my right were the tops of trees that grew further down the hill.
So, I get into the moment and look to my right -- and there is a man hanging from the very top of a tree while doing some trimming! If my mind was not in the moment, I would have walked right by a guy dangling from the top of a tree without even knowing that he was there.
So, how much pertinent information do we really miss each day because we are thinking about other things, rather than simply living in the moment? It is probably a far bigger problem than most of us care to admit.
There was a huge debate between two camps, one of which stated that you should keep nothing in your pockets while riding Jeepenys because of pickpockets and the other (mostly from one guy) who stated that all you need to do is keep your hands on your pockets at all times.
The main retort to that strategy was that was impossible because of the distractions offered by professional pickpockets, who operate in groups. By way of background as to how the scam operates:
Quote:Quote:
Two guys sit down, one on your left and one on your right, then some ass outside the jeep acts like a crazy person and spits on the back of your neck, then this guy on you left offers to wipe the spit off with a hankey or something, while the right guy (who might have a large package or backpack in his lap that hides his hands) is already pillaging your pocket while you're busy being angry at the guy who spit on you while also facing the guy on the left, resulting in classic misdirection. Before you know it, the both guys get off on the same stop and you lose all your cash or your cell phone.
Here was the retort from the "just keep your hands on your pockets" guy, which I thought was brilliant -- provided that you actually take the time to train your mind:
Quote:Quote:
What meditation does is keep your mind in the moment, not lost in thought or what happened last night with so & so girl or what might happen in the next bar you go to. Staying in the moment, which is the only moment you can actual live in, is very important to not being pickpocketed. I would personally advise everyone to do some form of meditation. It will help you in many areas of life.
Am I advocating that you learn to meditate just so that you do not get pickpockted in a Jeepney in the Philippines? Of course not. That is simply one example of how mindfulness can help improve your life. But think of how many other areas of your life would improve if you could simply live in the moment, instead of being victimized by having constant monkey-mind.
I have tried meditation, with some success. But I need to get back to it. I have begun to experiment with mindfulness (living in the moment without allowing the mind to wander) during long walks. It is very difficult for me, because I have a hyper-active mind. Right now, I can only manage to do it for a few minutes during an hour's walk, which highlights the extent of the problem.
But it is amazing the things that you notice, if successful. One day, I was walking, while lost in my thoughts. I suddenly decided that I wanted to engage in mindfulness, cleared my thoughts, and looked around. I was walking on a road along a hillside. To my right were the tops of trees that grew further down the hill.
So, I get into the moment and look to my right -- and there is a man hanging from the very top of a tree while doing some trimming! If my mind was not in the moment, I would have walked right by a guy dangling from the top of a tree without even knowing that he was there.
So, how much pertinent information do we really miss each day because we are thinking about other things, rather than simply living in the moment? It is probably a far bigger problem than most of us care to admit.