We could all use a little help being more mindful when we drive but that’s the last thing we’re thinking about when we’re behind the wheel. We’re too busy rushing to get to work, feeling irritation at the drivers around us, and, even taking surreptitious glances at the latest incoming text. So what if we use this everyday act as an opportunity to deepen our practice and change the wiring of our brains.
Turning driving into an opportunity for mindfulness can be done with a simple strategy we call Notice-Shift-Rewire. Noticing is the act of awareness – the moment we wake up to the distractions of the inner and outer world. Shifting is the act or redirecting the mind to the experience of the present moment. And Rewiring is staying with and savoring the experience. Through rewiring we have the opportunity to take advantage of the neuroplastic nature of our brains to our advantage.
What makes this inner technology different from many other forms of meditation is that it’s designed to be integrated into the everyday moments of life. You don’t have to be sitting on a cushion with your eyes closed. You could be standing in line…