mindfulness idea: cup and cone

One of my favorite places in White Bear Lake to practice mindfulness is good ol’ Cup and Cone.

In White Bear Lake (where Metanoia Therapy office lives) we have this lovely place called Cup and Cone (http://www.cupandconewbl.com/). It’s a little bit of heaven where you can get yourself a delicious ice cream treat (and some food too, if ice cream doesn’t suffice) and see lots of people. And it recently opened for the year, which got me thinking about the value of mindfulness, community, and tradition.

Mindfulness, Community, & Tradition - All Found at Cup and Cone, Seriously?!

There really is nothing better than standing in line on a warm sunny day so that you can order yourself some yummy ice cream at Cup and Cone.

It truly is a excellent opportunity to practice a bit of mindfulness:

• stand in line and take a deep breathe while you dream of that creamy ice cream,

• observe the warmth of the sun while you sit back and relax,

• notice the faces of the many people filling the space,

• listen to the sounds of laughter and conversation.

I know most of us when we hear the word mindfulness we imagine sitting quietly on the floor without disruption. That’s one way. But it’s certainly not the only.

Mindfulness is all about pausing to take in the present moment, with all the parts, engaging your senses, and observing without trying to change everything. And we can practice mindfulness anywhere.

Like I said, not only can we practice mindfulness at cup and cone, we get to embrace community too.

Take it all in. Enjoy the community. Even if you want to do it from a distance. Sit back and observe or join in with full participation.

I encourage you to notice the different groups of people and how they interact, take in the smiles and laughter, and enjoy a bit of laughter yourself as you watch the little ones create a bit of ice cream mess.

And if you’re from White Bear Lake, you’ll also have the opportunity to reflect on some of the joyful memories you had in this space.

If you allow yourself, you’ll likely have some reminders of the traditions you experienced, it’s a bit of a connection to our past... like the times you finished your soccer game and the whole team got to celebrate together at Cup and Cone. You might even recall the days leaving Central or North Campus to walk with a group of friends to get yourself a treat before going home. Or maybe you’ll find some memories of early childhood spending time with family or celebrating birthdays.

Whatever they are, traditions and memories can allow us to embrace our past with all sorts of emotions. And best of all, these experiences can be an opportunity to reflect on our growth and learnings.

When I stand there now, I can see a few comforting reminders of my childhood AND I see smiles and joy all around. Even on a hard day, this can create a welcomed shift in my body. It’s the amazing benefit of practicing mindfulness!

It may feel strange to think, but Cup and Cone can be a place where you can not only notice the ice cream melt, maybe it’s possible that the stress can melt away too. :)

So maybe you’re not from White Bear Lake and you had no idea about this Cup and Cone place. Or maybe you have moved away and you can no longer find yourself stopping by.

For that, I want to let you know that imagination is a powerful healer in our brain. It’s true. Our brain doesn’t care if what we ‘see’ is real or imaginary, it will respond. So, if you want to pause, close your eyes, and imagine yourself standing in line in front of that little brown building while you go back and forth trying to figure out what type of ice cream you want to order. Imagine the children running around the area. Imagine the warmth of the sun and the smell of ice cream cones. If you allow yourself to truly pause and fully imagine, your body will respond as if you are truly there.

Or explore your town for the ‘cup and cone’ experience.

Where can you find community, engage in mindfulness, and experience positive memories of the past?

What’s the Cup and Cone in your town?

The beauty of mindfulness is that we can bring it anywhere.