Yesterday morning my usually smooth and gentle Qi Gong routine was difficult, it was clunky and clumsy. At first, I wondered why. Why was my body behaving so insensitively? There was no sense, I knew this routine inside out, I was well practiced. What was going on?
Then I realised – whilst I was going through the routine, I was busy thinking about some work that I might need to do. Usually, I allowed my mind to be empty at this time. But today was different; here was the root of that physical difference. And my body knew.
My mind was busy with what it was going to have to do later and that changed the quality of my movement. The shift to task-based thinking was calling me from the present and this changed the state of my muscle tone, they had tightened in preparation for that activity. Even though it was not actually physical work, the idea was enough. As such my gentle morning routine had transformed into more of a battle against the subtle tightening of my muscles.
Coincidentally, I have been reflecting this week quite a bit on meditation and focus. It has come up on numerous occasions, and yesterday’s routine issue served to provide a physical emphasis of this.
Just too busy
I had the pleasure of attending a book launch this week in London’s west-end at Watkins Books (a spiritual bookshop close to Trafalgar Square). It was an old friend of mine Carlos Philip Glover. Carlos was reflecting in the discussion at the end on presence, and I was reminded of (and shared) my reflection in the Q and A there of a related conversation this week about meditation.
Specifically, the conversation was about why people “couldn’t” meditate. I have many views on this, but this blog is not about those wider “whys.” This is quite specific.
Inability to meditate is a deep reflection on how we live. Not of comptetance.
For me meditation is meaningful connection with, and reflection on, a given moment or thought; the “object”. Meditation is the conscious and sensual commitment to that “object.”
But let’s ask ourselves, how often do we really just focus on, or immerse ourselves in, one-thing. Most of us busy multi-tasking, busy thinking about what we need to do next, checking our phones during conversations, worrying about some challenge ahead or ruminating on difficulties past.
This mental activity takes us away from the presence of our bodies. Our minds drift away from the here and now. We multi-task, we set out to solve some other problem instead of focusing on the one before us.
One thing at a time
In talking to people about not being able to meditate I wanted to find a solution that was “achievable” – just providing a different meditation was not the answer here.
I reflected upon this busy-ness and multi-tasking lifestyle. Neuroscience has proved that multi-tasking is a myth, it is just that we are very good a focus-shifting. But every time we shift there is a loss of attention, and the switch back is more challenging, and information is often lost in that process.
So, I setup the challenge to “do one thing at a time.” Find some routine activities, washing up, cleaning teeth, getting dressed or eating. And just to that, be fully emersed in that experience, fully conscious of that moment. Really, just do that.
Back to the Dojo
And so, when I returned to my routine this morning, I decided to take some of my own medicine.
Yes, it was hard. There were distractions without and within. As I started my routine I could see laundry that needed to be put away from yesterday, and inside my head was shouting that I needed to write this blog. To name but two distractions.
However, I made a conscious choice to return to the moment. I slowed my movement slightly and rested my consciousness on the sensations of my muscles as they stretched and released, and the feeling of the shift in my balance with each movement. I quickly found myself settling back into the meditation of my movement and was thereafter able to kindly release other distractions that arose without self-judgement or criticism.
As such my movements my focus did not drift, my body relaxed, and my movements were again soft and gentle.
Life as a Meditation
We can all live in meditation. It is not about cushions or chanting or bells. It is about presence. It is about remaining in the moment.
A favourite book of mine, Stuart Heller’s “The Dance of Becoming”, talks about living life as a martial art (Heller is an Aikido master). This for me is about maintaining the physical and mental discipline of the moment throughout our movements and actions.
When we remain present, when we truly focus on “one thing at time” we are meditating. When we are in such a mediation, the quality of our attention is sharpened, and our engagement more balanced in its interaction and exchange with the people, places and situations around.
When we consciously undertake one thing at a time our live becomes a life of meditation. Life is a meditation that we can all enjoy.
Graeme Green - 2025
