Bells of Mindfulness

Bringing mindfulness and awareness through the day can be a challenge. We all get caught up in the hustle and bustle; the drama; and all that needs to get done.
When we are relaxed and feeling centered we wonder how can I bring this peace to my everyday life? How did I loose it during may day and get so sucked in?
The great teachers, like Thich Nhat Hanh, suggest "anything can help us to wake up and relax into the present moment."
In temples, churches and retreats the bell is often used to bring people to prayer, to remind us to stop what we are doing and connect with our own happiness.
You may not have a bell chiming in your work place every hour, but you can use other cues. I work in a hospital and there are bells and chimes going off all the time. I use these to stop, breathe a little, and remind myself of the peace that lies within. You may have a bell or beep on your phone when you get a message that you could use as a Bell of Mindfulness. Thich Nhat Hanh suggests saying silently to yourself while taking a few deep breathes: "Listen, listen, this wonderful sound brings me back to my true self."
Hey, it's worth a try.
(Quotes from The Heart of Understanding by Thich Nhat Hanh)