Presence and the Vertical Dimension
By George Marino CPC, CMMT March 18th, 2021
In chapter two of my upcoming book Beyond Balancing the Books: Sheer Mindfulness for Professionals in Work and Life, our journey takes us into “Presence and the Vertical Dimension” and the subtle ways to access and sustain this awareness in daily life. We will learn that one of the most common obstacles to awareness practice is the analytical mind.
As professionals, we use our analytical minds to navigate the workday. It is a gift and a tool, helping us earn a living, make plans, and manage a business and career. However, the analytical mind sometimes runs on autopilot, developing a life of its own. Scattered attention, ruminating about the past, and projecting into the future prevent access to the creativity, resourcefulness, and efficiency found in mindful presence. So, how do we let go and detach from the automatic mental patterns that often take us for a ride and hold us back from manifesting what we yearn for in work and life?
First, I would suggest a simple acknowledgment: your mind has wandered off your balance sheet and into the footnotes, and that is a huge leap in awareness. Of course, there are many ways our past can show up in our work, especially with unprocessed pain. Let us say you are a financial advisor forecasting operations and budgeting. You may feel anxiety when the numbers do not match the budget. In these instances, you do your best to maintain a professional stance. As you do the work, you may notice your mind drifting, often caught up and drawn into past and future thinking without realizing it. This is normal. Our dialogue is sometimes scattered, and the internal dialogue might ask, “Did I miss that adjusting journal entry on XYZ client?” or “What will I eat for dinner tonight?” or “Will my documentation pass muster with quality review?” While these thoughts can be useful in a certain sense, they are often accompanied by anticipation, worry, and anxiety.
By noticing wandering thoughts, you are beginning to let go. The purpose in cultivating a practice of noticing and detachment is not that there is anything wrong with these things, but rather attachment to these forms (thoughts, emotions, and body sensations) prevent us from realizing a deeper experience of who we really are and the B’s of beyond balancing the books. Beyond: better knowing your true nature. Balancing: integrating mindfulness with everyday activities. Books: accounting for what really counts and living your whole life with meaning and purpose!