Looking without Seeing
Mindfulness — /ˈmaɪnd.fəl.nəs/
“The quality or state of being conscious or aware of something”
“ Mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations”
I recently looked closely at someone i've known for years and her face seemed so strange to me, it felt almost like i knew what she looked like in a vague way mentally but if i was asked for a facial profile by a police sketch artist, i wouldn't even be able to describe a feature.
Q: Is that an isolated experience or have you ever looked closely at someone and realized you didn’t really know what they looked like before?
A little mindfulness in our lives goes a long way and its not just limited to identifying overlooked facial features. I have been running consistently for over a year as a way to just decompress and “Stay fit” and its been super fun but it dawned on me i ran just to run and had not fully immersed myself into the full experience of outdoor running.
I challenged myself to run without music and just observe my surroundings and my discovery was magnificent. The smell of the air when its bright and early, the beautiful hues of yellow-orange when the skies are lit up by the reflection of the sun, exotic birds i never knew existed in my area, even stray cats had been trying to get my attention but i had been so “Focused” on hitting every stride that i missed the beauty of the world right in front of me.
My most stimulating sensory experiences come from taste and listening; i have tried to explain the intricate relationship i have with music and how it even goes as far as emotional regulation for me in several instances. i have a record in my head for every situation in life 😅. If i was ever in a bad mood and needed a pick-me-up, i know what to hit play on. If im feeling too giddy and need a bit of melancholia and darkness, i know exactly what to listen to 😅. Same goes for taste, flavor profiles and dishes that make me feel the exact way i want to.
It never dawned on me how much i had ignored the beauty of sight; Not surface level looking but actually SEEING things. I love taking pictures (anything but a picture of myself😅) and if you follow me on VSCO you’d notice pictures of scenery, beautiful skies and buildings but i could argue my environment played a major role in the quality and quantity of pictures i took. That arguement has been dismissed because beauty is subjective. Stare at something mindfully for a little over a minute and perspective changes.
My point is; Let’s take some time to mindfully observe. It gives us a little more perspective and opens our eyes to things we may not even have noticed. This approach should trickle down into other facets and eperiences in life. A moment of calm in the heat of emotions, a minute(or several) of quiet and observation when we’re out on walks or even on our commute for the day. Just look with intent and tell me what you see.
Take a picture of something you mindfully noticed this week (Beautiful or not) and share it with me on Instagram @Olumide_a
I will be curating a playlist of songs that put me in a good mood so feel free to share your recommendations with me 💕🎼
Wishing you beautiful souls an amazing week ahead filled with smashed goals, clarity of intent, purpose and a lot of mindful moments that can birth introspection and appreciation of life.
Until my next entry 👋🏾
Midè 🪶
