In this confused, busy world, we are constantly trying our hands in different things at the same time. Either we are immersed in our responsibilities and thriving hard to make a living or running through the day to tick off necessary tasks. In the meantime, what we fail to realise is that we are completely detaching ourselves with the now-moment. We are missing out our doings, as well as feelings. Mindfulness is one practice which enables us to tune with our present, not having to worry about the future and rephrasing our past.
Mindfulness is an essential human ability to be completely aware of where we are, to live in the present. It is the practice of not being overwhelmed by what is going around us and what will happen in future. We all naturally possess mindfulness within ourselves, but it is more freely available when we practice it regularly. Whenever you are conscious about your state of mind via your thoughts and feelings, you're mindful. And research has shown that when you train your brain to be aware, you are bringing changes to the physical structure of your mind.
With the help of several medical centres, mindful is now a part of mainstream medicine. They are revealing how it improves both psychological and physical well-being. It has also demonstrated visible health-development, attitude and behaviour in individuals. The acceptance of both negative and painful emotions becomes higher with mindfulness. Instead of a reaction with hatred or avoidance, people start dealing with them.
Psychotherapists even include mindfulness meditation in their practice, especially cognitive behavioural therapy. Meditation and cognitive behavioural therapy help a person gain perspective on groundless and self-loathing thoughts. Mindfulness practice can immensely help in letting go of the emotional burdens on the broken medical system, which sometimes fail to provide a reliable solution to the rising growth of stress in our daily lives.
Overall well being.
Mindfulness practice significantly contributes to a satisfying life. When you are mindful, you are directly deriving pleasures of life by fully engaging in activities. By paying attention to the present, the past regrets and future worries stop bothering you. You are less likely to be preoccupied with issues related to success and egotism. You will start connecting with others on a deeper emotional level.
Physical health.
According to scientists, mindfulness practice shows a positive change in a person's physical health. Stress is one of the growing concerns today; mindfulness can act as a stress-buster, as a treatment for heart disease, blood pressure, and many more. It induces better sleep and eases gastrointestinal difficulties.
Mental health.
Recently, psychotherapists are implementing the meditation for mindfulness as an essential treatment for various problems. These problems encompass issues related to depression, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and OCD syndromes (obsessive-compulsive disorder), as well.
Practicing Mindfulness:
There are several ways to get habituated with mindfulness. Its main aim is to become alert with the happenings around. This can be done by being attentive to sensations and thoughts without any discernment. This allows our mind to focus on our present moment, the here and now.
You can sit quietly to concentrate on your breathing. Allow your thoughts to flow without any judgement and again return your attention to the breathing. Be aware of ethereal body sensations like an itch and tactfully, take your mind away from them. Allow your emotions to come in without judgement. Emotions can be of disgust, anger, frustration, joy and happiness. Accept their presence without any judgement and pass them away.
Meditation helps a lot in acquiring mindfulness. It is a structured method of putting your attention. Even though you, yourself, can learn how to meditate, one can highly benefit from an instructor’s support who can answer your questions and always keep you motivated. If you are suffering from severe mental issues, you should look out for medically oriented programs that include meditation in their practice.
There is meditation, which mainly involves concentration and honing in on breathing sensation, and allowing thoughts to come. Concentration meditation helps induce a relaxing response, which distinctly decreases the body's reaction to stress. This meditation allows your thoughts, bodily sensations, and emotions to flow without being judgemental. You also pay attention to external feelings like sounds and sights. There will be times when you might not be relaxed, but with time, it helps you experience self-awareness and happiness.
To Conclude:
The practice of mindfulness is all about accepting everything that arises in your conscious state of mind. It teaches you how to be forgiving, as well as kind. When you practice acceptance during meditation, facing challenges in your day to day life becomes easier. When you are indulging in a task, become fully attentive. These activities can be of anything. Be it sipping a cup of coffee, cooking a meal or taking your dog on a walk.
Your mind is likely to wander in a different zone while practising mindfulness. Do not fret over it. Instead, analyse your thoughts and gently bring your attention to the sensation of the present moment. The effects of mindfulness are tremendously positive. Its effects can be highly derived when you do it more and make it a routine to follow regularly. It only takes 20 minutes of your time for your mind to relax fully, so this is a plausible reason to start.
Food For Thought
As you spend time in mindfulness, you will find yourself becoming kinder, calm and forgiving towards yourself and people around you. There will be a positive shift in other aspects of your life, as well. Mindfulness can help you connect with your inner child self and maximise enjoyment.
