Mindfulness Or Absent-mindedness?

By: Nancy Abiera

 

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” –Proverbs 3:5-6

I have noticed that many people including me are feeling easily overwhelmed as we continue to live in the “new normal” with the ongoing pandemic environment. Some are confused or absent-minded and forgetful.

Thus, I investigated how to cope and even thrive in this situation. I heard the word of being mindful. Mindfulness as Google defi ned is as follows: “1. the quality or state of being conscious or aware of something.; like ‘their mindfulness of the wider cinematic tradition’”; 2. “a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.”

I was talking to one of our team managers who is part of the company “frontliners” to ask how she is doing. She replied, “Today I am ok. At times, I fall apart, then I get up again.” I laughed as there was so much wisdom to what she said. We ended up laughing together. I understood her that it is ok to be ok. And more importantly, it is also ok not to be ok. No denial but being in the acceptance mode. It is ok when we feel like falling apart and just let it be then get up and get back. My mother used to tell me: life is like a wheel, sometimes we are up, sometimes down but it kept moving. I kind a compared this to the water in the river. So long as the water is moving, it keeps itself lively, fresh and clean. I learned that the water in the river goes into the cycle of evaporation then getting its supply from the rain, ocean/lake and when snow melts then go back generally to the ocean/lake. In short, we just have to go with the fl ow. We go, we grow, we fl ow and so on and so forth.

This kind of attitude may be hard at fi rst but the more we apply it, then it becomes easier and becomes a lifestyle. I remember my father, David, teaching me the technique of livi0ng with the presence of mind which I call natural mindfulness. My spiritual father, Dr. Renny, taught me “practicing the presence of God by having the mind of Christ.” This I call spiritual or supernatural mindfulness. In short, living in the now and being led by the Spirit on what to say, think and do. When I am in the natural mindfulness, I still have some feelings of fear, worry or anxiety, mistrust, etc. yet I am willing to confront them. Once these feelings are accepted and confronted, they lose its power over me. That is when I enter into the spiritual or supernatural mindfulness.

Allow me to share my story. I got very sick with Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS) in 2010. My natural mindfulness did not work as I was having brain fog and could not even think clearly. My body was so weak that I could not function. Even though I wanted to pray, I could not even pray. It was such a horrible experience like “living in darkness”. I read some stories and I learned from others that the most spiritual thing they did was sleep. I followed and I felt a little better but not fully. I went to the doctor and seek help. That was when I was diagnosed with AFS which I will call “All Full Stress”. I mindfully said aloud: “I have no faith in AFS, and changed my mindset to believing that I have All Faith Spiritually in God, my CHAMP (Creator, Healer, Abba [Father], Miracle-worker, Promise-keeper). I did practice Mindfulness using the acronym A.C.C.E.P.T.

Address the problem. I immediately took a sabbatical leave from work and left for Florida. I removed myself from the stressful situation and environment.

Confessed. I confessed to God that I allowed stress to abuse me instead of taking care of my body, God’s temple.

Convicted. I felt convicted (not condemned) and repented (turned around and made changes).

Empowered. As soon as I made the decision to make changes, I felt empowered to do whatever it takes confronting the situation. My “ILLNESS” turned to “WELLNESS”. I just changed the “I” in Illness to “We” and I felt “Wellness.

Passionate. I was so passionate in getting back not just to health but to wholeness of my spirit, soul and body.

Trusted. I trusted God will all my heart what God said, “Serve and worship me and I will heal you from all your diseases.” Exodus 23:25

Always choose “On A Bright Side” moving further and farther “On A Brightest Side”.

I love you readers with the love of the Lord yet the Lord loves you the most. You are blessed. Smile and be a blessing! Rev.