Mindfulness, a birthday wish

/ October 5, 2015/ Holistic Nutrition, Yoga/ 0 comments

In energy medicine class, I was told there are no coincidences. Just synchronicity. So I guess is no coincidence that the Mindfulness Summit is happening on my birthday month.

Since I learn what mindfulness is, I have embrace it and nothing is the same. Everything has changed for the better.

My birthday wish this year is that you practice mindfulness today with me where ever you are and when ever you can. Let me know how it goes!

What is mindfulness?

I like this definition the best from Jon Kabat-Zinn who describes it as "The awareness that emerges through paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally to things as they are. Non judgment means being open and accepting. It does not mean like of discernment."

In the summit, Mark Williams defines it as "Well mindfulness really is the word, but really simply means awareness. Awareness of what’s happening as it’s happening both in the inside world and the outside world. It comes from a very ancient word, but it’s probably easiest to understand if you think of it’s opposite mindlessness. Mindlessness where
you keep forgetting to do things, you don’t listen properly, you’re not attending properly, the world is going by without you really being there for it or here for it and mindfulness is the awareness that emerges when you make a decision to train your mind, to some extent, to check in more often to how things are."

To me it translates into being present using my breath without liking or disliking. Easier to say than doing it, right? that is the practice.

How do I practice mindfulness?

In mindfulness meditation class, we learned to be mindful by becoming aware of our breath through out the day. So you can be mindful when you walk, when you eat, when you do anything!

Here is a text from M & J Kabat-Zinn that describes really well:

When sitting, just sit.
When eating, just eat.
When walking, just walk.
When talking, just talk.
When listening, just listen.
When looking, just look.
When touching, just touch.
When thinking, just think.
When playing , just play.

And enjoy the feeling of each moment and everyday

Take 5 or 3 minute breathing space taught me that I can stay calmer and more present when I use these short practices. You can check other examples or listen to a 3 min recording in my post Informal meditation practices.

The Mindfulness meditation summit just started. You can listen to Day 1 introduction. It is available to everyone until the end of the month. I signed up for the 31 days challenge and you can still join now.

Let’s be mindful today and everyday. Realize we are living in this moment in this place now.

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