You’ve all heard of Mindfulness, right? There’s been a lot of talk about it in recent years, particularly as a way of improving mental health.
According to the Samye Foundation Wales, Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to and seeing clearly whatever is happening in our lives. It can help us respond to life’s pressures in a calmer manner. It helps reduce stress and develop more focus and mental clarity.
Combining non-religious meditation, breathing techniques, paying attention to the present moment, and developing positive thinking and clarity of mind, Mindfulness helps people change how they think, feel, and act.
Through resting our attention on the present moment, Mindfulness can help us be:
- more self-aware
- calm
- less stressed
- kinder to yourself
In a nutshell, Mindfulness involves resting the mind in the present moment. It involves directing attention away from thinking and preoccupation and being present during our everyday actions, rather than simply going through the motions.
I turned to Mindfulness to help with my health anxiety. Mindfulness is particularly useful for anyone suffering from an anxiety disorder. It’s a way of directing the mind away from intrusive, obsessive, or negative thought patterns.
My experience of Mindfulness
In 2016 when I was suffering an episode of health anxiety, I attended the Samye Foundation 8-week Mindfulness course. It was a game changer for me that opened my eyes to how distracted my mind was, permanently! Always thinking, worrying and procrastinating. It taught me a valuable lesson in how to rest the mind in the present moment.
Each session was spent learning about Mindfulness and practicing meditation.
I vividly remember the mindful eating session with a raisin. It was the best raisin I have EVER tasted. We were guided to eat the raisin slowly and pay attention to our senses. It alerted me to how I usually think or plan when I eat. Practicing mindful eating slows the process and allows us to enjoy the experience instead of simply going through the motions.
Although the course focussed heavily on Mindfulness meditation, it also taught me how to practice Mindfulness in my everyday life. It was this aspect of the course that I found most beneficial. Mindfulness isn’t only about making time for regular meditation practice, but a way of life. I try to practice Mindfulness every day. My go-to practice is mindful walking where I rest my attention on my surroundings. It can be something simple such as resting my attention on a tree that I’ve passed many times before and never noticed. I might notice the colours of flowers, moss, fungi, or leaves – the changing seasons. I may rest my mind on sounds, the birdsong, or the wind blowing the trees. Sometimes, it’s as simple as gazing up to the sky and feeling a beam of sunshine on my face, standing still for a minute or two to embrace the comforting warmth.
New to Mindfulness? Give it a go!
Mindfulness can be practiced throughout the day. It’s not just about taking the time to meditate. If you’re new to Mindfulness, why not try the following practice? Take in the sounds, smells, and sensations. You do not need to engage with them but simply notice them. Be patient, the mind will always wander, but gently direct it back to the present and rest it on the task in hand.
Making a cup of tea
Try being present in the act of making a cup of tea. Your mind will wander but gently direct it back to the present.
Rest your mind on the sounds, smells, sensations such as:
- The water filling the kettle
- The sound of the water boiling
- The act of stirring
- The smell of the tea
- The taste
Washing your hair
Try being present in the act of washing your hair. Your mind will wander but direct it back to the present.
Rest your mind on the sounds, smells, sensations such as:
- The sensation of the hot running water
- The sound of the hot running water
- The smell of the shampoo
- The sensation of your hands massaging your scalp
The above practice can be applied to many simple everyday acts such as:
- Washing the dishes
- Cooking
- Cleaning
- Shopping
- Brushing your teeth
- Peeling vegetables
- Putting on your shoes
- Gardening
Notice how being present during these everyday acts slows you down and calms the mind.
Remove yourself from autopilot
As I mentioned earlier, Mindfulness opened my eyes to how distracted my mind is most of the time. We’ve all experienced a car journey lost to thinking, reaching our destination with no recollection of the journey. But what if we spend our entire days on autopilot, not just car journeys?
Thinking is important. It leads to big decisions, breakthroughs, and decisive action, but often we think too much. We think during times where thinking is unnecessary, harmful even. We’re often doing something and thinking of something else at the same time, such as cleaning the house and evaluating a recent work meeting. We are literally lost in our thoughts, depriving us of experiencing everyday life. These are not just moments – they are our life!
Thoughts situate us in the past or future. Directing our minds away from our thoughts allows us to be present, experience our surroundings and enjoy the simple pleasures found in the everyday acts of life.
Of all the coping methods I have tried to improve my mental health, Mindfulness has undoubtedly been the most beneficial. When you consider that anxiety is fuelled by harmful thoughts, and Mindfulness encourages us to direct our minds away from thinking, it’s a no brainer really! What’s your experience with Mindfulness? Is there any particular mindful practice you find particularly beneficial?
