While I was away on a recent vacation, I was thinking about how many of us are often putting forth a lot of effort to do one thing or another. Perhaps we’re putting effort into our work, into getting things done, making money, interacting with others, and so on. For those of us who practice mindfulness regularly, we might be putting a lot of effort into our practice. On the mindfulness retreats that I attend yearly, I often feel absolutely exhausted during the breaks, even though all I’ve been doing for hours is just sitting on a cushion. I believe this exhaustion is due to all of the effort I’m exerting to wrangle my attention and remain focused on my experience of the here and now. When I was playing chess with my son recently, I observed that he was experiencing the same type of thing. About halfway through the game, he uttered a deep sigh and said he was tired and needed a break. That’s not to say that I’m a chess master – Far from it! But, it did appear that concentrating, thinking through different moves and scenarios, and so on, was effortful and exhausting.
When it comes to mindfulness, some people talk about right effort – basically, the type of effort that works. In one of the books that I’ve read on Zen, the author (D.T. Suzuki) stated that putting a lot of effort into mindfulness practice simply fills our mind up with effort. As a result, we lose our practice. In his book, Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, another Suzuki (S. Suzuki) has written about “right effort”: “If you try to calm your mind you will be unable to sit, and if you try not to be disturbed, your effort will not be the right effort.” So, it seems there’s a type of effort that works and a type that doesn’t work. Of course, many of us can relate to the idea that, the more we try to get rid of unpleasant feelings or thoughts, the more they tend to stick around. When we put a lot of effort into avoiding things we’re afraid of, we just stay afraid of those things. Effort directed toward making ourselves not feel thoughts, feelings, or pain is generally not effective. When practicing mindfulness, even the effort of trying to concentrate on one thing can be ineffective!
So, what type of effort is effective? I was walking along the beach a few days ago, and for a few moments, I noticed that all I’d been doing is experiencing the beach – the sights, sounds, smells, sea-life, feel of the water on my feet, the experience of warmth from the sun, and the sounds of children playing. Thoughts about other things were certainly chugging through my mind, but I was not on the thought train. I wasn’t trying to get rid of anything or to hold onto anything. I was simply experiencing. And it took no effort at all. After my walk, I felt refreshed rather than exhausted. Moreover, I had nice memories of the things I experienced on the beach. I think that this is the kind of effort we’re ultimately aiming for with our mindfulness practice – basically, no effort. We are already able to experience the present moment. There’s really no need to try really hard. Even when your mind keeps jumping on the thought train, the most natural thing in the world is to allow your attention to flow back to whatever’s happening right now. I’ve often talked with our client groups about mindfulness being like a muscle. The more you guide your attention back to the present, the more you build your mindfulness muscles. I’m starting to revisit that way of thinking. I’m wondering whether mindfulness is more like our baseline – experiencing the present moment is something we’re all able to do without having to exert our muscles at all. In some ways, then, mindfulness practice is like returning to baseline – the state we’re most used to and familiar with, even if we’ve lost it (perhaps for many years) in the storm of thoughts and emotions. If you practice mindfulness, use a gentle touch with your practice. Don’t try too hard. Just allow your mind to settle, back to baseline, on your experience of the present moment.
Consider the following quote:
“All the elements for your happiness are already here. There’s no need to run, strive, search or struggle. Just be.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
– Alexander L. Chapman, Ph.D., R.Psych.