There are a number of insights in this chapter of the book which I found very valuable, particularly when
it comes to creating a sustainable practice of mindful meditation in your life. First of these is bringing
the meditative practice beyond the formal exercise and into your daily life. Unconsciously I have experienced
moments in life before, where nothing has changed except for the simple fact that you notice what is
occuring around you, the world in all its detail being presented to you, and an inexplicable wave of joy
washes over you. I think there is something more going on in these moments and perhaps it is the mind breaking
free of routine and narrow focus that can cause this sensation. The idea of strengthening open attention through
meditative practice and how it can heighten the intensity of the experience of navigating through the world is something
I think we could all benefit from. People consistently complain about time passing faster as you age and I think
applying focused attention to even the mundane aspects of life can help to unlock a novelty of experience which
makes everyday life richer and more valuable, avoiding this sensation of slipping time.
The suggestion of making sure to take at least one mindful breath a day is I think a good handhold to bringing
the meditative mindset into your daily life. I like this because it simply feels good to take a deep breath
now and then, so with that feeling I then find it much easier to maintain focused attention. It's also good
because it serves as a small trigger behaviour to remind me to check in with my mental state throughout the day.
Chade-Meng also describes a much more broader benefit of practiced mindfulness in this chapter when he outlines the
process of externalising trained attention. Using it in conversation with others to improve the value for both parties,
both in the positive feelings that come from knowing you are truly being listened to and from the greater understanding
reached when you focus on both hearing and understanding the other person. This is something I see as being sorely needed
in the world and probably central to Chade-Meng's earlier stated goal of using mindfulness to bring world peace. Increasingly
people communicate more to be heard than to understand and be understood. If more of us are able to put true focused
attention towards communication I can see this bringing massive societal benefits.