Oral Surgery and Mindfulness

When a tooth breaks, there are a few, very few options. Last week, we looked at how awareness leads to choice. When there’s an emergency, you don’t feel like you have ANY choice. The thing to remember is that there is always, always a choice.

 

Each choice leads to its own series of consequences and that leads to more awareness which, in turn, leads to greater choice.  After a decade of conservative treatment, I required oral surgery.

 

And with that, I had new awareness. 

 

I won’t be graphic here, just know that oral surgery is surgery. It’s surgery, in your mouth. For me, I was sore. There were tissue things I had to care for, but not in the same was as if you’d scraped your knee or something. And I was on a medication regimen.

 

Awareness of discomfort.

Awareness of a new spot in my mouth I apparently needed to keep exploring.

Awareness of where I could and couldn’t/shouldn’t put pressure.

 

Every meal became a different challenge. 

Every bite became an opportunity. I found myself slowing down. I was eating in a way that I could feel food textures differently. The flavors hit my tongue differently. Or, perhaps, I was just eating slowly enough to notice.

 

Notice.

Awareness.

 

Awareness leads to choice. Where have I heard that? Oh, dang. I teach that! So now that I’m aware of the sensations and flavors and textures, and it’s not like I had never noticed that before, I mean, I don’t just gulp my food, what else could I notice?

 

The oral surgery had me slowing everything down. From keeping everything on one side of my mouth to the pressure I put on my food when I did chew, ever so slowly.

 

And then – the world opened up! I’m experiencing something new. From pain and discomfort comes a new realization about perception. Can we each slow down just a little? Can we take some time to notice what we’re doing?

 

Right now, in this moment, can you feel the breath you just took? Can you focus on your left knee? What about the color of the ceiling or whatever is above you right now? What are you noticing?

 

The bottom line of today’s message is simply this – take a moment to notice. Don’t wait for something external to you to force you to slow down enough to notice. What is the smallest detail that you can focus on in the pattern of what’s directly in front of you?

 

That’s cool, right? And it’s free. And it’s available every moment of every day.

 

I’m healing just fine. The lesson endures. Notice. Just notice.

You don’t have to do anything with what you notice. For now, just notice.

 

Keep making your magic!

 

= Wayne = 

Have you seen my masterclass on Powerful Presence? There’s no cost, and you can find it and other resources for you at https://www.WaynePernell.com