present moment

Present Moment; casein tempera on board; 10" x 8"

"Mindfulness is the psychological process of bringing one's attention to experiences occurring in the present moment, which can be developed through the practice of meditation and other training." - from Wikipedia's entry on mindfulness.

I propose that the "other training" can take many forms.  Gardening immediately comes to mind.  Bicycling, soaking in a warm bath and swinging on the oak tree bench are a few others.  I'm sure it's different for everyone - but there's surely a means that we all find that removes us from our time constraints and delivers us to a heightened sense of simply being there.  It's a matter of survival - to let our minds rest in a sort of suspended limbo.  Just as sleep is essential to our well-being, so is being mindful.  Such a gift.