Mindfulness : an age old practice .. for all of us

The current situation is slowly taking a toll on us and we are battling a host of emotions – anger , sadness , grief .. fear .. We wonder how we will cope with all this around us . Our minds are restless and reactive.

So today will talk to you about a simple but profound concept. That of Mindfulness!

It’s the buzz word today .. a lot of discussions about mindfulness are on so lets get an understanding about it.

So what exactly is mindfulness?

“Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing, and not overly reactive or overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.

We may at many times be aware of what is going around in our surroundings .. but what is going around in the inside of us , most of the times we are unaware , till we react and wonder why did I react so strongly?

That’s because we aren’t really aware of what has triggered us and made us react.

Bringing to awareness our state of mind .. of who we are and what triggers and affects us is about mindfulness.

“Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally,” says Kabat-Zinn. “And then I sometimes add, in the service of self-understanding and wisdom.”

Let me share how we can make mindfulness a part of our daily life

Start with observing the present moment :

Just be an observer .. try to stay away from judging . Difficult to do but its all about training your brain.

Simple ways to foster this are :

1. Mindful observation: Do small activities such as observing a leaf or a flower.. just focus on how the leaf/ flower looks, its texture , its colour. Focus on your attention and stay away from judgement.
2. Mindful eating : When eating stay with the food and the entire process of eating. Most of us are distracted by being with a gadget and lose out on the nurturance and sensual experience of eating a wholesome meal.
3. Build mindful awareness- become aware of your thoughts – take time out to be with them .. ask yourself – is this thought empowering me or disempowering me ? If it’s a disempowering thought , see if your can release it
4. Mindful listening – listen with awareness and interest. Resist the need to interject and interrupt the speaker. This can take a relationship to a whole new level.

Benefits of practicing mindfulness:

1. Boosts memory and focus
2. Less emotional reactivity
3. Sense of calm and control over self
4. Stress reduction and better health

So invest in this age old practice and transform your life

Anuradha Satyanarayana-Prabhudesai

Counselling psychologist and REBT therapist

at Disha Counseling center – Mumbai

anuradha@dishaforu.com