Mindfulness – Breakaway Consciousness

Poker, Writing, And Life – Seeing & Accepting Things As They Are | #Mindfulness | #Life | #Writing | #Poker

“Nothing we see or hear is perfect. But right there in the imperfection is perfect reality.”

“If your mind is empty, it is always ready for anything, it is open to everything. In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few. ”
― Shunryu Suzuki, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind

BreakwayIndividual.com
Zy Marquiez
June 19, ,2019

Poker and life share many commonalities, as previously discussed.

That said, in this particular piece, we will also couple writing to it since this also shares many commonalities with the aforementioned, and in the original conceptualization of this write-up, writing and self expression were the main focus. Given the poker theme that gets addressed in this blog at times, I chose to merge all of these to expand upon the ideas a bit. Essentially, we are going to explore some of the commonalities that self-expression has with poker, writing, and how that delves into viewing things at face value and accepting things in deeper ways from a subjective level.

One vanguard commonality that poker shares with life (and writing) is the expression of an individual in the way they play their game. Just like an individual in poker expresses themselves with what they wear, how they speak, how they act, and how they ultimately play, in writing, as in life, it is no different.

In writing, however, the individual uses a different array of tools for self expression. Writers can employ themes, diction, metaphors, arguments, insights, and much more. Tempo, imagery and reliability are also things that can create a huge feeling of kinship between the writer and the reader. All of this allows for thoughts and emotions to be conveyed in countless forms, and for self expression to take place.

In my personal case, I find that when I subject myself to certain emotions conveyed through writing, or even news, and videos, my emotions can get quite affected. Not always, but enough that I have been cognizant of this for a very long time.

Now, allow me a quick aside that merges into what will follow thereafter.

Throughout the full latitude of my life, I have had certain issues with reading thoughts that people share which are negative (or could be seen as such) in nature. These types of feelings and thoughts people share that have a certain ‘negative’ vibe to it are merely individuals expressing themselves. And I say negative loosely, because perhaps a person is simply expressing themselves, and they are misunderstood. Some people might only want to express thoughts on a darker subject, not with the intent of creating a negative vibe to it, but perhaps in a cathartic way. And just because a reader (such as myself in this instance) takes it negatively, doesn’t mean the aim of the piece was to create negativity in its intentional nascent conception.

Though this above example talks about reading from my subjective point of view that stems from my willing exposure to those who express themselves in writing, the same can be said for poker and life in my personal case.

Instances where a player berates another at the tables, or a person mistreats another with disrespect and so on, have always bothered me at a deeper level. And I’m not saying we shouldn’t be affected, only that allowing your emotions to run you over if such is the case with me, isn’t exactly healthy. One can be bothered significantly by an issue without letting that issue overrun them.

Now, if you think about it, an individual’s ‘self expression, whether it stems through the medium of writing, in poker, or in life, that expression is simply one side of the polarity of positivity and negativity, albeit, through the gateway of emotions and the mind.

That a negative circumstance or thought (or my misperception of it) bothers me so much says a lot about me on many levels. Though, what I think it says more than anything is that, even if I have always found such things stressful since my youth, that doesn’t mean I need to let it affect me, if that makes sense. In other words, while every single person has the freedom to express themselves as they so desire, I also have the freedom to accept that in its totality, and NOT let it affect me, and even learn from it if possible, as I am attempting to do now.

I say this because I’m trying significantly to take a slightly more Zen-like mindful approach to reading certain things in particular, which I usually avoid in general due to it causing stress.

Then a thought struck me: just like I can lockdown my emotions in a game of poker and keep them in check, as well as the stress involved in it, why couldn’t I do that in reading or seeing something that bothers me? This doesn’t mean I excuse poor treatment of another human being in any way shape or form, if such has taken place. I am merely stating that I should not allow my emotions to override my logic center, which is something that can easily take place and it’s a social engineering weapon employed often by the mainstream media.

Why do you think the mainstream media nigh always appeals to emotions and nigh never to logic, or even better, a holistic approach? Ponder that one.

Individuals that are highly emotional are much easier to manipulate than those that have a sound and holistic mindset. But just like too much emotion can affect a person, too much logic can as well, which is why a delicate balance has to be struck.

Seeking a delicate balance and a more mindful Zen-like state of being coupled with acceptance of what I s taking place is the approach I have been slowly taking the last few days, and I am appreciating it because one thing I learned a long time ago is that, anything that bothers you says something about you. Anything that bothers you a lot, says even more about you. While obviously, this can be positive or negative, the point is that our emotional response to a situation has endless ways in the way it can play out, and being able to come to terms with it is incredible for seeing the world as it IS, rather than how you think (or wish) it could be.

The world, just like individuals, simply are. And just how I am okay accepting myself for me, as everyone should accept themselves as well, I should be cognizant of others and their thoughts, feelings, and so on.

That need not mean that I need to agree with them, not at all, or give a pass to something that’s downright wrong that goes against what I feel is right. It’s just that seeing things for what they are is one of those obvious, and yet, not so obvious subtleties life offers. It’s not unlike the sky, it’s there, but most people don’t pay attention to it. Not seeing the subtleties in life, is not unlike having a kaleidoscope at hand, and not seeing the countless intricacies that it offers due to its unique perspective. That’s missing out on a LOT of things one could see, and even learn from if exposed to such.

Is the glass half full or half empty? To me, that doesn’t matter.

What matters is what is inside, and what you can learn from it.

In this case, my cup has been half full with fear of myriad things, which has historically affected how I see and accept the world for it is, which is why my stress increases proportional to my inability to accept things, and which has undoubtedly has affected my health throughout my life.

But at least I am coming to terms with it. Hopefully, that’s a big first step in the right direction.

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Author’s Note:

[1] I know I meandered a bit hither and thither, but, there was just a lot I wished to address, and I just took a more instinctual way of constructing my thoughts, rather than a logically structured way in which I aim to follow at times, so if this seems like a lot of spaghetti got launched at the wall in order to seek what sticks, it’s EXACTLY THAT!

[2] I have posted an iteration of this elsewhere in the form of a letter, or perhaps, journal entry might be more precise. I have opted to share it here, though in a significantly more fleshed out way because I think the topic deserves some serious consideration.

This started simply as me putting my thoughts to paper based on many things I had been thinking about of late, with what is shared being that which I thought most noteworthy.

I find it highly fascinating how many points of views different circumstances can offer. Not learning from them when you can if you simply make an a proactive effort is leaving life lessons by the wayside. At least, for me that’s how I feel.

And what’s life about, if not about growth, to a certain extent?

Hope you all have a great evening.

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About The Author:

Zy Marquiez is an avid book reviewer, inquirer, an open-minded skeptic, yogi, and freelance writer who aims at empowering individuals while also studying and regularly mirroring subjects like Consciousness, Education, Creativity, The Individual, Ancient History & Ancient Civilizations, Forbidden Archaeology, Big Pharma, Alternative Health, Space, Geoengineering, Social Engineering, Propaganda, and much more.

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Meandering Mindfulness | #Mindfulness | #Health

“Every morning we are born again. What we do today matters most.”
– Buddha

“Mindfulness is a way of befriending ourselves and our experience.”
– Jon Kabbat-Zinn

BreakawayIndividual.com
Zy Marquiez
May 30, 2019

At this current point today, I’m well over a dozen cups of coffee.

You might ask, how does that couple into mindfulness, to which I would respond, how does that not couple into mindfulness?

This is not the first time that I have struggled and this has happened to me. I have made poor choices like this when it comes to health in the past, but at least I am being attentive and pondering them [1]. Stress is the vanguard reason for me drinking so much coffee, but I know deep down inside that if I am being totally mindful and in control I wouldn’t allow such instances to take place.

This is brought up for others to contemplate whatever it is that they struggle with when they are stressed out and life brings the waves that it inevitably does. Obstacles will always be obstacles, but (1) they can be avoided by finding a new approach, a new path, (2) they can be tackled head on, or (3) they can be ignored altogether if the choice is possible.

Running headlong into an obstacle as if I am Juggernaut from X-Men, as I have done today, is definitely not the prudent or logical thing to do, and yet, here I am, dancing self-torched amid the rubble of uncommon sense.

Obstacles always come to pass, and we should be prepared to face them as best as possible to our utmost abilities. But this can only be accomplished by a proactive approach, which involves Mindfulness as one of the tools.

This is because Mindfulness is the skeleton key to innumerable solutions and the port from which the individual traverses into healthier pastures. But such cannot be accomplished unless we are focused on each step we take.

Those steps can lead to a healthy or unhealthy life, to a mindful or mindless approach, or to a positive or a negative future. Given that the future is fused to the past, and both center upon the present, now is all we have to be mindful.

Mindfulness starts this very moment.

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[1] When I’m very healthy, drinking lots of coffee isn’t a big deal. But right now, it is. I’m done drinking coffee for today, but I know I have to remain cognizant every day after.

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#Quote Of The Day | #Mindfulness | #Thoughts | #Mindset | #Simplicity #QualityOfConsciousness

“You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.”
– James Allen, Author of As A Man Thinketh

Mindfulness Musing: Choices Made Out Of Fear & Love | #Life | #Choices | #Mindfulness

BreakawayIndividual.com
Zy Marquiez
May 21, 2019

Today I made a choice that was totally fear-based choice. I state this because I usually try to be mindful and make love-based choices.

For clarification purposes, a fear-based choice is simply a poor quality of consciousness choice, while a love-based choice is a high quality of consciousness choice. More importantly, choices made out of love are choices that are good not because it’s the ‘right thing to do’, but because you are acting out of goodness. Making a choice as such means you’re doing it not because you’re expected too, but because it is who you are.

Many times people do the ‘right’ thing, but it’s not really who they are. They only carry out such choices because that’s what society expects of them, and not really because that’s who they are at the being level, all the way down at the soul.

The reason I state that is because it bothers me that I made a fear-based choice because I try and make positive choices, no matter how big or small the choice. It can be as simple as (1) being polite to someone, (2) saying hello to someone, (3) helping someone out, (4) giving an honest compliment, (5) being mindful of other’s needs, (6) telling someone you appreciate them, so on and so forth.

Even with all that, and the fact that I wanted to make a positive choice and was even incredibly mindful of it, I still acted out of fear. I thought about it for quite a bit, so it’s not like this was an autopilot choice out of fear, but still. I keep pondering about what choice I could have made that was different, but I can’t think of too many, and all were based out of fear.

The reason this is crucial is because choices based out of fear nigh ever lead to anything good, and stunt an individual’s evolution, if not make them devolve outright. This is where people begin making one fear based choice after another after another and they begin spiraling into turmoil and so on. I’ve seen this with a few family members so it’s something that I’ve been privy too quite often.

The opposite side of this spectrum is also true though. Choices made out of goodness and what’s right exacerbate an individual’s evolution and growth. And the same way consecutive negative choices compound into a snowballing avalanche of negative circumstances, consistent positive choices help an individual evolve in myriad positive ways creating a tsunami of positive change.

In any case, I share the above so that individuals may perhaps consider being cognizant whenever they make choices of various types.

Being mindful of the approach you take in life does take effort, but it’s always worth it.

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Mindfulness & Music | #Health | #Thoughts

Breakaway Individual.com
Zy Marquiez
May 15, 2019

Today I did something I hadn’t done in a long time: I decided to do a full workout without my headphones on to be more Mindful. Admittedly, it took a little getting used too, but it wasn’t so bad since I was reading most of the time.

Because I avoided using my Ipod, I was able to remain incredible focused and stay in the moment while working out, rather than just go through the workout as I nigh always do. This allowed me to focus on my breath, my focus, and my thought process in a way that’s closer to what I would employ with poker than not.

When I find myself breathing deeply as much as possible, interjecting such deep breaths with 4×4 breath cycles where I breathe in for 4 seconds, hold my breath for 4 seconds, breathe out for 4 seconds and hold for 4 seconds, I end up being incredibly more focused, getting more oxygen, feeling more energized, and so on.

Al Lee & Don Campbell, authors of Perfect Breathing, explain the importance of a mindful breathing technique:

“This exercise, as simple and innocuous as it seems, is the most important exercise to master. Once you have developed the habit of slow, deep breathing and your body remembers that this is the natural way to breathe, it will slowly become a part of everything that you do. It will become your “secret weapon” when you need an extra burst of energy; it will become your rock when you are feeling emotional shattered; and it will become a peaceful, quiet refuge at times when you need sanctuary.”[1][Bold Emphasis Added].

This approach has never failed me, but it’s something that I need to stay focused on because its easy to fall into the bad habit of breathing with only partial lung capacity breathing in a shallow manner.

Breathing with only part of your lungs, as opposed to employing the entire real estate of your lung capacity, is incredibly limiting because only so much oxygen is going into your system, and as such you will not get the healing and energizing benefits that a full mindful approach will dictate.

For the most part, that was the extent of my early morning, just trying to focus on being mindful and so on. Now to the afternoon.

After receiving a package today that I was waiting for a while, it reminded me that that I needed to give a friend a letter of recommendation. Because of this I had to drive elsewhere. This is crucial only in that when I am driving, I am usually nigh always listening to music or documentaries on my way to whatever locale it is I am going too. Today I decided that I would follow what I did in the morning and forgo the music. In fact, I didn’t even bring my Ipod because I know myself, and I knew that I would probably want to listen to music or something else eventually. This made the drive not only enjoyable, but I was able to think about a lot of things.

When my mind is engaged while listening to music, it’s rare that I think about things in a mindful way. Yes, I myself, just like everyone else, can think while listening to music, but the thoughts aren’t as logical, or as thought-out, or thoughtful as when there’s no music, nor lyrics, each of which can be incredibly distracting, and when combined, are downright disrupting for thought. Of the 700+ tracks on my Ipod, there’s two, maybe three songs that I have no problem employing a mindful approach with. Still though, nothing beats the ability to think clearly when your mind is going at a mile per minute with no end in sight.

These thoughts are shared for consideration when individuals are going about their day and perhaps are having trouble slowing down, focusing, and so on. It’s not something that cost anything, but the net benefits can be quite significant once one’s mind is fully engaged.

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Footnotes:

[1] Al Lee & Don Campbell, Perfect Breathing, pg. 12-13.

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Suggested Reading:

Mindfulness & Zoning Out

“Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.”
– Buddha

“Mindfulness is a way of befriending ourselves and our experience.”
– Jon Kabat-Zinn

“Always hold fast to the present. Every situation, indeed every moment, is of in infinite value, for it is the representative of a whole eternity.”
– Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

Imagination7
Breakaway Individual.com
Zy Marquiez
May 11, 2019

“Hey, Banagher, do you realize you look out into the distance a lot?”
“I do?”
“Yeah, like just now.”
“I’m not really looking at anything when I do that. It’s hard to explain. I guess, I’m wondering where – “
“Where your father is?”
“No, where I am.”
“Oh, sorry.”
“It feels like no matter what I’m doing it doesn’t actually feel like I’m there.”
“I know what you mean. It’s like you can’t put your finger on it but everything feels off. I sometimes wonder if that feeling is going to keep growing stronger.”

The above conversation is from the anime series called Gundam Unicorn. Yesterday, while organizing my home office, which has been in need of a serious overhaul, I decided to re-watch this series again.

After hearing the above exchange between the main protagonist and another character, it hit me: this is exactly how I often act and feel. I’m not exactly sure what to think of it, but I know I mentally ‘zone out’ quite a bit, more so than I realized in fact. It’s taken a few different people comment on it, or sneak up behind me to startle me for me to even notice it.

I am uncertain if it is lack of mindfulness, or what it is. It’s hard to pinpoint for me, but I am merely trying to consider it just to make sure I’m not overlooking anything, which I’ve done in the past.

That said, I do realize that the last few weeks I haven’t employed mindfulness as much as I should. This is because it would make me ponder my Mom’s health and my grandmas passing most of all. Considering the fragility of life and how everything can just change in an instance is just something that always leaves me gloomy. And honestly, that’s not something I want to think of since almost every time I do I end up feeling like I’m crumbling on the inside.

In any case, do any of you ever stare off often into the distance? Everyone zones out, but I’m not sure how many people would do so often. In such instances I have wondered what individuals think about, but I never truly asked that often. I think I will begin doing more now.

I often wonder what prompts the mind to do such a thing. I do realize that personally, this might happen more often when I am tired, but that need not be the case though. In fact, my mind goes into this mode most often when I’m either reading, writing or at the gym. Ironically, that’s also when my mind is usually most engaged, but it happens nonetheless.

I’m not implying that this type of zoning out is necessarily a bad thing, at least not with what I’m talking about personally, but it’s merely something for contemplation if anything.

And contemplation of life and each of its idiosyncrasies is one of the most captivating things that shows off the range that life entails, and if that’s not worthy of exploration and thought, what is?

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Suggested Reading:

#Quote Of The Day | #Mindfulness | #Moment | #Life | #Mindset

“Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different. Enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will). Being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).”
– James Baraz