THE ART OF NOW: SIX STEPS TO LIVING IN THE MOMENT

Published: Psychology Today; psychologytoday.com

Level of difficulty: ***

QUESTIONS

1.            Read the title of the text. Then read the story about talking to God. At the end of the story the friend explains that “despite himself, he began to relax”. Why exactly did he begin to relax after breathing? ...............................................................................................

2.                  A. How does the modern world lead people to waste their lives by not enjoying the present? .......................................................................................................................................

B. Why do Buddhists call the way our minds work “monkey minds”? ...........................................................................................................................................

3.         The writer recommends the concept of ………………………………………..instead of allowing our thoughts to control us.

4. a.     Many advantages of living in the moment are given in the text. Provide one advantage in terms of physical health, one in terms of psychological health and one in terms of  behaviour.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

b. Now state clearly what “it” refers to in the phrase “the only way to get it” in the last line of this section.

READ THE SECTION TITLED “TO IMPROVE YOUR PERFORMANCE, STOP THINKING ABOUT IT”

5. Imagine the following situation: You are going to give a speech for the first time. You wonder whether you look alright. You start talking but start worrying that people can’t hear you in the back. You wonder whether you have been talking too fast and try to slow down but catch yourself speeding up again. You drop your notes and can’t put them in the correct order again. You decide that the speech is being badly delivered and won’t be a success.

A. Why did this person land up in this situation according to the text? ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

B. How would mindfulness help this person? …………………………………………………………………………………………………

NOW READ THE SECTION “TO AVOID WORRYING ABOUT THE FUTURE, FOCUS ON THE PRESENT”

6. Imagine the following situation: A woman is drinking a cup of coffee and thinking about the shopping she needs to do when she is done; that she needs to fetch the kids from football practice and that she is going to be late and finally that she still hasn’t hung up the washing.

A. Why doesn’t she enjoy her cup of coffee according to the text?

Because she is not ………………………………………………………………………………

B. What terms can be used to describe the woman’s behaviour according to the text?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

NOW READ THE SECTION “IF YOU WANT A FUTURE WITH YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER, INHABIT THE PRESENT (BREATHE)”

7. In Heppner and Kernis’ experiment, why did those who had eaten the raisin remain perfectly calm whatever the result? …………………………………………………………………………………………………

8. State two ways in which mindfulness improves relations with others.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

NOW READ THE SECTION “TO MAKE THE MOST OF TIME, LOSE TRACK OF IT”

9. Which of the activities below couldn’t produce flow according to the text?

-A game of chess

- Watching TV

- Playing football

- Acting on stage

NOW READ THE SECTION “IF SOMETHING IS BOTHERING YOU, MOVE TOWARDS IT RATHER THAN AWAY FROM IT”

10. A.  The text tells us that “the mind’s natural tendency when faced with pain is to attempt to avoid it”. What is the disadvantage of this attitude?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

B. What is the alternative, and the advantage of the alternative?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

NOW READ THE SECTION TITLED “KNOW THAT YOU DON’T KNOW”

11.A. Give an example of your own for each of the following terms: an autopilot moment, a beginner’s mind.

B. State the disadvantage of the former and the advantage of the latter.

NOW READ THE SECTION “DON’T JUST DO SOMETHING, SIT THERE”

12. In the New Yorker cartoon, what has the older monk managed to do that the younger monk hasn’t learned yet?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………

Last of all; write a paragraph describing the changes you would make to lead a happier life.