THIS past week I sat down for three hours (from 20:00hrs to 23:00hrs ) trying to write a piece. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts that I couldn’t categorise and string together in any coherent way. The Outfield’s ‘Your Love’ was emanating from some corner of my brain, and the flurry of thoughts was reverberating in a painfully discordant manner. I felt overwhelmed.

I had my first Leadership class- LEAD 2001: Personal Leadership- for the new semester a few days before. As most introductory classes go, there were greetings and formalities with the course’s lecturer, a brief run-through of the course outline, and just a tad bit of course content, enough to dip our toes into the course. There was one concept that struck me, however. It was my lecturer’s focus on “mindfulness.”

The term brought back fond memories of being on campus with my friend who would remind me about the weekly ‘Mindful Mondays’ held on Monday evenings in a Lecture Building. It was a space where my university’s Counselling and Psychological Services (CAPS) would allow students to meditate and relax for an hour. And despite my friend’s many reminders, I only ever went once — the last session before the semester ended in 2019.

Before that Mindful Monday session, I was similarly overwhelmed. I was at the end of my first semester at university abroad and cognisant that I would soon be returning to Guyana, diving headfirst into work and some of life’s other responsibilities. I distinctly remember the anxiety creeping in. Nevertheless, I attended the session and I wouldn’t have imagined how much of a transcendent experience it would be, giving my mind and body the chance to relax for the hour.

We engaged in a few breathing and visualisation exercises for the hour, which, I will hasten to add, felt as though it was less than 10 minutes. Each activity, it seemed, was tailored to make us acutely aware of how the elements around us affected our sensory organs — the sounds, the feelings, and the (imagined) sights and tastes.

There was one specific exercise that required each of us to clear our mind and count until we found our mind drifting to another thought that was previously occupying our minds. And, I remember not being able to count further than 11 without being distracted by one of those overwhelming thoughts. But I persevered because this sort of release was one I had never allowed myself to engage in.

The months that followed included work, school, elections, and an enduring pandemic and I realised, only recently, that I haven’t given myself the chance to engage in any sort of mindful or relaxing activity. The realisation hit me when I was in my Leadership class, discussing mindfulness with my lecturer, while my laptop’s screen was split in half, allowing me to type an article at the same time. I was also trying to keep a colleague’s company at the same time.

That wasn’t a strange occurrence. I realised then and there that I had been keeping myself constantly busy or at least constantly distracted. From planning meetings on the drive home, or reading a handout while walking, I have been perpetually multitasking. Becoming overwhelmed couldn’t come as a surprise to me, therefore.

Fortunately or unfortunately, my lecturer asked us to take a short mindfulness quiz developed by the La Salle University in Philadelphia. And, my rating suggested that I am “… less likely to practise mindfulness” and I have a tendency to be “preoccupied” and to “ruminate.”

If it’ll be of some merit, suggested exercises to cultivate mindfulness include: Walking Meditation — turning your attention to the sensations of walking, from the balancing of your body to the sound of your steps, to cultivate a calmer mind, and, Savoring Walk — taking a different walk, this time being mindful of all the sights, sounds, and smells around you—and discover a newfound appreciation for your surroundings.

I’ll be honest and say that I’m not entirely sure how to navigate all of this. But, for what it’s worth, as much as reasonably possible, I’d encourage any and everyone to take the time to allow your mind and body to rest. Whether it’s in practising mindfulness or just doing things that are enjoyable (reading, watching a TV show, running, or painting- to name a few), there has to be more to life and living than merely going through the monotony of the rigours of ‘what needs to be done.’

If you would like to discuss this column or any of my previous writings, please feel free to contact me via email: vish14ragobeer@gmail.com