Mind the Gap

A lot of meditation techiniques and teachings speak about noticing the gap between the outbreath and the inbreath. This space is a natural gap that can be very short or a second or two depending on your rate of breathing.

While meditating on this over the weekend, I was reminded of the famous ‘Mind the Gap’ messages in London. The British have a way of reminding folks to watch their step or watch their heads by saying ‘Mind your step’ or ‘Mind your head’. In The Tube stations in London, a passenger is treated to a repeated message of ‘Mind the Gap’ played in a very Orwellian, 1984-ish tone over the PA. The recording is meant to remind passengers to be aware of the space between the stopped train and the platform as they step on or off the train.

How wonderful that folks in London can be called to mindfulness while waiting for a train! Imagine sitting/standing on the platform and having a disembodied voice repeatedly call you out of your mental musings and back to the present moment by telling you to literally ‘Mind the Gap’.

I will no longer be able to see one of those ‘Mind the Gap’ T-shirts again without thinking of mindfulness.