Q . I have been trying to bring my awareness into my body more throughout the day. This has been the most challenging while at work. I currently work as a social worker, my job involves quite a bit of writing, listening, talking and analysing. The practice of mindfulness is usually talked about more in relation to sweeping floors or washing dishes. I have found it extremely difficult to stay in my body during these kinds of activities, which seem to take place more in my head. I can sometimes manage it, but it does seem to detract from what I am doing. For example while listening to someone speak, I realise I haven’t really understood what they have said because I have been more focused on my internal experience. Is it actually possible to stay in the body in these kinds of activities and still do them effectively? Or does a deep practice of mindfulness require that we refrain from doing work that is dominated by these activities?

A. To return our attention to the body is a skilful way of gathering the distracting mind through the loss of awareness during our daily (and meditation) life, so that we return ourselves to the wholeness of an integrated mind and body. From this place of being centred we are not then meant to keep our attention there, but rather allow our clean unsullied (pure) awareness to ‘fill out’ into whatever is in front of us and the general environment. This fulfils both awareness and mindfulness. We are mindful of our direct experience (and deal with it accordingly) while also being aware of our surrounding environment. This way the whole of ourselves is brought to life rather than just the mental, as can be the case if we are only interested in developing focused one-pointed mindfulness.