Mindful Matters. Why it mindfulness matters for you?
mind·ful·nes
a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations, used as a therapeutic technique.
Mindfulness is available in every moment, whether through meditating purposefully, sensory deprivation floating, or just simply taking time to pause and breathe when things are hectic and crazy.
The Basics.
Mindfulness helps put some space between ourselves and our reactions. It’s that space between an event in time and your reaction to it. A crucial time that can set you up for either success or headache. How do I practice mindfulness and meditation? Here a five practices I have found useful.
- Set aside time. You don’t need a meditation guru or a huge block of time, or any special equipment. Just set aside a few moments of time and space that you can focus, even for a moment over morning tea or coffee.
- Observe the present as what it is. The aim of mindfulness is not attempting to achieve calm. The goal is simple: pay attention to the present.
- Let your initial reaction dissipate. Initial judgements arise, you note them and let them pass. Many times it’s reactionary thought not devised of rationale.
- Return to observing the moment. Reactions get carried away in thought. That’s why mindfulness is the practice, over and over, of returning to the moment.
- Be kind to your mind. Don’t judge. Practice recognizing when thought has wandered off, and refocus.
That’s what I incorporate into my personal practice. Its simple but not always easy. The biggest part is just being consistent. The progress comes from just keeping at it. Results will follow.
