Enlightened AnonymousMeditation · Mindfulness · Enlightenment

EVERYDAY PRACTICE / 2 MINUTES

Mindfulness While Standing in a Queue

Waiting often turns attention toward the time you are losing or the place you need to be. You do not have to enjoy a delay to notice where you are. This practice fits around the practical task of keeping your place.

An original written practice for Enlightened Anonymous

Before you begin

Keep your eyes open and remain aware of the people, announcements and movement around you. Do not use this while driving or crossing a road. If standing is uncomfortable, adjust your position or sit when possible.

The practice

  1. Stay with the situation

    Notice where the line goes and what you need to respond to. Keep that practical awareness throughout the exercise.

  2. Find comfortable support

    Notice contact with the ground, a seat or a mobility aid. Adjust rather than trying to hold an ideal posture.

  3. Include one sound

    Notice a nearby sound without trying to identify every source. You can hear annoyance in your own thoughts and the room at the same time.

  4. Move when it is time

    When the line advances, move with it. Let that action complete the practice. You can begin again if another wait follows.

Carry it into your day

Patience does not require pretending a delay is convenient. If there is a useful action—checking the correct queue, asking for assistance or changing a plan—you can take it. Attention supports responding; it does not require passivity.

Make it your own

If the surroundings are too busy, use only the contact step while keeping practical awareness. A few seconds are enough.

A question to keep

What is available to notice while the situation stays unresolved?