cathy33March 2
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the pathway to living in the present moment. I believe that mindfulness is not only the path to living in the present moment but the key to fully enjoying everything life has to offer. It enriches each and every experience even the painful ones.
Mindfulness is being in the present moment, being aware of what you are doing, thinking and feeling, to get the most what you did wrong or should have done eats up extensive energy throughout the day. Many of us spend endless hours in the past or the future and never in the present moment. We wonder where the time went and what we spent it doing. Mindfulness helps us be more aware.
Mindfulness is the easiest way to be present, to be aware, and is a simple way to bring meditation into your day. Being mindful is actually a form of meditation.
Mindfulness is being aware of and focusing on what you are doing in the present moment, being in the here and now. Jon Kabat-Zinn describes mindfulness as “paying attention in a particular way: on purpose in the present moment and nonjudgmentally.”
Being mindful brings awareness to your inner wisdom of your body, to recognize the full spectrum of emotions, to be sensitive to your own needs and of those around you. It allows you to experience life with more feeling and passion bringing a sense of appreciation and wonder that cultivates inner peace and joy.
You can practice mindfulness at any time, with any activity you are engaging in. My first mindfulness practice every day is having my first cup of tea. I hear and smell it as I prepare it. I smell it and breath in the aromas, feel the heat on my hands, and then sip it slowly tasting and feeling it in my mouth and down my throat. And then I pause and feel it settle warmly into my stomach. It is a small piece of heaven before I start my day where I will often forget to be mindful.
The great thing about practicing mindfulness is that once I realize my mind has wandered and I become unfocused, I can bring my attention right back to the present just by being mindful of what I am doing.
Mindfulness practices can help you to increase your ability to regulate emotions, decrease stress, anxiety and depression. It can also help you to focus your attention, as well as to observe your thoughts and feelings without judgment. Mindfulness can improve your physical health by reducing blood pressure, relieve stress and reduce chronic pain.
Be present in your day-to-day routines. Mindfulness in your daily routines will increase your productivity and your enjoyment as well as help you better cope with the hassles that arise during the day and improve your health and well-being.
Mindfulness can be applied to any activity you are doing. To begin to live more mindful choose one activity each day to do mindfully. Pay attention to what you are doing, thinking and feeling. Just pay attention to not judge, to not let the mind to take over. When thoughts come just let them float by.
Mindfulness alone without making any other change to your life can and will bring change to your life almost magically.
