Small Habits to Calm a Restless Mind

I am a grandfather.
I serve as a retainer to my third-grade grandson.

In our daily lives,
our minds are busier than we realize.

Work,
relationships,
anxieties about the future.

Before we know it,
our minds are constantly thinking about something.

From the moment we wake up,
we think about "what I have to do today,"
and before we go to sleep at night,

we ruminate on
"that didn't go well"
or "what should I do tomorrow?"

In that way,
there may be surprisingly few moments when our minds can rest.

And,
this incessant thinking
is often the cause of our mental restlessness and fatigue.

"Those who calm their minds and are not swayed by their thoughts live peacefully, not resisting the flow."

In the Sutta Nipata,
the importance of focusing on
"the here and now"is quietly taught.

No special training or difficult knowledge is required.

Simply,
notice your breathing and the sensations in your body.

Just by doing that,
your mind will gradually regain its composure.

For example,
even just five minutes is fine.

Sit in a quiet place,
and try to focus on your breathing.
Inhale,
exhale,
just feel that flow.

Then,
strangely enough,
other thoughts will immediately pop up.

"Work for today"
"That person's words"
"Things left undone"

They will come to mind one after another.

But,
that is fine.

What is important
is to notice them.

When you realize, "Oh, I'm thinking right now,"

simply return to your breathing.
This repetition

becomes practice for centering your mind.
Also,

walking time is a good opportunity.
When commuting or taking a walk,

try focusing on the sensation of the soles of your feet or the rhythm of your walk.

Notice the feeling of stepping on the asphalt or the slight movement inside your shoes.
Alternatively,

try listening to the wind on your cheeks or sounds in the distance.
By focusing on your five senses in this way,
your mind naturally returns to

"the here and now."
You can distance yourself just a little
from past regrets and future anxieties.
We are usually

too accustomed to "thinking."
While thinking is necessary to solve problems,

constant thinking does not necessarily make the mind feel at ease.
Rather,
by taking time to focus on "feeling,"

the mind naturally settles.
It is a feeling of letting go of unnecessary things,

rather than adding something.
Even one minute is fine to start with.

Even if it is a short time,
by continuing, you will begin to feel changes little by little.

In a sudden moment,
you might feel, "My mind is calmer than it was a moment ago."
That small change

is very important.
You don't need to seek big changes.

By accumulating small moments of stillness,

before you know it, your state of mind will change.
Precisely because we live in a busy world,

please try to stop for just a moment
and take time to return to "the here and now."
That is also
time spent cherishing yourself.

You don't have to try to force away the restlessness of your mind.
Just notice it,

and distance yourself a little.

That repetition
will eventually increase your peaceful time.

Relax your shoulders
and let's go with the flow.

When have you felt a restless mind recently?
And,
did you have time to stop for a moment then?
If you'd like, please tell me.

I was introduced on Rumisa-rumi's note.
Thank you very much.

I have summarized "ways to live lightly"
here.
Please feel free to read this as well.