Exploring mindfulness
- Penny Nicholas
- Aug 29, 2023
- 4 min read
Embracing a mindfulness practice has opened my eyes to a deep well of inspiration and wisdom and I hope that you enjoy the exploration too.
Although the practice of mindfulness is relatively young in the western contemporary world it has roots that stretch back over 2,500 years and reference to the wisdom of being present and still has been seen throughout the millennia in all cultures and all religions across the world.
If you are new to mindfulness, you may find it helpful to contemplate the following section. The material that I offer will then support you in further exploration.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to, and seeing clearly, whatever is happening in our lives.
Mindfulness offers us a technique we can use to cultivate our capacity to live in the present moment. By living in the present, we are more in tune with ourselves and our environment and become more able to respond rather than react to daily life.
Mindfulness will not eliminate life’s pressures or surprises, but living in the present we start to notice more of the good aspects of life while also coping more effectively with the difficulties and challenges. When living more mindfully life becomes less stressful and more enjoyable.
In addition, practicing mindfulness cultivates our innate capacity to be patient, kind, generous, open-minded, and compassionate. These qualities enhance the way that we behave towards ourselves and the people we live and work with; our relationships become stronger and our lives richer.
Mindfulness is not a panacea; it is not a solution to all problems but thanks to extensive research and developments in our understanding of neuroscience it is now widely accepted that it has an important part to play in supporting mental health and well-being.
"Mindfulness provides trustworthy ways of resourcing oneself amid personal, familial, social and cultural challenges and upheavals. A growing body of research evidence suggests that practising mindfulness quietens reactivity, builds resilience, enables clearer seeing and supports wiser and more compassionate responses"- Oxford Mindfulness Centre
How to practice mindfulness
Practising mindfulness does not need to involve white linen clothes, sitting in the lotus position, silence, or beautiful beaches. We can practise mindfulness in any posture, at anytime, in any location and at any age.
Put very simply mindfulness involves pausing amid normal life and being in the present moment. There are formal and informal practices. Formal practices often use guided meditations, can be done in a variety of different postures and normally last between 3 and 40 minutes. Click here for a link to my guided practices.
Informal practices can be done while doing daily tasks such as cooking, eating a meal, walking to work, or having a shower. Next time you have a cup of tea see if you can do it mindfully.
The benefits of mindfulness
A crucial reason why mindfulness is beneficial in so many situations is that it helps us to work well with both the pleasant and the difficult aspects of life.
People who have developed a daily meditation practice often report that they experience the benefits out lined below. These benefits are also being supported by a growing body of clinical research studies.
Improved levels of well-being:
A greater capacity to cope with both short and long-term stressful situations.
An improved awareness of pleasant events and an appreciation for what is going well in life.
An increased ability to relax and experience calm.
Enhanced levels of energy and enthusiasm for life.
Improved self-confidence.
Improved ability to develop a healthy relationship to food
Improved levels of physical health:
Lower blood pressure.
Less gastrointestinal problems.
Better sleep patterns.
Improved ability to manage chronic pain.
Improved mental health:
Reduced levels of anxiety and depression.
Greater awareness of the early warning signs of both low mood and spiralling anxiety levels.
Improved memory and the ability to think clearly and creatively.
“This is why we practice meditation – so that we can treat ourselves more compassionately; improve our relationships with friends, family and community; live lives of greater connection; and, even in the face of challenges, stay in touch with what we really care about so we can act in ways that are consistent with our values”- Sharon Salzberg
Who is mindfulness for?
Today mindfulness is being offered throughout society and there is encouraging evidence for its use in many areas of health, education, prisons, and workplaces. Life as an instructor has bought me into contact with many different people ranging in age from 17 – 86. People often contact me after seeing the effect that mindfulness has had on members of their family or friends.
People are attracted to mindfulness for a wide range of reasons –
A desire to bring more happiness and meaning into their life,
To slow down the pace of life and to enjoy rather than just cope with daily life.
Relationship challenges,
Stress in the workplace,
A range of chronic health concerns,
Parenting demands,
Retirement issues and anxiety in older age,
Care for the dying and bereavement,
In recent years, psychotherapists have turned to mindfulness practice as an important element in the treatment of several mental health conditions. If you are currently receiving any treatment for a mental health condition, I always ask you to consult with your health professional as to whether mindfulness would support you at this time as I do not work in a clinical setting. Not everyone will benefit from mindfulness and when practiced in the wrong setting for too long and without the right support and instruction it can occasionally cause difficulties. Before attending any of the courses that I offer there is always a process of orientation so that together we ensure that the course is right for you.
When we compare mindfulness which can be seen as a form of mental exercise with physical exercise, not all practices are suitable for all people, and we need to know when mindfulness will support us and when it won’t. Careful guidance is needed ideally from a qualified instructor. If you went to the gym, you would not start with the heaviest weights and if you went walking you would not start with the longest treks. You would pace yourself, build up stamina and listen to your body as to how far to go. In the same way you would alter what physical exercise you took when you were feeling tired or poorly. This exactly what we also do when we practice mindfulness.
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