If you’re busy, you’re not alone; busy has become a new normal. The allure of busy is steeped in the perception that busy means high demand, and therefore, important. And in a culture that values hard work as a means to success, where leisure-time was once a perk for having garnered that success, busy has replaced that as the status symbol for you’ve made it. But what price are we paying for this busy mindset? When the busy volume is turned up, we tune out, making it difficult to hear the intuitive and spiritually guided voice within each of us. The frantic pace of getting it all done moves self-care from essential self-love to the optional column on our long to-do lists. When we allow busy habits to take priority and intrude upon our significant relationships, little room is left for emotional intimacy. Daily distractions and the demands of keeping up pull us from our true center, where in quiet moments, we energetically restore our bodies and ignite our spiritual and soulful connections. This is the same place our inner buddhas are waiting to be heard.
Connecting with your inner buddha is a powerful tool for gaining clarity, invigorating inspiration, and mindfully attuning to the positive aspects of any situation. Connecting with your nonphysical presence opens your mind and heart, making it possible to experience plentiful intrinsic bonds that exist beyond oneself. Slowing down can be the start of a mindful practice that will reconnect you with your spiritual and soulful center and expand your capabilities to see things through a different lens; one that can offer answers and solutions that are missed when busyness pushes into your day and keeps you from listening to your inner buddha.
These four mindful practices will help you reset your mindset, recharge and align your vibrational state of being, clear your mental pathways, and access your unique dynamism so that you can bring your whole sacred self, not just the doer in you, into this world as often as possible. Over time, as you disconnect from the blur and enticements of busy, you’ll embolden yourself to be stronger and more united with your inner buddha.
Give yourself permission
Giving yourself permission to be your whole self honors your nonphysical essence — your center — where your body, mind, and spirit are one. Undefined fear can often hold us back from doing this, preventing us from creating astounding changes in our lives. Give yourself permission to unplug from the external noise so that you can mindfully connect with the gentle flow of your spiritual consciousness. Take a few moments and ask yourself “What do I fear? Am I afraid to disconnect from busy because…?” Bringing that fear into the light can discharge the leverage it has over you. Acknowledge that fear by saying hello. Move through it by saying goodbye. Walk forward a few steps and turn around. What do you feel as you move away? Does that fear decrease now that it’s out in the open? Now ask yourself “What do I want?” Let the question stay within you as you go about your day. At the end of your day, revisit that question and see what comes forward. Little by little you’ll begin to focus on what you want, not what you fear, and with that you’ll be more likely to grant yourself permission and be ready to explore the lessons of your inner buddha.
Use a morning mantra
Each day, upon waking, take three deep breaths. Close your eyes and envision the face of someone you love who loves you. You’ll probably notice a smile come to your face. Now you’ve set your brain on a positive channel and it’s ready to download your mantra. Make it simple and one that you can repeat every morning and throughout the day, and one that reminds you to remain mindful even when things go awry. Two of my favorites are “today is going to be a great day” and “today is a day of abundance and miracles.” Your mantra will percolate throughout the day, and over time, your body and mind will look for the greatness, the abundance, and the miracles.
Practice gratitude
Gratitude helps us to be more resilient and is the pathway to happiness. It is an attention toward appreciating the goodness in life for what we receive, tangible or intangible. Gratitude helps us recognize that this goodness is within us and part is given to us from the world around us, and from others. This recognition is fundamental in deepening our connections to something bigger beyond ourselves. When we lead our thoughts and actions with a grateful heart, we can feel more positive, hopeful, and calm. Find a quiet place and take one to three minutes to close your eyes and breathe. Imagine you are standing in a field of wildflowers and invite your loved ones in. One by one, see their faces and express to each what you are grateful for because of their presence in your life. This moment of gratitude will cross all time and be energetically received by those loved ones. And remember to look for the tiny moments that offer kindness and laughter and welcome each into your day. Consider gratitude as a practice rather than a mood and practice it often.
Send out love
In our hurry-blurry world it can sometimes feel easier to give into judgment rather than patience and acceptance. When we judge, we create turmoil in our mind and body. Someone ends up being wrong so the other can be right. This tangle of distractions and tension further disconnects us from your true center, the place of your eternal source of love. Love grows from within, and the more you share it, the more you expand your soulful radiance and honor your source; multiplying into infinity. You can eliminate the burden of judgment by sending love out. Begin your day by bringing your awareness into your heart and acknowledge that you are made from love, and that you are abundantly capable of sharing your love. On any day, any person you pass by or meet, send to them the energy of love. You’ll find doing this allows you to drop the judgment and pick up the vibrational energy of the universe; that of love. Our inner buddha is made of love, acceptance, and a joyful heart, and the place of love is where your inner buddha will meet you, now and always.
Yvonne Tally is the author of Breaking Up with Busy and leads meditation and de-stressing programs for corporations, individuals, and private groups in Silicon Valley. An NLP master practitioner, Yvonne cofounded Poised Inc., a Pilates and wellness training studio, and is the founder of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Scarves, a charity that provides headscarves to cancer patients. Visit http://www.YvonneTally.com.
This article is a part of the 2018 Aug / Sept issue of Whole Life Times.