January 25 – road peace

By | January 25, 2016

Dear Friends,

On Sunday evening, I was driving to the airport to pick someone up. I figured I had timed things reasonably well to arrive at the airport about the time the flight would arrive.

But of course, there was “that driver” on the road. You know the one – drives slow in the fast lane, takes up more than one lane, or a host of other minor annoyances (blinker left on for block after block…).

I’ve noticed as I’ve developed my mindfulness practice, that I am able to bring more mindfulness to driving. So when “that driver” was there, I noticed the thoughts (anger, fear), felt the sensations in the body (gripping the wheel, tense shoulders), and reconnected with the present – a deep breath, inviting the hands to relax, giving the other driver more room, and even sending them (and me) a bit of metta.

It might sound complicated, but it was almost instantaneous. (And I arrived safely at the airport with more than adequate time!)

Driving a car, being a passenger in a car, taking public transport, biking, walking… all of these types of activities give us ample opportunity to practice mindfulness! So if you’re heading out today, perhaps you can make that your practice.

Here’s an article with 10 tips for mindful driving:
https://www.wildmind.org/applied/daily-life/mindful-driving

Wishing you safety and ease in your travels!

With best wishes,
Andrea G