I’ve been surprised to see store banners, print ads, and TV commercials are already promoting “Back to School” sales! How is it that time of year already?! We’ve just arrived at the last full month of summer. Hello August! I’ve been thoroughly enjoying this season with outdoor concerts, backyard barbeques, and sunshiny morning walks. I plan to continue taking advantage of them, as well as celebrating a few fun national holidays. Among them, National Watermelon Day, National Vinyl Record Day, and of course, National Book Lover’s Day. Hooray! I’m also ready to engage in this month’s new mindfulness activity. One I hope reminds me of the power of the spoken word. But first I’d like to share a recap of July’s mediative choice.
From my journal: July 15, 2026, Newbury Park, California
“…just three minutes…still hard to chill and still my mind…I know I’m supposed to be in the present, but sometimes it’s more like a To Do…”
My mindfulness pick last month was to meditate. In my Anchoring My Mind post I wrote that I felt ready to take on this activity as I had been practicing mindfulness for the last six months. My goal was to sit quietly each day for 2 to 5 minutes with my eyes closed while focusing on my breath. I also made the pledge not to judge my thoughts or myself. On the upside, I only missed practicing meditation three of the 31 days in July. I successfully sat for 2 to 5 minutes at a time, but most of my sessions were 3 minutes long. Though I wanted to meditate longer, I had to remember its the progress that matters, and that according to meditation master, Vishen Lakhiami, even 1 to 3 minutes of calm a day reaps rewards. Going forward, I’d like to keep learning how to use this mindfulness technique through guided meditations on my Calm app and maybe even take a class to anchor my mind even further.
Now on to this month’s mindfulness pick. There’s a Buddhist saying that states, “When meditating, watch your mind. When in the world, watch your words.” Events and news reported over the last few years have really brought this to the forefront of my thoughts. I still flinch whenever I hear people, especially in the political arena, talking negatively to or about one another and about what’s happening around us. It’s the language, it’s the tone, and the way these thoughts, opinions, and facts are expressed. It disturbs me, but on occasion I have to admit, that when overcome with emotion, I too have done the same. While I acknowledge that I am human, I want to do better.
So, during August, I will be practicing speaking mindfully. Recalling a few recent conversations, I was left feeling uncomfortable about what I said. My body felt tense even afterwards, which tells me something in itself. I’ve been asking myself why I said the negative things I did. Maybe I felt them, but I remember learning as a young child that you can’t take back what you’ve said. In these instances, I was not pausing and considering what to say, I was just responding. Sure, there are times when we need to say directly what’s on our mind, but I was not in that type of situation. I was simply in “reactive mode”. And of course, there are times when venting may be appropriate and even necessary, however immediately reacting to what someone says or does, only perpetuates this behavior. It changes nothing.
While I don’t want to have to weigh every word I say every time there’s an opportunity to talk, just being aware of speaking mindfully will help. And I believe considering the five Buddhist criteria for speaking will be beneficial, too. They are to speak what is true, kind, useful, timely, and words that facilitate harmony.
This has given me much to think about. All too often we hear untruths, exaggerations, and biases stated as facts. So before speaking, I need to ask myself, is this true? I’ll also consider, if it is true, do I need to verbalize it? Which is where kindness and usefulness come in. Sometimes speaking the truth isn’t kind, and serves no purpose, and is not for the greater good. Timing is also essential. Being aware of the situation and person I’m talking to needs to be taken into account. Waiting to say something in the right circumstance, for instance in private, or when I have someone’s full attention, may be the best choice. And lastly, it’s important to ask if what I am relaying will create more division and separation or foster mutual support and understanding. Sometimes it’s difficult to know, but there is another saying I like. It is, “Speak so you become each other’s companion on the journey.”
Practicing speaking with these five criteria in mind, I hope to have more sincere conversations and avoid gossip, harsh speech, and reactive responses. I hope to feel better about my contributions through the words I choose to use and how I express them. And I hope to truly be more present, deliberate, and mindful of the words I’m putting out into the world.
A Journal Journey 