Turning on the lights
Imagine this.
You are watching a woman in front of you. She is involved in some kind of intense activity, experiencing intense emotion. Perhaps she is loading a gun or writing a letter or simply standing in one place telling you about her life. All you see is this woman in the light - everything else is in darkness- and you are swept up in her experience. It is all that exists in the moment.
Slowly, though, the darkness around her lifts a little. You see other people around her. Perhaps there are others who are helping her, or preparing to support her in some way. Perhaps you see them acting in ways that add nuance to what she saying. Suddenly her words and actions are given more context. The story is a little more full, and your understanding is a little richer.
Finally, the lights around you go up. Now, not only can you see everything that is unfolding in the world in front of you, but you are also aware of those around you, others who are sitting in their seats, equally rapt in the action unfolding on stage. Your understanding of the situation is further enhanced by the reminder, the awareness that you are watching a play, a work of art that was created within particular contexts, with certain themes and messages in mind.
This analogy certainly does not have to stop there. One could imagine turning on more and more “lights,” expanding our awareness of the present moment more and more until the impact of that intense moment that so consumed our attention is lessened.
This image is one I find very helpful in understanding how mindfulness can be helpful. Mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment without judgement and with curiosity. It is about turning on all the lights, being aware of what may be currently in shadows, and allowing those things to be visible. Once we have a sense of the whole story, we are better equipped to move forward, to make decisions and to act.
Many of us are in the habit of having the spotlight on all the time. Perhaps it swivels back and forth between our deadlines at work, our conflicts at home, the negative stories we have always told ourselves. Perhaps sometimes, the stage lights flicker on to reveal the people who are supporting us, the strengths that we have, the accomplishments we can recount, but the strength of that spotlight remains. Mindfulness is the process of turning on those lights and keeping them on, so that what was in the spotlight can be seen in context. Once we see the whole story, once we are fully aware of it, we can move ahead.
