The Beginning of Mindfulness
In the 1999 Star Wars Film, Obi-Wan Kenobi is told “Don’t center on your anxieties. Keep your concentration here and now, where it belongs…be mindful.” Mindfulness was something so important that Yoda, and other Jedi, felt the need to teach it to Obi-Wan.
However, that’s not where mindfulness began. Mindfulness is said to have begun long, long ago as a part of Buddhism in 483 B.C. That means the practice of mindfulness has been around for over 2,500 years! Wow!
More and more people are practicing mindfulness. Because of the long-tested effectiveness, mindfulness has even been adapted into several therapeutic applications.
What is Mindfulness?
Google dictionary simply defines mindfulness as, “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.”
Mindfulness is being present with the world around you. Every day, people go through moments when they are focused on the past or the future. Focusing on the past might look like you fuming all day at what your spouse said to you last night. Focusing on the future is when you’re anxiously thinking about all the projects you have to get done this weekend.
Taking those situations and thinking about them mindfully is how you recognize the way you feel or are acting right now.
When you remember what your spouse said last night, take a moment to focus on how you presently feel about the situation. You may feel sick to your stomach about the situation. Hurt. Frustrated that’s what they think of you. A longing for when you aren’t mad.
When you find yourself focused on the future as you get flustered and anxious at all that has to be done, focus on your present situation and the feelings and thoughts that come with it. You may begin to realize “I am freaking out. I am hungry and need food. It feels like there are a million things to do at once. This one thing is stressing me out the most. It’s giving me a headache.”
“Mindfulness consists of cultivating awareness of the mind and body and living in the here and now,” explains Stahl & Goldstein (2010).
Is There a Reason So Many People Practice Mindfulness?
Stahl & Goldstein (2010) go on to further explain, “An all too common example in Western culture is getting so caught up in the material world that we forget about love, compassion, and generosity. The antidote is mindfulness: a simple and direct practice of moment-to-moment observation of the mind-body process through calm and focused awareness without judgment…In this way, our minds, through our intentions and thoughts, are the creators of our own happiness and unhappiness.”
Mindfulness is used to assist one to become more present in the moment. That ability to be present also helps with stress, depression, anxiety, addiction, aging healthily, athletic performance, and so much more.
Being overwhelmed is a common symptom for anxiety, stress, and depression. When mindfulness is used, it helps one to go from that overwhelming feeling of having several tasks (or a task that feels impossible) and hone in on one thing at a time. With mindfulness, you become more aware of what emotion that situation brings, and thoughtfully work through coping with that specific, present feeling.
Steps to Mindfulness
1. Make time for it – Set the alarm for 5 or 10 minutes to practice mindfulness. That will help you start getting the hang of it. Eventually, it will become easier and more natural to integrate it into your everyday life.
2. Focus on the present – You only have this moment to focus on the present, because soon enough, it will become the past. Think about what you are going through and experiencing right now. Focus on your breath, how your body feels, and what you hear around you.
3. Notice your thoughts and actions - Let your mind wander if it needs to. Stay present by recognizing your thoughts and actions as well as the effect they are having on you. Remember that the past cannot be changed, continue to focus on the present moment and what you are doing now.
4. Let your judgements pass – Notice the judgements you think and feel, and allow them to pass as a brief thought. Because your mind can always change, your judgements are not permanent.
Many people want to become more mindful, but still don’t know how.
If you or someone you know is in that situation, then, Let’s talk.
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