When we pay more attention to the present moment, which is to our own thoughts and feelings and to the world around us we are practising mindfulness. Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of where we are and what we’re doing. In fact mindfulness helps us put a brake to our reactive mind, diffusing our accustomed responses. The aim of mindfulness is paying attention to the present moment without other thoughts rushing in, without judgements and merely observing without reacting to situations.
Well we all know that most of us have got a wandering mind, and we also know that a mind which wanders a lot makes us more tired than a thousand mile walk. But practising mindfulness is a difficult task, to tie the mind to the present, asking it to sit and pay attention. Remember, mindfulness is just a mental training.
How can we tap into mindfulness?
- Have your focus time.
Every morning go out to get connected for focus. Go near a budding flower and focus on the flower, the colour, the beauty, fragrance and so on and experience the stream of thoughts and feelings about the flower. Your focus time helps you practice mindfulness.
- Experience silence
Get away from the distractions of the world, from the chatters within your mind and select your time slot everyday of your mind to walk through the street of silence. Silence, puts you on alert and makes you fully present in the now.
- One minute meditation.
Take a minute for meditation, inhale all the coolness into you and exhale all your worries. Deep breathing activity helps you tap mindfulness.
- Mindful listening.
Listen to a new song every day, feel the music, hear the lyrics and enjoy the journey of the song. Get immersed in the pool of music and stay away from all judgements and criticisms regarding the song. Here, you have tapped into mindfulness.
- Express your gratitude with a smile.
Search your soul and you will find a million and more reasons to say thank you. A word of thanks to the billing person who has just billed and packed your items after your super shopping at your neighbourhood mall.A smile, with thanks to the policeman who stops the vehicles, to help you cross the road on a day of heavy moving traffic.A polite thank you to a counter receptionist for giving you information on a matter of value. A motivating thanks for the auto/taxi driver who has taken us to our desired destination on time. A heartfelt thank you for the customer who has just come to add more to your business.A thank you with joy for the waiter of the restaurant who has just served you with the dish of your delight.
The point of this exercise is to simply give thanks and appreciate the seemingly insignificant things in life; the things that support our existence but rarely get a second thought amidst our desire for bigger and better things. By, doing so we are practicing mindfulness.
Here, we have enlisted 5 methods to tap into mindfulness and practice it. However, for people who have mastered mindfulness, life is going to be one which will earn them peace, serenity, happiness, prosperity and success.
Advantages of practicing mindfulness.
- There will be high resistance to reactions from your side in different situations. It helps us build up a better emotional quotient.
- The ability to get focussed on things, activities or work in hand improves, as a result of which your effectiveness gets enhanced.
- You will be able to drain away your distractions and along with it the associated worries and anxieties.
- It is a known fact, that it is our unhealthy thoughts that give rise to unhealthy emotions and these emotions lead us to stress. Practicing mindfulness, let us stay free from stress.
- Practicing mindfulness, improves our concentration, which in turn makes us better in resolving problems and conflicts, bring about innovations, make inventions, bring in fresh concepts etc.
- People who practice mindfulness have greater empathy and compassion due to their patient listening skills and hence they enjoy better relationship with people.
