Yogi: I have trouble maintaining continuity of awareness when I do something like scrubbing the pot hard.
Sayadaw: When we pay too much attention to the outside, like to what we’re doing, that’s when we lose the mindfulness. If you’re scrubbing a pot and you’re looking too much at how the pot is, it is easier to lose mindfulness.
Using too much energy also refers to how we do something. When we use too much energy to do the activity, it also causes us to lose mindfulness.
If we remember to use some of our energy to always bring attention back to ourselves, we’ll still notice the details we want to notice and do it effectively.
If you’re holding the pot and scrubbing, if your attention can be on the holding, the movement and your feelings, you’ll still notice if the pot is getting scrubbed clean or not and adjust accordingly, and have enough mindfulness at the same time.
When we do something, we always think a little too much about what we’re doing, more than is necessary; and that’s why we lose mindfulness.
Next time you scrub pots, start by just scrubbing the pot and then ask yourself: What do I know? Then, you’ll notice all the things popping up and stay with that.