yogasean

Mindfulness – Anytime …Anyplace ….Anywhere

The definition of Mindfulness :-

 “ Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non- judgmentally”.

  Jon Kabat Zinn

Mindfulness is considered the heart of Buddhist meditation and has been practiced for centuries by Buddhists all over the world. More recently, scientific research using MRI scans on Buddhist monks in meditative states has demonstrated the beneficial effects of enhanced well- being for mind and body.

However, mindfulness practice is non secular and does not attend to any doctrine or dogma. It is a practice of the mind and body,useful for anyone who chooses to be curious enough to give it a moment or two or three or four and so on……. Spend some time and experience the difference.

 

We have become accustomed to filling our time with running from one object of occupation to the next, busy here and there and still feeling unfulfilled and dissatisfied with all the accomplishments and achievements that we have gained.  We continue distracting ourselves avoiding feelings, escaping from ourselves, blocking and deluding with the internal chatter so often in conflict it’s no wonder we feel stressed, anxious and confused.

We can spend so much time living in our heads constantly thinking, thoughts taking us away from the moment, churning over memories, imagining the future from one minute to the next blinded often to what is actually in front of our very eyes, let alone the feeling in our own bodies.

 

We can be so caught up in the web of our own existence that we may not even notice this. Our auto –pilot is full steam ahead,  all pistons firing, and thus we’re not fully conscious until something happens to wake us. Being in auto pilot is nothing new, it happens to all of us more often than not and it is our life styles that promote it in fact encourage it in so many ways. There is always something new to learn, more money to earn, more gossip to catch up on more judgments to make of others and ourselves.

We create self -imposed rules, regulations which we follow blindly, detrimental harmful conditions to live by, setting up habits and addictions, unaware that we can shift and make changes whenever we please. It is as if we are in a dream state going through life, from one mode of doing to another going with our own formulated patterns conditioned and set in auto pilot.

There is light at the end of the tunnel.

By bringing awareness to this and what we are experiencing through our senses rather than what we are thinking, we can step out of auto pilot. Doing so allows us to notice ourselves and the world around us, be present with what is here, be aware of the company we are in or the moments of silence, or laughter, joy, peace and quiet. Connect with ourselves, making conscious choices from a place of clarity and stability, feeling confident, with a sense of well- being and contentment. Like the idea of that I did and I haven’t looked back since.

Francesca Cognetti  – Mindfulness Practitioner

Try this….. Next time you make yourself a hot drink, sit and place your attention on the cup in your hands, the feel of the object, the temperature, texture, the weight as you lift it to your lips, the taste, the wetness, anything that catches your senses and the response you have in sensations and thoughts. In other words take a moment to have a moment.