"Ultimately, I see mindfulness as a love affair -- with life, with reality and imagination, with the beauty of your own being, with your heart and body and mind, and with the world."
-- Jon Kabat-Zinn
Being "turned on" no longer has to happen only in the bedroom. When we live our life with mindfulness, which is being present each moment, and aware of everything and everyone around us, the ecstasy we can experience is similar to having a love affair with someone. All of our senses are heightened when we are in a state of complete awareness, and what we hear, see, smell, taste or touch can be a sheer delight and fill us with complete pleasure.
Each of us has the ability to experience this type of "love affair with life" as Jon Kabat-Zinn describes "Mindfulness." We just have to wake up and not only "smell the coffee," but use all of our senses fully, and experience the kind of joy and bliss we are capable of. Why not be as turned on to life as you possibly can, and have every part of your being receptive to all the beauty and magnificence that surrounds you daily?
Here are some ways to feel "turned on" in the present:
1. When you get into bed at night, take a few minutes to feel the pleasure of it. Experience the softness of the sheets on your skin, and the gentle puffiness of the pillow under your head. Allow your sense of touch to fully experience what you're feeling, and if your sheets have a pleasant, clean smell, inhale the scent.
2. When you wake up in the morning, take a few minutes to feel what your body's experiencing. Feel the warmth of your skin, and the opening of your eyes after a night's sleep. Listen to the sounds around you, like birds chirping outside your window or a dog barking. If your coffee's on a timer and it's brewing, smell the aroma of it if you can.
3. When you take a shower, feel the warm water on your body. Let it caress every part of you, and imagine that it's washing away anything you don't want to hold onto. Look at the drain and visualize whatever you're letting go of disappearing.
4. When you get out of the shower and dry yourself off with a towel, try not to rush or rub the towel vigorously against your skin, but rather do it gently like you would if you were drying another person's body.
5. When you're getting dressed, put your clothes on like you're adorning something that matters to you. You wouldn't decorate a Xmas tree or a cake quickly. How you put yourself together is how you feel about yourself, and even if you are pressed for time, when you look in the mirror, take pleasure in appreciating yourself.
6. When you eat your first meal of the day, do it mindfully. Allow yourself to really taste and experience your food, and try not to multi-task while you're eating, like checking emails or texting. That creates "unmindful" eating, and you don't experience the full richness of the food, which is less pleasurable.
7. When speaking to the first person you encounter, try and talk to them as you would want them to speak to you. Use your words carefully, and smile to express your appreciation of them. Heartfelt communication connects us from a place of love, which promotes mindfulness with everyone we come into contact with.
8. When you're at work, try and be present and aware with everyone you're dealing with, whether it's in person or on the phone. Use your voice to convey your kindness towards them, and speak from a place of non-judgment.
9. When you take a lunch break, try and take a few minutes to let your senses experience your surroundings. If you're outside, feel the fresh air on your skin, and if it's a nice day, take in the beauty of it. This is a good time to give yourself a spiritual kiss.
10. When it's the end of the day, take a moment to appreciate your life as a gift. Feel the gratitude of being healthy, and having the ability to love others and to be loved. If you can, tell someone that you love them. Look into their eyes and try and see the depth of their soul. You will see your own beauty in them, and they will see theirs in your eyes.
When you're in a state of Mindfulness, you can "feel the love" in everything you do, which keeps you turned on to life, and what an incredible love affair that can be!
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