THE GREAT SUMMER SWITCHOFF
Body on the beach but head still in the office? Who better to teach us how to relax our minds than a 21st-century monk?
How to make sure your mind is out of office when you’re on holiday
Taking a holiday to slow down doesn’t always work now our pace of life is so fast. Thankfully, Buddhist monk and acclaimed meditation teacher Gelong Thubten, author of A Monk’s Guide To Happiness, says we can train the mind to be present, rather than thousands of miles away. Thubten became a monk after an excessive lifestyle led to severe burnout. His 25 years of training included intense isolated meditation retreats, so he’s an expert in switching off. ‘It’s important to drip-feed mindful moments into your life before you go away, because if you can’t relax the mind, relaxing the body is not enough,’ says Thubten. So, try this when you’re away…
1 CREATE SOCIAL MEDIA MEALTIMES
When it comes to social media, there’s a reason it’s called ‘a feed’. ‘We don’t eat all day, we do it in a balanced way and allow ourselves to digest the food, so we should do the same with media platforms,’ says Thubten. Instead of flicking through your phone constantly when you’re poolside, schedule in an hour (or less) each day you’re on holiday for a ‘social media blitz’. Allow your mind time to digest what it’s seen before the next meal, so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
2 TURN OFF NOTIFICATIONS
Switching off your phone altogether could make you feel anxious. Instead, remove notifications so you can connect on your own terms. ‘It’s good to stay in the loop with current affairs, but news alerts can make you feel unnecessarily negative,’ says Thubten. ‘We think we need to know everything immediately, but the world won’t stop if we miss something for a couple of hours. We can afford to take time out.’
3 FEEL YOUR SURROUNDINGS
Become more present by focusing on what you can touch. ‘If you’re in a car, that might be the feeling of the car seat underneath you,’ says Thubten. In a stressful situation, this will help ground you; in a positive situation, it allows you to appreciate the here and now.
4 SAVE YOUR PICTURES
‘We seek validation through “likes”,’ says Thubten.
‘It’s almost as though we’re losing the ability to know what we like ourselves, as we post things to see if others like them.’ When posting, think about what you’re seeking. ‘Do you want to spread joy or are you needing approval? Become aware of the underlying motivation,’ says Thubten. Save photos for when you’re home. This allows you to enjoy experiences as they happen.