I had enough of a cold today that I went around in a kind of haze all day. It’s not that I’m particularly ill; I just feel tired and slow. Did it rain today? I’m sure it did; I do remember having to turn on my windshield wipers as I drove to work; but I can’t remember if it rained later in the day.

But am I feeling hazy just because of the cold, or am I usually this oblivious to what’s going on in the wider world? The Buddhists talk about the spiritual practice of mindfulness; that has never been one of my spiritual practices. Instead of mindfulness, I try to practice mindlessness.