MINDFULNESS MONDAY for this week:
As we have already learned- mindfulness is the attention to and moment-by-moment awareness of our environment, thoughts, feelings and experiences. It is simply being present in whatever you are doing. Today we are going to look at meditation. Amongst other things meditation is a tool that can be used to assist with cultivating that awareness (mindfulness).
People often feel that these are one in the same, however mindfulness is a quality or a state of being and meditation is a practice. I am intentionally keeping this very simple for understanding but in actuality it is quite a complex discussion. For simplicity’s sake they both involve focus, intentionality, awareness, being in the present moment, concentration and discipline. The difference is that meditation is often practiced in a protected environment with an intentional focus, controlled posture and is often time-structured; while mindfulness can be done informally or formally (as meditation) in every waking moment. It has been said that mindfulness is the true goal and meditation develops the skills needed to achieve that goal.
A suggestion for this week: If you are interested in trying meditation- here is a simple 4-step guide to help get you started. I would suggest beginning for 5 minutes then increasing over time. 1) Choose a comfortable posture- typically sitting on a cushion or in a chair (with or without back support depending on your need) or even laying down. 2) Focus your eyes on the tip of your nose or on an object (you can half-close or close your eyes if you prefer). 3) Place your palms on your thighs with thumb and index finger lightly toughing, the rest of the fingers are relaxed. Focus on your breathing and become aware of the sensations or thoughts that you experience- don’t analyze the thoughts or feelings, try to observe them with full awareness and let them go away. 4) Slowly come back into awareness with taking 3 slow and deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth. Raise your arms and stretch overhead, stretch out your legs and get up and move around.
Happy Meditating!