What is Mindfulness?
Definition of ‘Mindfulness’.
Mindfulness is a broad term and one that still has varying meanings. There continues to be multiple views on the term, depending on the context.
“Mindfulness practice means that we commit fully in each moment to be present; inviting ourselves to interface with this moment in full awareness…” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
“A process of openly attending, with awareness, to one’s experience in the present moment.” – Creswell
“…the energy of being aware and awake in the present moment…touching life deeply in every moment of daily life. To be mindful is to be truly alive, present and at one with those around you and with what you are doing.” – Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh
“…the awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgmentally.” – Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Let’s consider some main takeaways from these definitions- awareness, paying attention, the present moment, the attitude of kindness, and non-judgment. Another concept to make an internal note of is “heart-mindfulness…Capacity to attend to our internal and external states with an attitude of kindness and curiosity can lead to increased self-regulation and a deeper sense of personal wellbeing”.
Besides the definitions mentioned above, it is possible to have your own view about what it means to you and your practice. One important thing would be that this journey, whether with therapy or incorporating mindfulness, is that one must strive to be kind to oneself. Oftentimes, we seem to be more than willing to offer our help and compassion to others, but don’t reflect the same to our own being. How can we introspect meaningfully and show the same compassion to ourselves?
Mindfulness is something that allows people to accept their experiences, not avoid them. There are multiple things going on constantly, taking up our time, efforts, and attention. Especially in today’s time where even if we have a moment to ourselves, there just seems to always be something going off signalling to us the next list of things we need to attend to.
Mindfulness Practices to Consider
You can incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine bit-by-bit. For example, the day-to-day movement in your surroundings. Recall two of the important aspects of mindfulness, awareness and attention. Take some time to allow yourself to focus on one sensation, like the warmth of your coffee cup in your hand, the feeling of wind on your face or the warmth under your nose as you exhale. You can allow yourself to have your mind wander, but once you’re aware of that wandering, allow yourself to bring it back to the warmth of the coffee cup. This practice is called focused meditation, it can be helpful in terms of improving attention, maintenance of focus, emotional regulation, and self-awareness.
Focus on your breathing
This practice can be done at any time. Just be aware of your breathing, and notice the bodily sensations that take place during your breaths. Focus solely on your breathing and try to regulate it.
There is also evidence that focusing on breaths and regulating them has benefits that can calm the nervous system. By taking deep breaths and allowing your body to fill with the air you will be able to reset your nervous system by repeating deep breath cycles a few times.
An Unease Modulation Model was proposed by Joseph Arpaia and Judith Anderson, explains the connection between our reserves (‘vessels’ containing our energy/effort, etc.) and our nervous systems. The purpose of this model is to emphasize that if our reserves are depleted, by not getting enough sleep, not enough rest, being overly stressed, and so on, it can then in turn affect our body, and mental states, add to chronic stress, etc. There is this cyclical relationship between regulating our thoughts and emotions and our mental well-being. There’s a bigger picture that should be looked at in how not taking a moment for ourselves can affect more than just our mental health.
Five Senses Exercise
Notice five things you can see
Notice four things you can feel
Notice three things you can hear
Notice two things you can smell
Notice one thing you can taste
While this may be something you’ve already heard of to aid in panic attacks, it can also be a good method to ground yourself in the present moment when you may be getting too lost in your head. It is also something quick you can do when you may not have a lot of time to spend on a bigger practice.
Gratitude list
Another practice that would be helpful is making a gratitude list. This can be done at the start of your day or before you go to bed. Take a moment to think about what you’re grateful for. We can all use those self-reminders about what we have to be thankful for and focus away from what’s lacking in our lives. What are you grateful for?It can be the fluffy dog you saw earlier, to your health. Just taking the time to be grateful for people, time, and things, allows you to recenter yourself and focus.
Whether you’re starting with mindfulness, or it’s something you’ve done for years, remember to be kind to yourself. It’s something that should be approached with an open mind, a desire for self-improvement, and a degree of willingness.