The practice of mindfulness is an age old concept but in the last several years I’ve seen an increase in its popularity. The hype can be somewhat nauseating as at times social media makes it feel like we’re competing to find a winner of spiritual enlightenment. But don’t let this detract you from the basic principle of mindfulness. At its core mindfulness involves setting a conscious intention. To an extent we do this daily when we establish tasks and goals that we are mindful of. The difference with mindfulness as a practice is that here we consciously set the intention of awareness on our internal self rather than something external in our environment.
Initially this may seem paradoxical-the very idea of awareness implies consciousness. But our body can deceive us and we find ourselves merely going through the motions rather than actually experiencing. Mindfulness is regarded as looking inwards. By doing this we can evaluate our perspective without judgement. Bringing this into your daily life doesn’t need to be overwhelming. Below I’ll describe three different and easy ways to begin a mindfulness practice. Think about the amount of time you spend surfing the web aimlessly, on facebook or instagram, or watching youtube videos. One of the exercises described takes less than 2 minutes-I’m sure you can find the time.
That’s it! You just completed an essential breathing exercise that has been scientifically shown to regularize heart rate, decrease anxiety and modulate the stress hormone cascade.
The act of journaling allows us to digest our thoughts differently and gives us a chance to let things go or reflect on them. Psychologically the act of writing activates your left brain which is analytical and rational. This distraction technique frees up your right brain for more intuitive or creative thoughts and processes. As well, the simple act of writing things down allows your brain to stop expending the same energy comprehending that same information.
Guided meditation can be helpful as it provides an auditory focus for your brain. There are so many different apps and youtube videos available now (many for free) that provide this stimulus. Starting at just a few minutes daily these apps can help to provide structure, accountability and have been shown in studies to improve overall stress management and sense of well-being.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25995404/
https://www.drjacqueline.com/docs/Energy-Medicine-Magazine.pdf#page=45
https://doi.org/10.1037/ocp0000118
https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.12184
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