19/01/2017
On new years eve myself and my good friend Matt wanted to clear the old and bring in the new, ready for 2017. So we decided to go for a walk in a place of beauty. As we entered into the spirit of the surroundings, right on cue Matt turned and asked, what is mindfulness then?
Mindfulness. We have all heard this buzz phrase, readily nodding our head in a yes motion, rolling our eyes and feeling the need to add that Ella, you know, that girl who knows Stevens girlfriend, is really into it when the word is banded about by friends or colleagues, when actually you have no real idea what it is or how it is even a thing! I mean really?! I’m way too busy to bother about it, bit stressed at the moment, it wouldn’t work for me anyway, i just do not have any spare time, do i????
The short answer is yes, yes you do, and mindfulness is readily available all around you all day you just haven’t noticed!
In a nutshell mindfulness is about being in the present, the actual moment, stilling time and returning to being part of the bigger picture that the ego booted out when it moved in!
Mindfulness is a technique that can help avert your attention from the constant mind chatter and i mean constant, that holds you in the past “why did i say that? Why didn’t i do that?” re-living and sometimes recreating memories both good and bad and lets not forget the mind chatter that projects you into a future that has not even arrived yet “right, i’m going to spend all day tomorrow finishing that report...what if its not good enough? I can just imagine Jeff now, exactly what he will say, i must prepare what i will say back” or “ if only i had accepted that job 10 years ago, my life could have been so different, probably perfect, lets imagine……”
So lets start small, close your eyes, slowly breathe in and slowly breathe out and really focus on the action, how it feels, the rise and fall of your chest, the sensation in the nostrils. Notice how much calmer you immediately feel and how your mind and body becomes secondary to the moment. This can be done anytime , anywhere, at home, at work, in a traffic jam.
Getting the picture?! What about walking to work, even if just from the carpark, or on the bus or train, you find yourself already planning the day, watching yourself work and you are not even there yet. Look around you, notice the trees, the birds, the sky, the clouds, the sunrise, the beauty of the season, what have you never noticed before? Reawaken your senses and allow them to explore.
Want to take it further? Just go somewhere, anywhere that is a change to your routine, the beach, the countryside an art gallery, the local park and indulge your senses, walk, feel, see, smell, listen and just be. Take your time and become part of the bigger picture, feel the invisible and self applied shackles of modern perfection fall away, you may just like what you find.
