Halifax uses a phrase that interests me: attentional balance. After losing some of my physical and, more to the point, psychological balance while coping with normal pressure hydrocephalus, I pay attention when balance is mentioned.
Halifax lists 3 D's that interfere with our attentional balance: divided, distracted, and dispersed. Here's how the 3 D's appear in my life:
Divided: There are so many things I want to accomplish in a day that if I don't have radical clarity about where to place my attention, I feel divided and no matter how much I do, I feel dissatisfied.
Distracted: I can be distracted by my body if I don't pay attention when it needs to move. I may stay in the same position, even when my back hurts and ignore the timer signalling it is time to stand up, but be distracted until I stand or move.
Dispersed: Halifax writes that according to neuroscience, wherever our attention goes, our brains follow: "Attention is the boss of the brain." I have so many interests my attention is spread, as they say, thin. I've never before this moment, thought of thick attention!
Is your attention thick or thin? How do the 3 D's show up for you? I would love to know. Either email me or go to comments section. We are learning from each other!
CLUE: Watch where your attention is this week. I will be doing it right along with you. Life is too short to be divided, distracted or dispersed! Let me know how you stay away from the 3 D's!
Thanks for exploring the mystery - Nicky Mendenhall
Image is from last year (Leaves are still green and on the trees but are beginning to drift to the lawn one by one. I wonder how it is decided which leaf goes first?)
Soooo interesting, Nicky! I love the concept of thick attention! I am certainly divided between many interests--like you--but am not too distracted (since I've stopped being a news junkie--which is a challenge in these times). I am not really clear about the difference between distracted and dispersed--is attention dispersed when you're distracted??? I see "multitasking" as fitting in here. I am not a believer in multitasking--maybe it's just because I am no good at it!
ReplyDeleteSoooo good to hear from you Diane! Sounds like you can have more thick attention to what matters to you - your writing especially - when you don't follow the news too closely. I, too, have limited my news consumption but still feel compelled to read the Sunday New York Times. Some Sundays, like today, it feels like a burden.
DeleteI don't want to continue to read it this morning so I turned on the computer so find you here! I will go back to it but for now I want to respond to you and then put in at least 45 minutes of writing on my memoir.
Thanks for staying in touch. I am glad to be part of what is in your thick attention!
"Attention is the boss of the brain." That makes a lot of sense to me! I am wondering about the connection between "thick" attention and flow state. When I'm in flow, I lose track of time, I don't think about putting the laundry in the dryer/refilling my water glass/emailing someone back. That, to me, is thick attention.
ReplyDeleteLeigh - what an interesting question - are thick attention and flow state closely related? I'd say they are first cousins - at least. So if someone asks me why I didn't return their call - I can say - oh I was thick. not dispersed or distracted or divided - thick! They may think you have a lisp so use with caution.
DeleteThanks so much for the comment - I had fun with it and have a new way of thinking about flow. Hope you will return to read and comment!
ReplyDeleteI loved the metaphor of the edge of a cliff as the edge between two states of being that have to be addressed.
Yes Vicki - I was moved by that metaphor also. As we age we continually face those edges it seems to me.
DeleteThanks for reading and sharing your insight about Halifax's book.