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Article Series: Mind, Body, Spirit & Meditation
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What
Are The Benefits of Practicing Mindfulness?
Mindfulness
is most commonly known as the Zen Buddhist practice of
becoming fully focused and aware in
the present moment. Did you know that the average person rarely
focuses only on the present moment? More often our thoughts
are racing ahead to think about the future, or getting stuck
in regret as we think about the past. The problem with this
habit is that by removing our focus from the present moment
we miss out on an opportunity to live as fully and richly as
we could right now.
Practicing mindfulness is a great way to bring your focus
back to the present, and the good news is that anyone can do
it. You don’t have to be a meditation master to conquer your
scattered thoughts, and one peek at the benefits of mindfulness
should convince you that it’s worth trying:
- Inner
peace
- Stronger
focus
- Deeper
spiritual connection
- Emotional
detachment
- Mental
clarity
- Inner
balance
Sounds great, doesn’t it? If you’re ready to give it a go,
here’s a very simple way to begin practicing mindfulness:
First, it’s a good idea to choose a “trigger” that will remind
you to bring your thoughts back to the present. You’ll want
to choose something that happens frequently throughout the
day, like every time you walk through a doorway, or every time
you glance at a clock. Set this trigger in your mind during
a meditation performed the first day you want to begin practicing
mindfulness.
Get into a relaxed state by taking a few slow, deep breaths
and focus on quieting your mind. Then recite an intention similar
to this: “Today I am reminded to practice mindfulness each
time I see a clock or hear the current time mentioned by someone
else. In the very instant I become aware of time I am able
to quickly let go of scattered thoughts and turn my attention
fully on the present moment with joy, peace and gratitude.”
Repeat the intention out loud a few times, letting the message
soak into your subconscious mind. Then continue with your day
like normal.
From that moment on, every time you see a clock or hear someone
else mention the time, you should immediately be reminded to
detach from scattered thoughts, stress, anxiety, anger, or
any other errant thoughts or emotions, and focus only on right
now.
Be sure your focus is not one of anxiety or fear! Let the
future take care of itself, and let the past rest. Embrace
the present moment with absolute serenity. If it helps, try
reciting a mantra during your mindfulness moments, such as
“All is well right now.”
Keep your focus on the present moment for as long as you can,
and give your full attention to any task you’re doing at the
time. In fact, be sure to practice mindfulness while you’re
doing mundane chores or activities! These are the activities
that usually inspire us to “zone out” and let our minds drift
off, so it will take some discipline and determination to keep
your thoughts in the present moment.
The ultimate goal is, of course, to be in a state of mindfulness
ALL THE TIME. However, it will probably take time for you to
achieve that level of control. As with all new habits, mindfulness
takes time to master. Taming errant thoughts is similar to
herding sheep. They keep moving off in random directions and
you have to keep redirecting them where you want them to go!
Just be persistent and patient and in no time at all you’ll
feel more comfortable with the technique.
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by SolveYourProblem.com
: 2009
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