Mindful Driving
Please do not read and drive…that is not what this is about.
Hello my lovelies! I know that I am not consistent about posting here, but I have a great idea. Each month, I will post a new mindfulness technique…step-by-step. Understand that each of these techniques can be modified to meet your individual needs. That is what is great about mindfulness, it is individual and useful for you and you alone. Any of my mantras can be individualized for you. Feel free to email me using the contact form for more information about mindfulness.
So, here we go.
Mindful driving may sound like something dangerous, however, it is quite the opposite. It is not about closing your eyes, chanting ohm, and receiving enlightenment. It is more about being familiar and aware of the sensations and situations within the process. It is almost like engaging in the process for the first time. It may seem a little childlike, but most children are more mindful than adults are when they engage in a process, so let’s embrace that “childlike wonder”. Let’s get started.
This process will take you through the entire process from the time that you touch the car door to the time that you exit the vehicle whether you are the driver or the passenger. It may be helpful to practice this as a passenger the first couple of times that you engage with it, just to get a feel of the process and how fast you can move through it. I know that some of you are likely reading this and saying, “I know how to drive a car. I do it every day. I can make it to and from (insert destination here) blindfolded.“ However, when was the last time that you experienced “highway hypnosis”, you know, that state of doing something so frequently that you no longer think about it and sometimes wonder how you got from point A to point B. This simple process can help with deterring some of that unknowing and sometimes anxiety when you are making the journey.
As you approach the vehicle, remind yourself of your intent on this journey. I have found that if we look at driving for what it is, a journey from one place to another, we are more motivated to improve the experience, so let’s embark on a journey together. As you open the car door, notice the force that is exerted to pull the handle, the sound that the door makes as you disengage the lock, the sensation as you feel the mechanism release. We are not in the moment of assessing these things, we are just taking note of them.
As you go to sit in the vehicle, notice how your body moves to enter the vehicle, do you notice the muscles that activate when you are getting into the vehicle. Take a moment to notice how your body feels in the seat. Adjust your comfort, move your hips within the seat to allow for awareness. This does not have to take more than 2-3 seconds.
As you secure your seatbelt, notice the muscles that are engaged to reach across your body or behind your shoulder and how they move as you engage that locking mechanism. It is all about just noticing, not necessarily altering. Just take note.
As you engage the engine, notice how the key/button feels as you turn/press it. Notice the resistance of the mechanism. Notice the sound that the engine makes when it is engaged. Notice the shift in the hum as the process occurs.
At this moment, you can take a deep breath and begin the rest of the process.
Moving the engine from the parked position to the movement position (reverse or drive), note how the car responds to your interaction with it. We are now ready to move.
As you engage in the actual traveling/driving process, you are now in the mindset to be aware of your surroundings.
Many people who ride motorcycles already engage with this process in some sense since there is a different mindset for most of them as it concerns their safety differently than driving a car.
As you are driving, pay attention to how the car responds to the road. How does the suspension feel different when you are driving on highways as opposed to country roads? Note the difference when you are driving in the county as opposed to the city. It is not a big process, but it is one that can help you to relax and accept where you are and what is going on within your environment. Notice how your body reacts to inertia when you start and stop.
Whether you are driving across the country or you are simply driving to the local convenience store, the difference that this will make with practice can be hugely beneficial to your overall state or relaxation.
As you are driving, take note of things that maybe you do not notice as often. I am a reader during driving. This means that I read EVERY sign that is posted between point A and point B. So, I can probably recite every little piece of signage between Pine Bluff and Little Rock from both directions.
Now that you have reached your destination, it is time to begin being aware of activities of stopping, parking, and exiting the vehicle. Notice the inertia on your body. How is it different from when you first began the journey? How does the vehicle move when you are parking the it, how is it different from the engagement of the journey? How does the force exerted in turning off the vehicle differ from the force used to start it? How do the muscles engage differently unbuckling the seatbelt as compared to buckling it? When you are exiting the vehicle, how do the body positions change, how does the body respond, tense, and flex as you move from sitting to standing?
