Wellbeing. Present Moment. Awareness.
Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to, and seeing clearly whatever is happening in our lives in a non-critical way, helping us to enjoy more fully the positives and to respond more calmly to life’s pressures.
Mindfulness improves our physical health
Scientists have discovered that mindfulness techniques can help improve physical health in a number of ways, including
- relieving stress
- improving sleep
- treating heart disease
- lowering blood pressure
- reducing chronic pain
- alleviating gastrointestinal problems
Mindfulness improves our mental health
In recent years, psychotherapists have recognised mindfulness meditation as an important element in helping with
- relieving stress
- depression
- anxiety
- eating disorders
- substance misuse
- relationship difficulties
- obsessive-compulsive disorder.
So, Mindfulness improves our overall wellbeing
Being mindful makes it easier to recognise and savour the pleasures in life as they occur, helps us become fully engaged in activities, and creates a greater capacity to deal with difficult situations.
By focusing on the here and now, many people who practice mindfulness find that they are less likely to get caught up in worries about the future or regrets about the past, are less preoccupied with concerns about success and self esteem, and are better able to form deep connections with others.
Mindfulness found me
Friends had been telling me for a long time that I was “the most positive person they knew and that I lived in the moment”. That sounded good, but I hadn’t realised it for myself and began to wonder if it was true.. Do I really live in the moment?…
And suddenly mindfulness ‘stuff’ started to appear everywhere – emails, adverts, people, and training courses, and there were lots of reasons for me following up on these and really embracing mindfulness:
- I wanted to be more aware of how I am, how I’m feeling, what thoughts I have and how others ‘are’.
- I wanted to get to know me and how I am with me and others
- I wanted to enjoy living
- I didn’t want to miss out
- I wanted to rest
- I wanted to be well
- I wanted to be able to deal with whatever life brings, ‘good’ or ‘bad’
- I knew it would bring greater positivity
- I wanted to become a nicer person
- I wanted to become a calmer person.
Over the past few years
- I now know I am living in the present
- I’m not dwelling on the past (although maybe occasionally!),
- I’m less focused on the future, realising that actually all I have is now
- I am learning that all I need is inside of me
- I stop for periods throughout the day to appreciate what is around me, bringing me back to the here and now
- I am less critical of myself, and compare myself to others less
- I am more aware of the conversations in my head and so less attached to them
- I am more aware of a need for better time management and continue to work on it.
- I want to help others use Mindfulness to enrich their lives.
How do we practice mindfulness
There is more than one way of practicing mindfulness as it is simply about being more aware…
● Mindfulness can be practiced formally whilst sat on a chair or cushion in meditation
● It can be practiced as you are going about your daily activities, for example whilst walking, shopping, cleaning, eating, sat at your work desk, driving your car.
I tend to use Mindfulness more so in my everyday life. I have actually found that by simply noticing what I’m doing within any task or situation, gives me a feeling of gratitude or purpose. This happens even when the task or situation isn’t one I would choose.
I have found that using the breath as a point of focus helps me to be in the ‘here and now’. It also helps me stay calm in stressful situations or when I feel myself getting anxious.
How can I help you
I work with individuals on a 1:1 basis to help develop a plan for bringing Mindfulness into your everyday life. Supporting your plan further may include us spending time together in Mindfulness activities and half day programmes.
Mindfulness often becomes incorporated within my Reiki sessions too.
Do you have questions?
If Mindfulness is something you would like to explore, please contact me to ask questions and discuss further how it may help you