While grocery shopping, I take my time and keep mindful. I do not like to rush the experience rather I take the experience slowly and enjoy the moment. I enjoy the open layout of my neighborhood store and the way the bright lights reflect off the fresh foods they offer. I enjoy searching for the perfect fruits and vegetables and feeling their textures in my hand. When I pass the bakery, the aroma is so sweet it is intoxicating. I smile at the little child begging his/her mother for a sugary treat then raise my eyes to the mother's flustered face with compassion. The weight of my cart as it fills reminds me of how I am providing nourishment for my family which brings me a feeling of satisfaction.In Ellen Tadd's new book, The Wisdom of the Chakra's she uses The Grocery Store experience as an example. An example of when a person usually leads away from The Third Eye Focus, or as she calls it "The Kingpin" and moves their focus to the Solar Plexus which is an emotional focus.
"When perceiving from the solar plexus, most people experience fear or anxiety of some sort, whether it is about time, decision making, or people."
Today, while grocery shopping with my boys (which is normally something I do alone) I enjoyed watching my little ones in the car attachment beeping at the other patrons and my oldest proudly holding my list getting ready to cross off the next thing that I was going to place in the cart. While waiting at the deli for them to call my number, I reflected on what Tadd said in her book. I was curious what would happen if I changed my focus to my solar plexus.
I started absorbing the mood of the gentleman behind me, shifting his wait from one foot to the other in frustration. I noticed the sound of an unhappy toddler a few aisles down and sensed the aggravation of the mother. The chatter of one patron beside me insulting someone or something to the person she was having a cell phone conversation with while ignoring the lady behind the counter who was asking her if she needed anything else. The anxiety that I felt in those brief few moments swept over me completely. I lost focus on being mindful and was overwhelmed with negative thoughts and emotions. I could feel the frustration building more and more.
"With your eyes closed, you would have to depend on feeling to find your way.....If you opened your eyes and walked down the same street, you could still use your hands to feel, but the addition of sight would increase your selectivity and discernment."
I took a deep breath and slowly brought my energy back to the Third Eye Focus. I let go of the emotional tension around me, concentrated on my breath and once again found my positive energy. I enjoyed the rest of my shopping experience with my boys. Later, in the afternoon I reflected on other times that I too had those types of fears and anxieties while food shopping. When did I start becoming mindful of the experience? What triggered it to become a positive experience rather than a negative one? The answer was right there before me, Practice.
Mindfulness is a practice. It is not something that can be achieved over night nor is it something that most can experience every moment of the day. However if we take a moment during each activity to pay attention to the present (the task at hand); whether in our actions, our thoughts or our daily conversations we can learn to become more aware of the moment and not let it slip away.
*Quotes are excerpts from The Wisdom of the Chakras: tools for navigating the complexity of life by Ellen Tadd.
