What Is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is simply reconnecting to ourselves. To the whole and true being that you are.  

It is living in the moment and not the past or future. It is noticing our thoughts and actions and not drifting through the day on auto pilot. 

We need to deliberately pay attention to our experiences without judgement and let them unfold, paying attention to both inner and outer experiences. 

Most importantly in order to live mindfully we must learn to respond to all states of mind - not just the positive ones. To do this we must also learn patience and acceptance. 

If we can learn to pull apart each experience into separate strands of thought, emotion and sensation,  we introduce perspective and in so doing are better equipped at understanding and dealing with it. 

 

Activity! - 

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For example, choose a chore that you don't particularly like doing. That may be doing the ironing, vacuuming the floor or hanging the washing up. 

Next time you do this activity ask yourself the following questions - 

 

How do you feel to begin with?

What do you find easy?

What is more difficult?

How do you feel during?

What do you accomplish from doing this activity?

How do you feel after?

Whatever you feel it is okay. 

 

Do it again tomorrow. Ask yourself the same questions and notice if it feels different or the same. 

Once we have gained perspective and start to break down the experience into these thoughts, we become more curious about it. 

This means we are able to relate to the experience differently and that allows us to change how we feel about it.