On Cultivating Mindfulness: Living Life Moment to Moment

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On Cultivating Mindfulness Living Life Moment to
Moment
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• Although we may be physically present in a given
  situation, it is possible to do many things in a
  mindless state. For instance, how many times
  have you driven home on autopilot, feeling like
  you have little recollection of the actual
  journey home? Or responded to a loved one
  impatiently or in haste, without putting much
  thought into the words we use? It happens to
  everyone, and understandably so. Most of us are
  busy, and constantly feeling the demands of
  day-to-day life. Its easy for our mind to
  wander, following threads into the past or
  focusing on the future, causing us to miss what
  might be right in front of us. Luckily, there is
  a way to reduce our tendency to function on
  autopilot its called mindfulness.

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• The idea of mindfulness has become increasingly
  popular in the Western world its difficult to
  find someone whos never heard of it. For many,
  the word mindfulness conjures up images of
  serene, happy people sitting cross-legged on a
  yoga mat. However, the truth is that mindfulness
  in practice can often be messy, frustrating, and
  even overwhelming especially at the beginning
  of our journey with it. When we slow down and
  hone in on our moment by moment experience, its
  possibly to uncover sensations or experiences we
  would rather not notice.

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• It has happened to me on a number of occasions.
  On the other hand, mindfulness is wonderful in
  that it can be practiced anywhere, by anyone, and
  has demonstrated benefits in a variety of areas,
  including stress management, reducing anxiety and
  helping us cope with pain, to name a few (Brown
  Ryan, 2003). Regular mindfulness practice has
  also been associated with positive changes in
  brain and immune system functioning (Davidson,
  Kabat-Zinn, Schumacher, Rosenkranz, Muller,
  Santorelli, Urbanowski, Harrington, Bonus
  Sheridan, 2003).

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• But what exactly is mindfulness? Essentially, it
  is a state of conscious awareness. Mindfulness is
  the ability to be fully present with our
  thoughts, emotions and sensations as they arise
  while not being reactive to them. Jon Kabat-Zinn
  defines mindfulness as paying attention in a
  particular way on purpose, in the present
  moment, and nonjudgmentally.

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• In graduate school, I took a course on
  mindfulness in which I got into the habit of
  doing daily meditations. This morning as I sat on
  my cushion, I noticed tension in my shoulders as
  I thought about all I had to do today, but I also
  noticed excitement about what this day would
  bring. I noticed a lot of emotions associated
  with expectations I needed to meet, but also
  fears about failing to meet those expectations
  Ive set for myself. Our emerging thoughts and
  feelings have a natural ebb and flow to them,
  some pleasant, some less so, but all equally a
  part of the web of experience.

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• In practice, mindfulness can take on many forms.
  For instance, it can refer to the use of guided
  meditations that instruct you to focus on your
  breath or some sort of visual, or it could
  involve music that allows you to clear your mind
  for a few minutes. Some people find that they
  prefer to practice silent mindfulness meditation.
  Others practice mindfulness during daily
  activities such as focusing on the thoughts and
  sensations that arise for you while you do a
  routine task, like eating, washing the dishes, or
  walking the dog.

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• There isnt a right way to be mindful. In other
  words, there isnt some ultimate goal we are
  trying to achieve or a destination we are heading
  toward mindfulness is more about cultivating a
  deeper awareness and presence in our lives. It
  allows us to become friends with our inner worlds.

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• So, mindfulness isnt about changing our
  experience itself, but rather to change the
  relationship we have with our experience.
  Regardless of whether certain thoughts or
  feelings never go away or change, if we can be
  present with those experiences with compassion
  and acceptance, the effect they have on us will
  shift and they will no longer grip us.

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• If you or someone you know is interested in
  learning more about mindfulness and its
  applications to everyday life, contact us to
  learn more about our mindfulness services.