COURSE 01 > Week 01 - Welcome to the Course

COURSE 01 > The Foundations of Mindfulness

This week I started a Coursera workshop on the Foundations of Mindfulness and Well Being, as taught by Dr Elizabeth Slator of Rice University. This blog will track my progression in the class and serve as a repository of my written reflections and assignments in the course.

Week 01 Objectives

- Describe what mindfulness is;

- Identify the seven attitudinal foundations of mindfulness;

- Compare and contrast current attitudes and beliefs held to the attitudinal qualities of mindfulness;

- List and describe the different types of mindfulness training practices; and

- Complete Weekly Activity Challenges focused on paying attention to the senses.

Module 01 - WELCOME TO THE COURSE -

1.5. INTRODUCTIONS…

Tell me who you are, and please share a brief synopsis of your background with mindfulness, why you enrolled in the course and what you hope to gain from the experience.

Note: The purpose of posting in the discussion forums isn't necessarily about coming up with a correct response or even contributing a unique one. Sometimes, you may have a really similar experience as someone else in the course, but please don't let that be a reason not to share. When there is a pattern of sameness in our responses, it can help us see how universal or normal certain aspects of experience are, and can showcase our common humanity. In general, sharing experience of any kind forces us to be reflective and thoughtful which, as you''ll come to find out, is a very important component of mindfulness!

Photo: Steven H. Lee.

I’m Steven, a third year Bachelor of Fine Arts Student at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in the city of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. In terms of its geographical landmass and population size, Surrey is the second largest city in British Columbia, behind Vancouver. I live in South Surrey, which at one time was something people said to distinguish themselves from being associated with more disadvantaged parts of the city such as Newton or City Centre. South Surrey is about a forty-minute drive southeast of downtown Vancouver, and it’s also close to the border with Washington State and the cities of Blaine and Bellingham. I was born in Williams Lake, a small town in the Cariboo-Chilcotin region of British Columbia, a place nestled in a natural wilderness that I’ve often missed over the years.

Video: Russell Brand. THE ARTISTS WAY GURU ON CREATIVITY & PLAY. Russell Brand, 7 Apr 2020.

I’ve suffered from major depressive disorder for most of my life, and the last few years have been particularly paralyzing due to a whole host of varied reasons, the least of which was Covid-19. In February 2020, I was first introduced to the idea of meditation, and I began doing a seated meditation by candlelight just before midnight. It was helpful in grounding myself each night before I went to sleep. It also helped me to release any anxieties I’d been feeling that day. I also used the candle as a point of focus for my eyes and my mind: when my mind wandered, I’d return my focus to the flame. I would also sit after waking up and doing morning pages journaling as advocated for by author and creativity expert Julia Cameron. Morning pages journaling are another tool to help one let go of anything that’s weighing them down, allowing them to face the day with a clean slate. Unfortunately, I’ve not been good at maintaining any of these practices. In fact, the last time I sat and practiced morning pages journaling or meditating before bed was when I was hospitalized for my depression in September 2021.

Video: OWN. SUPER SOUL SUNDAY WITH GARY ZUKAV. Oprah Winfrey, 27 Dec 2021.

Around twenty years ago, I first read author Gary Zukav’s book THE SEAT OF THE SOUL, where he discussed cultivating an unconditional curiosity, forgiveness, gratitude, love, and reverence for all life, starting with ourselves by being emotionally aware of what one’s feeling and how one reacts to any given situation. In July 2020, I completed a few short online workshops on mindfulness: two through Udemy as taught by UK medium and Christian Spiritualist Julian Jenkins; and a Mindfullness Diploma through the Centre of Excellence. I’ve listened to several books on mindfulness by Buddhist teacher Thích Nhất Hạnh. And in 2021, I listened to all the books by writer and Zen practitioner Natalie Goldberg, who talks at length about how mindfulness, meditation and creativity intertwine. From Jon Kabat-Zinn, I understand how mindfulness is:

…paying attention, on purpose, in the present, and non-judgmentally, to the unfolding of experience moment by moment.

And finally, last fall, I started the Coursera workshop, LIFE 101, which touches on mindfulness and emotional awareness during its fourth week.

I enrolled in this course because I want to deepen not just my knowledge of mindfulness from a philosophical and theoretical point of view, but from a practical one as well.

Video: Doug’s Dharma. “Mindfulness for Beginners.” YouTube, 30 Sept 2019.

Video: Mind’s Unlimited. “Jon Kabat-Zinn on Mindfulness.” YouTube. 26 Jun 2019.

Module 02 - LEARNING TO PAY ATTENTION

"Ten times a day something happens to me like this ~ some strengthening throb of amazement ~ some good, sweet, empathic ping and swell. This is the first, the wildest and the wisest thing I know: that the soul exists and is built entirely out of attentiveness." - Mary Oliver

2.2. PAYING ATTENTION TO YOUR BREATH: GUIDED MEDITATION & MINDFULNESS REFLECTION…

Please share with your peers what it was like for you to pay attention to your breath. What did you notice? Did you find it difficult? Was there anything that helped you pay attention?

Video: Steven H. Lee. Mindfulness Meditation Practice Demo. July 21, 2022.

In paying attention to my breath, I felt a variety of both emotional and physical sensations. Emotionally, I felt a slight frustration in my mind wandering away repeatedly from the task of being focused on my breath. I found myself wondering what I might write in this response, about laundry I needed to do, about a letter I needed to write to the counselling department at my university, and about things I needed to pack for an artist’s date I have planned for tomorrow. At the same time, I was also listening to Dr. Slator led the guided meditation, and I was able to shift my focus back each time my mind wandered to what she was describing and asking us to do, from moment to moment. Overall, in reflecting on what I was thinking about during my sit, I can see how my mind was a monkey swinging from topic to topic, and how people cannot pay attention to the things they are doing 47% of the time.

Physically, I was in a seated position during the guided meditation, sitting on a meditation cushion with my legs crossed, my hands resting on my knees. I felt tightness in my lower back, leading into my legs. I did my best to keep myself relaxed but this wasn’t always that successful - the discomfort I felt remained throughout the sit although it wasn’t so discomforting that I had to adjust my position. I noticed it early on, and just let it be. My mind didn’t return to it.

Overall, when my mind wandered, it helped to return my focus to the prompts being given by Dr Slator, and to my own breath. When she asked us to first focus on my breath, it was at the point when my mind had been consciously aware of the discomfort in my lower back, hips, and upper legs. I noticed when I did concentrate on my breath at first, I was taking deeper breaths in through my nose, and out through my mouth. Then, Dr Slator instructed us to just breathe, without controlling it, and that through me for a bit of a loop: I was thinking about it, but at the same time trying to just let it be. Not necessarily an easy task.

Video: Mindfulness 360. “Mindfulness in Everyday Life.” YouTube, 16 Oct 2017.

2.5. LET GO, LET BE…

What do you think might be the most challenging quality of mindfulness for you to begin to embody and why do you think this is so?

The seven attitudinal foundations of mindfulness are as follows:

  1. Suspension of Judgment (Non-Judging);

  2. Patience;

  3. Beginner’s Mind (Openness, Curiosity);

  4. Trust;

  5. Non-Striving;

  6. Acceptance (Self-Acceptance, Acceptance of Things, Acceptance of Others); and

  7. Letting Go (Let Go & Let Be).

There are two additional attitudinal foundations that I found referenced in some YouTube videos, as follows:

  1. Gratitude; and

  2. Generosity.

To help cement the meaning and application of each of the seven foundations, I am going to write about what I might find challenging to embody in respect to each one. I will conclude each overview by providing a score out of ten, regarding how difficult I think it will be to ground the attitudinal foundation into my life, with one being the least challenging and ten being the most challenging.

Video: Mind’s Unlimited. “Jon-Kabat Zinn on Non-Judging.” YouTube, 26 Jun 2013.

1 - SUSPENSION OF JUDGMENT (NON-JUDGING)

“We regularly generate biased judgments of our experience. Everything we see is labeled and categorized. Step back from all judgements of people, products, processes, or experiences. Things need not be good or bad.” - Kain Ramsay, from his Udemy course, Mindfulness Practitioner Diploma.

This is a big one. I think this could be one of the most challenging attitudinal foundations of mindfulness for me to embody. I struggle with judging myself, I do it a lot, and at times it can sink into me being harshly critical of myself. And in the worst of times, it can sink to the level of self-loathing (even self-hatred), where I dislike everything about myself.

I admit that I struggle with judging others. First, there have been times that it arises out of a jealousy of seeing someone I know achieving success in an area where I feel I could have been successful if it weren’t for something such as my major depressive disorder. In this way, I’m being critical not only of someone I know and care about, but I’m being judgmental about myself. It’s also so easy to judge situations that others describe, as well as the opinions and ideas that others have. Especially when expressed over social media. With social media though, I’m afforded the opportunity to check myself and my thoughts: especially if I feel jealousy creeping into my thoughts and feelings.

I also find myself judging situations. For example, I’m writing part of this while waiting to get my hair trimmed - and as the person getting a cut right now seemed to be finished the barber made another suggestion which the client agreed to, and it’s added time onto the cut. And I found that frustrating and cursed both the barber and the client for entertaining the idea, even though it does look good. But why did I get frustrated? In the end, it only added five or six more minutes onto the length of time it took to finish the job… not the end of the world.

Finally, I find myself constantly judging the actions of others I read or hear about in news articles, and from opinions expressed in online discussion forums. In the discussion forums, or even on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, this involves interactions with strangers. I try to be mindful in my interactions and responses to articles and comments about articles - but it can be difficult to do at times. Sometimes sarcasm will come out in my responses, but I do find I try to stay above ad hominem attacks. One thing I am proud of is that I don’t create fake profiles to comment from - everything is from my own feed, which displays my name and photograph. But it can be so easy to fall into one’s own silo - to stop listening to what others have to say, especially if they venture into ad hominem attacks. When that happens, it’s like the original discourse has been given up on completely - and the conversation devolves into a chaotic situation of unproductive, and pointless one upmanship.

Difficulty in becoming more grounded in SUSPENSION OF JUDGEMENT: 9/10

Video: Mind’s Unlimited. “Jon Kabat-Zinn on Patience.” YouTube. 26 Jun 2013.

2 - PATIENCE

“Remind yourself there is no need to be impatient with yourself or others. Impatience is based upon entitlement and ingratitude. To be patient is to be open to each moment and knowing that things unfold in their own time.” - Kain Ramsay, from his Udemy course, Mindfulness Practitioner Diploma.

Patience is another area that I know I need to work on. There are times when I can be extraordinarily patient. And there are other times when I have none. Today, for example, I was out grocery shopping, and I was trying to read over a magazine I was contemplating getting. But next to the magazines were an assortment of candies, chips, and crisps - all in plastic or other similar packaging that made a variety of crinkling and crunching noises when they were handled by someone. Crinkling bags never used to bother me until someone in my life got after me for crinkling a bunch I was gathering to dispose of. They lost it to the sounds I was unconsciously making, and ever since that happened, their disdain for that kind of noise has come out in me from time to time. In that moment, I found myself getting so angry with the strangers that were purchasing potato chips, picking the bags off the shelves, and putting them into their baskets. The sounds of crinkle-crunch-rustle-rustle-crunch makes my skin crawl. It gets to me like nails on a chalkboard irritates and sends chills down the spines of other people. It can murder all patience within me when I let it get to me.

A month or two ago, I became very agitated as my Mum had a doctor’s appointment, but I was trying to get a prescription of hers filled. They said it would take half an hour, so I spent time wandering around the store. After an hour passed, I went back to the pharmacy to find that they had not yet finished filling the prescription and that they would need another five to ten minutes. So, I waited, and watched as the lineup for the pharmacy got longer and longer. As each new person arrived, I knew it would add time onto my chance to get the prescription - time that I no longer had. In disgust, I left, as I had to pick up Mum. As I left, someone in line tried to tell me that my shirt was funny and made them laugh - but I was so upset that I don’t even think I acknowledged her. I just stormed off. I even complained on social media about what had happened.

My patience is also tested by members of my family - specifically, with my Mum. I think our familiarity with each other allows us to let our guard down to a certain degree. I know I’m not mindful a lot of the time with my Mum, especially when we are doing things that irritate or upset each other. When this happens, tension builds up inside me and I can end up snapping back at her, especially in moments when she approaches me in an impatient manner. For example, today it took me longer at the store as I was waiting for her prescription to be filled, and if I take too long, she will call me about where I am, and why I’m taking so long. Often, she’ll be in an impatient mindset, which makes her gruff and that gruffness comes out in her tone of voice, which will often be pointed: “WHERE ARE YOU?!” will be the first words out of her mouth after I answer my cell with “Hello?” I responded in kind, giving her a gruff answer back, which only served to up the tension between us.

Difficulty in becoming more grounded in PATIENCE: 8/10

Video: Mind’s Unlimited. “Jon Kabat Zinn on Beginner’s Mind.” YouTube, 26 Jun 2013.

3 - BEGINNER’S MIND (OPENESS / CURIOSITY)

“The ‘beginner’s mind’ is a mind that is willing to see everything as if for the first time. It allows us to look beyond expectations based on past experiences, and to be receptive to new possibilities.” - Kain Ramsay, from his Udemy course, Mindfulness Practitioner Diploma.

I’m starting to realize that all of these are difficult to ground in my life. In short, my judgment gets in the way of maintaining a beginner’s mind. It’s so easy to forget to maintain an honest and unconditional curiosity for the world around you. It’s so easy to judge everything you come across. Especially today, where your importance and worth are not just based on what you know, but on the credentials that are supposed to prove your worth (and often, too much importance is placed on those credentials).

In reflecting on the idea of beginner’s mind, I often think of Yoda, and how audiences first encountered him on the swamp planet Dagobah. Yoda acts in a very lighthearted and playful manner, and his actions highlight his interest in Luke and what he has brought with him to the planet. Yoda asks questions, looking around, and even going through Luke’s stuff. And there is another level to the scene, as these opening moments illustrate how Yoda is testing Luke’s patience, which is a key trait Jedi masters have.

(INSERT VIDEO HERE)

The monkey in my mind often wanders, swinging from tree to tree, that focussing on one task can be daunting. I am bad at shifting my judgment to curiosity, and I am bad at maintaining that curiosity. I’ll see one shiny object and then drop it when another one catches my eye. My study of mindfulness in particular, is something I started in 2021, and it’s now 2024, and I feel like I haven’t progresssed, haven’t asked the right questions, haven’t committed to memory a firm understanding and application of the concepts related to it. And I’ll act as though I already know it. I commit to find time for a meditation practice, but then that time gets eaten up by something else. But then, even once I feel I understand something, remembering to maintain an openness to other ideas - to empathically listen to the universe - is difficult. The actualization of being in the present moment, open to whatever possibilities might arise, is something I struggle with. I feel I approach tasks rather mindlessly sometimes: respond and react, respond and react, respond and react. I want to remove this filter of mindlessness - of seeing the world through filters instead of seeing things as they really are.

Difficulty in becoming more grounded in maintaining BEGINNER’S MIND / CURIOSITY: 7/10

Video: Mind’s Unlimited. “Jon Kabat Zinn on Trust.” YouTube, 26 Jun 2013.

4 - TRUST

“Honour your feelings and intuition without discounting them or writing them off because I (or anyone else) say(s) something different. Practice taking responsibility for being yourself and learn to trust your own sense of self.” - Kain Ramsay, from his Udemy course, Mindfulness Practitioner Diploma.

This reflection will be written later.

Difficulty in becoming more grounded in TRUST: 4/10

Video: Mind’s Unlimited. “Jon Kabat-Zinn on Non-Striving.” YouTube, 26 Jun 2013.

5 - NON-STRIVING

“Mindfulness is a discipline that involves paying attention to the way you are in the moment - and the reason why you are this way. Never grasp for a particular state of mind. Just make peace with your experiences.” - Kain Ramsay, from his Udemy course, Mindfulness Practitioner Diploma.

This reflection will be written later.

Difficulty in becoming more grounded in NON-STRIVING: 7/10

6 - ACCEPTANCE

Video: Mind’s Unlimited. “Jon Kabat-Zinn on Acceptance.” YouTube, 26 Jun 2013.

Video: PsychAlive. “On Mindfulness and the Negative Self-Image.” YouTube, 3 Jan 2013.

6A - SELF-ACCEPTANCE

“Make peace with who you are, who you aren’t, and how you are TODAY in your current stage of personal growth and development. All world peace begins with making peace with yourself. (This is NOT self-love).” - Kain Ramsay, from his Udemy course, Mindfulness Practitioner Diploma.

This reflection will be written later.

Difficulty in becoming more grounded in SELF-ACCEPTANCE: 9/10

Video: Frameless Meditation. “Acceptance (Attitudes of Mindfulness).” YouTube, 14 May 2021.

6B - ACCEPTANCE OF THINGS

“Appreciate things for what they are - and not for being what you expected them to be. Acceptance does not mean you must sacrifice or abandon your values. Acceptance simply allows you to make peace with what is - as you were never entitled to things being any different.” - Kain Ramsay, from his Udemy course, Mindfulness Practitioner Diploma.

This reflection will be written later.

Difficulty in becoming more grounded in ACCEPTANCE OF THINGS: 6/10

Greater Good Science Centre. “Kristin Neff: The 3 Components of Self-Compassion (for Self and Others).” YouTube, 16 Oct 2014.

6C - ACCEPTANCE OF OTHERS

“Accept people (unconditionally) in the same way you’d like to be unconditionally accepted. Accept people for who they are and NOT for who they aren’t. You are entitled to no-one being anything for you.” - Kain Ramsay, from his Udemy course, Mindfulness Practitioner Diploma.

In initially looking at this, I gave it a low rating because I like to think that this is usually something that is easy for me to do. But it’s not always easy, and I was reminded of this by Ramsay when he noted how “…you are entitled to no-one being anything for you.”

This reflection will be continued later.

Difficulty in becoming more grounded in ACCEPTANCE OF OTHERS: 4/10

Video: Mind’s Unlimited. “Jon Kabat-Zinn on Letting Go.” YouTube, 26 Jun 2013.

7 - LETTING GO (LET GO and LET BE)

“Letting go is a way of simply accepting things as they are. Let your experience be what it is and practice observing it from moment to moment. Sometimes things end, and sometimes people end.” - Kain Ramsay, from his Udemy course, Mindfulness Practitioner Diploma.

This reflection will be written later.

Difficulty in becoming more grounded in LETTING GO: 9/10

Video: Mind’s Unlimited. “Jon Kabat-Zinn on Gratitude & Generosity.” YouTube, 26 Jun 2013.

8 - GRATITUDE

This reflection will be written later.

Difficulty in becoming more grounded in GRATITUDE: 7/10

9 - GENEROSITY

This reflection will be written later.

Difficulty in becoming more grounded in GENEROSITY: 7/10

Video: Greater Good Science Centre. “Jon Kabat-Zinn: Listening is the Act of Love.” YouTube, 30 Sept 2013.

Video: SoundsTrue. “Cultivating Embodied Presence.” YouTube, 3 Oct 2019.”

2.8. Week 01 Quiz & Review

  1. The components of mindfulness as defined in this module are as follows:

    1. Paying attention to all elements of the experience;

    2. Paying attention on purpose; and

    3. Paying attention without judgment of what is happening.

  2. The nine attitudinal foundations of mindfulness are as follows:

    1. Suspension of Judgment (Non-Judging);

    2. Patience;

    3. Beginner’s Mind (Openness, Curiosity);

    4. Trust;

    5. Non-Striving;

    6. Acceptance (Self-Acceptance, Acceptance of Things, Acceptance of Others);

    7. Letting Go (Let Go & Let Be);

    8. Gratitude; and

    9. Generosity.

  3. Deeply immersing yourself into all elements of the experience of driving is an example of an informal mindfulness practice.

Module 03 - Weekly Activity Challenges

3.2. Reflecting on your Weekly Activity Challenges

Question 1 - Summarize your first Weekly Activity Challenge where you immersed yourself in an activity that's part of your daily morning routine… Pick an activity that constitutes part of your daily morning routine, such as brushing your teeth, shaving, making the bed, or taking a shower. When you do it, totally focus your attention on all aspects of the activity: the body movements, the taste, the touch, the smell, the sight, the sound and so on. Notice what's happening with an attitude of openness and curiosity. Try and do this with the same activity every day. At the end of the week, write a short reflection on how paying attention in this way shifted your experience of the activity.

For my first weekly activity challenge, I decided to focus on the process of brushing my teeth. This is usually the second thing I do when I enter the bathroom in the morning, after I sit on the toilet for a while. I’m always completely naked, as I sleep this way too. I stare at my naked frame for a moment before taking a facecloth to get wet under the water of the tap I turn on. I feel the coldness of the water as it soaks into the cloth that’s in my hands. The cloth melts from a soft dry fabric to a damp limp one. I ring it out tightly, feeling it twist as my hands tighten around two ends of it to ring the excess water from it. I feel the cold dampness and the soft texture of the damp textile against my face as I press it onto my face with both of my hands. I gently rub it over every surface and my skin feels more alive after a few seconds of this. I feel the pressure of my fingers beneath the cloth against my cheeks and then my eyes. With my right hand’s index finger, I gently move the cloth over each eye lid, and around the frame that forms the sockets of my eyes. I pinch the cloth over my nose, and let it run down over my lips, chin, and throat. I then rinse it before repeating this process, ending by wiping my ears, and then the back of my neck. I rinse the cloth again, and by now, the coldness doesn’t feel as cold anymore as I next use the cloth on my armpits, and then over my crotch. As I do this, I can recall the feeling of my mother using a damp cloth on my body as a baby, while laying on my back, safely in my crib. Once I’m finished with the cloth, I ring it out one last time, and fold it over the base of the tub to dry before it will be tossed in the linen hamper for the wash.

I look back at the tap, and the first thing I noticed is how it sweats from the chilly water that had been flowing through it, as it’s been so hot out lately. I’d hear the flow of the water as it hit the sink, and I could watch the clear fast-moving water splitting off into different directions which all lead to the sink’s drain. As the water flowed down the drain it made a higher pitched tinkling sound that was different from the sound of the water running from the tap and onto the sink.

My toothbrush is an electric one, an Oral-B Pro 6000. I lift it up off its charging base and notice how it’s heavier than a regular toothbrush. The charging base is dirty with a dried-up, off-white paste that has accumulated from the dirty water that’s dripped onto it over time from the toothbrush itself after I’ve used it, so I decide to take a moment to clean the base. I put the brush down onto the counter, hearing a slight clud as the plastic hits the marble counter. I grasp the rigid plastic plug and use a bit of force to pull it out of the electrical socket. And as I do this with my right hand, my left hand moves the tap from cold to hot as I lay the base under the stream of water. I watch as the scalding water effectively removes the build-up of grime, and its durable plastic starts to shine clean again. My fingers help finish the job of removing a little bit of the paste that’s stubbornly stayed behind, and I lift the base up out of the sink and place it down on the counter so it can dry before I’ll plug it back in later in the day.

I picked up the electric toothbrush again, taking time with it in my hand. Its casing is a mix of durable plastic, and a softer plastic that sits covering a couple of controls for turning it on and off, as well as for adjusting how it vibrates. I run the brush under the water and use my fingers to rub off any of the paste that might have accumulated on it as it had on the charging base. I can feel a small hole in the base of the toothbrush where it connects to the charging stand. I try not to judge the moment but find it feels a little weird moving from the soft edge of the plastic that forms a circle around the edge of the base, to a harder plastic that forms a second concentric ring, and then over nothing as my fingers moved from one side of the base to the other. My fingers continue exploring the shaft of the brush, and there are a few areas with writing engraved into the body of the unbreakable plastic like brail I cannot read. My eyes can read it though and it says TRIUMPH PROFESSIONAL CARE. On the head of my brush, I have a small plastic case that covers it to help keep the head clean when it’s not being used. It’s a case by DR TUNG’S and it has a small round container built into it which houses a fresh mint tablet that helps to keep the toothbrush smelling clean. I lift this towards my nose and can make out the faint waft of mint tease my nostrils. I remove the protection cap and place it onto the counter, and I then run the bristles under the hot water before returning the brush close to my face and feeling the bristles against the papillae of my tongue. It has a soft feel to it that tickles the tip of my tongue a little bit. In looking at the brush head straight on, I notice it’s oval shape, and how it’s green bristles are evenly distributed in small round clumps in specific spots that form rings around a clump that’s dead center in the middle. There are four blue rubber bristles, which are almost rectangular in shape that’s tapered from a narrow top to a wider bottom. I turn the brush on and watch the bristles whirl and gyrate. The bristles in the very center don’t seem to move at all, and the ones surrounding it appear as if they are flying around it in a circle. It moves too fast for me to tell if they are moving in a circle, or just vibrating quickly in a single spot.

As I finish observing the brush itself, I remove the protection cap, and place it on the counter followed by the toothbrush itself, placing it back down onto the counter on its side, with the brush head facing upwards. I pull a half-filled tube of toothpaste from the top drawer of the cabinet that forms part of the structure where the sink sits. And as soon as I take the lid off the tube, the fresh minty smell escapes up into my nose and I can even feel a slight tinge of it caress my eyes. I hold the end of the tube close to the bristles and squeeze the paste out so it fills up the spaces between the bristles and then I raise the tube up a bit so a larger amount ends up forming a blog on top of the brush before I finish squeezing the plastic of the tube and lift it away completely, screwing back on its hard cap and dropping it back into its drawer.

I move the brush up and into my mouth, placing it onto the last tooth at the back of my mouth, on the lower left-hand side of my mouth and I use my index finger to press the button that turns the unit back on. The paste moves down both sides of that tooth as the brush whirls across the surface of my teeth. Sometimes I feel the urge to move the brush quickly across the teeth in this area in a haphazard manner, but in being more mindful to this process this week I find I’m more able to slowly move it to ensure each inch receives some attention. I can feel the brush as it moves from the surface of my tooth over the surface of my gums. I can feel the moisture in my mouth being twirled around like a car’s wheel might kick up water from a puddle it passes over in the rain. When I finish brushing my lower teeth, I turn the brush off and set it back down on the counter to apply more toothpaste to it. Then, I continue by brushing my upper teeth. The minty feel of the toothpaste is strong and after a brief time a stinging sensation shoots across my tongue like lightning can shoot broadly across a darkened sky. I then brush the roof of my mouth and then the surface of my tongue which makes me gag and cough a bit as I turn off the brush and spit the paste out of my mouth and into the sink. Its foamy bubbles mix in with the water and quickly disappear down the drain. I rinse my brush off one more time before snapping the DR TUNG’S cap back over the bristles. Next, I move on to floss my teeth, and finish by gargling mouthwash for about a minute or two, which I do as I step into the shower, eventually spitting out onto the shower’s wall to mix in with the water beating down from the showerhead and down into the drain at my feet.

Instructor’s Feedback…

Who knew that daily chores and hygiene habits could be so enjoyable, am I right?!? Besides enjoyment, here are a few insights that I hoped you might gain from your participation in this exercise:

  • Noticing that when all of the senses are incorporated, we have a much richer, more comprehensive experience; there is a lot more to be noticed than one anticipates

  • That you would find that you enjoyed the experience more than usual—this helps us open up to daily activities being more than just tasks to check off a list (Ok, ok so I mentioned this twice now! But think about it, this is stuff you have to do everyday. Wouldn't it be better if actually looked forward to it in some way?)

  • The experience of pleasure can increase mood/lift the spirits—If done at the start of the day, it can set a positive tone and help us set an intention to slow down and pay attention during other activities. Did you notice your mind naturally wonder what else it might overlook that could be pleasurable or interesting? When we have a pleasurable experience, and begin to associate that with paying attention, we tap into our brain’s natural reward system which then lays a track that says paying attention is good, let’s do it again!

  • Deep immersion into an experience helps provide us with a contrast—gives us a comparison between mindfulness and mindlessness. This is a fundamental step towards recognizing the frequency of autopilot (and what we miss while on it)

  • Opportunity to experience how paying attention to a single task/what is happening in the present moment can slow our perception of time

Question 2 - Summarize your second Weekly Activity Challenge where you created a scavenger hunt… Create your own scavenger hunt. At least one day this week, pick something to look out for all day long (e.g. graffiti, broken window). Find it, note it. Look for more. What did you try and search for? How did your search make you feel?

In entering this activity challenge, I knew I would hunt for anything that was bee related, as it has been something I’ve hunted for in the past for a spiritual Instagram feed I run, @creeksideoracle. Bees hold an importance for me for several reasons. Firstly, it’s the nickname of an incredible young woman who I once knew a few years ago, who taught me the importance of believing in myself and showing myself authentic self-compassion. Secondly, the bee is such an important pollinator, that without it, many species of flowers, trees and shrubs would die off - and it would make it almost impossible to grow many fruits and vegetables. Finally, I have been interested in the spiritual aspect and description of the bee, as described on the WHAT IS MY SPIRIT ANIMAL website, which notes how:

“When Bee appears in your life, the most common message it carries has to do with your levels of productivity. Sometimes we are doing too much, and in others, not enough. Bee Spirit has a strong work ethic, but it also knows the importance of stopping and smelling the flowers. There is a time to enjoy life’s nectar and a time to grab after the proverbial brass ring with vehemence. Bee helps with both, and in finding the delicate balance between the two.”

I find that I’m able to move throughout my days with relative ease, and bee related imagery pops up randomly and I’m able to easily take note of it. I usually take a photograph of what I find, to post on my Instagram feed under an ongoing series I’ve called “THE DAILY BEE.” On my journey over the past two weeks, I’ve come across a large painted mural in Vancouver that I’d never encountered before. I found it when I was playing Pokemon Go - one in-game Pokemon stop featured the mural and I was able to walk towards it and find it on my journey that day. It was such a large piece, with each Bee easily being at least six feet by six feet in size. The gardens planted around it were also all designed to attract and sustain bees. I also came across a variety of books, food and health products, and other items such as a small stuffed plush bee toy. There were a few times I felt myself getting anxious as I hadn’t encountered anything bee related. In those moments, I get frustrated, and I try to look for stuff but, in those moments, I find I’m not able to find anything. But, when I let go of trying to find something bee related, I often end up stumbling upon quite a few different things, which can be an enjoyable time. In total, I came across and took forty-nine different photos of what I encountered. And, for me, the bee as a symbol is a personal synchronicity that reminds me of some of the things I described above, in the opening paragraph of this question.

Instructor’s Feedback

I hoped this might be a fun way to help you pay attention throughout the day. You don't know this about me, but I can make a game out of anything--even throwing away dog poop! 🤣 Here are a few other things I hoped you'd gain from this exercise:

  • Begin to train your brain to pay attention “on command”

  • It helps us see the value in setting an intention (i.e. we tend to find what we seek), and sets the stage for training the brain to look for the more positive and pleasurable events

Question 3 - Summarize your third Weekly Activity Challenge where you went on a Sound Walk… Take a "sound" walk. At least one day this week, take a walk, paying close attention to the sounds in your environment. See how many sounds you can distinguish and keep count of the number of unique noises that you notice. How many sounds were you able to distinguish? How did you feel during and after your walk?

On August 19, I went for a short walk around Granville Island located near downtown Vancouver. I started outside Opus Art & Supplies, heading west along Rue Johnston Street. The first sound I could distinguish was the soft sound of my sandals as they hit the street’s faded brown paving stones. I quickly fell behind a group of five people who were also heading west, and I could hear several sounds that they made including the sounds of their own footsteps as well as the sounds of them talking to each other as they walked on. As I reached the other side, I heard a fourth distinct sound coming from a white Nissan Pathfinder that rolled past us. I found it interesting that the sound of its engine and tires pulling it along the roadway was completely silenced by the blast of an Alice Cooper song its driver was playing, MIGHT AS WELL BE ON MARS. The music faded into my perception as the car moved closer to me and grew very loud as the vehicle was closest to me with its windows rolled down allowing the song to be heard very clearly before it faded away again as the car moved away from me at its faster pace.

As I walked, I noticed a hum occupied the area. And to be honest, I wasn’t sure if the hum was coming from the sound of air conditioning from nearby buildings, or from the trucks and machinery that I knew were operating at a nearby cement plant I was getting closer and closer to as I walked. As I passed the cement plant, I could hear the warning beep of a truck that was backing up, and the loud sound of a swoosh that happened every now and then, which came from the cement plant lot. I wasn’t sure what that sound was. I knew it was the sound of some piece of equipment, or even the sound of air brakes being applied by the cement trucks moving about the lot - and when I got home later that night, I searched google to find out what air brakes sounded like and discovered that I had indeed heard them as I walked earlier that day.

Overall, I felt a bit out of place as I walked, trying to take in what I was hearing. It did make me slow down to listen to what was happening around me.

Instructors Feedback

Did you notice on this walk the way that sounds appeared spontaneously to you and then disappeared all on their own? Or that they changed, even as you paid attention to them? I love working with sound in my mindfulness practice, and really value the way it teaches me how to be an open and receptive listener. I hope you enjoyed it too. Here's are a few more things I hope you might gain from this exercise:

  • Begin to learn how to train the brain to pay attention “on command”

  • Helps us see the value in setting an intention (i.e. we tend to find what we seek), and sets the stage for understanding that we can train the brain to look for the more positive and pleasurable events that life offers

  • Gives us an experience to draw from that where we see how we can tap into our senses as a way to pull us out of a virtual reality. When we are lost in thought, planning, fretting, or regretting, it can be upsetting. It is useful to know that we can tap into something like sound to re-ground ourselves in our bodies, in the present and in reality.

  • Demonstration of the fluidity of attention

3.4. Share your Experience

Please share how the activity challenges went this week. Where did you feel challenged and where did you flourish? How was your experience similar to Seth's, if at all?

I’ve approached mindfulness to help find a stronger balance in various aspects of my life, in terms of letting go of worrying about the past and ruminating about fears related to my future.

Like Seth, I found myself challenged to keep on track with the daily mindfulness exercise of brushing my teeth. Just remembering to do it was at times difficult, as well as remembering to pay attention. I used to watch the news on an independent news YouTube channel while I was brushing my teeth. It was good to let that go. But being able to move into the experience, once I got going, I found myself noticing a lot more about various aspects of the act of brushing my teeth. Some days I found that this would translate into other aspects of being in the bathroom, such as washing my face with a face cloth, and taking my morning shower. I found myself becoming more present with each task, and as a result I was more thorough with each task.

The scavenger hunt was easier for me to do, as it’s something I’ve been doing for a few years already: noticing bees and bee related things. I find myself grounded in the moment, while I’m going around unconsciously searching for my item. I’ve also noticed owls, butterflies, and ladybugs on my journeys as they all have an importance to me, especially in relation to several close friends I have. I did start this course in the summer, and I’ve been doing a scavenger hunt every week since I started. I usually stick to the items I mentioned, but sometimes I intentionally choose another item to watch out for - one day, it was looking for dragonflies. Another day, a particular colour of car. And most recently, watching out for Volkswagen Beetles, as I spent a lot of time with a friend who is exceptionally good at playing punch buggy. But I failed miserably at finding Beetles, and she won that every time… and my shoulder is still a little sore from all her punches.

In terms of the sound walks, this was also something I’ve done before and it’s something I enjoy doing. Especially in natural settings. This time, I walked on Granville Island in Vancouver, Canada which was a different environment than the nature parks I’ve walked through in the past. Noticing sounds from birds, to cars, buildings, and various places such as a cement plant, and a public market, was interesting. I didn’t try hard to remember how many sounds I was noticing - I just let myself notice them, and then moved on to the next sound. Sometimes I found myself wondering what the source of a sound might be, and it was interesting to see how my mind grappled with that. I did record my soundwalk, so I could go back and listen to it again and I found that interesting to see what I might have missed.

3.5. Practice Peer-graded Assignment: Weekly Reflection 1

I'd like for you to take about 30 minutes to reflect on the material and activity challenges presented to you this week, and the parts of them that have resonated the most. As I stated in an earlier lecture, sharing about your experience, and hearing from others about theirs is a valuable part of most mindfulness classes. These peer graded assessments will give you an opportunity to do just that.

For this particular assignment, my hope is that you will include not just a summary of your experience this week, but that you will also consider the value of paying attention to just one thing/activity/person at a time.

Reflect on how this week's practice of paying deep attention to just one thing impacted the way you paid attention during other activities. Did it transfer over at all and/or did you see how a difference in how you normally pay attention from when you were attempting to be mindful?

In reflection, I am beginning to understand how mindfulness is the quality of paying attention, on purpose, and non-judgmentally, to the unfolding of experience, moment by moment. Mindfulness is paying attention, on purpose, and non-judgmentally, to the unfolding of the present moment. Paying attention. On purpose. Non-judgmentally, to the present moment. I’m finding mindfulness isn’t always the easiest definition to remember and I’m also finding that it isn’t the easiest thing to remember how to practice. I want to judge myself for that, but I’m learning to let go of the self-criticism and accept that sometimes it takes longer for me to learn things and that’s okay. It’s more important to actualize these concepts in my daily life through authentic and consistent practice.

I also learned how there are nine attitudinal foundations of mindfulness which include:

  1. suspension of judgment, which centers on letting go of opinions one might have about themselves, others, and of situations or things;

  2. patience, which centers on maintaining calm and a tolerance of yourself, others, as well things;

  3. beginner’s mind (Shoshin, curiosity, or openness), which focuses on letting go of any pre-conceptions one might have, and to have an eagerness to learn new things about the world around us;

  4. trust, which focuses on having faith and confidence in the moment, where everything will play out exactly as it is meant to;

  5. non-striving, which explores the idea that we remember to pause and step back from the flurry of activity that engulfs our everyday lives so that one can better experience the present moment;

  6. acceptance (of self, things, and others), which reflects upon seeing our thoughts, feelings, and everything within the present moment as it is in the present moment, without evaluation, interpretation or judgment;

  7. letting go (let go and let be), which involves letting go of all attachments to self, others, and things, as well as to thoughts, emotions, ideas, opinions, beliefs, emotions, and sensations, which all can be observed non-judgmentally before letting them go so one can just be in the present moment;

  8. gratitude, which involves being unconditionally thankful and appreciative of the abundance and blessings allows one to be more mindful of one’s surroundings, the people in one’s life, as well as everything that life has to offer; and

  9. generosity, which centers on cultivating and expressing unconditional love and reverence, with respect and humility, through the practice of giving good things to others, both freely and abundantly.

In reflecting on these attitudinal foundations, I took time to remember each one, and then checking to ensure I labelled each one correctly. I then did my best to provide a summary of what I remembered them to be. This is something I should do regularly, to help cement them into the very fiber of my being.

And as I finish writing this, I’m in bed with my small, white Maltese-Poodle puppy, Kira, curled up next to me, by my side. Her soft body is pressed close to mine, and I feel the sense that in many ways, in this moment, we are one. We are one in the space we share (with its relative silence broken only by the steady hum of a small air conditioner that keeps us cool during the summer heat), in each breath we take, and in the present moment we both share. It sounds so cliche, but I think a beloved pet is a companion who views their world with a beautiful non-judgmental mindfulness that’s all their own. They are often living firmly in the present moment, not worrying about the past or the future. I see this on my walks with her, as she explores our surroundings, looking around, sniffing the grasses and bushes that grow along our path. But I do think that there are times when they do remember the past or reminisce on the future too. For example, my Mum often tells me that when I’ve left Kira with her, she will wait by the window, looking towards the driveway for me to return. Some say an animal can’t be mindful because they aren’t aware of the process of being mindful, but I’m not so sure.

Photo: Steven H. Lee. “Kira and Steve.” 7 May 2021.

But there are moments when I’ve teased Kira, pulling at her tail, proclaiming in a sing song voice, “…it’s my tail now!” To which she gets frustrated and playfully nips and licks at my hand. But as soon as my hand lets go, so too does her frustration, as highlighted either her trying to continue playfully interacting with me, or by simply laying back down to rest again by my side, squirming a bit and rolling over onto her back in the hopes I’ll give her belly a gentle rub. In those moments, she remembers how great a massage can feel and hopes for one again. It’s some sort of awareness. Some sort of memory and deepening of the trust she has with me. In the moments I don’t give her a massage, she just curls back up into a ball for a nap, accepting that there won’t be a massage. I think, for an animal who chooses to share their love with another, it’s so beautifully unconditional and generous. And when they receive that reverence in return, it’s always with gratitude, as shown by the wag of a tail and a bright joyfulness shining in their eyes. Non-striving, in the present moment. I think that’s why it can be so easy to love a pet, and why we sometimes feel a deeper connection with them than we do with our fellow humans. By her simple everyday actions, my pup Kira (who really isn’t a pup anymore, she’s twelve), is a reminder for me to be more mindful in life. To experience things with patience, and an unbounded, generous curiosity. Moment by moment. Gratefully. Now.

3.5 - Peer Review Responses & Feedback

4.2. Share Resources: Week 1

Please share any additional resources you may have about mindfulness that relates to this week's material. When you do, don't just drop a file or a URL from an article, or video-- be sure to include why you posted what you shared and your thoughts about how you think it relates. Also, please keep in mind the discussion forum guidelines. Nothing demeaning or disrespectful!

Artifact 0x: Laird, Ross. “Big Problems: Small Wonder | Ross Laird | TEDxBrentwoodCollegeSchool.” YouTube, 18 Nov 2016.

Ross Laird, PhD RCC is a clinical consultant focused on trauma, addictions, mental health, and social vulnerability. He is also an author, scholar and educator. Dr. Laird has taught at more than a dozen post-secondary institutions and has worked with hundreds of organizations including arts & cultural groups, educational institutions, first responders, Indigenous communities, nonprofits, and social service agencies in dealing with issues surrounding homelessness, mental illness, and complex trauma.

Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn is a scientist who integrated the principles of mindfulness as found in eastern philosophies such as Buddhism with scientific findings that supported those philosophies. Kabat-Zinn also created Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, as well as the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program which is used to help people cope with stress, anxiety, pain, and illness.

In Dr. Ross Laird’s article and TED-X talk, BIG PROBLEMS: SMALL WONDER, he begins by kindly challenging his audience to practice being mindful by focusing their attention on a single image of the Milky Way Galaxy for one single, solitary minute (out of a day which contains 1,440 minutes). He then asks his audience to reflect on the experience and the difficulty in sustaining a focussed concentration on a single task for a period of time that is relatively minuscule but can feel like a long time in such a reflective situation of quiet attention. Dr Laird describes these moments of unscripted attention as representing mental wandering, which he notes is also known as “…the default mode,” which Laird notes as being “…typically a moment of non-action, a small sliver of undirected time, in which you might be ambling along the beach or gazing at a star field.” Laird’s elucidation feels very similar to the idea of mindfulness, which Dr Jon Kabat-Zinn describes as being a practice of “…paying attention, on purpose, in the present, and non-judgmentally, to the unfolding of experience moment by moment.“

Laird explores three distinct ways to at can lead one to find moments of wonder, including: directionless walking, gazing, and bathing (or showering). IThrough each of these ways, Laird notes how one is able to cultivate “…a moment of relaxed, mindful reflection and contemplation in which we open ourselves to what we ordinarily do not see.” Laird notes how most people’s lives have become so busy, that the noise of the world keeps our minds distracted and constantly moving, where “…we don’t slow down, we don’t pause to look around, and consequently we don’t open ourselves to the world.” Jon Kabat-Zinn, in his book FULL CATASTROPHE LIVING, describes this kind of directionless walking that Laird mentions as representing mindful walking, or as walking meditation. With walking meditation, one focuses on “…bringing your attention to the actual experience of walking as you are engaged in it” (123). Furthermore, Kabat-Zinn explains how, “…when we engage in the practice of walking meditation, it is helpful to keep in mind that we are not trying to get anywhere! We are simply inviting ourselves to experiment with being where we already are in this moment, with this step, and not get out ahead of ourselves. The trick is to be completely present where we are, step by step” (125). And by doing this, one can open themselves up to being able to be curious about not only the practice of walking, but in regards to the immediate world that surrounds them - thereby leading to possibilities for engaging in moments of “…authentic wonder… deep mystery, connection, and meaning.”

Resources Cited