Mindful Romanticism

Copied from my blog at Nicole's request :)

Just some random thoughts on the subject to share here.

Being In the Moment:

When I reflect on my favorite moments, my favorite activities, things I romanticize, I recognize that those moments and activities can be described in terms of being immersed in the moment.  Whether its playing a game with my family or sitting in front of a crackling fire, or reading or writing, or even cooking or working, praying or practicing Tai Chi or meditation, (the list goes on and on!) its being immersed in the moment that makes it special.  Unaware of things past or present, only there in the moment.

Romanticizing:

When I reflect on my favorite activites, which in retrospect includes just about everything I do (what a blessing to realize that!) I reflect with a sense of romantic wistfulness.  Reflecting on the romantic comes from the perspective of observing the scene from the outside, real time or in one's memory.  Romanticisim is not only reflecting on our own experiences, but reflecting on the experiences of the “other” we witness, whether children playing, actors performing, birds singing, or mountain streams splashing,

Perhaps that's why we refer to movies as being “romantic.” To witness, to empathize, to experience vicariously, or re-experience through memory, or even to witness something that has never happened or may happen through imagination is romantic. 

Interestingly, at least for me, the moment I begin to interact with the children, splash in the stream, interrupt a chess game between two friends, (or get up for popcorn during a movie), I become a part of the scene and I'm no longer a witness, the experience is no longer romantic.  Later on, when I re-experience it in my memory, look at photographs perhaps or reflect on activities of the day, the reflection is romantic, but the experience itself while its happening is in the moment.

Mindfulness:

The practical initial motivation for exploring mindfulness comes from realizing we're not really experiencing what we're doing at all.  Even the joy of being “in the moment” is taken away when the mind is on the next activity or worry rather than the “here and now.”  The initial motivation for practicing mindfulness is to experience the joy of being fully in the moment. 

A next step, perhaps, is to combine the romantic with the moment, to both experience and appreciate the moment at the same time.  We generally don't appreciate the moment while we're in it, if we're lucky we remember it later and perhaps romanticize it.  But perhaps a next step for mindfulness is the combination of experience and appreciation “real time.” 

There's nothing quite like the “wow” that comes from experiencing the moment, and recognizing the experience of the moment at the same time.  Its not as easy as it seems, it takes practice.  It may be easy for someone  to experience the “in the moment” of cooking, but to taste, touch, smell, to feel the act of cooking while performing the act can be difficult, indeed it can be overwhelming.  It requires an openness from the perspective of all senses, including the “executive cognition” that directs the activity of cooking. 

Same thing when experiencing something like Tai Chi.  With practice it may become relatively easy to take a form or position, and to flow from one form or position to the next.  But to recognize and appreciate the “doing” while in the midst of the “moment,” that can be mind blowing.  Again, sights, tastes, smells, feelings, physical and emotional, Spirituality and motivation, all the dimensions that form the doing, to be aware and appreciative of it all while in the midst of doing, it can be a mind expanding experience. 

I don't know if this makes any sense, but its something I've noticed with my own evolving practice of meditation and mindfulness.  The practice was apealing at first because the joy of experiencing the moment was being robbed from me, due ot the worries of the other distractions.  I was quite happy to enjoy “the moment” again and to recognize that joy re-emerging in my soul, a joy I hadn't experienced since childhood. Children don't think about what toy they are going to play with next, they experience the toy they are playing with in the moment.  The recognition was a romantic moment for me, the wistful reflection on the joys after they were experienced.

But to both experience the moment and to recognize and appreciate the moment at the same time rather than later, that's another dimension altogether.  As mortals we study history, and on very rare occasions we recognize ourselves as a part of history unfolding.  Its like history and the moment come together at one point.  With the practice of mindfulness, this sensation happens more regularly, being a part of the moment and experiencing the moment, recognizing the multidimensioned joy and even gravity of the moment at the same time. 

I guess one might say that time collapses while experiencing the moment in this way, in the practice of mindfulness.  History and the moment, the doing and the reflecting, become as one. 

There, enough rambling, again, just some random wistful romantic thoughts on the subject. 

Dave EC

Re: Mindful Romanticism

Oh, I hope you're just getting started, Dave. I am fascinated - never quite looked at it this way, but it makes so much sense, being in the moment versus romanticising. And I would like to hear the thoughts of others on your excellent blog.

Love,

Nicole