Originally Posted by
Artkansas
Buddhists have the concept of mindful walking and mindful breathing, where the purpose is not walking to get somewhere, but rather to walk to stop thinking and be deeply aware of every moment and movement, and breathing deeply and being aware of your breathing.
Do you do mindful riding? Purposely stopping your mind wandering as you ride and returning your focus to the here and now to be deeply aware of your breathing, your legs your arms and balance and what you pass as you ride?
Yes, except that I don't do it purposefully. Here's something I wrote on a blog during a long tour a bit over a year ago:
Somebody asked me what I think about when I am riding along. It's not an easy question to answer. Obviously sometimes I'm looking at the scenery, sometimes I'm thinking about the route, sometimes I'm wishing the wind would drop. And sometimes I'm thinking about more complicated things. But a lot of the time I'm not really thinking of anything. Cycling is like that, it tends to focus one's attention on the sheer physicality of the activity. So I get into a rhythm and my awareness is focused on that; I couldn't be said to be thinking, just being. It's quite meditative. That's one of the things I most like about it.
And you are quite right, this is not the same as being unaware of one's surroundings. Quite the reverse. One is more aware of what is going on, because one is not distracted by conscious thoughts.
EDIT: Racer Ex, racing is a bit similar, I think. You see, and react, and seize opportunities (or not, in my case) without too much conscious reflection, because you are in the moment and utterly focussed on what you're doing.