How to Retreat at Home

At the start of "social distancing", which is now being referred to as "lockdown", I joked on social media against a jaunty yellow background: "Let's Call it a Retreat!". Secretly, I wished it were. While I had a couple of days off due to postponing courses, I've since been flooded with clients presenting with all kinds of distress and problems.


My own ensuing problem quickly became overwork.


Let's take today for example. My first order of business was a 2-hour lesson at 8:30am. Then a 30-minute birthday call. I wolfed down some oatmeal and fruit just in time to teach a Psychic Course session at 11am. This course is taught with 1-hour breaks in between sessions. Online funeral at 11:30am. I returned a few emails and led the next Psychic Course session at 12:30pm. Following this was a tri-continental family zoom reunion at 1pm. Another Psychic Course session at 2pm. Yoga at 3pm (10 minutes for a snack right before, tsk tsk!). Psychic Course session at 4:30pm.

I'm now at my dinner break (I'd originally booked a client during this break but her appointment was moved) and I'm grateful for a home cooked meal. I've got about 15 minutes to write before hopping back on for today's last Psychic Course session at 5:45pm. Then my niece, nephew and their parents are coming later for an impromptu physically-distanced backyard fireworks (probably handheld sparklers) birthday party and homemade cake for my brother-in-law. Fortunately I'd taken the rest of the evening off.




Normally, I try to pace myself. Today's funeral, family zoom meeting and backyard party weren't part of my original day at all. But this is how it goes in the pandemic, isn't it? I'm sure you have your version of chaos too.

With the next few days looking almost as impossible, I've decided to revisit my retreat idea in earnest. No retreat centres happening now. I'm having my retreat at home.

How, you ask? Well, here's my plan.

Focus


 First, what's this retreat about? You might want to focus on writing, nutrition or even building a business. Those sound like deep-dives, not retreats. What I'm talking about is a proper silent retreat, dedicated to my meditation, mindfulness and insight practice. It's about being alone with this body and this mind and knowing their realities. Know what your focus is for the retreat and know what kinds of activities you'll be including to support your focus. In my case, there will be sitting and walking mindfulness practice, mindfulness while eating, perhaps mindfulness while gardening and cleaning and a few supplementary teachings. After all, if you're setting aside real estate in your calendar, it had better be worth the investment of your time.



Dates


A retreat could be a day, a week up to 40 or even 60 days or more. The dates must be consecutive, with no interruptions. No sneaking in work! No socializing! And no devices! Length is also important. Long ago, I attended a 10-day silent Vipassana retreat in Illinois. Most of the participants were newbies. By day four, half the meditation hall, including my ride back to Chicago O'Hare, had defected. So, you want your retreat to be long enough to challenge you and boost your practice, but short enough that it's actually do-able.

Eyeing a course postponement in the calendar and a space between weekly mindfulness teaching, I decide on four days at the end of the month. Yippie! Having four days to do nothing sounds divine, but it won't be nothing. I'm investing my time, so I want it to be worth it. I need to set up a routine.

Schedule


 Once you block off time, structure each day of the retreat.

At every retreat I've attended and led, there's a rhythm that one follows day after day. Consider alternating sitting and walking practice. Pre-set your waking and sleeping hours and meal times.

Look at how your activities work together. Although mindfulness during mealtimes is part of my practice, I know a walking or active practice after eating prevents the inevitable post-food sluggishness.

Don't pile the toughest challenges ("I'm going to sit still and meditate for two hours straight!") on the first day. Ease in. Last summer, I took my little niece and nephew to Montreal for five wild days of fun to kick off summer holidays (during the Montreal Jazz Festival and long weekend). I then plunged head-first into a 5-day Buddhist insight retreat in silence in the country. Mistake! It took two of the five days just to settle in. Winding down a bit before heading to the retreat is also a great idea, to help you make the most of your silent time. Since I grocery shop for my parents, I'll make sure that's done prior to my retreat, taper off work leading up to my start date and refer folks elsewhere for help.

Location


Set up your space so that it's conducive to practice. If your home environment is cluttered, it could take away from your ability to be at ease. Of course, you should absolutely make any cleaning or tidying up part of your mindfulness in daily life practice. Take a look at the weather before your retreat begins and plan some time outdoors. A change of scenery can really boost awareness and mindfulness. I'll be heading to my local park the first day or two, as a walk by the river will be an ideal place to help ease into deeper awareness in my practice later on.


Materials


Think about what you'll need to make your retreat successful. Writing and journaling aren't part of a silent retreat so notebooks are out, but you may want to supplement your practice with reading and listening to lessons or teachings. And although these are wonderful complements to your retreat, they aren't required. If you do go this route, pick out a book or two in advance, not twenty. The idea is to supplement the awareness practice, not get lost in reading. Downloading audio or putting it on CD in advance will avoid temptation to go online.

I've recorded Love in the Time of Corona, a 1-hour guided healing meditation specifically to help with stress and anxiety around this time. I've also created Seven Days of Guided Meditation, a series of short 12-20 minute "guided lessons", which is a great start for beginners. I've downloaded some audio from my teacher's teacher in Thailand that I'll use to supplement my practice for up to an hour each day.

You might be used to using a timer app for your meditation or mindfulness practice. Instead of this, keep your device off wifi and on airplane mode and use an alarm clock and regular watch. If you're off schedule a few minutes, it's ok.


Provisions


 This includes making sure you have enough groceries (and toilet paper), planning out your meals, getting a babysitter or handing off work if you need to. Cancel appointments and remember, this is a digital detox as well as a mental detox. Avoid relying on devices.



Silence


 This is perhaps the most daunting aspect for many. How will I manage to stay off my phone, device, TV, and stay quiet for a day? A week? A month? And what if I live with others who aren't retreating? Again, ease in and make sure you set some ground rules for yourself and those around you before you begin. Tell your family or house-mates about your retreat, and share your schedule so they're less likely to disturb you when you're in common areas. If you think they'll forget and try to engage with you (even eye contact counts as engagement), you can pre-plan to wear something as a signal to them that you're remaining silent. I'll wear my Silence t-shirt, but you may opt for a simple hat or scarf as a visual cue.




Notify


Tell everyone you're heading on retreat! It will help you be accountable to yourself and it will help others know to resist contacting you until after your retreat is completed. Set your out-of-office notices. Post something up on social media. Stick a note on your door for any deliveries. Set your phone to Do Not  Disturb with a custom message. Send out an email and tell folks that might contact you (I sent out a note to my email list, and linked this post!).

Be Kind


Lastly, remember that this retreat has a purpose: it's to give you an opportunity to invest in yourself and your own development. Take it easy and be kind to yourself. If you can't fall asleep one evening and oversleep the next day, just know you overslept. If you become impatient with yourself, just know the impatience arose. If you feel fearful that you're missing out on something happening in the world, just know the fear. The whole point is to know what's arising in within your heart, mind and body, one moment at a time, with patience and attention.

So, full disclosure, I didn't finish writing this in 15 minutes. And that's okay.

I'll put all of these tips into action in a couple of weeks. I'm really looking forward to it. ❤


 

Reiki Healing During a Pandemic (COVID-19)

If you're a Reiki Healer, please stop giving Reiki immediately.


I never thought I'd say that, but I said it. Let me explain.

As I write this, people all over the world are getting sick but don't know it. There are germs flying about, landing and lingering on all kinds of surfaces -- and staying active for longer than we think.

Public health experts all over the world are telling us to stay home, wash our hands, keep a safe distance from others if we absolutely must go out and physically distance ourselves -- avoid all physical contact. So, I'm telling all my students (and all hands-on-healers of all kinds) to stop giving Reiki or other healing sessions in person. Teachers: stop giving attunements.  For now. It's a disheartening message, but the good news is that we don't need to get stuck or feel useless. There's a lot we can still do. Read on!


Infusing Reiki


Even at Level One, before we've learned distance healing, we have a remarkable capacity for healing. The first step is always to practice self-healing with Reiki. If you're physically distancing (I don't like to call it "socially distancing" because you can still be social, just not in person), chances are you've freed up a bit of time spent commuting and running around (a lot of which seems unnecessary now, doesn't it?). Use this time to commit or re-commit to a daily self-healing practice. If you haven't practiced in a while, get your manual out and start again. Make sure your hands are freshly washed before you start. If you still can't find an hour a day, do less than an hour. Some Reiki is better than no Reiki.

I won't lie: A full or longer session is better than a shorter session because you attend to all areas and work through congestion and blockages. Imagine how you'd feel after a half hour massage versus a one-hour massage? Exactly. While you're giving yourself Reiki you may find that worries, fears, anxieties, your concern or compulsion to fix things or save others or your own feelings of helplessness when you can't help them, magically soften. Put on a little light healing music and allow yourself to feel the healing as you go. Allow it to be an exploration rather than a fixing session.

Then, once your self-healing is done, your energy field and your aura are charged up! You're filled with light. Give yourself some time then to practice any of the following:
  • prayers
  • phone calls
  • offering of words of support
  • laughter
  • crying and allowing others to cry
  • making good on promises
  • check-ins with others
  • manifesting visualizations (see the outcome or reality you want)
  • go into your psychic workshop (if you've taken that course)
  • sending love and light
All of these will be infused with Reiki already because you've just come from giving yourself Reiki! When I first learned Level One, I'd wake up with my hands buzzing and felt that the Reiki energy was being wasted if I didn't immediately give myself a healing. In hindsight I know it was part of my path to practice and I noticed that from the moment I began my daily self-practice, my whole life was filled with awareness, attentiveness, signs, miracles and spontaneous doors opening for me.


Distance Reiki


For those who are at Reiki Level Two, you've learned some very valuable and magical skills. In addition to learning how to become sensitive to emotions and facilitate emotional releases and healing, you've also learned how to use the technology of symbols. These are very powerful tools. They give you the ability to open up a portal to transmit healing beyond space and time.

Amazing, right?

Are you nervous? You've already done it. You had practice during your course and after your very fist distance healing in our course, you shared what you sensed and what you felt was being worked on. That's all you need to share. You just need to practice doing it. Communicating what we sense is even more important now. Here are the ways in which this is achieved, from the most impactful, to the least:

The most powerful is face to face practice and communication, but we can't do that right now.

The second most powerful way to practice and communicate is over the phone (or a video call, with Skype, LINE, WhatsApp, Zoom, or others). This means a live Reiki session in real time while the recipient on the other end of the call is lying down and receiving the distance Reiki. So while they don't see you, they do hear you. During the session, you can share with them what you sense, facilitate an emotional release and healing, practise sound healing and /or play healing music.

The image above shows the next best way is a hand-written letter. Quaint, but not happening.

Finally, you can email (or at the least, text) a written report with notes after the session is complete. I do this sometimes. When I do, my notes are extensive because I'm typing in real time (with one finger on my phone) as I do the distance healing.


Any of these forms of communication will be immensely helpful to the recipient.

But you might be nervous.

 "What if I misinterpret something I feel?". Yes, you might. And it's okay. Reiki healing is perfect and works on what's needed at the time. We may not know what that is. The person receiving the healing for a skin condition may get a distance healing from you and sleep better than they had in months because their anxiety was eased. So if you give Reiki by distance and feel anxiety instead of a skin condition that's okay. That skin condition may improve given the benefits of better rest or after a few distance Reiki healings.

"What if there's an awkward silence on the phone?". We really have trouble with silence, don't we? One thing I hope COVID-19 helps us with is overcoming boredom. When you're giving Reiki, let yourself and the other person be bored. Rest and let them rest. Trust the Reiki and let the recipient trust you. Let it be quiet and sense what you sense. Let them be quiet and see if they can sense anything happening. They just might.

If you feel you need to check in and see if they're "still there", you can gently ask, "If you need anything or have questions, just ask, okay?", and that will give them a chance to let you know if they do.



Play a little light healing music in the background, just as you would if they were with you. Nothing dramatic or emotionally tugging. No violins! Chances are, if they've had Reiki with you before, they'll feel immediately more relaxed hearing the familiar healing sounds in the background and feel at ease knowing that you're with them throughout the call. 

I do a lot of healing work over the phone and can share with you that as awkward as it might be for you your first few times, it's more awkward for them. You might have practice doing this several times, but for them, they may be going out on a limb and this may be their first time. Just remember that Reiki can do no harm. The intent is always pure and healing, so you're safe and so is the recipient.

If all else fails, contact your teacher. At their heart, a Reiki Master/Teacher is bound and responsible to their students. Just like a parent to a child, a spiritual healing teacher is responsible to their students for as long as the student has something to learn from them. So practice and explore, but if something isn't making sense, get in touch. Keep up your practice.

Remember you have a very magical gift and we all need as much light as we can get right now!

Reiki for Kids!

Over the years, I've had a number of parents and caregivers bring children in for Reiki. The adults usually experience or learn Reiki first, and after experiencing its healing benefits, they ask their kids if they'd like to come try Reiki too.

Often these kids have been given a diagnosis of ADHD, cancer, a developmental delay or learning disability. Sometimes, they just struggle at school or in their social circle. Receiving and living with a diagnosis can be hard in itself, on top of the physical or mental - emotional condition itself. Yet, these children are some of the most amazing people I've met. And, their Reiki treatments are some of the most fun and amazing ones I've given!


Can Children Learn Reiki?

While children under 13 are generally too young to be attuned to practice Reiki themselves, they are excellent candidates for receiving Reiki treatments. They're always asked if they'd like Reiki, rather than forced, and usually a parent will sit in on their session (if the child agrees). Often, a parent is the best person to give their own child Reiki. Many of my Reiki students wish to give Reiki to their children, but they say their kids are too rambunctious, have too little patience or have too short attention spans to receive a Reiki treatment. So, here are a few things that I do when giving Reiki to kids:

1. Time goes out the window

Children are sponges. They only need to hear some things once and they will remember them for life. They readily sense healing and often readily absorb it. If you're used to giving hour-long sessions, try 30 minutes, or 20, or just start with 10 and go from there.

If you're taking your child to get a Reiki session from someone, discuss with your child if you're going to be in the room with them, what the Reiki treatment entails, and remind them to say say if something doesn't work for them. Even if the treatment time is only 30 minutes, it will likely take the practitioner some time to talk with your child beforehand, find out what they struggle with, explain to them what the treatment looks like, get them comfortable, and perhaps even play with them or show them some toys or healing tools to gain your child's trust first. Leave some time for this. 


2. Simplify Hand Positions

Toddlers' and young children's bodies are small, so standard hand positions may do double duty. Front of the face and side of the face may be merged, as can solar plexus and tummy. Don't worry about form as much as connection. The happier the child, the bigger the smile, the more laughter, the more contentment, the more they will relax, release and consciously receive and appreciate the healing.

3. Connect

Children may not be used to having an adult work on them on a table. If they have, it's usually been with gloved hands, cold stethoscopes, directives to sit still and sadly, injections. A good practitioner will take some time to establish rapport. Children should be allowed to talk (even sing!) during the session if they want to. If you're giving Reiki to someone else's child, be interested in their lives, address them by their name, and get them to feel happy and comfortable with you.

4. Communicate

Children are young and open. Often they are told to sit still, behave, pay attention, be quiet and even "grow up"! A good practitioner will ask them questions. A simple, "how does this feel?" can go a long way. If you're giving Reiki to a child, and sense the energy in the Reiki treatment, even just colours, communicate what you sense with them. Have them visualize coloured lights enveloping them like soft blankets or bubbles of protection. You can guide them to visualise or to feel their breath expanding and releasing at their belly like a balloon. Not only will it help make the time on the table more interesting, you will be helping them see that it's okay to sense things that most grown ups ignore or dismiss.

5. Toys!

When a child comes into my healing studio, I immediately put on a bit happier, more upbeat music, and bring out the tray of crystals. I ask them if they'd like to include crystals in their treatment and if they say yes, I ask them to select a few that they like the best. Kids intuitively sense what they like and what feels good. They often even know when the crystals are done - and hand them to me telling me so! If your child has a special stuffed animal or doll that they love, invite their toy into the Reiki treatment. Often children will feel safer with these happy companions by their side.

6. Don't sit still

Adults are sitting most of the day. Kids, on the other hand like to move about. If the child is restless during Reiki, it could mean that they sense they need a good release. I always go with the flow. I will often ask them if we can do some movements, and then take their arms or legs and shake them about, or give them a side to side swing. Sometimes, when a child isn't able to sit or lie still at all, I do the session by distance while in the same room. We may even hold hands and dance. Sometimes I get them to open their mouth and make funny noises with me. Brrr! Wa-Hooo! This often ends with smiles and big belly laughter!

7. Hugs and Cuddles

When it comes to our kids, Reiki doesn't have to be given formally. Often I will feel the energy coming out of my hands when I am cuddling with or hugging my niece or nephew. They love it so much at bedtime and when reading books together. In fact, I often get the biggest hugs from them! So if you've learned Reiki and wish to share it with your kids, give them lots of hugs and spend time cuddling, watching TV or reading together. Let the Reiki flow naturally.

8. Boo-Boos!

Don't forget it's often our first instinct when a child has an injury, to place our hands over the affected area. Spot healing works wonders with children, so even if it's not a full healing, your child will benefit from the energy and attention on that one spot that needs attention fast!

What About Teens?

The above are just some of the ways I approach Reiki for young kids. For older kids and teenagers, privacy is super important to them. They'll often choose to come into the treatment room without their parents. We always make sure they know that I'm not discussing anything confidential outside their session. Sometimes they have a hard time communicating with their parents or siblings. We often role-play during the session so that teens can listen to themselves and feel freer talking to their parents from a supported and empowered place within themselves. Sometimes there's a feeling or a diagnosis of depression and anxiety. In these cases, Reiki can make all the difference in the world, by offering perspective, space and acceptance. Teens know there's a supportive place they can turn to if they need help or someone to listen.

No matter whether you are giving Reiki to a child or bringing your child for a Reiki session, it's a wonderful gift for them and helps with their physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health and development. They might feel more focused at school, have a better feeling about their physical body, go off to sleep more easily, enjoy better relationships at home or feel more empowered in their social circles. My own niece and nephew love it so much, they ask for Reiki at bedtime when they come to stay with me. I highly recommend sharing Reiki treatments with kids of all ages!


Want to take a Siam Reiki Course? Find out when the next one is offered here.


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Three Reasons to Keep Reiki Symbols Secret

There are three Reiki Symbols that are shared with those attuned to Reiki Level Two, one Master Symbol that is shared at Level Three and three additional symbols at Level Four, the Master/Teacher Level. The symbols are embedded in the attunement process itself, meaning that those who learn Reiki at these levels are attuned to these symbols as part of their course. They contain elements of Japanese Kanji or alphabet, and those attuned to them are instructed to draw and speak their names the same way each time to harness and amplify the power of Reiki.

Even though it has been explicitly stressed that the symbols are to be kept confidential until a student is learning Reiki at Level Two, there is a lot of controversy among students of Reiki around whether Reiki Symbols should be shared publicly. Here, I will give some perspective, from my own experience, and share three reasons why I feel the symbols should be kept confidential.

Symbols
Symbols


Symbols are everywhere. The very letters and words you're now reading are each a symbol pointing to something, and represented by certain markings. Every time a word is uttered or written it symbolizes something other than the markings or the utterance itself. Think of the word, "Love". Now think of the word, "Hate". Think of the word, "Freedom". Now think of the word, "Suffering". Very different feelings will come up.

There are countless symbols floating out there in universes known and unknown to us. Each has a particular feel or energy to it. When drawn or spoken, it is an act, a ritual in and of itself. It is this act of drawing, speaking or applying the symbol that harnesses and amplifies its vibration and power for it's intended purpose.

If someone simply sees a Reiki symbol, but is not initiated or attuned to it, not taught how to use it, or if they simply don't know what it means, it won't be of much active use to them. If you see the written word, "Love", and don't know its meaning, it will not have much effect on you. If you understand it's meaning it can be powerful when shared with you or shared by you.

Master Mikao Usui

Why a Secret, Then?


1. Respecting Intention


Reiki Symbols were not intended for use those not initiated to them. Symbols aren't even taught in Reiki Level One, but begin to be taught at Reiki Level Two. If Master Usui felt the first three symbols are so powerful that they are taught at a certain level of Reiki training, then anyone calling themselves a Reiki teacher or practitioner is advised to respect this intention.

2. Protection Against Misappropriation


One of the biggest reasons I see to keep the Reiki Symbols secret from those who are not attuned or initiated to them is simply for protection. These symbols denote sacred and beautiful energy, much like the cross and the swastika were before they were misused by those will ill intentions. The inverted cross of St Peter reminds us that he felt unworthy to be crucified upright as Jesus had. Over time, the inverted cross was misappropriated for anti-Christian messaging and purposes. The swastika, a thousands of years old symbol of prosperity and good luck in India and other parts of the world, has also been misappropriated and misused. It is now synonymous with Nazi racism and hatred in the west. These are worst case scenarios but we also see what happens with symbols such as the cross when they are simply watered down. The meaning is lost or loses its power when there is no faith behind it.
Om, A Cultural and Religious Symbol

3. Symbols are Active and Communicate


I've encountered individuals who just love the look of the symbols. And I agree with them -- they are beautiful. Some people create art with Reiki Symbols, decorate their space with them and some tattoo themselves with them. It may feel like an homage to Reiki or it may feel as if the tattoos or designs continuously emit Reiki. Without conscious action, they don't emit anything. They don't heal, protect, purify or make us better people, just because they Reiki Symbols are stamped on us. In fact, we may even forget that symbol is there, like we could forget an important or sacred text or book sitting on a bookshelf. An individual with a Reiki symbol tattooed on her arm who has lowered her consciousness using substances (I've seen this), isn't protected from being an attraction for a lower spirit or entity. It doesn't heal an illness or problem or make her more powerful or more special than anyone. The tattooed symbol doesn't do anything at all, other than in this case, communicate something about the person with the tattoo and perhaps deters prospective clients.

Want to Share the Symbols? First Ask Yourself:


  • Why do I feel so compelled to share these symbols with people who aren't initiated to Reiki?
  • What am I trying to achieve with this?
  • What message am I relaying by decorating myself or my surroundings with Reiki Symbols? Why?
  • What makes me want to go against the Usui Reiki tradition and share something that I was asked to keep confidential?

Think You Think Too Much?

A lot of my students who are learning the correct principles of meditation will at one point or another complain about thinking too much. It's an affliction that we all suffer from but it becomes really apparent during meditation, at times when we can't focus, or can't fall asleep. I wonder why we worry about it? Perhaps we read articles claiming that thinking too much makes us fat.



Ok quick! Stop thinking!

Actually, it's impossible to stop. With an estimated 65,000 thoughts going through the average human mind within a single day, with both processing and sensing (as in psychic ability) perhaps at the speed of light, could there really be such a thing as over thinking?

Think again


The good news is that the mind is designed to think. Thinking is natural: it's critical to our survival and our functioning. Humans have the ability to process vast amounts of information, and to be doing this consciously. This is part of what makes us human. 

Don't believe the hype


The painful part about thinking too much (and no, it's not the fat thing), is that we have a tendency to believe the thoughts, attach to them and feel that they're ours, develop feelings about them, and want to do something about them. It's like an addiction. A massive human trap! 


Google it

For example, a thought arises in the mind in the form of a question. In the thinking process, there is no satisfying answer. There comes a stealth but powerful disliking at not knowing the answer. The irritation is enough to breed a strong desire to find that answer. Curiosity builds. We want that answer. We Google it. 

It's like an itch we want to scratch. An addiction. A trap.



Or let's say there's a thought or opinion that a particular sports team should win. It's the worst team in the history of sport, with an abysmal losing streak. But, because the mind or heart believes it's our team, we still want them to win. Why? Because if they win, then we feel like we win and that will make us happy.  

Thoughts breed


We shouldn't blame thoughts. Thoughts alone are neutral. We don't see that in addition to thinking there is also believing, feeling, association and desire. These need each other to breed. A whole stream of these appears in the form of memories, daydreams and stories. Each thought breeds a liking or disliking and that emotion breeds more thought, more emotions, or action. The investment of emotion causes fatigue. Imagine having to act on each thought we have. What torture!

No wonder we don't like it. It's exhausting.

Don't stop thinking, start knowing


Naturally our first instinct is to kill thoughts. We think meditating (our image of this is sitting lotus-legged banishing any thought that dare trespass) can work. But that's not the way. It's actually almost impossible for modern humans to do, and more painful and unnatural than the thinking was in the first place, which is why those who attempt this often give up.

The Buddha taught mindfulness, which involves practising getting good at knowing when the mind has gone off to think. We don't practice mindfulness by trying to stop thinking and feeling, we practice by simply watching and knowing what the mind and heart are doing. 

When we catch thinking and feeling happening, the thoughts and emotions halt in their tracks like deer caught in the headlights. No matter how cute you might be, it's hard to breed or spawn anything when you're startled, exposed and motionless.



To practice the right way, we just watch and accept the thoughts and feelings coming and going. Without holding on too tightly to any of them, they are more easily let go of so we can see what happens next. It's like the brain in this Oatmeal comic (ok probably not exactly like this but you'd be surprised). 

So next time you're lost in a trance-like stream of thinking and catch yourself, rather than feeling like your mind is something bad, go ahead, smile. You just snapped out of it. This is what it means to awaken. Just in that moment you awoke to what the mind did. And then don't stop. See what happens next. This is just the beginning of learning to practice mindfulness.