A reminder to be mindful

A few weeks ago I was in Raleigh visiting the family, when I noticed a small bell hanging from the doorway down to the basement (ie my dad’s shrine). I asked my dad what the bell was for and he explained to me, each time he walks directly in to it, bumping his head against the bell, which then chimes, and serves as a reminder to be mindful. Silly Gaya, I should have figured!

I will have to ask my dad more about what mindfulness means to him, but in the meantime, google told me “In its Buddhist context, mindfulness has three overarching purposes: knowing the mind; training the mind; and freeing the mind.”

Here are photos of the rents demonstrating:

{To bad my mom is too short to be reminded to be mindful!}