Would you like to feel more calm and centred? Have you heard that mindfulness can help?
Some people confuse mindfulness with meditation and think they have to sit cross-legged on a cold floor for one hour a day. If that is you, you are in for a pleasant surprise. Mindfulness can be practised (almost) anywhere and at any time. You don’t even have to close your eyes if you don’t want to.
Would you like to know a bit more about mindfulness?
Mindfulness is deliberately paying full attention to what is happening around you and within you - in your body heart and mind, without criticism or judgement. So put simply it is about being aware and experiencing the present moment as it is happening without thinking about what you are going to do next, what just happened, an argument you had yesterday, last week or even last year (and yes our mind does take us back to all sorts of places).
This is a quote from Eckhart Tolle:
“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.” ― Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
So what are the benefits of practising Mindfulness?
There are many, but these are some:
Reduced stress
Better focus and concentration
Decrease in anxiety and other negative emotions
Better sleep
Improved brain function
Because of a large body of research into the effectiveness of mindfulness, mindfulness techniques are now taught in schools, workplaces and also prisons.
If you haven’t tried Mindfulness techniques before, give it a go. What have you got to lose? If you already have your own mindfulness practice you might like to share your experiences in the comments below.
Here is one simple Mindfulness Activity you can try, it is called Take Three Breaths and that is ALL you do.
Very simple right?
For as many times a day as you can, give your mind a short rest. Become aware of your breath and for 3 breaths focus on your breath and ask your inner voices to be silent. It is like turning off the radio or TV for a few minutes. Then open all your senses and just be aware - of colour, smell, touch and sound.
At the end of the day, note down how many times you did this and any other observations about the practice.
Tip - I suggest using some reminders to do this - post it notes, alarm on phone or other reminder that works for you.
I will be posting a different mindfulness activity each week in my Facebook Group. To participate in the Challenge, all you have to do is join my Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/118293145412342
See you there